In my Q&A with Margaret, she made the following statements:
"We’re constantly tweaking the magazine, and will continue to do so, and we’re always open to suggestions from readers. It’s funny that the majority of e-mail we receive is regarding subscription concerns. I’d love to read more reader opinions on what we produce, not how it ends up in your mailbox."
"Also, I’m curious regarding how much people would be willing to pay for a subscription to make sure their favorite magazines continue to exist. For instance, many people commented on blogs that they would have paid more to support Domino and House & Garden.
Would readers pay for online access to archives, sneak previews of design product launches, or special content? This is what it will take to make a successful magazine brand—focusing on community, content, and communication."
If you have comments or suggestions you can leave them on All the Best for Margaret and the ELLE Decor team to read.
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18 comments:
I would like to see more online content perhaps even a full digital version formatted for online or offline reading.
This was interesting and supports building online content:
http://www.businessinsider.com/magazines-showing-signs-of-life-2009-10
Just wanted to let Margaret Russell know that the Michael Smith house on this month's cover is absolutely beautiful!! They couldn't have picked a better house to feature on their 20th anniversary issue.
I started reading Elle Decor when they premiered, I was in college...can't believe it's been 20 years!
I was a huge fan of Domino's online site and would have paid more through my monthly subscription to access the site. If magazines allowed subscription members access to VIP content on their site such as sneak peeks, archived content, or outtakes, I would gladly pay $5-10 more on my yearly subscription. As it stands, subscribing to magazines is so much cost-effective than buying individuals at newstands so either way an increased price in my subscription would be less overall. I'm for it!
Although I troll the internet for most of my day, I cannot part with my glossies. There's something special about getting a new magazine in the mail...something the internet still cannot top.
It was announced just the other day that Rupert Murdoch has now decided to charge us (Australians) for the privilege of reading his well regarded newspaper (main stories) online. Obviously to date it has been free. This guy, and many other old school entrepreneurs, just fail to see that it is too competitive out there now to charge us for what is already abundantly free. I guess if you loved Elle, you'd pay to see online. But most people love heaps of mags, and will go with those that are free. It's just a fact of life. If Elle want to give it a go, they need to prepare for a back up plan. They will be forever trying to sell the concept of viewing the mag on line rather than doing what they already do, which is sell the advertising space.
It would be great to see mags like Elle, come into the millennium and offer something online, but quite a few are now doing that.
I didn't mean to write a big post, but essentially, IMO, it will take more than just access to their website to get a dollar out of most people - maybe combine with their mag subscription...
In regard to subscription concerns, I would think that more readers might be inclined to pay less for an on-line subscription, given that there are so many amazing on-line sources for free. The ability to have so much at our fingertips has educated "people" to be saavy and stylish consumers.
pve
I believe that people will continue to want the "experience" of sitting down with their favorite mags. The online and blog phenom is great but I don't think it will replace the print versions. Push some out yes, but I think like everything else you have to adapt, build on each other. I think as long as Elle Decor continues to seek those projects/subjects that have a clear voice they will thrive. Keep it up! Thanks, Daniel
I don't think I would pay for online content. So much is free that it wouldn't be worth it. I'd just go elsewhere. However, I would be willing to pay more for a magazine subscription!
I wouldn't be interested in paying directly for online features either, it should definitely be free. When it comes subscribing, I would definitely pay more. I would gladly pay $8 per magazine.
An idea could be to have the regular website content available for everyone, and an extended version with more pics available for the subscribers.
I'm with Dagny, I would gladly pay more for my monthly magazines but not for online services. I want something I can hold in my hand and flip through while in bed...
I would pay - and I suspect a lot of bloggers would pay for archived magazines AND the pdfs of the photoshoot that is published. After the magazine is a month or two old - what value do the pdf's have? open the files and let us use them for a reasonable fee - not the $200. that photographers charge. i actually subscribe to elle decor digitally for ease of use of the photos for my blog AND I have bought all the available past issues digitally - I would buy every single one published if they were available online - for use on my blog. digital is the wave os,f the future and yes, i would pay much more - its soooooo cheap right now. yes, no question, i would pay more for a years subscription to keep it Elle Decor. no question.
I love Elle Decor. But its a bit to high end. It does not in my opinion really reach the majority of the bloggers that love Domino. I have a subsription to Elle Decor and look at the photos as inspiration, but thats really as far as it can go because the price tags are far to high for me. I would pay for online access to anything that I can relate to or is in reason to my lifestyle. Hope that helps, or make sense. Thanks for the ask.
tam
It really saddens me that the truly great and creative magazines are folding. Domino was such a shame and I have just heard that Cookie is folding too. Boo hoo...
I do love online magazines but I must say I do prefer the actual physical book form (curling up in bed with a computer on a Sunday morning doesnt feel so luxurious as a glossy magazine). That said; I am way more intersted in the product than the vehicle so I'd definitely vote for online (even at a charge) then not at all.
Also I am more than happy for the cost of magazines to increase. In fact I live in Bermuda and each issue generally costs me double the US sticker price. It's expensive but there is so much great information in the quality magazines that it more than makes up for it - I dont bat an eye.
My fingers and toes are crossed that more great publications dont fold. Hope this is helpful
Many thanks for your great feedback!
I love Elle Decor and Margaret and her team have done a great job over the years. I think that for so many years we took for granted the important job that shelter publications were doing and their impact on design in general. If a beautiful tree falls in the forest will anyone see it? Good design does not happen in a vacuum, it needs to be exposed to the air, outside for everyone to see. Without these magazines we would never have access to it. I would be happy to pay a bit more now that I know what the consequences are. I could never have imagined just a few years ago that so many dearly loved magazines would cease to exist. I think we have a responsibility to support those that are left.
On the other hand, I was very surprised that the magazines that have gone under didn't make an effort to capitalize on the significant value of their archives and content to keep their websites open. I think that certain publications, such as Domino, could have stood alone in a digital format. When I see the new Lonny magazine I feel like almost any publication could fit into their format and I am puzzled as to why more are not expanding their a web presence and thinking out of the box to survive the inevitable end of print publication. With new technology such as the Kindle and the new Apple reader blazing new trails into an all digital world, paper publishing seems like it's destined to go the way of the dinosaur.
I think we are entering a time of fundamental change in all areas of life and business and if we don't think proactively we will fall behind and eventually cease to exist. I would encourage Elle Decor to embrace the change and focus on how they can survive in a digital format. In the meantime I wish them much good luck and hope they don't have become victims of corporate auditors.... I will be renewing all of my subscriptions.
I will pay whatever it takes to continue to receive my Elle Decor magazine. I love it and look forward to getting it every month. I have saved 10 years of them! I'll add on to my house!
Okay, I'm already regretting this (I love a bargin), but here goes:
Paying 75 cents an issue is CRAZY, as I do for ELLE DECOR. This magazine should absolutely be charging more and giving subscribers more online content.
My favorite magazines currently are:
ELLE DECOR $4.99 an issue
Living etc $8.99(British)
Canadian House & Home $5.95
House & Garden $7.99 (British)
Any of the Cote Maison mags $9.95 each (I rarely buys these, but check out each issue with a cup of coffee at Barnes and Noble)
These are okay:
Metropolitan Home
House Beautiful
Look, I pay $4.27 everyday for a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Every damn day. I'm already paying more for my new imported favorites, every month. The demise of House & Garden, Domino, and Country Home (just kidding about that one) have sent me looking for eye candy in new shelter magazines. What I've discovered about myself is I will pay more to get a good magazine. I'm not the only one. I discovered Canadian House & Home in April and have bought every issue and special issue since. When I bought my November issue I noticed in the American edition they have dropped the Canadian from the cover and binding. They are clearly selling more magazines in the US, and are trying to appeal to people who would have stayed away from the Canadian mag.
ELLE DECOR should charge subscribers more for such a solid magazine. As to the content, I've got nothing but kudos for Margaret Russell and her crew, they are publishing the best shelter magazine in the US. I LOVED the July/August issue. I was blown away by Monelle Totah's apartment. I wanted to throw away everything and start over. I settled for repainting my kitchen and bathroom in a beautiful grey and redoing the artwork, all inspired by "The Globe-Trotter" feature. I love the "shortlist" feature, every month it's enlightening.
Maybe ELLE DECOR needs to have it's own line of home items? It seems like the foreign mags do, does it work for them? I also agree with what JVT said above about digital formats, it's the future.
I too would pay more for my subscription but not for online content unless I was getting access to something that I couldn't get any place else. I can't think of what that other thing would be. I'm more of a hands on person so just looking at pictures wouldn't be good enough...I want some real insider tips, special contests or special access to something, etc.
So, many people miss Domino and that leaves an opportunity for the current publications or a new one (if done properly) outside of online. I love to look at the photos and get ideas b/c that is want the mags are for but some people don't connect b/c of the home furnishing price points. What about having a monthly feature maybe called High Style-Low Cost. Show how real people can achieve the Elle Decor High Style for a low cost. Now, some of my complaints when I have seen this done before using the expensive/less expensive room is the quality of items aren't great and I always get disappointed b/c I don't feel like the designers really try and think that was a waste of time...I definitely know how to do the same thing for less and better quality.
I do love online magazines but I must say I do prefer the actual physical book form.Many thanks for the info
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