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Costs of Magazines

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I_luv_Apple

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Does anyone else have a problem with the costs of subscriptions to magazines and newspapers? I think it's unfair that iPad users have to pay more for magazines on the iPad in comparison to the hard copies and we do not have the same discounts available. For example OK magazine in the shops are 99p but to download editions £1.49!! I'm really disappointed given that there's no extra content and in most cases less content as the paper versions often have extra free magazines inside. I'm refusing to subscribe until the prices are lowered :(.
 

Patrizia_NC

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Not an issue at all, you pay for convenience. No one is forced to purchase. Also if you get some magazines delivered many offer the digital version free. I have about 12 I read exclusively on iPad. The cost is for me is fine. I'm in the US and get most of mine through Zinio and have to pay a small VAT tax as well. Do I find it absurd for a digital issue.. Yep, but that's the way it is.
 
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I_luv_Apple

I_luv_Apple

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Patrizia_NC said:
Not an issue at all, you pay for convenience. No one is forced to purchase. Also if you get some magazines delivered many offer the digital version free. I have about 12 I read exclusively on iPad. The cost is for me is fine. I'm in the US and get most of mine through Zinio and have to pay a small VAT tax as well. Do I find it absurd for a digital issue.. Yep, but that's the way it is.

I think that's a crazy excuse to pay more for convenience. Apple like most companies charge less for convenience eg the online version of os lion was cheaper than the shop purchased hard copy. Unless more people complain then nothing will be done to lower prices.
 
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I_luv_Apple

I_luv_Apple

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It will be interesting to see whether the cost will remain the same now that the cost of postage in the uk has nearly doubled.
 

AQ_OC

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I pay $0.99 an issue. That is way less than what they newstand versions cost. Maybe try some different magazines. :)
 

geobernd

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I only read magazines on my iPad that are free with my paid print subscription. I prefer the print as it's a great bathtub read and use the iPad to supplement... I can't see myself paying for iPad magazines...
 
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Lunar

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I rarely buy any computer magazines at all now.. average mag in the UK is between £4.99 and £7 and TBH they are all full of muchness. Funny enough until 2yrs ago I used to write for 2 well known UK mags, plus a monthly page in the Micro Mart, well a guy has to earn a crust somehow..lol and I can assure you pensions in the UK don't go very far. :-(
Could be why most of my posts are always quite long..lmao

Occasionally some interesting artical will catch my eye and I may be temped, but even that's only if it's one of the cheaper mags and there isn't many of those in the UK. Everything you need to know, including reviews is already available on the Net.. so I regard magazines these days as simply a waste of money... but then again I'm 68 and a bit of a tight git anyway..lol I certainly used to buy a lot of them when I was younger.

I do however, buy a couple when on our holidays, mainly just to give me something to read in Hotels or at our holiday home in France, if it weren't for that I'd be buying less than half dozen a year. I never buy Apple related mags anyway.. I have one keen passion which is Linux..I enjoy sailing too so most of the books I buy are Linux mags, and occasional sailing/boating mags.
 
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dhevans_6

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Lunar I'm with you, but for photography magazines... When you start, you subscribe, maybe go a year or two and start to realise the articles are rather similar ...

I cut out all the ones I was interested in, will scan them in one day (honest) and these days will go to the net for reviews of kit..

I have got a subscription to the times, so get the iPad versions of the newspaper which I think has been well put together, but i'd struggle to get the time to read much else I think...
 

Seadog

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There is little new in the world, other than news, and even that tends to trend. Magazines and newspapers are struggling in today's market. They do not make money directly by subscriptions. The bulk of money is made by advertising. They live and die by that. I have seen some major magazines that will pick groups to give away free subscriptions just to keep their numbers up to make advertisers happy.

There are so many people trying to make money from the web that established outfits are having troubles getting a good handle on how to make it work. Advertisers are not confident in web ads because they are easy to ignore. Customers do not like the ads squeezing out context. It can get confusing, and who is going to fund the cost of doing this. If done right, the magazines and papers have to have several people on staff that understand how to make it work. To make things worse, the economy has most publications working bare bones staffing. Adding more dirties to the mix, without a lot of training, just makes it harder.
 
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mandapandalove

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I think its stupid for star magazine to charge the same price for a paper version. 3.99 a issue. Where I live. Same with ebooks. They cost just as much as a paperback or sometimes more.
 
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I_luv_Apple

I_luv_Apple

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AQ_OC said:
I pay $0.99 an issue. That is way less than what they newstand versions cost. Maybe try some different magazines. :)

Which App/magazine is that? I'm willing to try something new
 

dhevans_6

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mandapandalove said:
I think its stupid for star magazine to charge the same price for a paper version. 3.99 a issue. Where I live. Same with ebooks. They cost just as much as a paperback or sometimes more.

Ugh ebooks, I love my kindle but man the price of popular books annoys me.. Why ebooks have VAT here in the UK and printed ones don't, I will never understand! It has encouraged me to go for indie authors and i've found some great ones!
 

Patrizia_NC

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I think that's a crazy excuse to pay more for convenience. Apple like most companies charge less for convenience eg the online version of os lion was cheaper than the shop purchased hard copy. Unless more people complain then nothing will be done to lower prices.

And with all due respect that is your opinion. For me it is a non issue I find it more convenient, it has more features and direct links and I honestly have no issue with the charge.
 
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I_luv_Apple

I_luv_Apple

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Patrizia_NC said:
And with all due respect that is your opinion. For me it is a non issue I find it more convenient, it has more features and direct links and I honestly have no issue with the charge.
With all due respect you didn't have to respond to my post if your not able to except anyone else's opinion.
 
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