While I was gone, my wife was getting subscription renewal notices. The annual rate for the first notice was $37.95 for 10 issues (year). The second and third notices were for both $39.95 (the first two deadlines passed before I returned home). I missed the $2 early renewal savings.

OK, now I get one of those modeling inserts in a Model Expo order. In it is a trial subscription mailer for Fine Scale Modeler. The trial subscription is $24.95! Now what would you guys do?

Personally, I think I'll let my regular subscription expire (Mar 2003) and renew at a rate $15 less. You'd think they would reward long time subscribers with a better rate.

HEHE.....lucky you.....even at $39.95 its a steal.....as FSM doesn't have a Canadian price for us....we have to just do a straight exchange on the dollar...and it is actually cheaper for us to buy it off of the newsstand!!!!

The only thing that comes to mind is "What gives?!"
I totally agree that long time subscribers should be given a break - at least better than $2.

I've wrestled with the horns of this dilemma for quite some time, so has M Dugan, Mark Dugie, Mike Doogy, M Duggee over the past 10 years.
If they even cut us long-time subscribers a token deal, I'd play nice.

Kalambach, listen up..

Mike

I hear you Mike. At least with my Army Times, my renewal rate is $52 for 52 weeks for a publication with a $2.50 cover price (savings of a $1.50 an issue). The new subscriber professional rate is $29.25 for 26 weeks. At least they give us long time subscribers (going on 15+ years for me) a great break.

One other thing that peeves me about being a FSM subscriber is that we get punished for being a loyal FSM subscriber. I have noticed that the retail versions of FSM often have inserts that the "subscriber" issue does not.

I think they need to evaluate how they are treating their subscribers and come up with a better game plan. There are other modelling magazines that I'm sure would like our business. Wake up FSM. You are a good magazine but not good enough for us to let you treat us bad.