Serendipity or Poor Bookkeeping Practices?

[Vincent E]

For several years off and on I have been a subscriber to playboy magazine. I know many of you are shocked to hear that, but there, the truth is out. I have in the past subscribed to a magazine that publishes pictures of naked women *gasp*. I hope you do not think less of me. Oh, you couldn't. Okay.

In any event, I allowed my subscription to lapse once again after one year. Their editorial stance on several issues has irritated me in the past, but they have always published some good articles and lots of good fiction. Really, I do read the stories. Honest I do.

Anyway, my subscription should have run out in July with the August issue. Lo and behold, I am still getting issues. The odd thing is that I have not even opened a single issue since April. They are still wrapped in plastic.

Several years ago I wound up with a free subscription that lasted two years. I once complained about a copy that did not come (Karen McDougal's December 1997 centerfold edition and I am still pissed I missed it because she is so damn hot) and that got me a six month extension.

Moreover, I regularly get invitations to free months' accounts at the Playboy website. I just subscribe for the trial period then cancel the online account before the beginning of the first biling period. They keep sending me the links. Perhaps I should post them in here.

How does a big company like that stay in business?

A selection from the renewal form i received this week.

It's not everyday that I write a letter like this.

No, it is a form letter you can download from the computer, Hef.

Recently I found that you are no longer receiving issues of PLAYBOY at home.

Check the mailing list again, Hef.

I created PLAYBOY for people like yourself who want to get the most out of life.

And the naked chicks running around your house had nothing to do with it?

There's nothing more rewarding than being able to bring you a high level of entertainment through the many pleasures of PLAYBOY.

Again, I refer you to my previous sentence.

Then the usual palava about the free gifts and extending payments and so forth.

How about this: send Heather Kozar over to my house in a French maid's outfit with a single malt scotch and a bottle of body lube and we'll see about renewal.

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

... How does a big company like that stay in business?...

By selling you and all the other sex fiends ... excuse me ... subscribers to their advertisers.


Don't brag too loud about the free year you got, or perhaps Hef will send Thumper Bunny over to collect back dues.

 

[poohlive]

It might also be the method you chose to pay Hef your original playboy subscription. If you had some sort of credit card, or direct payment, then for the renewal, they just take that money straight from your account, and don't even give you a "have a nice day."

 

[Guest]

. . . or perhaps Hef will send Thumper Bunny over to collect back dues.

*giggle*

(am picturing amazon-type woman in playboy bunny costume hefting a broadsword - you better watch your ass!)

 

[Vincent E]

*giggle*

(am picturing amazon-type woman in playboy bunny costume hefting a broadsword - you better watch your ass!)

That could be just the gimmick needed to get me to fork over the cash.

 

[Guest]

That could be just the gimmick needed to get me to fork over the cash.

Pervert!

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

You know, life just ain't fair, not one little bit.

Vincent gets free Playboy's.

I get an unasked for, free subscription to, Inc. magazine.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Vincent E]

Pervert!

You think that is bad? Everytime I see your AV I want to drag my tongue between your navel and your cleavage - forever.

 

[Guest]

You think that is bad? Everytime I see your AV I want to drag my tongue between your navel and your cleavage - forever.

Oh my!

 

[doormouse]

LOL!!!

I'm watching Serendipity on TV now.

How creepy is that?

 

[Vincent E]

LOL!!!

I'm watching Serendipity on TV now.

How creepy is that?

And every time I see yours I want to pet your pussy.

 

[minsue]

You know, life just ain't fair, not one little bit.

Vincent gets free Playboy's.

I get an unasked for, free subscription to, Inc. magazine.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Vincent E]

Still I am left wondering if I should start reading the seven months of unopened Playboys that I have amassed.

My main beef with the periodical is that I long for the old "girl next door" look of the centerfolds. To me, the beauty of the women from the 1980s was the best. Through the 1990s many of the women got a bit trashier looking. Now into the 2000s I think that Playboy has been publishing women who are far skankier than my tastes allow.

Still, it is fun getting the monthly gift from Hef and the gals.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Subscriber numbers are so important to magazines that every so often they start giving themselves away just so they boast of their circulation figures to advertisiers.

There are several good mags and newspapers around here that are free. They make all their money off ads and none off sales. That's not unmcommon in the mag business. I don't think they really make that much off direct subscriptions.

---dr.M.

 

[Vincent E]

Dr. M is correct. Consider all those offers to get up to 60% off the newsstand price if you get a subscription. The Playboy subscription I let lapse was for only $1.00 an issue plus the shipping costs. I think it finally cost me in the neighborhood of $16.00 or so. Less than four months worth of newsstand price.

I would wager that the subscription price doesn't even cover the procesing of the magazine through the warehouse.

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

When you purchase a magazine you should know that they are also selling you to their advertiser. The same is true when you turn on your favorite radio station or television program.

Media is all about merchandising, giving away information or entertainment to attract an audience that may then be sold to an advertiser. For that reason any deal that inflates the bulk of that audience is acceptable.

You will notice where this trade in audiences becomes a trifle incestuous when you spy automobile advertisements in a publication concerning itself with the comparison of new automobile models, or liquor ads amongst articles with recipes of new mixed drinks, and movie ads amid movie reviews.

The incest becomes near-criminal when an automobile article fails to mention a dangerous flaw in a new model that has purchased a large advertisement in that issue. And it is also unethical when the information is distorted by the interests and prejudices of that outlet’s owners.