Suggestion for the website

[Deleted member 2457]

Hi

Is there any chance now or in the future the what hi fi magazine website will just be made accessible for the readers of the magazine? ie if you go into a shop and buy the magazine for the month you then get a months access through a code or if you are a subscriber you get permanent access?

Thanks

 

[Clare Newsome]

We're certainly not proposing putting a 'paywall' around this website, as some media owners have done.

However, we have had discussions about there being special subscriber areas with more features; nothing more than thoughts at the moment - when we have anything more concrete, you can be sure i'll let you know.

 

[daveh75]

gel:
Hi

Is there any chance now or in the future the what hi fi magazine website will just be made accessible for the readers of the magazine? ie if you go into a shop and buy the magazine for the month you then get a months access through a code or if you are a subscriber you get permanent access?

Thanks
Why do you want the site hidden behind a paywall?

 

[ESP2009]

This is a subject probably as emotive as cables!

I can understand that if some of us pay for the magazine on a regular basis, there is an argument for that loyalty being rewarded. However, given the feature-rich website that exists already for anyone who browses the Interweb, any restriction would be a retrograde step. I applaud WHF's generosity in providing so much for free. I think that adding extra features for subscribers is the way forward if any change is warranted.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest that putting this forum behind a pay wall would kill it stone dead. There are many other hifi and av websites out there, after all.

A digital edition of the magazine available for a small fee would seem the better way to go.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Clare Newsome:

We're certainly not proposing putting a 'paywall' around this website, as some media owners have done.

Shame i would definetely be in favour of one

However, we have had discussions about there being special subscriber areas with more features; nothing more than thoughts at the moment - when we have anything more concrete, you can be sure i'll let you know.

That sounds good

Thanks

 

[Andy Clough]

Digital editions, subscriber areas under consideration as Clare says.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

daveh75:gel:

Hi

Is there any chance now or in the future the what hi fi magazine website will just be made accessible for the readers of the magazine? ie if you go into a shop and buy the magazine for the month you then get a months access through a code or if you are a subscriber you get permanent access?

Thanks

Why do you want the site hidden behind a paywall?

Hi Daveh75

Well i have been a reader virtually every month for about 10 years and even if i have not been a subscriber i would still buy the issue or borrow a copy of my dad or friend and when i joined the website i thought i would just been talking to other what hi fi readers all the time but 75% of the time i think i talk to people who are not.

That is why i ask the question.

Thanks

 

[chebby]

gel:Is there any chance now or in the future the what hi fi magazine website will just be made accessible for the readers of the magazine?

The number of 'hits' on the website per month and the number of registered members would drop dramatically. (Followed shortly afterwards by the advertising revenue.)

The fees (from the subset of remaining members who are prepared to pay for access) would need to match the lost advertising.

Without any knowledge of figures involved, no-one (except Haymarket accountants) can say what the fees would need to be, but I will guess they would be more than the cost of picking up a copy of the magazine.

Also, the 'code' idea is flawed because people will just browse a copy of the mag to get it.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

chebby:

gel:Is there any chance now or in the future the what hi fi magazine website will just be made accessible for the readers of the magazine?

The number of 'hits' on the website per month and the number of registered members would drop dramatically. (Followed shortly afterwards by the advertising revenue.)

The fees (from the subset of remaining members who are prepared to pay for access) would need to match the lost advertising.

Without any knowledge of figures involved, no-one (except Haymarket accountants) can say what the fees would be, but I will guess they would be more than the cost of picking up a copy of the magazine.

Also, the 'code' idea is flawed because people will just browse a copy of the mag to get it.

Not if it was sealed which some issues are anyway.

Thanks

 

[chebby]

Why do you want to pay to have the website shut off to all but a subset of people who buy the magazine?

 

[Clare Newsome]

gel, we wouldn't run a code in the mag - sealed-bag issue or not - because that code would end up on other Forums within minutes; it's just not a viable way if you want to track/secure individual logins.

Any subscriber area would involve individual subscribers logging in with their exclusive details.

But, as mentioned, these are future plans.

For now we are happy to be growing our online community, and reaching millions more people than we could hope to address via our magazines, even with our family of international editions.

More than 5 million people have visited whathifi.com already this year; we're on target to smash 2009's figure of 6.4m unique users

 

[daveh75]

chebby:
Why do you want to pay to have the website shut off to all but a subset of people who buy the magazine?Exactly what i was going to ask!

 

[Deleted member 2457]

chebby:

Why do you want to pay to have the website shut off to all but a subset of people who buy the magazine?

Well because then you would know you are talking to someone who cares about the magazine and like someone has already mentioned other forums are run that way too.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Clare Newsome:

gel, we wouldn't run a code in the mag - sealed-bag issue or not - because that code would end up on other Forums within minutes; it's just not a viable way if you want to track/secure individual logins.

Any subscriber area would involve individual subscribers logging in with their exclusive details.

But, as mentioned, these are future plans.

For now we are happy to be growing our online community, and reaching millions more people than we could hope to address via our magazines, even with our family of international editions.

More than 5 million people have visited whathifi.com already this year; we're on target to smash 2009's figure of 6.4m unique users

That is great i look forward to that Clare

I also see the sense in drumming up business and reaching people far away too.

I just thought i would post the suggestion to see what was in the pipeline.

Thanks

 

[laserman16]

gel:chebby:

gel:Is there any chance now or in the future the what hi fi magazine website will just be made accessible for the readers of the magazine?

The number of 'hits' on the website per month and the number of registered members would drop dramatically. (Followed shortly afterwards by the advertising revenue.)

The fees (from the subset of remaining members who are prepared to pay for access) would need to match the lost advertising.

Without any knowledge of figures involved, no-one (except Haymarket accountants) can say what the fees would be, but I will guess they would be more than the cost of picking up a copy of the magazine.

Also, the 'code' idea is flawed because people will just browse a copy of the mag to get it.

Not if it was sealed which some issues are anyway.

Thanks

But then my local Library has a copy on the shelves along with other mags........

 

[Andrew Everard]

gel:Well because then you would know you are talking to someone who cares about the magazine and like someone has already mentioned other forums are run that way too.

gel,

Maybe you should just devise a simple three-question test based on the latest issue, which you can put to anyone you doubt is a real reader before you enter into a dialogue with them...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Andrew Everard:

gel:Well because then you would know you are talking to someone who cares about the magazine and like someone has already mentioned other forums are run that way too.

gel,

Maybe you should just devise a simple three-question test based on the latest issue, which you can put to anyone you doubt is a real reader before you enter into a dialogue with them...

i would just like to know they have read one issue let alone the latest one.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah well in that case you'll have to think up some more generic questions...

 

[idc]

Suitable questions

Have you read the magazine?

What exactly is Gel?

Do all cables sound the same?

 

[laserman16]

Answers.

Yes.

Dunno

Have not heard all cables.

Will Gel talk to me?

 

[Deleted member 2457]

laserman16:

Answers.

Yes.

Dunno

Have not heard all cables.

Will Gel talk to me?

you passed Laserman cos i will talk to you and everybody else just batting the idea out there.

Peace and out.

 

[idc]

Forum posts, particularly reviews with the product name in the title come out high in google searches. So even if an active member does not buy the magazine, they contribute to footfall, or whatever the internet equivalent is and so advertising revenue.

 

[laserman16]

gel:laserman16:

Answers.

Yes.

Dunno

Have not heard all cables.

Will Gel talk to me?

you passed Laserman cos i will talk to you and everybody else just batting the idea out there.

Peace and out.

Wow. Thanks.

 

[Tonestar1]

I don't mean to sound cynical, but if the paymasters thought there was more money to be made by locking the website down it would have been done by now or would be in the pipeline. Haymarket aren't providing these facilities free for the good of their health. It must make financial sense. Either advertising revenue, projected advertising revenue or increased magazine sales are why the investments in this website have been made. They're not in this business for fun, they are here to make money, same as everyone else. I love this site but am under no pretentions with regards to the motives. I dont have a problem with that, we do live in a capitalist country afterall.