Lenswork will no longer be found at newstands.

[Daniel Grenier]

An interesting stand taken by Lenswork: The currrent issue will be the last one offered at newstands. If, like me, you only buy every second or third one, you'll have to order it on line or take out a full subscription. Good initiative. A trend to become the norm?

http://www.lenswork.com/newsstand.html

[vinny]

I guess i'll never see it again. That'll be the case for many of us who don't subscribe.

[Jerry Flynn]

I suppose it eliminates the returns on unsold copies.

And if you order on line, why not get the CD instead of the printed version? Maybe th eprinted version eventually goes away?

[MIke Sherck]

I am curious how Brooks expects to find new subscribers.

[Eric Rose]

I agree Mike. I bought newstand copies for quite sometime before I actually ponied up and got a subscription.

[Doug Dolde]

Pretty dumb. But I discontinued my subscription anyway,

[Robert Brummitt]

Brooks has said that growth for Lenswork has always been word of mouth. Only time will tell how much of this is true. Brooks also state that he will post a list of photo retailers who will continue to sell copies in their stores. I only hope ProPhoto Supply of Portland, Oregon is one of them. If not then I will have to visit the Lenwork e-store on a monthly or semi monthly basis. A cleaver-way for Brooks to sell other Lenswork items.
Either-way how this plan works. It will either be a boom or a bust. I just hope that other photo journals don't follow suit because then I will only see Outdoor photographer, Shutterbug and other magazine of the like. That will truly spoil my visits to my favorite bookstore.

[steve simmons]

This is an interesting approach. I know people are lamenting that they won't be able to get the magazine but this is not true. It is called subscribing. It is cheaper and easier than taking the time to drive down to the store, park and go in and pay the retail price for the magazine.

All magazine publishers have learned that there are people who will go into to a bookstore, pay 5-10 buck for a double expresso latte' with a touch of mint, just the right rouch mind you, read a magazine, put it back stained and dog eared and walk out without ever buying or subscribing. The next customer won't want to read a used copy so he/she will pick a fresh one and do the same thing. I wish Brooks well and I will be watching how this works.

steve simmons

[David Luttmann]

This is an interesting approach. I know people are lamenting that they won't be able to get the magazine but this is not true. It is called subscribing. It is cheaper and easier than taking the time to drive down to the store, park and go in and pay the retail price for the magazine.

All magazine publishers have learned that there are people who will go into to a bookstore, pay 5-10 buck for a double expresso latte' with a touch of mint, just the right rouch mind you, read a magazine, put it back stained and dog eared and walk out without ever buying or subscribing. The next customer won't want to read a used copy so he/she will pick a fresh one and do the same thing. I wish Brooks well and I will be watching how this works.

steve simmons

And there are those that venture into the store, don't see the magazine on the shelf, don't know about it, and don't subscribe.

No subscribers = No magazine.

I know that may be extreme, but I subscribe to Lenswork because I saw it on the shelf.....and I buy View Camera in the store because it's cheaper for me to do that than subscribe here in Canada.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

An interesting stand taken by Lenswork: The currrent issue will be the last one offered at newstands. If, like me, you only buy every second or third one, you'll have to order it on line or take out a full subscription. Good initiative. A trend to become the norm?

http://www.lenswork.com/newsstand.html

Brooks has reached, what I believe to be, the holy grail of magazines; to have a 100% sell through rate by being subscription only and not have to spend the time and trouble for advertising... which, believe me I know, can be a headache. Lack of advertising also can diminish a magazine's role on newsstands and overall, because no one would get to feature their latest exhibition or product. Somehow, Brooks pulled that off.

If I could boast a circulation of 100,000 and be by subscription only... well, a man can dream.

Obviously Brooks thought about this decision for a long while before deciding to do it. There are an incredible amount of pros and cons factored into this decision. He knows his business model better than anyone else out there. I'm sure he'll see a very large spike in subscriptions pretty soon. I wish him the best, I'm a huge fan and I will continue to look forward to every single issue I'm sent.

One shoe size, however; does not fit all. Fine art photography is an excellent category on newsstands and has done very well on newsstands over the years. It is income I and several other magazines could not operate without. And unforuntately, on newsstands, size does matter. When you're that small, being put in the back or bottom of the shelf is fatal. But LW wouldn't be what it is on a larger size. So, he has managed to do what all magazines wish they could do... have a great income, with no advertising and be subscription only. Bravo!