Re: Railway Digest posting.

["Derek Rogers" <DekRogers@nospambigpond.com>]

Hi Graham
Re postings below about the December issue of Railway Digest.
I am reliably informed that the mailing house ARHS uses has stuffed up
with the December issue.  I purchased my copy over the counter on
3rd December.

You must have seen my posting on the 13/12 regarding the mailing house
problems where I outlined the issue. By the way, I would like to know where
you purchased (presumably in Brisbane) your RD on the 3rd of this month?

>
> I am an ex Railway Digest subscriber. I used to subscribe to it but gave
> it up two years ago when copies started appearing in my newsagent up to
> a week before my copy arrived.  Even though it costs a little extra to
> buy it over the counter I believe it is worthwhile as only on one
> occassion have my freinds who still subscribe to it had it before me.

Personal choice (and I'm glad you acknowledge the discount subscribers
receive) but we have been keeping track of the duration of delivery times
for Australia Post and some months it takes over a week to travel from
where the magazines are posted to other parts of Sydney let alone to
regional or interstate destinations. (My 'test' copy,
alluded to in my earlier posting on this thread, has still not arrived as of
today's mail!)
>
> If ARHS don't look after their subscribers who put their money up front
> then I think readers are better off just buying over the counter and
> stuff the mailing houses and Australia Post.

We changed to a professional mailing starting with the September edition and
apart from the current month, they have performed as set out in the
agreement. We are looking after our subscribers as much as is humanly
possible but at the end of the day, we
are at the mercy of the post.
>
> Even though Derek may not be saying, there is concern within ARHS
> management at what is happening and they are having a meeting about it
> in the new year.  I hope they do something about it otherwise when
> renewal time comes around next year there are a few subscribers I know
> here in Brisbane that will be doing what I've done.

Yes, John Hoyle (who you know well) and myself have been very concerned with
the problem as is
the ARHS GM.
>
> I don't understand why Railway Digest don't do what Motive Power magazine
> have done and hold back over the counter copies until after the ones to
> subscribers have been sent and received.

If only it was that easy - for every month this year (apart from March), the
newsagent copies have
appeared after the sub copies were SENT - by as much as three days but more
often one or two. How many times do I have to say it - we are at the mercy
of
Australia Post delivery on this score!
The only possible alternative as I see it (which is currently being looked
at internally) is the prospect of giving those subscribers who are unhappy
with the current arrangement the option of paying more for their annual sub
so the magazines can be posted with higher priority postage.
Any constructive thoughts or suggestions about the latter idea can be
emailed directly to: DekRogers@bigpond.com
Anyway, must get on with RD Jan (which has a much tighter production
schedule because of the Xmas break).

Regards
Derek Rogers
Editor - Railway Digest

>
Graham Duffin,
> Salisbury  Qld.
>
> "Ken Neate" <kenneate@tig.com.au> writes:
> > Still not received Tuesday, 14th Dec.
> >
> > If this sort of delay continues, how will the ARHS maintain
subscriptions?
> >
> > I saw a copy Wednesday last week in the Wynyard NewsLink.  When news
> > magazines arrive through the mail a week after they can be bought at a
> > newsagent, subscribers will cancel subscriptions and turn to the
newsagent.
> > Of course then only the particular issues with articles of interest to
the
> > reader will sell.  Result, decreased circulation and, ultimately,
> > advertising revenue.
> >
> > Derek Rogers wrote in message ...
> > >
> > >Just for the record, I have a copy sent through the mail to see how the
> > >distribution/postal system performs each month and as of today's Sydney
> > >mail, my 'test copy' had not be received.
> > >Also the number of working days for the magazine to reach me over the
> > months
> > >of Aug, Sept, Oct and Nov was 2, 10, 4 and 2 days respectively. As it
> > >stands, the December issue has taken taken over three working days to
get
> > >through the post.
> > >Regards
> > >Derek Rogers
> > >Editor - Railway Digest
> > >
> > >>
> > >> Bevan Wall wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> > Has anyone else not yet received their December copy of the Digest?
I
> > >> > seem to recall a posting from Derick over ten days ago that thety
were
> > >> > about to be mailed, but I'm assuming that Australia Post isn't
coping
> > >> > with the Christmas demand and my copy is somewhere "in transit".
> > >> > Bevan Wall.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>