Question for Ephemeris readers

[c.nash]

Alright man. Sounds good.
I have an original print volume 1, and I ordered volume 2. I should probably just pre-order volume 3. lol

[Ephemeris]

Can you please tell me why the electronic version is the same price as the paper version? I went to buy this yesterday and was hoping for at least a small discount when you buy the e version.

We want everyone to realize that we are first and foremost a print magazine. We're offering the electronic version to accommodate the folks that simply will not buy a printed magazine for whatever reason, NOT as a cheaper alternative to the print version. We could theoretically offer the digital versions at 1.99 and I wouldn't worry about devaluing the print edition, because our core readers have made it pretty clear that they wouldn't buy anything but the print version. We'd actually be making more money by doing that because I think the casual reader would be more comfortable dropping two bucks on a digital copy before investing in an 8.83 cover price. But, we're not in this for the money and the quite frankly, we're an ink & paper magazine.

So in my opinion, if the only factor that is making a customer consider the digital version over the print version is a price difference, then we eliminate that price difference and then it becomes all about personal preference. If the same exact item is offered at the same price on two formats, then the customer buys the one he wanted in the first place.

I see a disturbing trend in independent publishing right now with small press publishers that are actively encouraging their readership to "go green" and buy their e-zine instead of the print copy. The only green you're saving is the money that it costs them to print the traditional version. Aside from the conversion costs, there's no overhead on a digital copy, so the publisher can sell it at a discount over the printed version and still turn 100% profit. But in doing so, you're whittling away at the readership of print magazines in general by encouraging people to buy a cheaper alternative in order to protect your bottom line. Ten years from now, there's not going to be any new publishers like us coming along with a new print magazine because the operating costs will be so astronomically high that they'll have to charge 20 bucks a copy for a book of our size, which nobody will buy because they're used to purchasing 4.99 e-zines. I'm not saying this is good, bad, fair or unfair, but it's definitely a reality that I'm personally against. I like walking into a bookstore and smelling the newsprint. That's why we continue to sell The Ephemeris at bookstores and newsstands even though we're in the hole almost a quarter for each issue we sell at those venues.

Another answer that is more frank (but probably more arrogant) is that I think that our magazine is worth every penny of our cover price, printed or not.

Is there a way to just Subscribe to this magazine like a normal one for a lesser price and receive one every release for a year? or two? or something?

We're working on it Nash. Our main hurdle has been setting up a longterm relationship with a reputable printer. Volumes 1-3 plus the Vol 1 reprint have all been handled by different printers, simply because we've had a hard time finding anyone within our price range that can produce quality results. But I think we're narrowing in on a selection, so if all goes as planned we should be offering subscriptions at the first of the year.

As far as a discount subscription, probably not going to happen anytime soon. We're already not making any money on it, I'd hate to not make any less.

Having said all that, we CAN offer subscription discounts for the e-zine edition that we can't for the print edition, so we'll more than likely do so. As soon as the margins get better on the print version, we'll do the same for those subscribers.

[lxskllr]

Probably so it doesn't devalue the print version. I'm a little dubious of that happening, especially considering the volumes being printed, but that could be a concern. You do save money on the shipping.

[GoVegan]

Can you please tell me why the electronic version is the same price as the paper version? I went to buy this yesterday and was hoping for at least a small discount when you buy the e version.

[c.nash]

Well... I just ordered Volume Two... I don't know how I missed the pre-order... I'm so far behind haha.
Volume One was great, so I can't wait to get Volume Two then Three. WOOT!

Is there a way to just Subscribe to this magazine like a normal one for a lesser price and receive one every release for a year? or two? or something?

[Ephemeris]

We've never had a problem with Paypal, and half our business comes from the UK. But no, we don't mention "tobacco" anywhere on our invoice. Our merchant status is listed as a "magazine publisher, distributor of bound, printed matter" which means the only thing we ever get periodically scanned for is to check if we're distributing pornography.

Hopefully they will have the intelligence to realise you are ordering e-mags and not tobacco itself.

[Ansel]

Make sure the PayPal purchase doesn't mention tobacco in any way, shape of form. As I found to my detriment PayPal EU are s*it hot on that.

too late now :-s

ordered all 3 copies - will file a dispute with paypal themselves if they have a problem with it.

Make sure the PayPal purchase doesn't mention tobacco in any way, shape of form. As I found to my detriment PayPal EU are s*it hot on that.

thanks mate

[Ansel]

thanks mate

[Ephemeris]

hi, i want to buy a digital copy but paypal is trying to charge me shipping.

OK. Should be working now. Sorry for the screw up!

[snusgetter]

hi, i want to buy a digital copy but paypal is trying to charge me shipping.

Someone has to pay for those electronic pulses!!

[Ansel]

hi, i want to buy a digital copy but paypal is trying to charge me shipping.

[Ephemeris]

Good point as always, lx.

[lxskllr]

@EricHill: You're right, there's much potential for lost revenue if someone was to torrent their digital copy. But here's what I wrote in the other thread regarding that problem:



So there you go: once we've actually broken even and started to eke out a living from this, I have no problem with the occasional stray copy floating around out there on teh interwebs. God knows I've downloaded enough films and albums over the years to fill a thousand hard drives, so it would be hypocritical of me to get all worked up over someone doing it to us. (In all fairness though, just remember that we're not WMG or Sony; we actually need the money. )

And congrats Roo!

One thing to always remember is pirates aren't your customers. A lot of companies have a hard time grasping that concept. They see their product on Pirate Bay, and flip out, not realizing these people wouldn't have bought it in the first place. Take care of your customers, and they'll take care of you. If someone reads it free; So what? They aren't your customers, and they may turn someone else on to it who will be a customer.

Us Linux users are supposed to some cheap bastards, yet we've paid the most for the Humble Bundles(pay what you want game package) since they've been created. Efforts will be rewarded by the people who appreciate the effort :^)