I recently purchased the september issue of FSM and I noticed that there is no code on the table of contents for newsstand/hobbyshop buyers that can be used on the site to update your account and explore the site. I found this very dissapointing for I would like to at some point subscribe but i was content with purchasing individual issues. Is this exclusive to the september issue or is FSM no longer allowing non-subscribers to participate and make full use of in the site?
Sincerley, Townsy
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
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.
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.
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.
The newsstand access code was originally added to help our overseas readers. With it, they could see the timeliest material (such as the Workbench Reviews) online while they waited for their print copies to arrive in the mail. Lately, though, we’ve improved our overseas delivery, so the code was no longer necessary for that reason.
Some of the Web site’s content is subscriber-only. It’s essentially a “thank you” from all of us to all the readers who have made the commitment to subscribe. And for the record, subscribing is a much better deal – it’s about 30 percent cheaper than buying the issues one at a time.
The FSM Forum only requires registration.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thanks,
Matthew Usher
Editor, FSM
editor@finescale.com
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.
Yep! Me too. Only one thing is still bothering me over this. I don’t recall this being the reason for the code. I recall, and I wish I could remember how far back to go, the “code” was put there for newstand/LHS buyers. But, I’ll shut up until I can verify this. I know that at least one member was barred for bucking the higher ups at FSM.
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):
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:
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? [:D]
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.