Requesting feedback information concerning the Smarttimes Magazine.

[Jeff C.]

I have encountered a few entries here on the boards concerning the Smarttimes Magazine.I have never seen a copy of the magazine but it sounds like something that I might be interested in.Among those of us who have seen copies of it,can you give me feedback as to whether it is worthwhile?I understand that while it initially was (I think) only an
E-magazine,it is now on printed form.Is it a quarterly magazine and could anyone please give the address that I may send the check via snail mail.I am not real advanced on the techy kind of stuff and have no idea as to how to deal with electronic fund transfers like paypal,etc.So what do you say?Is it worth the money,time and effort?Thanks.I appreciate your honest obsevations.

[kwagar]

Originally Posted by Jeff C.

I have encountered a few entries here on the boards concerning the Smarttimes Magazine.I have never seen a copy of the magazine but it sounds like something that I might be interested in.Among those of us who have seen copies of it,can you give me feedback as to whether it is worthwhile?I understand that while it initially was (I think) only an
E-magazine,it is now on printed form.Is it a quarterly magazine and could anyone please give the address that I may send the check via snail mail.I am not real advanced on the techy kind of stuff and have no idea as to how to deal with electronic fund transfers like paypal,etc.So what do you say?Is it worth the money,time and effort?Thanks.I appreciate your honest obsevations.

Jeff,
Smarttimes produced an outstanding printed magazine in the spring. It was really first class. They are close to a second now but frankly they are in financial difficulties and are not sure they will make it. All printed mags are challenged currently as advertising revenue is way down and smarttimes is in a catch 22 position in that they don't have enough subscriptions to entice ads and they don't have enough ad revenue to produce on schedule.

It will be a shame if they don't make it and I have been a contributor and a supporter and would love to see them be successful but the future is very much in doubt.

They have a website at Smartimes Magazine | The Smart Car Magazine
where you can get contact info, look at the magazine and subscribe if you would like to.

kwagar

[Mud Pie]

Two months ago I tried to subscribe, but the web site is somewhat flaky. It said I need to get a user name and password, I registered, then checked my e-mail for the next 3 days for my user/password. After finally getting it, I tried to use it, it came back invalid. Did it again, 2 days later, same thing happened.

If people could actually ORDER the mag, it may take off !!

[recyclerob]

I ordered through amazon.com a month ago have not recvd. anything yet still hopeful. was reasonably priced $20 a year

[Terry Stibal]

I ordered the magazine back in August, managed to get through the somewhat arcane subscription process, but have heard nothing since.

Magazines are (in effect) operating with less than 100% transparency. They advertise the promise of a subscription delivering a set number of issues, but none (at least in modern times) have been able to live up to this implied guarantee as there are no deep pockets behind the publisher to make sure that will happen.

One thing that worried me about subscribing was the high quality paper and printing processes used in the single copy of the magazine that has been seen to date. It was the sort of product that I have seldom seen on an attempted "mass market" magazine. But, the subscription wasn't that much, and sources of information on the car are still limited (at least compared to other vehicles).

I've been burned on a few occasions by magazines (computer (3), wargaming (1)) that have gone out of business without delivering on their full promise of issues. Not much you can do about it, as unpleasant as it may be - by the time you get the requisite number of folks together to go the class action route, whatever fund that are left are consumed with the rest of the assets hidden behind the corporate exemption.

[dubblxtc]

I received mine last week from SmartMadness. I thought it was very detailed, and has some great pictures.

[fastturb]

I subscribed in March. In May I got notice that the Spring Edition was out and available on-line. In June received the hardcopy. Everything seemed great. I haven't seen anything since.

[CWCjr]

I also subscribed in August; but, nothing so far.

[forestacademy]

Not a good sign when the only Advertiser is wheel bolt covers.

[Jeff C.]

Wow!Thanks for the education.As much as I would like to support the effort of the magazine,the long term prognosis doesnt seem to look real favorable.Maybe I should hold on a little longer before I make the plunge.Thanks to all who have replied so far and I would encourage further observations and comments.It is dissappointing that apparantly while the idea is great,the financial backing is not strong enough to permit it to overcome the slow up-take that every magazine faces upon entry into the market.Add to this scenerio the fact that the target audience is admittedly a nitche player.I sure would love to see it succeed.