Autotrader likely to be axed
Discussion
News from Autotrader is that the paper version will most likely be binned next year, decision to be made later this year.
Is this signalling the beginning of the end for motoring print media?
Link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/me...
Is this signalling the beginning of the end for motoring print media?
Link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/me...
10 Pence Short said:
Is this signalling the beginning of the end for motoring print media?
Is Autotrader a magazine? I thought it was a bundle of adverts, so I don't see it as the begining of the end of motoring print media.Maybe it's the begining and end of the end of local advert based motoring print media.
It's a huge amount of circulation to lose from the motoring area of the news stand- it will undoubtedly drop traffic passing that area.
To give you an idea, Autotrader is considering stopping the magazine on an average monthly circulation of somewhere around 377,000 copies (source: Telegraph article). In the first half of 2011 Evo magazine, stalwart of the PHer, was averaging 61,000 per month, down 5% year on year (source: ABC Circulation Figures).
To give you an idea, Autotrader is considering stopping the magazine on an average monthly circulation of somewhere around 377,000 copies (source: Telegraph article). In the first half of 2011 Evo magazine, stalwart of the PHer, was averaging 61,000 per month, down 5% year on year (source: ABC Circulation Figures).
I've never understood why Autotrader is categorised with Evo, Car etc. in the circulation figures. It isn't a car magazine, it's a huge load of adverts.
It's been a long time since I bought a paper copy of Autotrader or Exchange & Mart when looking for a car. Getting on for ten years or so I'd have thought.
It's been a long time since I bought a paper copy of Autotrader or Exchange & Mart when looking for a car. Getting on for ten years or so I'd have thought.
The ABC average monthly figures for the first half of 2011 have a fairly consistent pattern:
What car: 82,000, -2.8%
Top Gear: 190,000, +0.1%
Car: 54,000, -13.5%
Evo: 61,000, -5%
Autocar: 45,000, -6.5%
Auto Express: 56,000, -9%
Classic & Sports Car: 72,000, -0.9%
Classic Cars: 35,000, -5.2%
Practical Classics: 50,000, -5.5%
World of Cars: 31,000, -4.7%
Do people really believe losing 377,000 copies of Autotrader buyers from passing car magazines on shelves every month will have no effect on circulation? I would argue those buying Autotrader are also very likely to purchase the titles above at the same time. If they no longer visit the news stand to purchase Autotrader, will they make the effort to seek out the other magazines?
If I were an advertiser in any of the above, I'd be worried of the effects.
What car: 82,000, -2.8%
Top Gear: 190,000, +0.1%
Car: 54,000, -13.5%
Evo: 61,000, -5%
Autocar: 45,000, -6.5%
Auto Express: 56,000, -9%
Classic & Sports Car: 72,000, -0.9%
Classic Cars: 35,000, -5.2%
Practical Classics: 50,000, -5.5%
World of Cars: 31,000, -4.7%
Do people really believe losing 377,000 copies of Autotrader buyers from passing car magazines on shelves every month will have no effect on circulation? I would argue those buying Autotrader are also very likely to purchase the titles above at the same time. If they no longer visit the news stand to purchase Autotrader, will they make the effort to seek out the other magazines?
If I were an advertiser in any of the above, I'd be worried of the effects.
10 Pence Short said:
The ABC average monthly figures for the first half of 2011 have a fairly consistent pattern:
What car: 82,000, -2.8%
Top Gear: 190,000, +0.1%
Car: 54,000, -13.5%
Evo: 61,000, -5%
Autocar: 45,000, -6.5%
Auto Express: 56,000, -9%
Classic & Sports Car: 72,000, -0.9%
Classic Cars: 35,000, -5.2%
Practical Classics: 50,000, -5.5%
World of Cars: 31,000, -4.7%
Do people really believe losing 377,000 copies of Autotrader buyers from passing car magazines on shelves every month will have no effect on circulation? I would argue those buying Autotrader are also very likely to purchase the titles above at the same time. If they no longer visit the news stand to purchase Autotrader, will they make the effort to seek out the other magazines?
If I were an advertiser in any of the above, I'd be worried of the effects.
Indeed. I was quite shocked when Max Power was removed from the shelves just over a year ago. I know its not very PH, but it was still one of the most popular magazines of its type. I think they blamed low circulation figures and internet forums for the magazines demise. What car: 82,000, -2.8%
Top Gear: 190,000, +0.1%
Car: 54,000, -13.5%
Evo: 61,000, -5%
Autocar: 45,000, -6.5%
Auto Express: 56,000, -9%
Classic & Sports Car: 72,000, -0.9%
Classic Cars: 35,000, -5.2%
Practical Classics: 50,000, -5.5%
World of Cars: 31,000, -4.7%
Do people really believe losing 377,000 copies of Autotrader buyers from passing car magazines on shelves every month will have no effect on circulation? I would argue those buying Autotrader are also very likely to purchase the titles above at the same time. If they no longer visit the news stand to purchase Autotrader, will they make the effort to seek out the other magazines?
If I were an advertiser in any of the above, I'd be worried of the effects.
10 Pence Short said:
Do people really believe losing 377,000 copies of Autotrader buyers from passing car magazines on shelves every month will have no effect on circulation?
I'm not sure about "no effect", but I do believe the impact will be negligible for the reasons outlined by Cpn Muppet. The internet and the increased availability of titles through ipad apps will have a far greater impact than whether or not a car advert publication is still available.
The Evo ipad app is excellent and I doubt I'll ever buy a hard copy again. But my "paper" subscription to Practical Classics will continue until they have a similarly excellent electonic version.
Presumably Autotrader will continue as an online market place , where I imagine the vast majority of prospective purchasers look anyway , and will obtain revenue from advertisers rather than through sales of printed copy which , with associated production and distribution costs probably has a fairly low profit margin .
Where would you rather look ?
An online , searchable site with several photographs available at medium to high-ish resolution for each advert ( searchable by model , price or location ) .
Or by thumbing through newsprint with no real search facility and viewing only one matchbox sized image of most vehicles for sale ?
Where would you rather look ?
An online , searchable site with several photographs available at medium to high-ish resolution for each advert ( searchable by model , price or location ) .
Or by thumbing through newsprint with no real search facility and viewing only one matchbox sized image of most vehicles for sale ?
Pontoneer said:
Presumably Autotrader will continue as an online market place , where I imagine the vast majority of prospective purchasers look anyway , and will obtain revenue from advertisers rather than through sales of printed copy which , with associated production and distribution costs probably has a fairly low profit margin .
Where would you rather look ?
An online , searchable site with several photographs available at medium to high-ish resolution for each advert ( searchable by model , price or location ) .
Or by thumbing through newsprint with no real search facility and viewing only one matchbox sized image of most vehicles for sale ?
This is probably the real reason - the print bit became non-core to their business. A very good problem for them really. As has been said, it could have ramifications for other car magazines in terms of advertising though; overall budgets for print advertising will drop.Where would you rather look ?
An online , searchable site with several photographs available at medium to high-ish resolution for each advert ( searchable by model , price or location ) .
Or by thumbing through newsprint with no real search facility and viewing only one matchbox sized image of most vehicles for sale ?
10 Pence Short said:
Do people really believe losing 377,000 copies of Autotrader buyers from passing car magazines on shelves every month will have no effect on circulation? I would argue those buying Autotrader are also very likely to purchase the titles above at the same time. If they no longer visit the news stand to purchase Autotrader, will they make the effort to seek out the other magazines?
I have to say I think the link between going to buy a copy of AT and buying other magazines at the same time is tenuous at best. The vast majority of AT buyers will fall into one of two categories: 1. People who buy it all the time, for whatever reason
2. People who buy it when they need to buy a car
I'd say that the former group need no encouragement to buy other automotive titles, and the latter wouldn't be interested anyway.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the online car classifieds market shapes up. AT is too generalist for my liking and technically weak, particularly the quality of the "websites" it generates for traders which are mostly diabolical. To my mind, the market is there for bringing top quality, low cost sites to traders, with their content being scooped up and published on larger sites. I wonder who might bring that to market?
bakerstreet said:
Indeed. I was quite shocked when Max Power was removed from the shelves just over a year ago. I know its not very PH, but it was still one of the most popular magazines of its type. I think they blamed low circulation figures and internet forums for the magazines demise.
But Maxpower and other magazines of that type have had their day. I remember when Maxpower first came out and both that and Fast car were totally different magazines with great content but it wasn't long before they became utter crap filled with girls draped over over modified cars and other poor columns - nearly forgot the 'spit or swallow' column of Maxpower!! So cutting edge for a car magazine.Autotrader is a different type of magazine to Evo or Autocar though. It's easier to search online for a specific type of car for sale than it is to trawl through a mag full of tiny pictures, so it doesn't suprise me that the mag version is struggling.
I think that there will always be a demand for print magazines- they're easier to read in a plane or train or other places without wifi. The market has evolved though, and most publications seem to be evolving with it.
I think that there will always be a demand for print magazines- they're easier to read in a plane or train or other places without wifi. The market has evolved though, and most publications seem to be evolving with it.
Maybe this means they'll finally spend some money developing their frigging godawful excuse for a late-90s website.. Would a reasonable search functionality and a report facility for the millions of spam or fraud ads be so hard when you charge £20 a slot?
As regards circulation of others, maybe there are the odd few people who think about cars only when looking to buy one, so think they might read something like EVO or Top Gear casually while they're in that mindset. That can't be even 5% of readers of those magazines, I think their core business goes to the stand specifically to buy them, and a large amount will be subscribers anyway. Should be pretty safe.
As regards circulation of others, maybe there are the odd few people who think about cars only when looking to buy one, so think they might read something like EVO or Top Gear casually while they're in that mindset. That can't be even 5% of readers of those magazines, I think their core business goes to the stand specifically to buy them, and a large amount will be subscribers anyway. Should be pretty safe.
mrmr96 said:
Captain Muppet said:
The thing is Autotrader was mostly bought by people who wanted to buy a car, not just people interested in cars. Enthusiasts are a tiny minority of car owners.
+1Dropping auto trader mag won't impact the sale of Evo, Top Gear etc IMO.
Totally different market.
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