Magazine freebies, but not for subscribers...?

[Baz]

Morning everyone,

I've been buying the magazine for a long time but never subscribed until last month. A few days after receiving the June issue I noticed it on sale in a garden centre group place. It was in a wrapper with four packs of seed inside and a free (just pay p&p) Goji berry offer. Very nice. My subscriber copy came with one packet of mustard seeds and that was that!

Obviously no big deal but you'd imagine it would be the other way around. Is this a usual thing?

[DiG]

Morning Baz,
This does seem to be a common practise everywhere. Companies do seem to spend more effort trying to persuade people to sign up for things with what can only be described as bribes but once hooked they are forgotten. BT is a prime example; they are constantly offering reduced rates for new subscribers to their broadband. However, I have found that if you phone and complain they often come up with a 'deal', but it should not be necessary to do this to get fair treatment.

Diane.

[Baz]

You're spot on of course Diane. That reminds me, I need to ring BT!

[pdblak]

I hope not. I've just subscribed too. I've been buying it from Tesco lately and getting 4 packets of seed in it (not one of those Tesco specials either, but the regular magazine).

If the subscription one has any less they can have the thing back and give me a refund.

I shall be comparing my first subscriber copy with the one in Tesco.

[glallotments]

It also bugs me when Sky are offering free weekend viewing etc. If they are offering a weekend free then people who regular use the service should be given a discount equal to what they pay for that weekend.

[Geoff]

I haven't looked at the cover price for a bit but isn't it rather more than the £3 we pay? I would prefer it to be cheaper and no freebies - they are usually common things that I already have, get my seeds at the turn of the year so extra Rocket in May isn't that useful.

[donedigging]

I was thinking about subscribing to the online version,

But then ....no freebees at all :-

At least when I buy my copy, I can choose to either use or swap the freebies

[PLUMPUDDING]

I've just renewed my subscription for two years and received some very useful free gifts - Ten packets of seeds, a garden line with the posts made from oak and a packet of plant labels with a pencil. Hope this wasn't a mistake as I've already used the line and labels!!!!

[Tony Hague]

Loyalty isn't rewarded anymore is it ? I inadvertantly allowed my home insurance to expire - only noticed thay had failed to renew it against an expired credit card once the policy had expired. Couldn't get through to them on the phone, so thought I'd simply take out a new policy online. Same insurer, same cover, over £300 cheaper.

[KGAdmin]

Subscriber loyalty is a big subject.

To me - as an ex-circulation manager, and now running our on-line subscription systems & sites - it is well known that obtaining new customers is (on average) 2.5times more expensive then keeping existing ones.

One difficulty we encounter, is when negotiating with big retailers like T*sc*. Nowadays we need to be in such stores as many people no longer visit traditional outlets - such as Smiths or newsagents. (But please do support your local newsie!!). However, we are required to spend a certain amount in promotional pushes with these big companies - in order to appear at all, and often we have to run special deals (like extra bagged seeds).

But please do bear in mind that if you have subscribed, (and if you got an extra offer like the growing pack) - the cost is much less than the equivalent of buying 12 issues from a store - and it's posted to your door before it goes on sale in stores.
Subscribers also have added benefits like being able to request a missing issue, and access to special offers.

It's this last point we are working on. We want to offer subscribers - loyal, and very much appreciated customers - more. If you use the on-line renewal system you will sometimes see special offers in that area - free magazines, trial prices and other offers.
This area is one we are trying to improve - and would welcome any suggestion on what you would appreciate as a subscriber on getting!

If you are a subscriber, and feel like you've missed out on a gift or promotional item - then do drop us a line or email!

KGAdmin

[Tony Hague]

I'm not a subscriber any more, though I was for a few years. (I gave up, incidentally, not because of any fault with the mag, just because there appear to be only so many types of vegetables and only so much you can say about them !)

But if I may ... please, no more Nantes carrots and Gardener's delight ! I took part in a postal seed swap this spring and it became a bit of a running joke the number of packs of free seeds of each of the above that accumulated !

[glallotments]

Must admit when I see the special offers I always think that with the postage it isn't really a freebie at all - maybe if it was a token that could be redeemed at a garden centre I may take some of them up.

[pdblak]

One difficulty we encounter, is when negotiating with big retailers like T*sc*. Nowadays we need to be in such stores as many people no longer visit traditional outlets - such as Smiths or newsagents. (But please do support your local newsie!!). However, we are required to spend a certain amount in promotional pushes with these big companies - in order to appear at all, and often we have to run special deals (like extra bagged seeds).

.......If you are a subscriber, and feel like you've missed out on a gift or promotional item - then do drop us a line or email!

KGAdmin

So, the answer to the question "there are four packets of seeds in the shop bought copy, but will there only be one in the subscriber copy?" is yes then.

Looks like I'll be emailling every month because every month I will feel as though I've lost out. I don't get the lower cost argument either as subscriptions are forward paying so you can bank the money, have guaranteed future sales with less overheads and no need to give a cut to anyone else.

And subscriber offers usually seem to be things like plants I don't want to grow or fruit trees I have no room for, for an hefty amount of postage.

I subscribed based on what I have seen of the magazine in the shops, having bought several copies. If what I get isn't that then surely that's blatant mis-selling, as nothing on the subscription purchase site states the contents will be different.

Incidentally the difference in price is two copies and the veg growing kit I deem as incentive to purchase something in adavance, the contents/quality of which I have no knowledge of or guarantee for. A gift in exchange for a trust as it were.

I look forward to my first copy in the post with interest.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I just wanted to add that the growing kit I received when I renewed my subscription is excellent. I suspect from what has been said that I shouldn't really have received it, but at the time I was really pleased that my loyalty had been so nicely rewarded. I've just noticed you are advertising it with new subscriptions in the May Kitchen Garden - only just finished reading it!

Isn't it good business to keep regular subscribers sweet as well as attracting new ones. We are a fickle bunch and can quite easily not re-subscribe if we are being treated differently from new subscribers.

Anyway, I've got my very nice gift with my renewal and am very happy with it.

[oldherbaceous]

I suscribe because i like the contents of the magazine, the free give-aways don't really swing me one way or the other.

I'm sure i'm starting to get rather boring just lately.