Newsstand buyers no longer accepted?

I recently noticed this myself. Fortunately, I picked up the July issue at the same time and that code put me good through September.

What's up, Matthew? I saw you were on-line. Maybe we'll get an answer. 

Interesting development. I've logged out and tried to access Workbench Reviews, and it states that this is only available to registered magazine subscribers. Those who pay newstand prices are SOL.

So no code, no access to the "premium" content, and no explanation. If this was announced in any way, I certainly didn't see it.

I have a notice at the top right of my web pages that my last issue is February 2008. I think it must be right, and it really will be my last issue. At that time I will sign off the forums as well. I have many reasons to do so, but choose not to do so at this time.

Bill 

I saw no annoncement of it, either. In print or on here.

I, like a lot of others, don't care to have every issue anymore. But, I still buy them.

Matthew has stated in other posts that if we need to contact him just email. He even has it pinned at the top of this section. He will probably respond to this by saying that he has checked his email and never got anything from me. But, I know I emailed him with a legitimate question and recieved nothing what-so-ever in return.

I have ALWAYS gotten responses from other moderators and publishers whenever I have had a question. The only one who has responded to me since I have become a member of the FSM on-line community has been David Voss and he always responded. Even on personal matters.

Well, this may be my last post as, I am complaining and, they will probably lock me out. But, hey! I've got other places I can go. 

mfsob wrote:

Hmmmmm ... I'm hoping that was just an oversight and not another shameless grab by Kalmbach for more money. Especially since the newstand price is not discounted in any way.

If it's an oversight, they overlooked it again in the October issue. I just picked it up at the LHS. 

Humph! I have not gotten my Oct. issue yet and I am a subscriber. It seems to me that if someone buys the magazine, be it through newsstand or subscription, all parts of the site should be open to them. But, it's not my site and I don't make the rules here. I just generally lurk to see some very talented and good people post some of their builds. Kind of strange no one from FSM has responded.

John 

I agree, John. It's not so much that they have, apparently, banned the newsstand/LHS buyers from everything but the forums. It's that nothing was ever said in print or on the web. If they had done that it probably would have caused an uproar but, we would have been expecting it.

As for no one from FSM responding? I have a habit of checking to see who is on the site everytime I come on. Since this question first came up Matt has been on here three times when I was here and Amanda Bothe was here once. I am sure that someone from FSM has been on here more than that. This was just the times that I was here. 

Oh well, I guess the reader and buyer in this case don't matter. No matter what they say. 

There have been a lot of questions posted about what has happened to FSM and I pretty much have stayed away from them but, I see now why the questions have been posed. 

That is too bad.  I buy my copy at the LHS to help support their effort.  I realize that a couple of mags every month or so is not going to make or break them, but the $ that I spend on other things every time I go in may help out a little.  I guess that I will just have to lurk in the forums exclusively from now on.

Well I did some digging. According to Mark Thompson's editorial from the December 2005 issue which introduces the "code" in question, the "special" web site features are for (and I quote):

available only to our subscribers (and temporarily to news-stand buyers).

It doesn't go on to say what "temporarily" means.

I'm not sure that news-stand buyers don't support the magazine. I do know that news-stand buyers occasionally get additional perks like add-on Bonus Sections, that subscribers don't get.

It's this sort of uneven management that makes me rethink my subscriptions. I can only afford so many magazines per month, and it's difficult to justify a subscription that will get me features I rarely use, against buying a certain issue off the rack and receive the Bonus Section. Like Winnie the Pooh, I must think, think, think. Any other similarity between Pooh Bear and myself exist solely in your mind. Now I must go and stick my head in a honey pot. Oh bother!

There is also this forum entry from 11-08-2005:

David Voss wrote:

The secret code is primarily for newsstand readers.  Subscribers will automatically have access once they're gone through the registration system. The code didn't make it into the December issue due to timing.  It will be in the January issue, which should be on newsstands around Dec 6th (?).  An email was just sent out at 2pm CST to active forum members announcing the new site.  Towards the bottom of the message was information about the temporary access code.  That will provide access to at least December. The access code is necessary to access other sections of the website.  According to the information I have, each newsstand code should be good for 90 days.  So while you can enter newsstand codes from each issue, you really only need to enter a newsstand code 4 times a year.

This supports the temporary comment from the editorial. 

Whoa, alot of responses in a day and a half! seems like im not the only one who is upset at this problem. Im glad that people are as concerned about this as I am. I personally would not find it worthwhile to subscribe to the magazine for since I am an armour modeler I dont often find an issue with more than one story that interests me. There is a significantly smaller portion of the magazine devoted to tanks and military vehicles as opposed to aircraft--- sorry Im getting off topic anyway I personally would purchase the magazine more often if the "code" was re-instated because it would motivate me more to buy it when the 90 days runs out. Also as previously stated- it wouldnt bother me as much if there was some sort of notice more to inform readers of this change when it happened. I know this is another way of trying to get more people to subscribe but subscribers already get the price cut of 30% so newstand/hobbyshop buyers should get some form of "bonus" otherwise I'll just read arcticles I like at the store and leave the magazine.

sincereley: Townsy

I was wondering about that also. My subscription ran out a while back and I have been buying them at the LHS. I always understood the 'temporary access code' to mean you get access until you buy the next issue. I recall the editorial well also. Our news stand buyers are just as loyal as our subscribers! Gee, we may be loyal, but not as important? Just because we don't accept their 'deal' by giving our money to dealers instead of directly to them makes us un-important obviously. Regardless of how I feel about the magazine, that is saying to the vast majority of their clientele "you don't count as your buying your copies of our magazine from LHS's, news stands or anywhere but directly from us a year or more at a time." 

I have used that "temporary access" numerous times. Mostly finding reviews for kits I am going to build and some specific articles. For the most part, I was buying the magazines for the code, just incase I needed it. So now I'll be buying the magazine for..............

As an interesting note, read this. Newsstand buyers and subscribers are to be getting the same access. We are not. I just tried a search, for giggles, and was informed I would only have access to that information if I subscribed. My temporary access is in good standing -valid!

Well, it's lasted so far. We shall soon see.

I think buying the magazine should get you access to the special features, just like subscribers. I've subscribed for two years and won't be renewing when mine runs out in February. That doesn't mean I won't be buying it off the racks. Just that I won't be buying it off the racks every month. I also cherry pick Scale Auto, so Kalmbach is still going to get a fair bit of my discretionary buying power. It would be nice to have the same access.

There ARE other magazines out there and the market dictates a fair bit of control, if used properly.

Matt Usher, I think you should recommend having another look at re-instating the code for news-stand buyers. They still support the magazine, albeit a bit unevenly. That's more to do with the limitation of the magazine month to month and not the purchaser.

Now, now gentlemen, let's not go chumming for a negative reaction by daring Matthew to delete or lock this thread. No sense poking the lion in the eye with a pointy stick just to see if it'll still roar.

Enough of the mixing metaphors. FineScale is, by now, well aware that they have been called out - again. It's up to them whether or not they care enough to do anything about it.

Well, what the heck is the point of having a pointy stick then?

I'm not daring Matt to lock or delete the thread. I'm daring him to stand up for those who purchase the magazine off the rack. They are customers too.

I work in sales and customer service. IMHO the customer is King. The sales mgr. always talks about "A" & "B" customers. My point has always been if you treat certain customers better than others then the "B" customers will eventually walk away. ALL customers are "A" list to me!

Bgrigg wrote:

Well, what the heck is the point of having a pointy stick then? I'm not daring Matt to lock or delete the thread. I'm daring him to stand up for those who purchase the magazine off the rack. They are customers too. I work in sales and customer service. IMHO the customer is King. The sales mgr. always talks about "A" & "B" customers. My point has always been if you treat certain customers better than others then the "B" customers will eventually walk away. ALL customers are "A" list to me!

That's right!! That customer that comes in and buys a motor mount one day, may need a motor the next. And if you don't treat him as fairly as the guy who already buys motors? He'll take his money down the road to someone who will!

I have worked in sales, also. And I had plenty of "small time", once-in-awhile customers and I had some that needed $1500.00 to $2000.00 each and every week. But, I learned real quick that the "small time" customer, every once-in-awhile, needed a big order too.

As Bill stated, they are ALL "A" customers. Because that ONE that you treat like a "B" will talk to others and guess what? There's more truth to that old saying, bad news travels like wildfire, than too many people put stock in. 

This is a lesson I learned when I was 16. I worked as a "lot boy" for a marina. Cleaning up, moving stuff around, stuff like that. An old guy in grubby work cloths would come by almost daily with his lunch kit in hand and he would stare and stare at a boat that was worth then about $26K. This was the mid seventies, so that was a LOT of money. You could buy a house for that much in those days. Actually, you could buy a house and a car to put in the garage!

The sales people didn't bother with him, as he didn't look like he was capable of putting together $26 let alone $26,000! Finally, one day he asked me if he could buy the boat, so I took him into the sales manager's office. They talked for a while, and then the old guy opened up his lunch box and pulled out $25,000 in cash and said that was all he had and could he get a deal. Well, of course he could, and the deal was made.

Later the manager dragged me into the showroom where the sales guys were hanging around drinking coffee and paid me a 3% "commission" in cash using $10 and $20 bills (it took a while to count out) while he lectured them on not judging a book by it's cover. That was almost two month's pay for me in those days. So it left quite the impression on me. I don't know if the other sales people took it to heart, but they never let anyone on the lot without talking to them ever again. And they made darn sure nobody talked to me, either!

Folks,

Anytime you have questions or concerns about Kalmbach policies (especially those beyond the print magazine), the best course of action is to call our Customer Service Department at 800-533-6644 M-F during regular working hours.

Our Customer Service people are top-notch, and they do a great job of logging reader comments and suggestions so the company has a good sense of what the readers think.

All the best,

Matt Usher @ FSM

In other words Matt, your towing the company line and saying 'complain to those that make the decisions as I have no say here - sorry guys.'

Well, I will monday morning. Thanks.

DrewH wrote:

In other words Matt, your towing the company line and saying 'complain to those that make the decisions as I have no say here - sorry guys.' Well, I will monday morning. Thanks.

I think what he's really saying is don't complain to him.

Matt, people only complain when they care. When they stop complaining, they start walking. When enough people don't care, there won't be a need for the magazine. You're the editor. YOU are the public face of the magazine. It's YOUR picture we see on the editorial pages, and so we talk to YOU. If you pass the buck, we'll just pass on by.

Let me try this another way. I care enough about the magazine to participate in threads like this. I'm a subscriber. The loss of the access code does not affect me. But I can see that it's a message to the news-stand buyers that they aren't as important as subscribers, and that's just wrong. You're telling them that you don't care about your news-stand readers.

I've asked you by email and PM to attend to another matter that I have deliberately kept off the boards, as I'm not interested in airing the dirty laundry in public. You haven't bothered so much as to answer me directly what you are willing to do on my behalf. By not responding, you're telling me that you don't care about your subscriber and forum members. Just what do you care about?

Respectfully,

Bill Grigg 

Bgrigg wrote:

I think what he's really saying is don't complain to him. Matt, people only complain when they care. When they stop complaining, they start walking. When enough people don't care, there won't be a need for the magazine. You're the editor. YOU are the public face of the magazine. It's YOUR picture we see on the editorial pages, and so we talk to YOU. If you pass the buck, we'll just pass on by. Let me try this another way. I care enough about the magazine to participate in threads like this. I'm a subscriber. The loss of the access code does not affect me. But I can see that it's a message to the news-stand buyers that they aren't as important as subscribers, and that's just wrong. You're telling them that you don't care about your news-stand readers. I've asked you by email and PM to attend to another matter that I have deliberately kept off the boards, as I'm not interested in airing the dirty laundry in public. You haven't bothered so much as to answer me directly what you are willing to do on my behalf. By not responding, you're telling me that you don't care about your subscriber and forum members. Just what do you care about? Respectfully, Bill Grigg

Matthew Usher wrote:

... the best course of action is to call our Customer Service Department at 800-533-6644 M-F during regular working hours. Our Customer Service people are top-notch, and they do a great job of logging reader comments and suggestions so the company has a good sense of what the readers think. All the best, Matt Usher @ FSM

Sounds like a worthwhile project to me! What say we make this the next Group Build, for the entire week of Sept. 10, and see how many different answers we get to the same question?

gulfstreamV wrote:

What's up with that comment? Do you feel like your only getting pennies on the dollar? You faithful posters crack me up. "I'll quit posting just as soon as I want to" untill then I'll let ya' know how you should run this outfit! "Next time Kalambach makes a descision run it by the daily Post first?"

First, I never said I would quit posting here. Second, I have respect for Matt and when the Editor comes out and says we should call the corporate offices, it means he has no say in the matter IMO. I work in a corporation, when my boss says to call the big boss two cities over - I know what it means, big boss made the call - talk to him. 

I have been purchasing every issue faithfully at my LHS since my subscription ran out. Bill said it best, it should not make us second rate customers. I may not be as tactful as Bill and call it as I see it. I'm not telling them how to run this 'outfit', I said that their decision has upset a long time faithful customer. I have not missed and issue since I started reading it in '95.

I know how the math works, and subscribers increase the bottom line. I see it as a way for them to try and increase subscriptions through the web access. Will it work? Not in my opinion. It could hurt in overseas sales over time, but likely do nothing but get under the skin of a few dozen folks here who speak up.  

Kind of funny how it's the same people that speak up when decisions made affect everyone, then get hacked up for speaking up.

gulfstreamV wrote:

DrewH wrote: In other words Matt, your towing the company line and saying 'complain to those that make the decisions as I have no say here - sorry guys.' Well, I will monday morning. Thanks. What's up with that comment? Do you feel like your only getting pennies on the dollar? You faithful posters crack me up. "I'll quit posting just as soon as I want to" untill then I'll let ya' know how you should run this outfit! "Next time Kalambach makes a descision run it by the daily Post first?"

Did I miss something? Where did Bill or Drew or I ever say we would quit posting? We posed a question to Matt who has ALWAYS stated that all we had to do was contact him anytime at editor@finescale.com. Just check the very first post in this section.

As I stated earlier, I have done this with no response what-so-ever. So, what is the next logical step. Post something here. At least you will get some kind of response.

I don't know who you are and I don't really care but, I have bought and subscribed to FSM since issue #1. And I still have every copy. So, don't go preaching to me or anybody else about crying because we are not faithful to the magazine. You're right. I could spend my money on a better magazine and I do. But I keep hoping, that one day, FSM will get back to the magazine they once were.

Well Randie, I said it right here:

Bgrigg wrote:

I have a notice at the top right of my web pages that my last issue is February 2008. I think it must be right, and it really will be my last issue. At that time I will sign off the forums as well. I have many reasons to do so, but choose not to do so at this time. Bill

And I do have many reasons, none of which I will go into publically. I will let my subscription lapse at the end of February and at that time I will spend my time on the "other" forum. I have no intention of stomping off mad, as some have done, and I'm looking forward to receiving the last few issues. Maybe they improve enough to make me reconsider buying future subscriptions, but I probably won't be coming back to the forums. When I do sign off, I will state my reasons then, but with no hard feelings.

Really the only reason I'm not leaving now and accept gulfstreamv's offer, is my personal goal of 5000 posts before I go. That's approximately 100 posts per month. Should be a piece of cake!

Bill