Magazine Subscriptions - Discount

[jrbernier]

My LHS will be closing at the end of March(the owner died and his wife has a good full time job). Since the closest LHS is 75 miles away, I will be doing more 'on line' ordering for everything. I remember something about very deep discount magazine subscriptions and did a 'Google' search. It appears that MR can be had for about $40 for a 1 year subscription. Are there better deals, and what firms provide the best service? I remember posts about it taking at least 3 months to get some of these subscriptions started - comments?
I am looking for MR, RMC, and Trains for starters.

Jim Bernier

[Anonymous]

I have always paid for MR each month for cold hard cash. Just this very weekend I put a postcard that came into the mail into the postal system. It offered one free issue with 11 months subscription for 29.99 I guess with it being half the yearly expense and the benefit of getting it the first week of the month instead of the 2nd.. I probably will enjoy it.

I believe MR is heavily promoting this so you may be able to do the same. I am hoping our own Andy may assist you with your need.

As for trains magazine.. look for Mr. Hemphill on the Trains Forums below at this site, ask him about it, he may be able to help you.

[ericsp]

I seem to recall paying about $38 when I subscribe direct to Kalmbach. I would not use one of this subscription "clearing houses" or whatever they are called unless I could verify it is legitmate. Wasn't there some issue with fraud with one or more recently?

[SteelMonsters]

I got a warning about that.. I ordered it direct from Kalmbach. I got a 3 year renewal a couple months back.

When I got my first subscription, I ordered it online and got the current issue at the time.

[retsignalmtr]

i just renewed my subscription to mr on line for $67 and change for two years. then yesterday i get a card in the mail that i could renew for $64 but the offer expired on 1-3-05. yesterday. its still a better price than from the news stand and you get it a month early.

[Apennsyrrfan]

I have used this link to subscribe and renew. It really does take about 8 weeks to get your first issue, but it is definitely worth the savings.

http://www.netmagazines.com/product.asp?pID=110978&TR=608&cID=26

[Anonymous]

Something that has bothered me (but not enough to stop subscribing [;)]) is that longtime subscribers are not offered anything for their loyalty. I know I haven't subscribed as long as some on this forum (14 yrs or so), but why are we always paying higher prices than the introductory rates that are offered? I know they have to woo people into a subscription sometimes, but maybe throwing a bone to the old timers would be a nice touch...just my .02

[Bob Hayes]

That's an outstanding price. Course, there is an error on their site: the newstand price is $66/yr+ tax, not $39.95 which is the subscription price. Still, I'm tempted to renew at their price. Can Kalmbach verify this is a legitimate offer?
Bob Hayes

[retsignalmtr]

you can check out the price right here at the homepage site. i renewed a couple of days ago and got somewhat of a discount for getting it for another 2 years. at $39.95 for two years would be $79.90. i renewed at $67and change.

[Anonymous]

Well MR magazine is like those cd sellers from magazines. "You get 8 cds free but just have to pay for three more at full price" All you have to do is send the slip in and get the first 4 in the mail a couple of weeks later. Well SOMEONE I know subscribed to the MR magazine under a made up name with the same last name to their address. They selected the Bill me later option. He got the MR magazine for 5 months before it was stopped. 5 months!! Do that twice a year and get 10 issues for free!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

I have always paid for MR each month for cold hard cash. Just this very weekend I put a postcard that came into the mail into the postal system. It offered one free issue with 11 months subscription for 29.99

DITTO

[savaglio]

What really steams me about the Kalmbach magazine subscription process is that there is no way to manage your account. I subscribe to several of their magazines. All but Garden Railways which I purchase on the newstand. It is a pain in the neck to not have an internet site to go to; to manage these subscriptions. They send me a ton of renewal postcards which just serve to irritate my wife. It would be much better if I was able to do the whole thing on line, in one place, at one time. Come on Kalmbach - join this century. I have written to customer service on this issue and all I got was a lame response. Also, if you subscribe to multiple magazines would you not think that they would offer you some discount? I would think so. I would also think that if you are subscirbing to multiple magazines they would allow you to spread the payments over 3 or 4 months. If I was able to do this I would set them all up on three year subscriptions. Nuff said.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Apennsyrrfan

I have used this link to subscribe and renew. It really does take about 8 weeks to get your first issue, but it is definitely worth the savings.

http://www.netmagazines.com/product.asp?pID=110978&TR=608&cID=26

Same here. I recommend it.

[jrbernier]

Just tried it last night - $19.95 for a year is pretty good! And it appears I can renew via the internet as well.

Jim Bernier

[Bob Hayes]

Kalmbach has an 800 number you can call and renew all your subscriptions at once. And if you go to http://www.kalmbach.com you will find that you can subscribe to any of their magazines on line. So, savaglio, the only thing you got left to female dog about is the price.

[grayfox1119]

Where do you buy LOCOMOTIVE QUARTERLY for a best price???

[JBCA]

I wonder if NetMagazines would sell a MR subscription into Canada? Kalmbach's price is outrageous $50 US for one year.

[jlcjrbal]

I like that net magazine site some good deals.. J

[Anonymous]

If the clearing houses can sell a years sub for $19.95, why can't Kalmbach? Kalmbach is still making some kind of profit on the mags they sell to the discount clearing houses, right???

[Anonymous]

I'm sitting here looking at the Shopping Spree entry form/subscription offer in the January '05 MRR and it's offering 12 mo's for $29.95. Funny thing is, everywhere else I look seems to say $39.95. When I lived at home (as a teenager) my mom renewed my MRR subscription every Christmas, and the $39.95 pricetag is the reason that I never subscribed myself. I subscribe to several magazines, and a cover price of $5.50 is a bit steep, especially considering Kalmbach is such a large organization with so many magazines. You'd think with that many products out there they'd be able to lower the price a bit. I'm about to take advantage of the $29.95 price this year, and I'll probably cancel my subscription next year and get a new one in my wife's name for the $29.95 again.... lol Saves $10 a year.

[Bob Hayes]

As I understand it the subscription price just pays the postage. It's the advertisers who really pay for the magazine. If this is so, then we should be complaining to the Post Office.
Bob Hayes

[Anonymous]

First class mailing of a magazine cross-country is $1.00. It is less with bulk mailing. I think the $19.95 that the clearing houses charge is a fair price and lets everyone get a good deal. Decent sub rate for us, clearing house stays in business, and Kalmbach STILL makes a profit.

[jwr_1986]

In the 2003 walthers catalouge there was an offer for a years subscription for $16.95 I imagine Walthers might have had something to do with that really low price though.

Jesse