Recently I have been into the three branches of WH Smith local to me and found that the previously large range of magazines on sale has been dramatically cut by something like 90% leaving a few low quality ones. I could not see any car related ones. The shelves seem to have been replaced with extra greetings cards.

The independent newsagents in my area have all but disappeared leaving the small range of magazines available from supermarkets like Tesco as the only alternative.

If the changes at Smiths have happened across the country it must have had a massive effect on the circulation figures for magazine publishers, especially for low volume special interest ones. I have taken out a subscription for a magazine that I buy.

Has the same thing happened in your area?

It's likely part due to fewer magazines are now in print. As technology moves on people use their smart phones.
one of my favourites was PPC which stopped not too long ago. Good to see the staff have kept the concept alive with a YouTube channel

[Edited on 20/10/24 by fazerruss]

Yeah I noticed it first in the supermarkets, the only thing that seemed to remain untouched were TV guides and kids comics. I last went to Smiths looking for the UK kit car guide, and couldn't find any trace of it. Thankfully I could get it very easily at Malvern.

Even my wife's cross stitch magazines have gone from half a dozen a few years back, down to one that she has to subscribe to. Unfortunately it was one of the poorer offerings that survived.

I do miss them though, I have access to online magazines but it's nowhere near the same. I was tempted to look for a large format tablet or e-ink display but even that I'm not convinced.

[Edited on 20/10/24 by Slimy38]

Can't say I've bought a magazine in many years. Usually way overpriced (IMHO) and full of adverts. Minimal actual magazine content and rarely worth the money.

Used to buy a car may for a flight, just take a book, music or sleep now.

Magazine? Are they those paper things from the olden days before the internet?

They do still have a number of magazines but what you need to do is have a good look around. We are now a niche market so usually our magazines fit on an end unit leaving space for all the more popular ones.

Magazines are in general decline down 12% in 2023 but that is still 28 million magazines sold so a lot more than might be feared.
What has done damage is the internet, instead of reading about projects a few clicks and you can see everything. The Ultima build from Nigel Dean has almost 7000 subscribers and each episode get 60 to 80000 hits.

That build would have been covered over a few years in print so it is more instant and the builder gets the cash from Youtube not the magazine. I subscribe to a few magazines myself as nothing beats having paper for me

Had a look in the supermarket today - most of the car mags are £5-6!!!

No wonder sales down.

W.H.Smiths don't help themselves. For many years, they were the nearest outlet that carries two electronics magazines that I bought regularly. Month after month, I'd spend ages looking for them, as they kept changing where they were displayed - often mixed with completely unconnected themes and hidden behind others. In the end I just gave up, forced to delivered subscriptions or online resources.

I saw something today, that stated WHSmiths will be bringing back 'vinyl' [old skool records, a flat disk with a 3d grove pressed into them] ... so perhaps in 20 years paper magazines will reappear

My main car club produces a bimonthly printed magazine. It costs us approx £5 a copy to print and post (around 1200 of them) so a fair wedge. And that is with most of the editorial work done by volunteers. And we are struggling with advertisers, rates haven't increased for many years, and some advertisers are still pulling out. I guess that is even motre serious for the commervcial magazines.
We have discussed changing to digital, but the majority of members stiil want their paper copies. And reducing teh print run shoots teh cost per copy up, making it not viable.

I still MUCH prefer a proper magazine. digital stuff is OK, but there is something good an=bout sitting on teh sofa with a cuppa and picking up a magaxine. Your mileage may vary...

A magazine costs about the same as a pint. I get more enjoyment out of a magazine than a pint of beer so I have no trouble with spending the money. Anyway, it feels weird to have a pint whilst sat on the bog.

WH Smiths in Nottingham seems to have undergone a big revamp with the addition of Toys R us branding so maybe the magazines are being forced out by that