
A Letter to Our Readers About Digital Subscriptions - kareemm
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/opinion/l28times.html?_r=1
======
dgallagher
NYT.com Pricing Page:
[http://www.nytimes.com/subscriptions/Multiproduct/lp5558.htm...](http://www.nytimes.com/subscriptions/Multiproduct/lp5558.html)

NYT Home Delivery: <https://www.nytimesathome.com/>

WSJ.com Pricing Page: <https://order.wsj.com/sub/f3>

Both of them suck because it's not easy to figure out how much you'll actually
pay annually. They purposely bury the actual subscription cost behind
"details" hover-bubbles, and only explicitly show you limited-time rates which
are far cheaper than what you'll actually pay in the long run. Basically, it's
a signal that they're afraid to tell customers how much they actually cost.

    
    
      WSJ
                    Year 1   Year 2   Diff
      
      Online        $103.48  $155.48   50%
      Print         $119.08  $363.48  205%
      Online/Print  $139.88  $441.48  215%
      iPad App      $207.48  $207.48    0%
      
      DUAL-PLANS REQUIRED:
      
      Online/iPad   $310.96  $362.96   17%
      Print/iPad    $326.56  $570.96   75%
      Onl/Pri/iPad  $347.36  $648.96   86%
      
      ------------------------------------
      
      NYT
                    Year 1   Year 2   Diff
      
      Online/Mobile $183.96  $195.00    6%
      Online/Tablet $243.96  $260.00    7%
      Online/All    $423.96  $455.00    7%
      
      10001 (NYC, NY):
      
      Print (S-Sun) $289.80  $327.60   13%
      Print (M-Fri) $285.20  $322.40   13%
      Print (F-Sun) $349.60  $395.20   13%
      Print (7 day) $538.20  $608.40   13%
      
      90120 (LA, CA):
      
      Print (Sun)   $345.00  $390.00   13%
      Print (M-Fri) $340.40  $384.80   13%
      Print (F-Sun) $478.40  $540.80   13%
      Print (7 day) $680.80  $769.60   13%
      
    

With the exception of the WSJ iPad App, everything increases rates in year 2.
The WSJ increases them dramatically.

The NYT print subscription includes free online/smartphone/tablet access (All
Digital Access). It's actually cheaper to subscribe to some Print plans to
gain All Digital Access, than it is to just go digital!

    
    
      Online/All    $423.96  $455.00
      Print (S-Sun) $289.80  $327.60   NYC
      Print (M-Fri) $285.20  $322.40   NYC
      Print (F-Sun) $349.60  $395.20   NYC
      Print (Sun)   $345.00  $390.00   LA
      Print (M-Fri) $340.40  $384.80   LA
    

I guess this means it's cheaper to provide online, smartphone, iPad access,
AND physical home delivery, than it is to omit delivery. ;)

