[Closed] New subs deal how about existing subbers?

Dog-in-the-manger ?? Presumably you thought the subs were worth it at the time, and obviously, that money has already been spent! This is a perennial problem with promotions, so cut them some slack :o)

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"so cut them some slack :o) " for not valuing my undieing loyalty since the mag started?

There's been another thread on the same topic knocking about for about a week, i've asked those at STW towers to join the conversation a couple of times but nothing doing.
I wonder if anyones listening to the (very) rank and file

do you want a refund?

after the hoo ha in the last few months with the site being hacked I think it looks like they are just trying to get a bit more money in through the doors.

I am sure that when you renew your subscription you could ask for the new rate

oldfart, you must be a mind reader, I was just thinking the same thing, just got my letter in yesterday telling me the price was going up and it was going to come out 8 times a year. That's great I thought to myself another copy to read, but no mention of a free ST Hipflask boohoo.

Why do company's punish long term customers like this all the time. It's not just Singletrack, most company's are happy to take your money year in year out without so much as free bag of sweets, but are happy to give new customers the moon on a stick. 😥

for not valuing my undieing loyalty since the mag started?

let's not over egg it, presumably you take the magazine because you enjoy it ?

wildrnes are you a subscriber?

Isn't it the same with subs to any magazine - once you're in then you're in. You don't keep getting freebies every time the mag does some form of promotion and you shouldn't expect to. Where would be the business sense in that. If you buy something and see it in the sale months later do you take the hump with the shop?

If you're that bothered about it use some common sense and cancel your current subs then resubscribe. Personally for a hip flask or a dvd I wouldn't bother.

The idea of the promotion is to attract new subscribers, it's not just a giveaway for the sake of it.

Like wise simon do you subscibe?

mrdoubletake, as above if you're really breaking your heart over it then cancel and resubscribe. Easily solved eh.

Maybe this is the turning point then between being a community which started with Gofar and then went something like "hey guys we want to start a magazine would you like to subscribe so we can have our big publishing adventure?"
Maybe now its something else. Maybe the man has arrived;-)

Like wise simon do you subscibe?

is that relevant ? Does one have to be a subscriber to feel the pain ? I am grateful to ST for providing the service they do, and though we disagree about some of their marketing decisions, I'm not complaining about this one.

Maybe the man has arrived;-)

oh dear, not the [b]man[/b]! I get the impression it's still a very hand-to-mouth business...

not sure a cancel and resubscrivbe would work - most offers are for 'new subscribers only', which technically, you're not...

So you don't then Simon. thought not.

not sure a cancel and resubscrivbe would work - most offers are for 'new subscribers only', which technically, you're not...

Often the case.

I appreciate its annoying when you see other people getting more, for less than you did... but is this any different than buying bikes? I just stretched my £500 budget to £850 for a "bargain bike" which I have since seen at £700. Things get cheaper sometimes. maybe you should subscribe again, and sell your extra copies on ebay at gross rate of inflation?

This thread has appeared several times on the forum over the years.

I'm a subscriber and I wouldn't expect a free gift for continuing to be a subscriber.

Well it works with other mags.

I think itís pretty naive for anyone to think that a magazine business would send a ëthank you for already being a subscriberí gift to existing subscribers.

Presumably you got some sort of deal or gift when you first subscribed? That's no different to the new subscribers, is it?

I did get offered a book by Cycling+ for being an existing subscriber recently.

Not turned up yet, though.

What book was that wwaswas, I subscribe to C+ and didn't get any offer of a book?

Mike
Expect seems to be the word here, i don't expect a free gift either.
However the guys are tells us they are doing their bit in the credit crunch, but only for new money. Ok fair enough if thats the way it is.... but i'd like to hear from them.

LOL! @ uplink!

'Brand new customers only!'

Those ads made me laugh.

Can't remember what they were for, though.

"Gary_M - Member
What book was that wwaswas, I subscribe to C+ and didn't get any offer of a book? "

Bothered now eh Garry, you missing out? 🙂

Why the big hoo haa? Its no different from seeing a sofa you bought 2 months ago reduced by £100 in the sale.
Sh!t happens. MTFU.

Heres me thinking you subscribed to the mag because you liked it and were interested in the subject matter.

Why do people expect the folks at stw to explain every business decision they make? You buy the mag, you're not a shareholder.

No not bothered at all Speshpaul, I was just wondering if it was an offer in the mag and I missed it. Anyway I'm a subscriber so I would expect to be treated the same as any other subscriber unless the offer is based on length of time as a subscriber for example, so it's not the same argument.

Have you tried calling & asking for the retentions dep't? 😉

Gary swearing already, that C+ deal must be hurting you bad.

Uplink
"Have you tried calling & asking for the retention dep't? "
Yeap but they put me through to urologogy!

Presumably, the STW guys know that people who subscribe keep subscribing, so they don't need offering an incentive to do so. If existing subscribers were cancelling their subs left right and centre, I'm sure an offer would appear. Since most subscribers seem happy enough, I doubt that'll happen.

gary_m;

"We like our subscribers to feel special. After all, youíre committed to reading Cycling Plus every month... so weíre committed to ensuring you receive all the benefits of being one of our loyal subscribers.

Weíd like to give you a little something extra. So to show you just how much we really appreciate your dedication to Cycling Plus, we would like to send you a FREE End To End, by Andrew Webster book.

There's no catch, just simply click on the link below, fill out your details and we'll send you your End To End, by Andrew Webster book absolutely free! So get clicking and remember to enter your gift code:

Everyone loves a freebie"

I must be a *really* special subscriber rather than just a run of the mill one like other folk.

I'd feel even more special if the actual book turned up - I got that email on the 5/12/8 and did the online form the same day...

Probably in my spam folder and what's this swearing you're on about Speshpaul?

"I'd feel even more special if the actual book turned up - I got that email on the 5/12/8"
You and probably everyone else you had the email.

But a attitude that bucks the trend of some of the publishing experts above 🙂

We have many thousands of subscribers. We don't have many thousands of hip flasks. Having a promotion that would cost more than the net gain in new subscriptions would be self defeating clearly. But existing direct debit subscribers continue to get the mag at the cheapest possible rate. A direct debit sub saves 25% on the shop price of the same number of issues.

Plus we do continue to try and retain existing subscribers via our Subscribers' Club. Subscribers get automatic discount in our shop and at some bikes shops, b&bs and the like. Our website plan is to have extra features that are exclusive to mag subscribers too. But no magazine can afford a deal that offers gifts to existing subscribers in the same way that if the widget you bought in shop A last month goes on sale next month the shop isn't going to refund you the difference.

But essentially the simple truth is we have a few hundred hip flasks and DVDs to give away free to new Direct Debit subscribers. We don;t have the many thousands we would need to send one to existing subscribers.

"Please allow 28 days for delivery of gift to your stated delivery address."

should I be looking a gift book in the mouth by now?

Gary
What have you forgetten that you editted your use of FFS out when you changed your post. Thats very forgetful of you.

not wanting to say any of the stfu or mtfu type coments, but....

yes I subscribe It was taken out last month and I have not had my first copy yet, so I recon that I have as much if not more reason to whinge about not getting a discount/new toy or whatever.

but I wont

so is life

Speshpaul I think you're imagining things now. I added a paragraph at the bottom of my post when I edited it, you must be loosing the plot.

STW in attempting to survive by attracting new subscribers in non shock event.

They are just pursuing a business model that grows through adding subscribers to the best of their abilities, trying to earn a living like the rest of us.

Hi Mark
Thanks for joining in.
"But no magazine can afford a deal that offers gifts to existing subscribers."
Well as you will have read above C+ seems to be bucking that trend.
STW shop, well over the years i've had a raft of jerseys and t-shirts but even at members prices you're not really doing anyone a big favour. I've brought them because i liked them not because of their outstanding value.
5% off at a distant bike shop, could most of us not do better than that either through "loyalty" to a LBS or the likes of CRC?
Plus that list of shops isn't what it was.
Although there's a saving over shop prices, in smiths the mag has to stand the same thumb test as every other mag.
So maybe over the year you only buy 6 and not 8 issue.
I didn't ask for a hip flask, i only really asked for you to join in.
Maybe i need to "realign my values and loyalty" 😕

seems a fair enough answer to me, if it bothers anyone that much I am sure they could cancel their subscription wait a month and resubscribe to get the free gift.

bloody hell you are taking yourself a bit seriously aren't you

i tell you what, my email is
mr wild m at hotmail dot com

send me your adress and i'll BUY you a hip flask

Offering a free book that a publisher is happy to get rid of isn't quite the same thing.