A week or so ago there was a comment made about Beautiful Magazine. This was supposed to be a magazine for plus size women to step into the shoes of Mode, BBW, or Belle. Today the magazine is not on the shelves. In addition there website and message forum are down. This made me think what is it about magazines that are for plus sizes that keep them from starting up and those that do struggle for many years before shutting down all together.
- The biggest problem for a magazine that wants to feature plus sizes is money. The majority of a magazines revenue comes from advertising and for size related magazines there are still very few businesses that want to be associated with fat people.
- Low subscription rates. The plus size community is in desperate need of a magazine suited for diverse tastes. Seeing so many magazines fold doesn’t inspire reader confidence to spend money on subscription or renewals
- Every magazine under the sun has tips in it for weight loss. Including constant weight loss stories can turn off readers. The message is sent out, that its ok to be big but you still need to lose weight.
- There very few major players in the plus size arena. Those that are active are being pulled at from every direction. They can’t help everyone so some good ideas never get off the ground.
- I have read this before. To many magazines aimed at plus sizes publish the same things month in and month out with little variety.
Two magazines that are doing well and have a bright future are very different in style. Figure magazine published by Charming Shoppes the parent company to Lane Bryant with a push from Redcats, USA made the transition from a magalog to a full magazine is on the newsstands right now.
Bombshell Magazine held a nationwide model search in there efforts to make the transition from ezine to print. The first issue is coming out next month. Sign up today for a free copy of the first issue quantities are limited.
Support is what any plus size magazines need. Without readers and advertising no magazine can make it. I already subscribe to both. In addition to subscribing I will be keeping a watchful eye on the advertiser sections. In some cases I will for sure be contacting some merchants with questions about why they are not supporting a plus size magazine (s) but are still expecting the plus size community to support there products and services.
Thank you for an insightful perspective on the future of plus fashion magazine as it stands today. There are quite a few hurdles that not all companies can make.
With the advent of Meredith Publishing buying Figure Magazine, that will stand to take it off the platform of an advertising booklet for Charming Shoppes and into the world of a credible fashion magazine.
For Bombshell, we are still waiting and hopeful that they can produce the print magazine as promised.
Our take here at SKORCH Magazine, which is the #1 online fashion magazine for ladies size 12+, is that there is a shift in the industry and no longer do you have to be on the shelf to classify as being a magazine. When companies like Teen People and FHM move to online only, that shows a shift as well as magazine on the racks currently offering “travel sizes” which is code for needing to save money on printing.
SKORCHMagazine.com is the wave of the future by offering a virtual magazine on the website and is fully supported by advertisers. Subscription is FREE.
Someday soon, we hope there are many many more magazine to be created for every niche, if they have a successful magazine for watches at B&N, then it seems to me the forces that close down magazines is lack of creativity to drive the advertising and editorial.
Sincerely,
Jessica Kane
President SKORCH Inc.
Executive Editor http://www.skorchmagazine.com
Jessica,
I agree with you that I think that there will be a surge in online magazines with the rise in printing costs its just smart business to produce online. Once the leaders jump to online then others will follow.
The only drawback is that there is still a large section of people that prefer printed copies of magazines.
Keep up the good work a SKORCH, and bloggers like me and others will be watching.