Wow!, Renewal rates through the roof? Options

[FenderBender]

Hi all,

Just received my November 2011 magazine with 2012 renewal information and I was surprised to see the increases in the subscription rates.

Up 5 pounds for the UK, and up by 14 pounds for Europe and ROW.

As I'm in Spain, the increase affecting me would be the 14 pounds (28 to 42) - a mere 50%!!!!!!!

Seems a bit steep to say the least. Maybe there are proposed changes which I'm unaware of, and which would justify such an increase.

FB

PS In the actual magazine the rates are last year's I imagine (page 48) but the renewal form and the website show the increases.

[tedm]

Think yourself lucky you are not renewing your car insurance here in the UK..........
TED....

[loosesalute]

Still a good buy.
& I can imagine that their costs have gone up a lot, just like every other publisher out there.
Cheers,
Kev.

[j-c]

There was mention a couple of months ago about launching a trial version on line for overseas users due to postage costs, although there are technical difficulties with this.

Copies over a year old are published, so I am guessing it should be possible to publish "live" copies?

There would probably be a reduction in people wishing to recieve "hard" copies, which would reduce production and postage costs, and there may also be an increase in recipients for the Journal who would like to recieve on-line copies.

Jamie

[zarko]

I am def in favour of online/PDF copies if this will reduce the subscription prices and allow me to purchase the club car for once.

[hammertime]

Guys
Many thanks for the comments on the 2012 subscription rises. I will be commenting more on the NSCC accounts in the Annual review early in the new year, but for now can confirm that postage and printing rises have left us with no option but to increase next years rate.
Bear in mind that the Journal is still great value for money, working out at £2.50/month to UK members, £3.50/ Month to Europe and @ £4 /month to the Rest of the World for a 40-45 page colour magazine posted to your door. As members you also have the ability to buy limited edition cars at sensible prices, and attend the annual Hornby weekend etc.
We are still looking at the possibility of an 'on line' Journal to overseas members who would prefer this method. Work is ongoing in this direction.

Should any NSCC members wish to have more detail behind the need for the rises, I am more than happy to have a chat or reply to emails.

Shaun (NSCC Treasurer)

[slothead]

A year's subscription delivering an informative colour magazine every month - all for less than the price of a slot car!

Seems like a good deal to me.

[dgersh]

In fact, the French equivalent, Circuits Routiers, is about to go all electronic, because we just couldn't justify the printing costs for a much smaller member base... kind of too bad for us printophiles, but inevitable.

The only thing I don't understand for the NSCC is why a foreign subscription would be £9 more - surely the postage rates are not that much higher?

Don

[MPJBud]

The only thing I don't understand for the NSCC is why a foreign subscription would be £9 more - surely the postage rates are not that much higher?

I'm sure that someone has the relevant figures, but at the moment Royal Mail seem to be increasing their prices by in excess of 10% per year. In addition VAT went up last year, which may not have been fully factored into last years price increase due to stock levels. And finally the increase in the prices of raw materials seems to far outstrip inflation.

I think all in all the benefits of membership far outweigh the costs and the monthly journal is the icing on the cake.

Long may it continue

Martin 'Bud' Johnson

[jeznaylor]

Hi all,

As Shaun has already pointed out, the rates for foreign members has increased more than the UK rates in 2012 because for a number of years the UK subscriptions were subsidising the foregin postal costs, so we were actually losing money on foreign members subscriptions, in addition for the last couple of years we have not increased all the mebership subscriptions by much (only £1 or £2 per year) but incurred considerably price rises for printing and posting.

This could obviously not continue to the detriment of all the UK members given the number of foreign members we have (and therefore negatively affect the club finaces as well we are losing some 10% plus of the foreign members subscriptions annually on postage alone), hence the price increase which, yes does look high on first impression, but as Shaun has pointed out if you break the cost down to a monthly cost, it actually isn't so unrealsitic and is comparable to other slot car magazines, plus you get it delviered to your door, access to exclusive cars and the Hornby weekend.

As mentioned we are looking at the possibility of a web based Journal for the future for foreign members who cannot or do not wish to pay the higher subscription but this is curently in its infancy and will be the subject of research in to likely demand as their is extra work involved and we are all afterall volunteers!

It is interesting to note that the other two magazines on this forum started off as web based products but actually due to demand have increased their printed options, our decision on a web based version only perhaps may not be well recieved by some of our foreign members who may prefer the "hard" copy in their hands and are prepared to pay for this?

As Shaun said, any members who would like to discuss the subscription rates can contact either him or me.

Also as a side line, this year we will not be sending out Journals in January 2012 to members who have not yet renewed, as last year we did this to a significant number of people who ultimatley did not renew and so incurred the club in a considerable cost which was not recovered, remember we as a Committee are charged with looking after the Club and it's funds on your behalf.

So please renew if you intend to do so before the end of the year, otherwise you will not automatically get your January Journal. A form was enclosed in the November Journal, if you have lost it, renewals can be done on the NSCC website or contact a member of the Committee for a form and we will email one out.

Regards,
Jeremy
Editor

[dgersh]

Thanks for the explanation Jeremy.

In fact, I think I pulled the trigger a bit fast, and was thinking on a per month basis: even if foreign postage is only £1 more a month, that's already an extra £12 for the year, so I didn't really think this through... sorry.

My excuse is that I've been traumatized by US ebay sellers who confuse "Europe" with "Mars"... I don't actually subscribe to NSCC any more, but not because of price reasons.

It will be very interesting to see how the e-bulletin version of Circuits Routiers works out, and I'll let you know... for about the last two years we have also had a French model car magazine that has added an all-color slot section, so that changed things a bit too.

Don