VW Trends Customer Support and Feedback

[Glenn]

Sure more New Beetle articles .

Seriously, the trend is away from print and to online. Look at Hot Rod magazine, they have a huge online presence and content on TV.

Maybe instead of print, subscription to an online site. That way you can publish content as it comes in and not on a quarterly or monthly schedule. You also cut down the cost to publish since there's no printing or mailing expense. That way you can keep the cost for a yearly subscription lower and pass it on to the consumer.
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[HoboBus]

These days, I do think a multi-faceted approach is the key. Print, website, video (YouTube).

I was a magazine guy for a long time years ago. Jeeps, hotrods, etc. But you could get an annual sub for less than $20.

Lately I'm really liking YouTube. The VW Life guys, and others, make some cool episodes of Bus camping trips, and barn find and field find vehicle rescues. Personally I'd much rather see stuff like that.

Good luck with your plans!
_________________
Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[DanLeadbetter]

Hey everyone!

Thanks for all the well-wishes, and feedback!

Yes, it's our plan to be in print, social media, and online in whatever platforms makes sense, and ones that are wanted and needed. We're all burning the midnight oil, putting the finishing touches on the limited edition Premiere Issue/the first newsstand issue. Once we get that done, we can focus on other things.

Thank you all for your feedback and support! We still have a few of the Platinum and Gold Founder's Packages left, but they are moving pretty fast, so if you're still on the fence about buying one, I wouldn't wait too much longer!


Go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of involvement, thanks in advance!

[DanLeadbetter]

I created an FAQ to answer some of the questions people have been asking. Hope this clears things up a bit.

https://vwtrendsmagazine.com/blogs/news

Also, if you'd like to contribute, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support you are comfortable with!

[Glenn]

Just wondering if you have contributed to the Samba for all the free advertising you're getting from this rolling commercial?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/donate.php
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[raydog]

[wheel607]

[vwinnovator]

[DanLeadbetter]

Hey everyone!

I appreciate and respect your comments. To answer Glenn's question, yes, I had reached out to Everett (on the 12th of March) about buying banner ads on the site. Still waiting on a response.

I also get that this type of fundraising, or crowdsourcing isn't for everyone. Those that want to participate will and others won't. That's the beauty of choice.

And you're right, there's a lot of other expenses related to bringing back a print magazine and a publishing company to support it. All of the legal, behind the scenes stuff, paperwork, lawyer fees, etc, are pretty pricey. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, all of us have skin in the game ... I'm personally betting my retirement on this.

And again, no one is taking any money raised out of the fundraising for a minimum of a year (most likely more). Every penny goes back into the magazine.

And yeah, I can totally see how you'd think this is similar to those gold coins (which I find hilarious, btw). The exception is, no one said the issue was going to "grow in value", just that it was a collector's item ... something to add to your current collection of VWT magazines and VW memorabilia.

Also, a big thank you for the positive outlook that you think we'll sell out all 900 copies! I appreciate the optimism, and I hope that's the case! Pre-sales have been brisk, and the public response overall has been positive.

Thanks again for your feedback, I'm sure you might find it hard to believe, but I do appreciate it.

Also, if you'd like to contribute, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support you are comfortable with!

[wheel607]

[DanLeadbetter]

Hey wheel607!

I really appreciate your passion and your protectiveness of this site.! And I also hear what you are saying. One thing to remember is I didn't start this thread. I came in to this thread to answer questions and lend some clarity about what we're doing to bring VW Trends back (which there were quite a few) and how people could be involved, if they choose to. If there weren't comments that needed addressing, I wouldn't be commenting.

And like you said, "this should be either you buy a magazine or not". You hit the nail on the head! And that's EXACTLY the choice we're giving people. They can choose to buy or not! Again, that's the beauty of choice and choosing what you want to support.

Thanks again for your comments and feedback.

If you'd like to contribute, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support you are comfortable with!

[vwinnovator]

Is this really a “NEW” thing...

Few post back he says It VWT’s 46yr anniversary (with a 16yr dormancy)

Starting to wonder if I pay $200 for a T-shirt and first issue and 4additional..

What if it doesn’t happen 🤷‍♂️

Is it a corporate structure or a sole proprietorship? How would I get my refund?

Read the “blog” on the site and it says the first issue is going to be the SAME CONTENT as the initial collectors issue, but with a different cover page..

TV guide used to do that so you would have/want to buy them all for your collection..
What a scheme..but great marketing strategy to double/triple sales.
Hot wheels does that with their paint schemes. I’m addicted to those for a buck a pop and the search is most of the fun!

Now I’m wondering if the future content would be recycled past content with a different cover page..

Think I’m going to wait till I actually see and touch a physical copy to decide to buy or not.
Personally, I don’t trust subscriptions anymore having been burned before.

On a side note though... years ago I was looking into advertising in HVW and VWT..
They would send me a few FREE sample copies in a packet with ad layout costs. Wonder if that’s avail..
Used to get plenty of free stickers as well

[DanLeadbetter]

Hey vwinnovator!

Those are great questions, thank you for asking.

For starters, yes, it IS a new magazine. New staff, new publishing company, new look, new direction. And yes, it will be the 46th year of the magazine (if memory serves).

The "What if it doesn't happen?" is a very valid question. It's already happening, but short answer is this: Everyone that bought in will get a refund for the things they didn't receive. Plain and simple. On that, you have my word. VW Trends is the only magazine currently being published by STA Publishing LLC, which is owned by myself and four others.

I hear you on the TV Guide and Hot Wheels thing (I had over 250 Hot Wheels when I was a kid, sold them all for $2 ... another story for another time). Yes, the "Collector's Edition" has a variant cover, that will come with a signed & numbered certificate. Only a limited amount of those will be sold (900 max), and never be available as a reprint. We will then have the "newsstand" version of the cover (same content) that the people who joined the Platinum and Gold level will receive in their quarterly subscription (actually EVERYONE will get that issue when we make subscriptions available after the fund raising portion ends (toward the end of April).

And no, all the content is brand new (and it's been a ton of work, lemme tell you). We WILL be doing a few stories here and there like a retro-event, with never before seen photos from a show, or a flashback page, but no, all the content is brand new ... not recycled.

Waiting to see what comes out is totally fair, and I get it. No harm no foul there. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what you see.

And yes, we will have actual physical media kits that we're sending to potential advertisers (yes and free stickers, as well).

Hope this answers some of your questions. If you have any others, you can either post them here, or I'm happy to email you [email protected].

~ Dan

If you'd like to contribute, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support you are comfortable with!

[vwinnovator]

[DanLeadbetter]

Hey vwinnovator!

Again, great questions. Let me see if I can shed more clarity.

I'm not sure I understand what the sticking point is on the 46 years. Yes, it's been 46 years since the magazine was launched, and it's been through at least 3 different publishing, had various staffs, and is a different magazine now than it was then. Does that diminish the fact that the name and what it stood for has been around for that long and holds a special place in the hearts of people that remember it? I dunno. For me it doesn't. Kind of like when I found out that Bentley and Lamborghini we owned by Volkswagen. Didn't change how I felt about the cars, even though they were sold to and now owned by a wildly different company than the original. I'm pretty sure they still make anniversary editions of the Lambo. Does that make sense?

And as far as the Founder's Packages wording goes, I see what you are saying. The short answer is no, there's no ownership or piece of the company being sold when they buy in.

What is being sold is a set of perks for helping bring back something that a lot of people want to see again, so in one sense, there's pride in knowing you were instrumental in helping bring back something that should never had died in the first place. That, and the other items in each package is what the buy in is for.

Sorry if those terms felt confusing or misleading for you. Again, I can see how you could take it like that.

I appreciate you quest for clarity! If you have any other questions, you can either post them here, or I'm happy to email you: [email protected].

~ Dan

If you'd like to contribute, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support you are comfortable with!

[vwinnovator]

[Glenn]

[DanLeadbetter]

Hey vwinnovator!

Hahahaha! on the new mag! I think you'll get some traction out of it (thank you, I'll be here all week). But to answer your questions:

<<<If the name doesn't matter to you, then why bank on it instead of riding it's coattails?>>>

i never said the name didn't matter, it matters a lot! It's a proven title that people want to see come back.

<<"betting retirement" on a magazine that folded 16yrs ago? one you said you worked for...Were you planning on retiring off it as well back then??>>

Nope, i wasn't. I was 25 when I started working at VWT, it was my first REAL career. And yes, I'm banking my retirement (ALL of it) on this venture.

<<Did you have a "buy-in" or ownership stake in it back then as well?>>

Nope, I was just a member of the staff.

<<Did you lose anything other than your job from the "corporate greed" as you call it?>>

I didn't lose my job there. I left VWT after I started another magazine (Auto sound & Security) with the same publishing company. It was taking too much of my time. After that, I got burned out and left to do other things.

<<Did you have access to their financials back then? Did it fail from losses or did those Owners retire off it's peak?>>

No, I did not. No one except the owner and CFO had access to those. We only got circulation numbers. It was at it's peak when both owners tragically passed away within 6 months of each other. Then it got sold to a big New York publisher (Modern bride, The New Yorker, etc), from there, it got moved around a couple more times. From what I was told from the last surviving staffers, the publishing company who owned it at the end had cut the staff and freelance budget so low, they couldn't put out a quality magazine anymore. So when that happened, advertising started dwindling, and the quality of the mag went to hell. The bean counters saw the numbers going down, made more cuts, the magazine quality suffered again, then they unceremoniously killed it.

That's the story on that. If anyone else has any more info, please feel free to post it.

~ Dan

If you'd like to contribute, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support you are comfortable with!

[Abscate]

One thing that will vote me off the Island - objectifying pictures. This isnt the 60s, and Adults have moved on from that. Plenty of other venues for that if that is your thing.
_________________
.ssS!

[vwinnovator]