Magazine Paid Subs Up, Newsstand Sales Down

by Erik Sass, Aug 7, 2012, 5:34 PM

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U.S. consumer magazines’ average newsstand sales tumbled 9.3% from 29,255,281 in the first half of 2011 to 26,525,718 in the first half of 2012, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, delivering another round of bad news for a beleaguered industry.

The data showed substantial drops in newsstand sales at a number of big titles across a range of categories. The news wasn’t all bad: in some cases, newsstand losses were offset by growth in paid subscriptions.
 
Among women’s magazines, for example, All You saw paid subs increase 27.8% from 828,065 to 1,058,677, while single-copy sales decreased 11.2% from 444,815 to 394,967. Similarly, Cosmopolitan’s subs jumped 20.7% from 1,332,073 to 1,607,296, even as newsstand was down 15.5% from 1,599,305 to 1,351,738. Martha Stewart Living’s paid subs were up 3.1% from 1,861,604 to 1,918,777, but single copy fell 17.7% from 198,700 to 163,571.

People’s paid subs increased from 2,248,379 to 2,401,058 for a 6.8% increase, while newsstand tumbled 18.6% from 1,153,774 to 939,554.
 
Fashion titles showed a similar dynamic. Elle’s subs were up 5.6% from 832,796 to 879,830, while newsstand fell 20.5% from 250,056 to 198,716, as sister pub Elle Décor saw subs increase 6.1% from 457,210 to 485,052 and newsstand sales fall 15.2% from 92,275 to 78,274. Allure’s paid subs grew 9.6% from 877,834 to 962,140, while newsstand tumbled 19.3% from 155,016 to 125,162.

In Style’s paid subs increased 7% from 1,095,972 to 1,173,162, while single copy fell 4.5% from 570,272 to 544,875. Glamour’s paid subs grew 5.9% from 1,724,813 to 1,826,250, while newsstand fell 6.8% from 453,707 to 422,868. Lucky’s paid subs were up 1.2% from 906,524 to 917,503, but newsstand tumbled 15.5% from 150,271 to 126,926.
 
Men’s interest titles were affected in a similar way. At GQ, paid subs rose 5.3% from 748,933 to 788,489, while newsstand sales fell 8.6% from 168,968 to 154,380. Similarly, Details saw paid subs grow 1.6% from 374,292 to 380,163, while newsstand sales fell 9.1% from 45,789 to 41,601. Men’s Health subs were up 3.5% from 1,434,292 to 1,483,987, while newsstand fell 9.4% from 431,792 to 391,400.

Car and Driver’s paid subs were up 1.6% from 1,034,992 to 1,051,180, as newsstand fell 14.9% from 70,911 to 60,375, and Motor Trend’s subs grew 1.4% from 959,528 to 973,325, while newsstand sales slipped 7.6% from 76,621 to 70,793.
 
A number of other titles didn’t have good news on the sub side to offset newsstand losses.

On the women’s interest side, Ladies’ Home Journal saw paid subs fall 5.1% from 3,076,587 to 2,920,850, and single copy 14.3% from 151,051 to 129,452. At Better Homes and Gardens, paid subs fell 0.4% from 7,289,440 to 7,257,892, while newsstand also fell 2.1% from 171,457 to 167,813. Good Housekeeping’s paid subs were down 2.4% from 3,971,447 to 3,875,123, as newsstand sank 6.2% from 339,528 to 318,623.

Every Day with Rachael Ray’s paid subs were up slightly, with a 0.3% increase from 1,471,426 to 1,476,076, but single copy sales tumbled 21% from 239,151 to 188,828. In Touch Weekly’s paid subs fell 2.7% from 35,988 to 35,029, while newsstand tumbled 13.3% from 646,646 to 560,585. OK! Weekly saw paid subs plunge 32.6% from 413,667 to 278,832, while newsstand sales dove 27.9% from 283,373 to 204,203.
 
Among men’s interest titles, Maxim’s paid subs were down 1.6% from 2,161,636 to 2,127,822, while newsstand also fell 19.9% from 243,737 to 195,143; Men’s Fitness subs were down 0.2% from 479,477 to 478,539, as newsstand decreased 14.4% from 94,572 to 80,496; and Men’s Journal saw subs fall 2.4% from 581,707 to 567,761 as newsstand sank 9.3% from 76,271 to 69,155.

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