Good Magazine is the latest entity to try the pay-what-you-want approach for distribution. The magazine posted on its site blog today that the normal $20 a year subscription rate would be waved, and new subscribers could pay what they want, with a minimum payment of $1 – with all proceeds going to charity.
From the website:
Our goal is to create a collaborative community of individuals, businesses, and non-profits. We feel that the content is the invitation into this community and we didn’t want to make the invitation too expensive. We thought about what we like and respect, and we decided that what Radiohead did meshed with where our heads are at. So meet the new model for GOOD.
Publicity stunt – maybe, but it was enough to get me to cough up $10 for a subscription to the magazine.
Upon subscribing, Good lets you choose which non-profit your donation goes to from a list of 12. My donation went to 826 National — a group that provides free educational assistance for in-need students.
This is by no means a bad deal for Good. Many magazines give away subscriptions in order to improve circulation. Increased subscription rates mean the magazine can charge more for advertising. The charitable donation won me over.
What are your thoughts? The site promises an update on October 22. Check back here for a follow up as well. If you subscribe, please leave a comment saying how much you paid for your subscription.
GOOD is one of my favorite magazines. The charity angle isn’t a ploy, that has been their M.O. since the magazine launched. Pretty cool model and it will be interesting to see how the pay-your-own-price deal works out.
Nice article. Thanks.
Eugene