Golf Monthly mag subscriptions - can I get your thoughts please!

backwoodsman

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Howdy one and all

Hope you're all keeping well and looking forward to The Masters

I'm looking for a bit of feedback from Forumers who are either.... current GM subscribers, were GM subscribers (but stopped) and anyone who has considered subscribing but hasn't yet pressed the button

If you could cut and paste the headers, delete reasons that don't apply to you and of course add in any views that'd be great

thanks!
Mike

>>>

WHY DID YOU SUBSCRIBE
Always enjoyed the mag so subscribed due to convenience & price . Dont have to remember to buy one - nor go looking for one (as my local newsagents dont stock much in the line of magazines

HOW LONG HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED FOR?
6-10 years

WHY DID YOU RENEW?
For reasons above

WHY DIDN'T YOU RENEW?
N/A

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU CONTINUE TO TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?
Will continue to buy the mag (by sub) because i like hard copy - and the general type of content in the mag is not the sort of stuff I'd bother to look at on line - at least, not as a casual read. Still think the mag is good value.

To echo a couple of other comments, there seems to be no "reward" for loyalty (but that's not necessarily exclusive to GM or indeed to magazines generally. Its true of many products & services). I didnt sign up due to an introductory offer (there wasnt one at the time) - I just subscribed because I wanted the mag. But it does seem a bit perverse that one could let a subscription lapse, and just sign up later and get an offer, whereas the long term subscriber seems to be taken for granted.. Perhaps subscriber only offers, competitions, or merchandise is a tempting outlook?
 

Crow

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WHY DID YOU SUBSCRIBE TO GM?
I wanted a regular golf magazine and Golf Monthly was the best of those I looked at.
First time was a Christmas present, carried on subscribing for a few years after that.
I like the convenience of having it delivered and enjoyed the reading.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED FOR?
2-5 years

WHY DID YOU RENEW?
I looked forward to each issue
Convenience of having it delivered
A good read
Need a golf fix

WHY DIDN'T YOU RENEW?
The magazine focuses heavily on equipment reviews and instruction.
There are only so many things that can be written on instruction before the need to start to repeat.
Equipment reviews are fine when I'm looking to buy new clubs, shoes, rangefinder, etc but otherwise are of no interest to me.
Even on other topics there's rarely anything new to read, for example, there will usually be a big splash on the coming major, for example the Masters, but I already seem to know most of what will be written.

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?
As above, the slant of the magazine doesn't do it for me. I've been reading a lot of early golf magazines and although some of the same things above apply (repetition in instruction for instance) the subjects covered seem more diverse, the general quality of the writing seems higher and there are more articles by prominent people in the game. I accept that today's circus makes it very difficult to gain access to big stars and most wouldn't be interested in writing for or speaking at any length to a magazine.
I'm another fan of Bill Elliott whose depth of knowledge and long experience of the game makes for great reading, he ought to write a book!
Unfortunately my interest in the modern game has all but evaporated as I think it's going down the wrong path, so I'm unlikely to take out another subscription.
 

Ethan

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WHY DID YOU SUBSCRIBE TO GM? I don't, nor to any other mags either. So much stuff available online these days. I used to subscribe to GM, GW (RIP) and Golf Digest (US).

WHY DIDN'T YOU RENEW?
I got bored with content I think all the magazines (online or print) tend to highlight the same equipment and comment on it rather uncritically. This leads to the suspicion that the mags are a bit too close to the companies and feel pressured to talk up the usual manufacturers.
Can get the content online for free Yep
Too busy to read each issue I don't read stuff on paper any more if possible.

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?
Access to exclusive subscriber ONLY competitions and opportunities Testing days (courses and equipment), reader panels, meet the pro
Access to exclusive subscriber ONLY content Depends if more of the standard content, or something different
A special subscriber ONLY front cover Barely look at the cover
Introductory gift (ie balls) Intro gifts probably work, although I think people are more aware of inertia selling these days
Discount (ie a great offer price/deal whether thats 50% discount of 6 issues for £6) As above
 

Blue in Munich

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folks, many thanks for the brilliant feedback! very insightful and super useful for me to be able to take away to our subs team and work up some ideas
any more from any more is of course most welcome
cheers
Mike

Mike, one thing missing from why did you renew was any thought of a loyalty bonus for continued subscription. Motorcycle magazines that I have subscribed to have stuck to the original good deal & consequently I've stuck with a number of them. Whilst GM has offered some very good introductory offers (2 dozen TP5's spring to mind), there was nothing at the same time for continued loyalty. Out of interest, how many of those that took the 2 dozen still subscribe and how many ran away after a year with their free balls? It's a gripe that comes up with some regularity on Random Irritations regarding car insurance. As others have said, I miss the Forum page.


Mike,

I've just had a letter about my subscription advising me that, and I quote, "Your payment amount of £48.49 is staying the same, but the date we will be debiting your account has changed. There's no need for you to do anything and you are still saving 27% on the full subscription price..."

On page 95 the "Dear Santa" feature lists the subscription price as £44.98, and pages 98 & 99 have the subscription price as £22.49 every 6 months (so £44.98) and gets me a dozen Srixon Z Stars (y).

Mike, it's a long time since I went to school, but by my reckoning a 27% saving on £44.98 is £12.14, meaning I should be paying £32.84. What price loyalty? About £15.65 this year by the looks of things!

Mike, I get that introductory discounts are there to hook people in & I'm not expecting a dozen balls every year, but a letter that tells me I'm paying more than a new subscriber for my loyalty, whilst at the same time telling me how much I'm saving, really is taking the proverbial. :mad: Perhaps you could feed this back to the subs team.
 
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need_my_wedge

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HOW LONG HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED FOR?
2-5 years


WHY DID YOU RENEW?
Convenience of having it delivered
I liked reading about new gear


WHY DIDN'T YOU RENEW?
After a while it became a bit samey.
I got bored with content, there's only so many times you read about how to play a particular type of shot. That content is now available online with youtube mostly for free.


WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?
I don't think I would subscribe again, I don't read much these days, would rather watch a video.
 

MikeH

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Mike,

I've just had a letter about my subscription advising me that, and I quote, "Your payment amount of £48.49 is staying the same, but the date we will be debiting your account has changed. There's no need for you to do anything and you are still saving 27% on the full subscription price..."

On page 95 the "Dear Santa" feature lists the subscription price as £44.98, and pages 98 & 99 have the subscription price as £22.49 every 6 months (so £44.98) and gets me a dozen Srixon Z Stars (y).

Mike, it's a long time since I went to school, but by my reckoning a 27% saving on £44.98 is £12.14, meaning I should be paying £32.84. What price loyalty? About £15.65 this year by the looks of things!

Mike, I get that introductory discounts are there to hook people in & I'm not expecting a dozen balls every year, but a letter that tells me I'm paying more than a new subscriber for my loyalty, whilst at the same time telling me how much I'm saving, really is taking the proverbial. :mad: Perhaps you could feed this back to the subs team.

Thanks for the feedback Rich, super useful and the fact that others have raised same gripes underline that it's a common theme
The lack of consistency in pricing is one of my biggest bugbears and the subs team acknowledge it needs to be more uniform
In terms of gifts it just wouldn't be sustainable to send a dozen balls to everyone who renewed each year - we just about break even in year 1 with the cost we have to pay on buying the balls in/sending them out in addition to standard print/paper and eye-watering postal costs
However, what I can guarantee is that going forward there will be a more tangible range of rewards for subscribers that should be coming on stream in Spring 2021!
 
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Thanks for the feedback Rich, super useful and the fact that others have raised same gripes underline that it's a common theme
The lack of consistency in pricing is one of my biggest bugbears and the subs team acknowledge it needs to be more uniform
In terms of gifts it just wouldn't be sustainable to send a dozen balls to everyone who renewed each year - we just about break even in year 1 with the cost we have to pay on buying the balls in/sending them out in addition to standard print/paper and eye-watering postal costs
However, what I can guarantee is that going forward there will be a more tangible range of rewards for subscribers that should be coming on stream in Spring 2021!
Re: that last sentence, you've got me interested in renewing my (lapsed) subscription ?
 

Blue in Munich

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Thanks for the feedback Rich, super useful and the fact that others have raised same gripes underline that it's a common theme
The lack of consistency in pricing is one of my biggest bugbears and the subs team acknowledge it needs to be more uniform
In terms of gifts it just wouldn't be sustainable to send a dozen balls to everyone who renewed each year - we just about break even in year 1 with the cost we have to pay on buying the balls in/sending them out in addition to standard print/paper and eye-watering postal costs
However, what I can guarantee is that going forward there will be a more tangible range of rewards for subscribers that should be coming on stream in Spring 2021!

Mike, I fully accept that the balls are unsustainable on a regular basis and are only there as a sweetener to get people on board; it would be completely unreasonable to expect them annually. (y) However I'd be interested to know how many of these new subscribers stay beyond the first year offer, especially in view of the TP5gate 1 dozen/2 dozen scandal :eek: :D

My ire is purely at receiving a subscription letter telling me how much I'm saving for my loyalty when in fact my loyalty is clearly costing me over the odds... :mad:

I look forward to Spring 2021... :unsure: (incidentally, by which time the best course in SW London should be coming into its peak condition ;))
 
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Previously I have never subscribed to GM, or any golf magazine, but I would quite like to do so now. However, nowhere can I see the offer of a dozen balls. Am I missing the bleedin' obvious?
Is that offer still available?
 

Parky24

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WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?

Free gift such as balls or 2 fore 1 vouchers
Better quality paper being used again instead of the toilet roll stuff you switched to.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED
20 years at least

WHY DID YOU RENEW?
I didn't

WHY DIDN'T YOU RENEW?
The crappy quality of paper you switched to to save costs.

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?

If you returned to the previous quality paper that you previously used that was higher grade and made the magazine look really special.
 

Imurg

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Thank you Imurg.
However, after reading Parky24's comments, I may go and buy one first, and check out the paper quality.
I wouldn't be investing in GM if the paper quality is poor.
The paper quality isn't poor.
It's not as good as it was a few years ago but if it stops people subscribing then I think they're expecting a bit much.
Its more than adequate for printing words on.
 

slowhand

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WHY DID YOU SUBSCRIBE TO GM?
I didn't want to miss an issue
I like the convenience of having it delivered
Great introductory discount (ie offer price whether that was 50% off or 6 issues for £6)


HOW LONG HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED FOR?
2-5 years

WHY DID YOU RENEW?
Convenience of having it delivered
It's good value
Access to exclusive subscriber ONLY competitions and opportunities
Not sure I've ever seen this in all the time I've subscribed (and I never seem to get the forum opportunities either! ;))
Access to exclusive subscriber ONLY content Again, I've never seen this in all the time I've subscribed
If the last two above were introduced, they would be a big incentive to renew

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION?
Access to exclusive subscriber ONLY competitions and opportunities Not sure I've ever seen this in all the time I've subscribed (and I never seem to get the forum opportunities either! ;))
Access to exclusive subscriber ONLY content Again, I've never seen this in all the time I've subscribed
I don't want to miss an issue
Convenience of having it delivered
Introductory gift (ie balls)
- If they are the balls I use, not bothered otherwise.
Discount (ie a great offer price/deal whether thats 50% discount of 6 issues for £6)
 

Rlburnside

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I tried to subscribe recently because of the offer of a box of z stars but the 3 times I tried I was told there were no balls available ??‍♂️
 

Grizzly

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I tried to subscribe recently because of the offer of a box of z stars but the 3 times I tried I was told there were no balls available ??‍♂️

Haha, I subscribed on that offer back in November. Still have not seen hide nor hair of the promised balls, and there was no response when I emailed them about it. I have to say, as much as I like the magazine, I have been left feeling rather...underwhelmed by the whole experience, and will not be renewing!
 

Kraxx68

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Never had any issues with offers before, i'm not due to renew for a while. Wonder why they can't offer something alternative, or let you know when they will be available?

Been a subscriber for 15 years? can't remember when i started subscribing, but defo before 2010

just love reading anything golf, love reading about new gear, and reading editors thoughts, and always look forward to reading the wonderful Bill Elliot's thoughts!
 

NedPizza

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Haha, I subscribed on that offer back in November. Still have not seen hide nor hair of the promised balls, and there was no response when I emailed them about it. I have to say, as much as I like the magazine, I have been left feeling rather...underwhelmed by the whole experience, and will not be renewing!

I can relate to your experience and being underwhelmed. If only they would reply to emails and communicate it would go a long way to resolving the issues. I as a new subscriber will be cancelling at first opportunity.
 
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