Scott Catalogue Survey

Agree with you 100% there ecmorgan. In fact, Scott needs to grab the bull by the horns here before they get stampeded into oblivion because of their clinging to old technologies of the twentieth century.

I've already posted my thoughts at that antipodian stamp forum as well as blogged about this survey, but here's my ideas

Amos Publishing could take a cue from the Gaming Industry regarding updating content.

My favorite game publisher is a Swedish company called Paradox Interactive (https://www.paradoxplaza.com/). They make amazing historical grand strategy games with titles dedicated to Medieval times (Crusader Kings), Early Modern World (Europa Universalis, now in it's fourth incarnation), Nineteenth and early-twentieth century world (Victoria, now in its second incarnation) and the World War II era (Hearts Of Iron, its fourth incarnation being released in 2016). The way their model works is

1) Release Base Game

2) provide free patches to fix errors and critical problems

3) provide small amounts of free/low price point new content in updates - new sprites, new gameplay content

4) release more complex updates as expansion packages at prices lower than the original game

5) after a few years create a full new update of the title with major changes and improvements to the gaming experience.

Amos could apply this model in the following way :

1) Release base catalog

2) provide a low-cost optional monthly subscription that would provide updates to fix editorial errors and things like new issue updates and perhaps new listings for previously unlisted material. This would be optional, users of the base catalog could choose not to subscribe for these updates, but to sweeten the lure of a subscription ...

3) allow those who purchase the monthly subscription to get a discount on purchase of newer editions of the catalog when the publisher does a thorough review of catalog values.

This would potentially create a constant stream of revenue for Amos via those who purchase a monthly subscription for new content in between full catalog updates and create a base of customers for the updated editions.

Let's be honest, for the next generation of collectors (and the generation of collectors around my age, I am 44) digital is really where it is going to be at as far as reference material. Digitalization of all forms of entertainment is a reality today, and hobbies are not immune to that. If Scott wants to remain a relevant player, it HAS to embrace a digital format that is more than just a pdf of the paper catalog. Younger generation collectors will expect functionality in their digital catalogs, and all catalog producers, not just Scott, have to think a bit -outside the box- and listen to feedback from younger active collectors so that their products have a future in ten, twenty years time and can attract newer collectors to the hobby. Otherwise as others have said Scott and the other catalog publishers will likely pass away with the current older generation of collectors and the new generations will turn to alternatives that meet their needs as collectors.

In fact, I'd argue you are already seeing that with the rise of sites like stampworld.com and others that are creating their own online catalogs that are much more user-friendly (albeit their valuing is rather dodgy at the moment since they are not accepted as the industry standards for determining values). The architecture for alternatives to the current producers of stamp catalogs is already being built and publishers like Amos risk losing the next generation of potential consumers of their products if they maintain a twentieth-century outlook on how and what their catalogs are produced and utilized.

I've yet to purchase a brand new Scott Catalog of any type - I always buy 1-2 year old copies. I'd gladly pay a monthly or annual subscription fee for a truly robust online catalog/database, with all the functionality that we've come to expect in 2015. Scott would go from getting nothing from me to perhaps hundreds of dollars per year. Multiply that by the potentially thousands of other collectors who would sign up for it and there's Amos's business case for making the investment to make it happen. The fact that they seem so reluctant to make that investment almost makes me wonder if Amos is looking to get out of the catalog publishing business. It would make sense not to make a large capital investment if they're shopping around for a buyer.

Who would buy the Scott catalog with it's outdated business model in this day and age.

I wonder how many print catalogs get sold by Amos these days.

Scott hasn't even gotten this far yet. They're so obsessed with piracy, they can't see a valid business model that doesn't involve. An online/offline searchable database that allows you to track your collection and see it's value at a moment's notice.

I would not have an objection to a subscription, but that subscription would require that the "catalogue" be updated monthly with new issues and updated pricing based on real market values. You offer a consumer and dealer version, for inventory tracking and pricing. A dealer can see the value his inventory at the drop of a dime, and a collection can see their value instantly.

Wanna sell your collection. Export it for "public view" and walk into a stamp store and give the guy your collection number. He looks it up and decides if it's even worth looking at.

There is a lot that can be done here. There is a lot that can be done here.

The first person that can create a viable digital ecosystem stands to make a lot of money.

Seems to me that Michel has a good foundation, they just haven't put it together into a product everyone would want to use. Their online catalog is database driven, it's just clunky and the listings are basic with no specialized info. They also publish a piece of desktop software (MichelSOFT) that's basically an electronic version of the catalog with the ability to build an inventory, run reports, etc. But again, the info is pretty basic, the photos are few and of poor quality, and it's not easy to navigate. And it's in German.

I would love nothing more than to see them get their stuff together and make a real go of it, as their numbering system is, by far, the most logical to me. Plus, they seem to have their wits about them much more than the other publishers. WRT technology, Michel is currently circa 2005, S-G circa 1995, and Scott circa 1970.

What bugs me most is that this survey is about the print catalog. I have to see any kind of survey about their electronic offerings. Heck, the should have beta tested their digital offering with some stamp collectors to see if people like it.

This is a very interesting thread that coalesces many thoughts and ideas that I've seen previously expressed at various times and places on SCF. And, as others have said, the survey provides a chance to share complaints and suggestions with the publisher.

In the immortal words of Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), "print is dead."

The annual would provide the same information as the monthy New Issues section. Anyone following the true market on stamps can research the stamp value. Since most new issues after a year or so, unless a superior variety, or significant lack of supply for demand, still carry close to face value, the 3-5 year all inclusive Scott issue would/should suffice for valuation. Given Scott's valuation of current in stock at USPS and current dealers not even carrying them as singles, an apprentice collector gets a big bang for their buck with the USPS Annual. (MHO) The many threads here show me that a collection of modern mint would barely be worth their face value, even after 10 years.

Here is where we run into a problem. The clear value of the Scott catalog is in the catalog numbers, and the varieties.

Scott, in it's advertising, clearly thinks the value in their catalog is in the stamp valuations. With almost all the ads they print using phrases like "See how your collection stands!" or "What's your collection worth?", as well as "thousands of valuation changes" as the first bullet point on almost every ad.

Just look at the Volume 1 Description from their website:




Where in that description does it tell you how many new stamps were added to Volume I of the catalog?

They were taking responses at the APS show last weekend and I filled one out, although it was as much for the chance to win a Classic as anything.

First of all, I think the fact that they had copies to give away was somewhat telling, if it supposedly sells so well.

Regarding print, my thought is that their "bread and butter" - the US Specialized, should be done annually. Then the remaining volumes can be done semi-annually - maybe even every three years. However, they should also be organized differently. For example, why not do the Commonwealth in one or two volumes, depending on size, as it's a fairly common collecting area. Similarly, group the rest of the world by either history (Spanish Empire, etc), or geographically (Europe, S.America, etc), and issue bi-annual editions of each.

I ended up configuring my website into three options... Alphabetical, sorted by geography, and sorted politically. Alaouites sorts early in the first option, is in the Middle East in the second, and is under French in the third. If Scott were to go to a print on demand model, they could support all three methods in paper. Of course if they went with a DRMed database they wouldn't need the paper and could support all three at once.

You may be interested to see the on-line catalogue offer from Yvert, featuring a range of its catalogues (which include annual "new issues" publications):

http://www.yvert.com/p-21048-abonne...920155-PHILA

Geoff

There is an article in this week's linn's that the 2017 Scott Catalogs will retain the same 6-volume format. The reorganization will happen with the 2018 editions.

Yeah, like Amos ever listen to the public in the first place!
Any and all comments immediately get filed; in the round file!!