2027 Scott Catalog Digital Pricing

Having digitized catalogs would be really handy but not at the risk of losing access: either due to forced online logins or a subscription lapse - I want to pay once for a year of catalogs that I always have access to. I also understand the risk to the publisher by simply publishing PDFs. So the thing that makes the most sense to me is to publish an app that requires a one-time online registration.

If a publisher guaranteed permanent, offline access for the year of catalogs paid for, I might consider it, but I refuse to acquiesce to the subscription model being pushed by Microsoft, et. al., and right now, paper catalogs are the only way to guarantee this. In short, I won't pay a monthly fee for any catalog, ever.

Brian

I believe the print cost is much lower than some believe. They are just pricing the exclusive intellectual property at a premium. This is exposed by the digital pricing as they want it to be a revenue neutral choice.

This will be a valid and clearer discussion five years from now, if the company is still around then.

First I think they will lose Linn's then who knows?

It is frustration to have to log in each time a new issue is released with some funky password they supply just to flip the pages. It almost takes as long to get to the copy as it takes to read it, well read what has informational or entertainment value to me. I called and complained and it was explained to me that was done to protect security.

Consider that the business supply company ULINE regularly mails out a full-color catalogue that isn't all that different in size or character from a split-volume Scott. Every time they get sent, I get two, at two different addresses. Obviously, all done at no cost to the recipient (other than dealing with a couple pounds of recycling).

I'm not saying they are equivalent, but I suspect the printing costs are a small percentage of the price. Tiny.

Same here.

I also have been getting Siegel and Schuyler Rumsey catalogs for years and years even when my purchases stopped long ago. These catalogs can be very high quality, even hardbound, and yet it is worth the cost to FedEx them to me just in case I decide to jump back in and purchase. Mind you that these are not retail catalogs, they are auction catalogs where even an interest in items does not equate to a purchase. You need to actually win something. I think the Scott paper catalogs are very profitable despite what must be declining sales numbers. Are the digital catalogs more profitable? Not an IT guy so I don't know the costs involved to host and all that.

I decided to subscribe again to Linn's and SSM a month ago. Linn's is still the quick read with new issue information, organized society news, and upcoming auction information but very few display ads other than amosadvantage ads. Linn's is digital only but still formatted as a print publication. I am not sure if I will resubscribe to either when the subscription expires.

It would be great if Scott had digitized older issues and had a search for articles.