Model Cars Magazine no longer at my LHS...

[kitbash1]

My favorite magazine is no longer available at my LHS . Both Daily Hobbies in Whitby  and Wheel's and Wings in Toronto are saying that they are having difficulty's in getting it in their shops. Both are saying the same thing, that the payment method has changed so they are not willing to carry it. I know that I'm not the only one who's upset with this. So.  Management care to comment ?

[iBorg]

Same problem at my LHS. I've bought off the newsstand since Plastic Fanatic evolved into Model Cars. It has always been a most excellent excuse to go shopping when I'm encouraged by others to not do so.

I've thought about a subscription but hearing other comments, rather not.

Unfortunately, this forum is tied to the magazine. I greatly respect both as being the best in their field but I fear as the magazine goes so does the forum.

[Snake45]

You still have a LHS? Lucky you. 

[LDO]

It hasn't been available in Austin for ten years or so.

[Miatatom]

3 hours ago, iBorg said:

Unfortunately, this forum is tied to the magazine. I greatly respect both as being the best in their field but I fear as the magazine goes so does the forum.

That's a dark future. I've tried other forums and this is the best laid out site with lots of good administrators and members. I hope it endures.

[slusher]

16 minutes ago, Miatatom said:

That's a dark future. I've tried other forums and this is the best laid out site with lots of good administrators and members. I hope it endures.

totally agree!

 

[BubbaBrown]

Maybe its me , but it seems like a lot less traffic here, fewer post etc.

[iamsuperdan]

I've actually never seen the magazine in person.

Maybe switching to a purely digital format would be a good way to cut back on costs and keep everything running smoothly. I have a couple of suibscriptions to other magazines that are purely digital. And if there are articles you want hard copies of, they are printable.

Just a thought.

 

[Dave Ambrose]

I can't speak to the magazine distribution issues. International distribution and payments have always been difficult and costly, especially for small publications. Digital distribution bypasses most of those problems, but isn't viable for a lot of people. 

I don't believe the forums will suddenly go away. 

[crazyjim]

Received only 1 issue in 2017.  At this rate my subscription should last another 6 or 7 years.  Not much of a way to run a business.  I'd still be willing to pay a monthly/annual fee to help maintain this forum.

[blunc]

I bet Gregg would put out all issues on time if he could, as long as this forum exists, I'm going to cut him some slack and even if it closes.

I won't be asking for a refund because I firmly believe he would be getting issues out faster if he could and there are a lot of issues we don't hear about that he has to deal with.

[Ramfins59]

I've been doing some telephone work for Gregg over the last few months to help him out.  My background is in Commercial Business To Business A/R Collections (32 years).  It seems that some Hobby Shops have been "behind" in their payments for the magazine issues they have received.  In some cases newer issue shipments of the magazines are held up until those Hobby Shops pay the balances due.  Gregg is now able to take credit card and PayPal payments from Canadian Shops so most of them should soon be back on track for receiving the magazines.

As far as what Mike stated above, yes, there are numerous personal, medical and financial issues that Gregg has to deal with on a daily basis that we all don't hear about (or need to hear about) in order to get the magazines out.  He is doing the absolute best that he can do considering all the obstacles he is faced with. 

Hang in there guys.  Gregg needs and appreciates all the support that we can give him. 

[TarheelRick]

28 minutes ago, Ramfins59 said:

As far as what Mike stated above, yes, there are numerous personal, medical and financial issues that Gregg has to deal with on a daily basis that we all don't hear about (or need to hear about) in order to get the magazines out.  He is doing the absolute best that he can do considering all the obstacles he is faced with. 

Hang in there guys.  Gregg needs and appreciates all the support that we can give him. 

I can well understand some of these issues and I am trying to be patient.  But as mentioned in an above post only one issue in 2017 is not really conducive to new subscribers or hobby shops for that matter.  Even before the Golden Bell pull-out the magazine was erratic at best.  I will accept whatever transcends, however I will do so with reluctance.

[redneckrigger]

Yes, there are delays in getting the magazine............and availability at the LHS, for those lucky enough to HAVE an LHS, is also an issue. However, Gregg is a one man show, and as a small business owner, I can understand some of the issues. I also am a builder of models other than automotive subjects. I USED to get a publication called Military Miniatures In Review, in my humble opinion simply the best magazine on military modelling that there was. It just recently went down the drain because it was also run by a small staff, and also had many of the same issues that MCM has. But the company that owned them got sold, and the new owner didn't see fit to continue publication. It is a serious loss to the modelling community. And MCM would be a far larger loss, again in my humble opinion. Gregg has many issues from health to running MCM. And we should support him, NO MATTER WHAT, IMHO. If it takes extreme patience on our part, so be it. If it takes a membership fee to use the forum, fine. Whatever it takes is WELL worth it.  For us to get upset does not get us anywhere, especially when we consider the alternate universe we would be in WITHOUT Gregg, and MCM and this wonderful forum! Gregg gives this magazine and forum everything he has. A lesser man would have cut and run LONG ago! Thank you, Gregg, for your commitment!

[Miatatom]

I'd pay a reasonable subscription fee in a heartbeat. I've been a member here since 5/29/12 and the amount of knowledge I've gained as well as the camaraderie with fellow builders is invaluable.

[vintagercr]

On ‎1‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 3:29 AM, BubbaBrown said:

Maybe its me , but it seems like a lot less traffic here, fewer post etc.

I have to agree

[TomZ]

On 1/3/2018 at 3:29 AM, BubbaBrown said:

Maybe its me , but it seems like a lot less traffic here, fewer post etc.

I suspect that much of the reduction in posting is due to the passing of Harry. He posted a LOT and had some absurd number of posts to his credit. I remember one request for help I had made, and after three days with no response he jumped in and offered what advice he could even though he had no experience with my issue. That one reply got the ball rolling and I wound up with about a dozen posts of very helpful information.

I had noticed long ago that Harry was a very significant component of the energy here. Alas.

 

[tabsscale1]

First time I have been on here in 5 months  and almost that long since I got my last magazine

[slusher]

On January 3, 2018 at 11:57 AM, crazyjim said:

Received only 1 issue in 2017.  At this rate my subscription should last another 6 or 7 years.  Not much of a way to run a business.  I'd still be willing to pay a monthly/annual fee to help maintain this forum.

I would also Jim...