Waterways world

[dor]

OK Richard, here is a question for you:

 

I have, and have had for a number of years, a subscription to WW. At one of the shows last year, the WW stand was offering some giveaway to new subscribers.

 

I understand the marketing tactics for doing this, but as a long term, regular, loyal subscriber, I feel rather put out that my long term loyalty seems to count for little. It seems I would be better off to cancel my subscription, leave it for a month or two, then pick up on a subscription offer.

 

I know WW is not the only magazine to offer incentives to sign up for a subscription, but why, as an ongoing loyal subscriber, do I feel rather put out that my custom is apparently valued far less than someone new?

[Richard Fairhurst]

Dor - usually the offer is open to existing subscribers who want to extend their subscription, too.

[dor]

Dor - usually the offer is open to existing subscribers who want to extend their subscription, too.

 

Now that may be the case Richard, but perhaps you could tell your staff as well. You see, I asked on the stand why I couldn't have the offer as as regular subscriber. I was told that the offer was only open to new subscribers.

 

If you are offering an incentive of a free XXX or whatever, shouldn't you offer it to subscribers who renew as well - cos that doesn't happen now! The DD just takes the money and that's it - I've paid for another year.

 

Another (non-waterway) mag I subscribe to regularly gives me 15 issues for the price of 12 - "as a thankyou for your continuing support". That sort of thing doesn't seem forthcoming from WW.

 

Like I said before, it does rather make you feel as though you are being taken for granted.

 

Perhaps I should alternate my subscriptions between WW & canalboat?

[Pirate]

Now that may be the case Richard, but perhaps you could tell your staff as well. You see, I asked on the stand why I couldn't have the offer as as regular subscriber. I was told that the offer was only open to new subscribers.

 

If you are offering an incentive of a free XXX or whatever, shouldn't you offer it to subscribers who renew as well - cos that doesn't happen now! The DD just takes the money and that's it - I've paid for another year.

 

Another (non-waterway) mag I subscribe to regularly gives me 15 issues for the price of 12 - "as a thankyou for your continuing support". That sort of thing doesn't seem forthcoming from WW.

 

Like I said before, it does rather make you feel as though you are being taken for granted.

 

Perhaps I should alternate my subscriptions between WW & canalboat?

 

 

Or cancel em and read them in the doctors waiting room

[DHutch]

certainly when subscribed to a rc mag i got 10 issues for the RRP of 12, and 'free' postage.

 

 

Daniel

[gaggle]

the august 2000 edition has a special offer-FREE 32 PAGE GUIDE-to inland waterways exhibition

which takes place 28-30 JULY.

[fuzzyduck]

Correct me if i'm wrong (which i'm sure you will anyway, even without my asking)

 

But don't waterways mags always come out at least ooooh say a decade before the cover month.

 

I remember buying decembers WW (or the ilk) sometime in june (OK I might be exaggerating it was probably November.)

 

Or did I dream it?

[DHutch]

All magazines do this.

[Richard Fairhurst]

I was told that the offer was only open to new subscribers.

Ok, that surprises me a little, because I was flicking through last year's WW Annual the other day and noticed a special subscription offer which expressly said "available to current subscribers" at the bottom of it. I'll check what we're doing before this year's Crick.

 

Pirate - Not sure about the doctor's waiting room, but I do always take a copy for the magazine pile in our local pub.

 

As for the publication date, yes, all magazines do it. The logic is that (say) the February issue is on the news-stands from mid-January to mid-February: if it was called the January issue, the prospective purchaser would think it was out of date on 1st February and not buy it. That's the theory, anyway. I'm not saying I agree with it...

[Jon]

 

I've often seen Laplander moored at Stockton, opposite the Blue Lias Pub (certainly last summer).

 

Jon

[dor]

Ok, that surprises me a little, because I was flicking through last year's WW Annual the other day and noticed a special subscription offer which expressly said "available to current subscribers" at the bottom of it. I'll check what we're doing before this year's Crick.

 

Thanks Richard.

 

I think it is excellent that you are prepared to take an active part in this discussion. It seems far more effective that writing to WW !

[dor]

certainly when subscribed to a rc mag i got 10 issues for the RRP of 12,

 

10 for the price of 12? I think you were done Daniel!

[DHutch]

10 for the price of 12? I think you were done Daniel!

Sorry, i got the 12 (monthly mag) the price of 10

[Sir Nibble]

Back to the invitation to contribute. I have always fancied myself as a writer. My first use of a narrowboat was when I was loaned one for my honeymoon as a wedding present, by way of a thank you I built a scale model of the boat for the owner. If I were to do the same with my boat and write the build up with pictures, is that something that in principle WW, or more importantly its readers might be interested in? I'm talking a display model at 1:48 scale.

[Alistair]

If I were to do the same with my boat and write the build up with pictures, is that something that in principle WW, or more importantly its readers might be interested in? I'm talking a display model at 1:48 scale.

 

This sounds like a lovely idea!

 

I did a wiring job in an artist friend's studio and in return he did me a gorgeous watercolour of my boat - so a scale model would be good too - particularly if you could fit it with a motor and radio-control

 

Has anybody actually done this?

[gaggle]

 

 

Pirate - Not sure about the doctor's waiting room, but I do always take a copy for the magazine pile in our local pub

magazines in a pub is something i have never seen ,the racing post or something similar yes.

i hope you are not slipping a copy of ww into a pile of top shelf stuff richard.

[DHutch]

...particularly if you could fit it with a motor and radio-control

 

Has anybody actually done this?

'mike_modelboater' build rc narrowboats. Therema photo in the gallery linky

- He's just recently built another, larger one.

 

It somthing ive always though of doing, a 20th scale rc model of emilyanne or something like that

- Get a stack off batterys, a beafly 12v motor, and a powerfull ESC and radio gear.

- If you had a 3 channel radio you could even make the funnel move up and down...

 

 

Daniel

[Richard Fairhurst]

Gaggle - come and buy me a pint of the Black Rat here, and you can peruse the magazine pile at your leisure!

 

Snibble - though it's not really 'core audience' stuff for us, if you could keep the write-up short and factual (say, a half-page or page), we could be interested. Good pics would be essential.

[Sir Nibble]

I think there could be some misunderstanding here. No motors, no radio control. The model I made was 9" long, a similar model of my 50 footer would measure 12.5", this is mantlepiece stuff.

[DHutch]

The model I made was 9" long, a similar model of my 50 footer would measure 12.5", this is mantlepiece stuff.

Yeah, i got that. I think Alistair was just wondering at the possabily, lol

 

A scale model would be good too - particularly if you could fit it with a motor and radio-control

 

 

Daniel

[rog guiver]

Further to my last post we all have good ideas that have been incorporated in our "home builds". You only have to look at the thread ...Fit-out "good ideas" ... which I started with 81 responses to date to see that it is of interest to many boaters.

 

As I said before, to have a very successful suggestion slated in the magazine (by an advertiser suggesting he was an expert) was unacceptable. I would rather that I had been contacted before it was published with the response to which I could have made a few comments, but alas that might just have upset the advertiser and we couldn't allow that could we.

 

Perhaps a better section on good ideas (with pictures) but no input from so called experts would be of interest to many "home builders".

[Pirate]

'mike_modelboater' build rc narrowboats. Therema photo in the gallery linky

- He's just recently built another, larger one.

 

It somthing ive always though of doing, a 20th scale rc model of emilyanne or something like that

- Get a stack off batterys, a beafly 12v motor, and a powerfull ESC and radio gear.

- If you had a 3 channel radio you could even make the funnel move up and down...

Daniel

 

 

God please dont add a fourth channel ? It would probably fly

 

Hey Richard I hope your going to stay on here regularly now? We have surely influenced you?

 

I cant wait for the next issue now

[Richard Fairhurst]

Rog - Yes, I've seen the thread, and like it.

 

In the past few months (since I arrived at WW), we've introduced a "bright ideas" box in all the boat reviews we do, to highlight a few of the ideas that you can take out and use in your own boats. We've also started a dedicated monthly page ('Boating Forum') for technical questions and suggestions. I'd be delighted to print more suggestions that you, or anyone else, send in!

 

I've not seen your original letter in WW, Rog - which issue was it in?

 

(I can tell that some people will never believe me when I say that advertising doesn't control editorial... shame this board doesn't have the 'banging head against wall' smiley you get on some others. )

 

Pirate - I was on here for a year before I started working for WW, and have been contributing to other Internet waterway forums since 1997. So I won't be going away... but don't expect me to keep up the level of postings I've made over the past couple of days, or I'll never get any work done!

Edited January 11, 2006 by Richard Fairhurst

[John Orentas]

Goodness me this post is getting some interest, let me have another go.

 

I have had many letters published in Waterways World over the years. Most of them were 'edited' before printing by someone who knew nothing of what I was referring to, leaving it with punctuation errors and in one case a crucial paragraph entirely omitted, the final thing read as gibberish. Another was in a humorous vain, what was left of it was not even mildly amusing.

 

The last letter was in response to a blatant act of vandalism by BW, they had demolished an historic public house alongside the Chesterfield Canal in order to make room for one of their "Developments", an entirely inappropriate block of new dwellings. My letter was heavily edited although it was quite a short one, not a word of support from the magazine staff and BW was given three times the space of the original letter to respond, were they edited.

 

I know this is a bit unfair to Richard but it makes me feel better.

[Pirate]

Rog - Yes, I've seen the thread, and like it.

 

In the past few months (since I arrived at WW), we've introduced a "bright ideas" box in all the boat reviews we do, to highlight a few of the ideas that you can take out and use in your own boats. We've also started a dedicated monthly page ('Boating Forum') for technical questions and suggestions. I'd be delighted to print more suggestions that you, or anyone else, send in!

 

I've not seen your original letter in WW, Rog - which issue was it in?

 

(I can tell that some people will never believe me when I say that advertising doesn't control editorial... shame this board doesn't have the 'banging head against wall' smiley you get on some others. )

 

Pirate - I was on here for a year before I started working for WW, and have been contributing to other Internet waterway forums since 1997. So I won't be going away... but don't expect me to keep up the level of postings I've made over the past couple of days, or I'll never get any work done!

 

Awwww come on please