fatcalf Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Issue 96 is out on Saturday before the Utd game, sellers will be at their usual spots from 2pm til kick off and a wee bitty afterwards. I'm looking for some feedback before we get there though. You may have noticed GLF hasn't appeared yet this season, and to be honest the sales have slumped with us as well to a point where we are barely covering the printers bill. I know we're in the middle of a recession and that has to have an effect on all walks of life. Fanzines are also suffering through social media offering immediate outlets for fans views but to me still have their place. I see many walk on by these days without so much as a glance who used to stop and buy. Everyone has the right to choose obviously but I'm curious as to what turns folk off buying the zine. What I want to know is if you're one of those who has stopped buying a fanzine, is it because the standard is dropping? Or financial reasons? Any other reasons? Feel free to slag us here but obviously I'd prefer confidential constructive discussions to evaluate where we go from here. If the interest has waned to such an extent it actually costs money to bring an issue out then we will know where we stand at least so all opinions welcome. Mj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Still an every issue buyer but is it not just symptomatic of current times where more and more people seem to be turning away from written media? Sales of papers are down on what they were. I don't know so much about recently but MFC programme sales were dropping to an extent there was talk of doing away with them, so it's not a huge leap to see that extended to fanzines too. Reasons for it? I think you sum them up accurately already when you mention social media. I certainly don't think its a quality or price issue. Just sometimes that the technologies of the day have an affect. You could liken it to a certain extend to the demise of the Exiles Club. You'll remember that our newsletters were largely news and factual based. How many would realistically want to read a match report of a game that happened two months previously when by the end of the day they could click on a website and read and see images about 5 minutes after full-time? Same goes to an extent with fanzines where you can read, and actually engage in, debates on the issues of the day on a forum the same day they happen without waiting a few weeks to read them in print. Solutions? Perhaps pushing advance subscriptions? A paypal donations option? As a former contributor to both OSB and GLF I hope both continue to appear and thrive but perhaps it's a little damning that even as someone who buys both, I hadn't even noticed that GLF hadn't appeared this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well-army Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Another option could be a Downloadable copy - Same price no printing costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Another option could be a Downloadable copy - Same price no printing costs. If it was downloadable, I'd buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StipeIsGod Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 I buy both when I see them as well. I missed this one due to a (rare) pre match pubbing. That pisses me off, but not nearly as much as realising that GLF wasn't about, and I didn't even notice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Another option could be a Downloadable copy - Same price no printing costs. This is ultimately the way forward I think. A simple PDF version of the fanzine, emailed to those who make a purchase via paypal. It would also open up the potential audience a lot more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last post by: Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 I think you have some options: Give up and stop publishing. Ask the people at Motherwell to give you a gig writing for the matchday program. See if the official website will host the content on their website. Or.... continue and run at a loss / break even. Either way you're not going to make any money from it but guess that's not why you're doing it. If you're doing it for fun and the enjoyment then I suggest uploading to a site who will host it for free and charge nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brainier Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hit edition 100 and decide then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigeeze Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Because I;m working on the turnstyles I miss out on buying them and now the stewarding is outsourced I c anny get them to pick up a copy for me. The doownloadable version wouild be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted October 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 I think you have some options: Give up and stop publishing. Ask the people at Motherwell to give you a gig writing for the matchday program. See if the official website will host the content on their website. Or.... continue and run at a loss / break even. Either way you're not going to make any money from it but guess that's not why you're doing it. If you're doing it for fun and the enjoyment then I suggest uploading to a site who will host it for free and charge nothing Pretty much all of that rings true, apart from the Club bits obviously Never has and never will make money but we've always managed to meet the printers bill at least. Just seems to be a noticeable decline in sales of both zines over recent seasons. As Brainier says issue 100 is on the horizon so I'm at least aiming for that milestone before making any decision. Until then feel free to make your feelings known to the sellers on Saturday. And anywhere else you deem appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Another option could be a Downloadable copy - Same price no printing costs. It's the future mate. Would facilitate colour, if you wanted it .............. and what about Kindle ? This would enable subscriptions. Not sure if there are any others, but imagine the prestige of being the 1st Kindle Fanzine. What would you do with your Mr Big Pie envelope template tho ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted October 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 It's the future mate. Would facilitate colour, if you wanted it .............. and what about Kindle ? This would enable subscriptions. Not sure if there are any others, but imagine the prestige of being the 1st Kindle Fanzine. What would you do with your Mr Big Pie envelope template tho ? Download the new Kindlezine and post it up to you of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrazMFC96 Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Where are the usual spots where you sell them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Stall Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 If your not after making money out of it, then its probably wise to at least consider making it an online thing rather than binning it altogether. No printers costs, minimal web hosting. I suppose the only issue with it being online is the content. In this day and age there is always someone who will go out their way to be offended by something. Putting it online opens the gateways for the Blue and Green idiots to find it, drum up some outrage and pass it on to Keevins and co. Personally, at £1 I don't have a problem with buying it. Most of its a good read. Im quite surprised the sales are down, although I suppose with dwindling gates, the potential market is dropping as well. You could always jump into the 21st century, give it a spacebook page and twitter feed. Fans can link to it, their mates will see it, word will spread and you can more effectively market the next issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Where are the usual spots where you sell them? Fir Park Club, Cooper corner and East Stand turnstyles from about 2pm til kick-off or just after Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weesacs Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 i'll always buy it - just because im in the habit of doing so! i dont always read it from cover to cover and to be honest, i would probably prefer an online version i'm absolutely clueless when it comes to web hosting / websites costs etc and im not even sure what the best format would be for you but i'd happily pay £4/5 per year subscription fee if it were to replace the actual hard copy. you could even have it in a forum format where others could discuss (or more likely argue knowing what this place is like!) what the "columnists" have written how much money does this place generate from advertising? does it cover the costs? could you do it on facebook or twitter? im guessing you probably could - but that way more "morons!" are probably going to see it, and like suggested above - it could lead to people being offended, that was why I thought if it had its on wensite - where you charged people a subscription then they agree to not being offended in the T&Cs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I'll be buying it tomorrow as usual. The Sunday morning hangover shite just wouldn't be the same without OSB on the bog. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I'll be buying it tomorrow as usual. The Sunday morning hangover shite just wouldn't be the same without OSB on the bog. See that's the thing, finest bog read ever widnae be the same online wid it really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 See that's the thing, finest bog read ever widnae be the same online wid it really? It's exactly what laptops were made for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 See that's the thing, finest bog read ever widnae be the same online wid it really? These days, it's just as easy to read electronic mags on the bog as paper ones. I'll bet there are a fair percentage of posts on here these days that are sent from the stalls. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Hence, all the talking shite that gets done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Got my Mr Big Pie envelope today, but why don't I get my name in P2 anymore ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Got my Mr Big Pie envelope today, but why don't I get my name in P2 anymore ???? My mistake, updated it after a few times when I'd just left it but made a rip roaring c**t of it basically. Sorry big yin, be fixed next time guaranteed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 No worries mate, imagine it aint no cakewalk being a 'zine Ed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 No worries mate, imagine it aint no cakewalk being a 'zine Ed. Be okay if I didn't let it build up to another last minute mad rush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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