Cost of Magasines v Books

[pugwash4x4]

I can't be the only one here with a diverse range of interests but sho also likes a good read.

It struck me on a stroll round tesco's the other day how expensive Magasines are getting- over £4 is the average. You then wander round the book aisle and find books for £3.67.

How does this work? A magasine isn't that hard to type set, costs a fortune, is stuffed, rammed, squashed full of adverts, yet it costs more than a book!

I have now stopped buying magasines completely- buy evo very occasionally as well as a certain overlanding periodical but nothing else. are the days of magasines over?

[SoapyShowerBoy]

I should imagine it is due to the shelf life of a book compared to a Mag.

[james_tigerwoods]

I like to read "The Week", but it's not cheap, but it is a good round up of the weeks events - it is £2.50 a week which is a tad steep IMHO, but it's a good read.

I don't buy it as I get it from another source albeit a week late

I would, however, prefer to buy myself a good book...

Cough cough spelling of Magazine....

[f13ldy]

Yup, I had some time to waste in town the other day so bought Superbike magazine to read whilst grabbing a coffee.

£4.95 for the mag.
£3.00 for a coffee.

Read and drunk inside of 30 minutes. If that.

[f13ldy]

james_tigerwoods said:

I like to read "The Week", but it's not cheap, but it is a good round up of the weeks events - it is £2.50 a week which is a tad steep IMHO, but it's a good read.

I don't buy it as I get it from another source albeit a week late

I would, however, prefer to buy myself a good book...

Cough cough spelling of Magazine....

So you live life a week in hand?

Bizarre.

[pugwash4x4]

f13ldy said:

james_tigerwoods said:

I like to read "The Week", but it's not cheap, but it is a good round up of the weeks events - it is £2.50 a week which is a tad steep IMHO, but it's a good read.

I don't buy it as I get it from another source albeit a week late

I would, however, prefer to buy myself a good book...

Cough cough spelling of Magazine....

So you live life a week in hand?

Bizarre.

well that's a nother point- I can get all the editorial commentary and the most up to date news from a computer (of which i am never far away). My vehicular news is fulfilled by Pistonheads and other specialist vehicle magasines.

can't really think why else you would buy a mag!

[Mattygooner]

Magazzzzzines are still rammed with adverts but they are not at cost and probably part of a longer print run.

Media companies are not having a good time at the moment, the people who paid a few million for Emap's business have recently valued the company at 0.

[DoubleYellow]

I imagine the prices have gone up due to the same costs (if not more) for production and readership being decreased to due most of the information readily available on the net.

[james_tigerwoods]

f13ldy said:

james_tigerwoods said:

I like to read "The Week", but it's not cheap, but it is a good round up of the weeks events - it is £2.50 a week which is a tad steep IMHO, but it's a good read.

I don't buy it as I get it from another source albeit a week late

I would, however, prefer to buy myself a good book...

Cough cough spelling of Magazine....

So you live life a week in hand?

Bizarre.

Because you never know when you might be taken off in an Ambiwlans! (Thought I'd get that in before someone else )

And I like reading it because it's a roundup of the worlds events - I don't always get to read the papers or listen to the news every day. It's not just the UK's news, but worldwide. It's a good read (IMHO anyway).

[StevieBee]

Magazines have at best, 4 weeks life. Thus, they need to be produced and printed in the UK for quick, easy distribution, which costs more than printing in the far east which is where most books are printed.

A typical mag will have 60% advertising and 40% editorial. In order to charge the highest rate they can for ad space, they need to guarantee wide circulation. This relies upon distributors and retailers – both of whom want a nice slice of the profit pie.

When you buy a mag, the publisher has already made their money (or most of it) on ad sales. The money you pay is for the retailer and distributor. That’s why the magazines are so keen for you to subscribe as this cuts out the retailers and middle men so they get all of the cover price.

A good example of this is Which magazine – subscription only and no advertising (although there is an argument that carrying advertising may lead to reviews being skewed to avoid annoying “clients”).

[OzzyR1]

The only magazine worth having nowadays is The Chap.

I have no doubt that there are a few subscribers on this board:


[i]"The Chap takes a wry look at the modern world through the steamed-up monocle of a more refined age, occasionally getting its sock suspenders into a twist at the unspeakable vulgarity of the twenty-first century.

Since 1999, the Chap has been championing the rights of that increasingly marginalised and discredited species of Englishman - the gentleman. The Chap believes that a society without courteous behaviour and proper headwear is a society on the brink of moral and sartorial collapse, and it seeks to reinstate such outmoded but indispensable gestures as hat doffing, giving up one's seat to a lady and regularly using a trouser press."[/i]


www.thechap.net

[Jesus TF Christ]

f13ldy said:

Yup, I had some time to waste in town the other day so bought Superbike magazine to read whilst grabbing a coffee.

£4.95 for the mag.
£3.00 for a coffee.

Read and drunk inside of 30 minutes. If that.

£3.00 for a coffee!?!
Jesus Titty-fking Christ!

You do realise that you can get a pint for that?

[ian_uk1975]

Porn mags offer much better value for money, as they rarely get, err, 'used' once and thrown away, like most mags and they're great for a quick 'read' when home alone bored! Maybe not the best thing to buy and read over a coffee at Starbucks, though

[ShadownINja]

Can't remember the last time I bought a magazine.

[littlegreenfairy]

Subscription to Tatler - £12 a year.

Subscription to Vogue - £15 a year.

Bargain.

[GreenDog]

Can I suggest that the next book you buy is a dictionary

[Adam B]

surely the effort is in the writing, a book is written once, a magazine is re-written every issue

would have though production costs of ever-changing colour mag is higher than never-changing plain text book too

most mags around £3-4, most paperbacks £6-7

Edited by Adam B on Thursday 18th June 16:16

[littlegreenfairy]

GreenDog said:

Can I suggest that the next book you buy is a dictionary

Me?

[Pigeon]

Mattygooner said:

the people who paid a few million for Emap's business have recently valued the company at 0.

Interesting. Do you have a reference/link please?

[tonyvid]

littlegreenfairy said:

GreenDog said:

Can I suggest that the next book you buy is a dictionary

Me?

No, the OP, it was after lunch...