To discuss anything which relates to the FLYER Airportal or the magazine
#1814178
Just wanted to post here quickly.

I used to subscribe to Flyer directly myself, but last Christmas I was gifted my subscription as a Christmas present from someone in my family. Then, as lockdown kicked off, the print version was discontinued.

I'm sure you've already got this feedback a million times over - and I'm equally sure you won't divulge commercially sensitive information (!) - but I just wanted to ask how things are going?

To be really honest with you, I have not read a single page of the magazine since the print edition stopped. I have just got an email notifying me that my subscription is going to expire and - incredibly reluctantly - I'm not going to renew as I'm not sure there is really any benefit to me in doing so (I get all the other stuff I get access to, but I haven't touched it for 9 months and just doubt I will).

The reason for my question is my assumption is that this will be quite a crunch time for Flyer generally, as I'm guessing a reasonable number of subscribers will have been gifted their subscription. I'm just curious as to whether subscribers are going up, or whether people are dropping off now we're approaching 12 months after the print edition ceased (e.g. I would have expected people not to want to pay £30 and subscribe for a virtual magazine, but we're still within the annual period where people would have subscribed to the print edition previously - March will be a tough month).

Are there any thoughts about bringing the print version back? Even if it was more costly than before, to cover the printing fees? Is there any way you could aggregate interested parties upfront and offer subscriptions Jan - Dec to give you the guaranteed numbers for readership/printing?

Anyway, not sure what the point of this post was other than to lament the print edition and provide some honest feedback that might be useful - I might be speaking on behalf of just myself, but maybe I'm actually representing a silent majority? My guess will be that subscriptions are going to start falling off now that renewals are being requested for digital only from people that first signed up to receive print, so that's all I really wanted to say.
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814189
This cost versus value thing is insidious isn't it?

I've persevered with the electronic copy on an Ipad mini and now I've got used to it I sit quietly on the sofa reading just like I used to even though, as many on here know, I'm no spring chicken. I think it's the way forward and I congratulate Ian and the team on their courage and creativity.

I shall renew because the community value of Flyer is worth the subs a couple of times over AFAICS. In fact it's worth the subs just to be able to wind you lot up on 'ere :lol: :lol:
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By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814205
I preferred the paper version. I don't have a pilot's licence, so the free landaways are no use to me.

I find the Issu interface tiresomly non-intuitive. even with a 21" monitor, I still have to enlarge and scroll around, accepting the unexpected page-flips and diversions -off into some video or quantum-leaps through the"magazine." Despite this the editorial content is interesting and I think it's well worth the subscription to keep the Seager empire in hobnobs. :D :thumright:
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By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814208
I find the Issu interface tiresomly non-intuitive. even with a 21" monitor,


Look for the download arrow. I have found downloading solves this problem, which I too struggled with in the early days.
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By rikur_
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814225
I applaud the courage to pivot from an established business model before it fizzles out of existence - too many businesses lack the balls to do this, and fail as a result.

I certainly read Flyer less now it's not lying around in paper form, in fact, I'm not sure I've read any of the 'magazine' since it went virtual, just the snippets that make it to the website.

Repositioning as the Flyer Club (of various benefits) as opposed to online magazine feels sensible to me.

Personally it would be more attractive to give as a gift if it came with something physical .... stick another £15 on the price and include a glossy calendar, and 'annual' of last year's feature articles?

ps: Don't forget the publicity value of old copies of Flyer left around club houses, I'm not sure that gap has been filled in the new model yet.
#1814229
Thanks all for the interesting replies - I didn't meant to turn this into a discussion of whether I should renew, as I'm confident I won't. I really want a printed copy :)

What I was trying to get at was that you can't really judge the success of the pivot until the crunch time, which is renewals. In April/May, when the print edition was stopped, 11/12ths of all subscribers would have carried on because they had already paid their subscription; every month, another 1/12th come up for renewal - and my thinking was that Christmas is likely to be a bit of a bulge for subscriptions as gifts.

In other words, unless the publishers say that there has been an increase in subscriptions since going digital (which there might well have been), I worry you won't be able to judge the effect of going digital until January - April once all the print subscribers have been forced to decide whether to continue their subscription for a digital product.

What I was further getting at was, in the interests of transparency, IF things aren't going so well (and of course I hope that they are), it's never too late to pivot back to print but with a different business model.

Would I be willing to pay £50 a year for a print edition? Yes, I think I probably would. This is much MORE than a digital subscription costs. Others might not. But the question I'm asking is; if £30 covers the digital edition, how much incremental would you need to be able to offer a print edition?

For me, I don't use the landing vouchers, I'm a member of the forum anyway (and I assume that carries on regardless of whether I'm a subscriber), so there's not a huge incentive for me to pay £30...but give me a print edition and I will pay more (and I expect others would too).
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By rikur_
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814239
flyingearly wrote:....you can't really judge the success of the pivot until the crunch time, which is renewals. In April/May, when the print edition was stopped, 11/12ths of all subscribers would have carried on because they had already paid their subscription; every month, another 1/12th come up for renewal - and my thinking was that Christmas is likely to be a bit of a bulge for subscriptions as gifts......


Is that how it works for most people? I think I just have a monthly direct debit that runs until I can be bothered to cancel? I *think* that's the case anyway.
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By rogerb
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814273
I seldom managed to read hard copy and always found a goodly percentage of no real interest.
I do like the online copy as I can skim and read at my leisure.
The Club membership is worth it even though I only manage to use <6 free landings per year.
Also enjoy the entertainment show on a thursday evening .
#1814294
johnm wrote:@flyingearly Just wondering, are you a Brontosaurus or a Pterodactyl :D :D :D


Haha! I like to think of myself more as a T-rex; aggressive when I need to be, but a small brain with a big body :)

What I'm trying to get at is that it is horses for courses. I am MORE than happy to contribute to the Flyer infrastructure and keep it going, I use the forum a lot, I really enjoy chatting with other flyers....but that's about it, to be honest.

For me, the magazine wasn't just 'content'; it was something to pick up and relax with, or switch off. I spend my whole day on digital devices for work; I associate iPads and other tech with being in work mode, which is something that a magazine does well to switch off.

My understanding was that the pivot away from print was perhaps accelerated by the lockdown killing the airport WH Smith concessions (where a lot of magazines get purchased), although print has been on the decline for ages. That doesn't mean that print is necessarily defunct, however - all I was asking (which I still haven't got an answer to) was what would you need to charge to make it worthwhile?

It's quite rare to be in such a wonderful position that prospective customers are contacting you asking you whether you would build something for them and if so what that cost would be. Maybe I should set-up a business offering cheap print runs of digital-only magazines and posting them out to the dinosaurs like me...? :D
#1814304
flyingearly wrote:Maybe I should set-up a business offering cheap print runs of digital-only magazines and posting them out to the dinosaurs like me...? :D

I doubt your market research would leave you in much doubt as to likely success. :wink:
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1814308
Print on Demand has been around for a while ......... It may be something Ian could investigate
#1814309
As an aside, on the dinosaur point, did you know that as much time separates us from Tyrannosaurus Rex as separates Tyrannosaurus Rex from Stegosaurus?

I find that incredible, it's hard for us to comprehend timescales that vast or how insignificant the presence of humans really is.
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