I got the impression that this will be more than just the sale flyer.  I'd have to read the email again, but I think there are going to be build tips and articles in addition to the sales part.  Not sure if that justifies the fee they want to charge though.

Steve

Advertising and mailing costs $$$ folks, someone has to pay for it (and the ObamaCare that comes with it.)  It's that or they can raise the kit prices.

Greg, that someone is always the company advertising their wares. It's part of their business model; they should evaluate and adjust those dollars to get a good return on investment. With paper/mailing costs increasing, and with the proliferation of the internet; they saw a need to make a change. That said, the effect of this decision will take a little time to manifest itself, but if the majority are like-minded with me, it won't turn out well.

Glenn

They have already raised their prices. The last barrage of online sales have reflected an overall increase in "our price" and "web only" amounts; this is not a  just knee-jerk opinion, I've gone back into my invoices and previous issues of the Flyer to check. Some of the now "sale" prices are more than I paid them for the same kits in the past.

This is nothing against Squadron as an online hobby vendor. I have bought from them many times and found their customer service to be top notch. At the new prices, I will probably buy much less from them, as others are almost always less expensive and offer comparable service. As for the new flyer, I'll wait and see if the first two complimentary issues look like a worthwhile subscription. It's not the price that's a put-off, it's just how many reviews, tips and techniques can one need?

My two cents;

Mike  

Why would you pay for a building tips from a flyer when you can get them from the FSM magazine (if you have a subscription)  or even for free from this very forum or many other free internet forums?

Some love to look thru the pages of a catolog,it's part of whole process for many,just like going to the hobby shop and handling the kits.If you still enjoy doing that,then your going to have to pay for the privilge.As it was said,everything in the fliers can be acessed on the website,so it's just the real world today,everything changes.

mississippivol

Greg, that someone is always the company advertising their wares.

Actually, Glenn, it's NOT the company....it's the customer, because that advertising is built into the price of the ware being sold.  If the majority were like-minded with you, they would not be bringing it back by customer demand as it says in the flyer e-mailing.

BTW, the new flyers will also have:

• previews of upcoming new products
• kit builds
• customer showcase
• tip/techniques
• in-box reviews
• lower prices
• and much more..... 

Interesting.  I haven't received such a notification yet.

Years ago, Squadron charged for their catalogue.  You subscribed, and got a full catalogue of all their items once a year; then every month you received a flyer with specials and new releases.  The flyers showed line drawings of the items available.  By today's standards, it would seem pretty crude.  The yearly catalogue was in color.  They were doing this years before the internet, back in the '80's and '90's.

These days, with the internet, I don't think print stuff in the mail is overly effective.  Even in the past, by the time the catalogue/flyer arrived in the mail, the item was sometimes out-of-stock when you tried to order.

I do like looking at print catalogues, but it's the web store itself that really tells whether an item is available or not.

I think Squadron is "fishing" to see who sends in $10 for something you get free in emails or just go to their web site.

Yeah, considering that the newer sales flyers were about 80 or so pages printed in full colour, essentially a small magazine, they must have cost an arm and a leg so I don't blame them.

I'd generally flip though the thing and most of the time toss it in the trash anyway. Most of my shopping was done on their on-line site so it doesn't really affect me.

Didn't get a email notification from Squadron website either.

I liked getting the flier, but it's not worth it to me to pay for a subscription.

Their print and pictures were so small I couldn't read very much of it when I did get it. Plus it's just easier to go through their website.

Didn't get the e-mail either. Liked the monthly flier. Hope the new one is as good as they say it's going to be in their last flier.

Jim 

Walthers and the like have long charged for their catalogs.

It would be nice if they threw a free one in with orders, but so what?

Personally I consider the mailer to be junk mail, and never mind Obamacare- the USPS has long had one of the best benefits packages around.

GMorrison

Personally I consider the mailer to be junk mail, and never mind Obamacare- the USPS has long had one of the best benefits packages around.

pyrman64

Advertising and mailing costs $$$ folks, someone has to pay for it (and the ObamaCare that comes with it.)  It's that or they can raise the kit prices.

pyrman64

GMorrison

Personally I consider the mailer to be junk mail, and never mind Obamacare- the USPS has long had one of the best benefits packages around.

And that's why they operate with a $5BILLION deficit......but that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

I just click the "flyer" link at Squadron's Web site.  It led me to a message "Error 404."  This pretty much sums up the state of flyer subscription, I guess.  

Awww !

C'mon Guys . lets be nice now !! .I for one enjoy getting ALL my catalogues .Why ? Well , because that allows me to peruse them in peace .You see , my landlady and her daughter are crafters .They Hi-jacked my last Micro - Mark catalogue and I didn't even know it had arrived till , I had to get something out of the drawer on the L.L. 's workbench .There it was hidden away!

   You see , if it's ship , plane or armor they leave it alone .So , I can sit in my easy chair with my dog in lap , coffee in cup at side and be transported to memory land . I do order sometimes just to show my appreciation ( yeah , Right ! ) and probably always will .  If they charge for it then they've just stepped into the pattern my plumbing and heating company has done as well as my electrical equipment company does too . It doesn't bother me in the least . $15.00 bucks a year is cheap for straight shots from the industry. Wel ,l that's my fifteen cents anyway .

USPS complainants, at the risk of sounding political, read the second, third and fourth paragraphs of this . article

In case the link doesn't work:

"There is indeed a mandate lying at the heart of the USPS’s fiscal woes, but it’s not the obligation to provide top-notch service to the American public.

Rather, it’s the 2006 congressional mandate (which the editorial also discussed) that the Postal Service do something else no other business or agency in the country is required to do: pre-fund future retiree health benefits. Moreover, the Postal Service has to cover these benefits 75 years into the future, and be able to pay for it within a decade.

Without this unfair mandate, the Postal Service would be breaking even this year, and in some periods even earning a profit. For example, in the first quarter of this fiscal year, it had a net operating profit of $100 million; it earned $17.7 billion in revenue by selling stamps (the agency is self-funded and doesn’t get a dime of taxpayer money) and spent $17.6 billion delivering the mail."

tankerbuilder

C'mon Guys . lets be nice now !! .I for one enjoy getting ALL my catalogues ...

We are being nice.  I enjoy getting catalogs, too, and reading them at my leisure.  But I have to say that in the case of Squadron's catalog, I pretty much read through it when I get it, to see what's new, then put it in with my newspapers for recycling.  And for that, I refuse to pay any money.  If they're no longer going to send it out free of charge, then OK, I understand it's a business decision.  For my own business of my household budget, I'm not going to shell out for it.  As has been pointed out, it's easy enough to go to their website, when I am looking to buy something, and review their inventory that way.

Even with the promise of additional content, such as articles, tips, etc, it's not worth it to me to pay for this new, additional periodical, because I already subscribe to as many magazines as I want to, and I belong to many online forums, such as this one.  So, again, it's not worth it to me, to pay to subscribe to Squadron's new catalog.

If that's not being nice, then so be it.

cwalker3

Their print and pictures were so small I couldn't read very much of it when I did get it. Plus it's just easier to go through their website.

That's affirmative, cwalker3.  I sometimes broke out the Optivisor to read the catalog.  And I agree, I just visit their website, when I'm looking to buy something from them.

Every other week or so, my wife gets a very expensive, full color, thick catalog from L.L. Bean and a few other similar clothing and kitchen companies.  After a quick flip-through, they go into the recycling bin.  They've never asked us to pay for them, it's just a cost of doing business.  And I am sure they cost much more to produce than the Squadron rag.

Re USPS- I recently sent some important documents by certified mail hoping this would safeguard their delivery.  The USPS tracking web site says they have not been delivered yet, because they were unable to contact an authorized person to receive them.  I did not request a delivery confirmation signature, and and the addressee received the envelope on time, weeks ago.  So much for the quality of USPS tracking and premium services. Their system is totally open-loop, they don't know the non-delivery status claimed, and never will.  I will never waste any more money on them!  After all, it's the gov-mint, and they're here to help us.

I must say, though, the local mailman is great interacting with my boys, even though he's driving, he takes the time to talk to them. I should mail him a card...

Right, I meant no offense against the people, it's just the organization that is screwed up.

No offense taken, I totally agree with your assessment. When mismanagement and poor policy destroys an organization, people like our mailman are the ones who get hurt.

Hey I'm a mailman. The biggest problem is there are way to many people in the company that never touch the mail.

I've been carrying for 18 years. Lots of change since I started.

With all the flak thats been said about mail delivery it still takes a special type of person to be able to go outside heat cold rain snow and stay out there for up to 12 hours. I know I've done it.  I have a walking route not a driving one.  10.5 miles a day on my legs people   thanks for the rant. John

Thanks, John, I appreciate what you do.  Around here, the carriers drive around in little jeeps and stuff group mail stations for dozens of residents in the area, and do not do door-to-door delivery like days of yore.

I miss the good service we used to get from people like you!