A great magazine, interesting, informative and a perfect mix for all levels of railway modellers I never miss a copy. But what a disaster the highly publicised first annual has been.
Ian Allen marketing people need a jolly good kicking, they have got it woefully wrong. Not for the content, as I can appreciate old articles being revisited and expanded with a mix a some new as that is standard fair for any annual. I refer to the pricing and availability.
£16 is, I must say, especially to a pensioner like me a bit steep, however I was still keen to lay my hands on a copy spurred by the expectation of an excellent read and the benefit of a £5 of voucher. My nearest WHS is 12 miles away halving the benefit of the voucher, but then I wanted a copy of the annual. "No never heard of it was the response", on enquiry so like some of your other forum members and not being one to give up too easily I set off around all the WHS stores In south Linc's, 5 stores visited and over 100 miles travelled, not one either had a copy or was aware of it's existence.
I was now extremely fed up even angry. If a copy was available in my local newsagents I do not think I would now buy a copy. To return home and read of similar incidents up and down the country and of the ridiculous deal done with the devil in the guise of WH Smiths beggared belief. Ian Allen publishing by this deal have shot Hornby Magazine in the foot and disenfranchised many loyal customers. I for one will never go on such a fool's errand again.
Why do publishers insist on doing deals with this monopolistic devil? All publishers and some newspapers are as guilty, and need to work to break the monopoly held by WHS and get their goods out to all newsagents and book shops not just those in major cities and see their sales and circulation increase
Just as well I can still get my monthly copy locally.
Ian Allen marketing people need a jolly good kicking, they have got it woefully wrong. Not for the content, as I can appreciate old articles being revisited and expanded with a mix a some new as that is standard fair for any annual. I refer to the pricing and availability.
£16 is, I must say, especially to a pensioner like me a bit steep, however I was still keen to lay my hands on a copy spurred by the expectation of an excellent read and the benefit of a £5 of voucher. My nearest WHS is 12 miles away halving the benefit of the voucher, but then I wanted a copy of the annual. "No never heard of it was the response", on enquiry so like some of your other forum members and not being one to give up too easily I set off around all the WHS stores In south Linc's, 5 stores visited and over 100 miles travelled, not one either had a copy or was aware of it's existence.
I was now extremely fed up even angry. If a copy was available in my local newsagents I do not think I would now buy a copy. To return home and read of similar incidents up and down the country and of the ridiculous deal done with the devil in the guise of WH Smiths beggared belief. Ian Allen publishing by this deal have shot Hornby Magazine in the foot and disenfranchised many loyal customers. I for one will never go on such a fool's errand again.
Why do publishers insist on doing deals with this monopolistic devil? All publishers and some newspapers are as guilty, and need to work to break the monopoly held by WHS and get their goods out to all newsagents and book shops not just those in major cities and see their sales and circulation increase
Just as well I can still get my monthly copy locally.
