Buying from a magazine ad?

I subscribe to, 3 major model train magazines, one of the three is O Gauge Railroading.  I have always viewed these ads in model train magazines and on the OGR Forum as a old fashion yellow pages for model railroading. 

It is the only way we can find the venders in this industry. I still find items by these venders that I would never find at a local train shop. I like the term used by Eric's Trains / "cottage industries", the smaller companies have great items for the model train hobby and it is the best way for them to find model railroaders. 

The large companies can show us new products and what they do for our layouts.

My answer is Yes: I use the OGR Forum, Model Train Magazines and several local hobby shops. 

I can't sit down at a computer and think, "I think I will look all over the net for some new structure kits (or caboose kits, or new players in three rail, or...?)".  I'd never find it....I look at the ads in OGR, and in at least two other model RR magazines, AND at their new product reviews, to tell me if there is anything new out there I will be drooling over.  It is often the small ad by the cottage industry,  who maybe only has a budget for a one time ad, that I want to see.   The comments about those long lists of fine print brief description ads, or, worse, part numbers, amused me.  That is like walking past all the stacks of orange boxes in the blue hall, with the number and description on them in fine print, illegible from any distance.  Am I going to read down all those numbers?....not unless I want something really bad, and then I would rather chance finding it out in the daylight where I can tell what it is. and recognize it from a distance.  None of this, "Please, kind sir, may I deign to see that box close up to see what is in it?   (and may I then see each and every one of the 442 boxes you have closely packed together with  "DO NOT TOUCH" signs on them?)   I am not reading down lists of numbers and frantically thumbing through a price guide for translation, either.  (I just buy by road name and do not give diddly squat about numbers)  I read the ads.  Dunno what the flyboys are wailing about...maybe they don't want to stay current?

I would still like to know whether what I insinuated in my earlier post on this thread, is correct:

"I may be mistaken, but I believe that subscription dues alone are not sufficient to keep a magazine in business. "

Alex

Without advertisers, there would be no magazines.

DennisB posted:

Without advertisers, there would be no magazines.

True

The ad layout has a lot to do with me even reading it. I read the Trainworld Ad in every issue. The pictures break up the ad copy. I find things that I never knew I had to have when I see their ads. Many ads in OGR and CTT are all copy and you have to search hard for anything you happen to be looking for.

Scott Smith

I don't mind the adds at all I actually like looking at them. ( it was how I found my southern passenger cars I wanted at a price I could live with thanks trainworld.) 

I am a digital subscriber and I'm middle aged. My OGR magazine edition of choice is now on my iPad and I scroll through  when I can, and ads are sometime my favorite pastime , lots of cool information at hand.

The thing I enjoy the most with the digital edition is the ability to touch the ad on the screen and by doing so it sends me right to the advertisers website. Train world ads and other advertisers big and small.

I subscribe to many magazines but only 2 of them are digital. I used to collect all OGR and CTT print editions And I still have many copies in platic storage bins. Now I save and store my online magazines "digitally " in a folder on my tablet or desktop.

Ingeniero No1 posted:

I would still like to know whether what I insinuated in my earlier post on this thread, is correct:

"I may be mistaken, but I believe that subscription dues alone are not sufficient to keep a magazine in business. "

Alex

Alex, your statement is correct. OGR could not survive on subscription revenue alone.

Rich & Alan:

As one in your 31% demographic, I'll add my 2 cents. I enjoy reading the print ads both small and large. The small ads often bring me to new/innovative products. The large, full page "inventory" ads are scanned for road names or car types I'm hunting. Obviously, when I find what appeals a trip to the listed website is made.

But some of the full page inventory ads are becoming a problem as dealers try to pack more items in by shrinking typeface size or "weight". As a result, some advertisers are passed over and lose sales -- even some former favorites. Perhaps you might "counsel" some advertisers that legible ads work best.

BTW, legible ads can be enjoyed in ANY room of the house or while traveling, not just within 3 feet of the computer screen. 

Tony

Up on "The D & H Bridge Line" & the Amtrak Empire Corridor

For many of us, print ads are so 20th century.

Probably to much coffee this morning, but why can't ads be modernized?  If there is a particular engine I want, (for example, a Lionel NS Reading Heritage), I'm not going to sit down with a paper magazine and scour all the print ads.  If I did and was lucky to find one for sale in a print ad, it was a unit that was for sale a couple of months ago, and may or may not be available today.  On the other hand, if their was an advertising sub-forum, and the advertisers kept their listings up to date, I would often visit it.  If such listings were searchable and linked right back to the website of the advertiser even better. 

Jim