Hi all,
 
I'm really a lurker at heart, but I've been thinking alot about the Ferrets
Magazine subject the past few days.  It's especially irritating to me,
because I'm a subscriber--and if I'd been able to purchase a copy of Modern
Ferret anywhere in Boston when I was looking, I would have spent the $20 on
Modern Ferrets instead.  (I bought my first copy of Modern Ferrets just the
other day, at a pet store in the suburbs).
 
Anyway, I have a possible solution to the problem of Ferrets Magazine's
indifference.  I really doubt that a few people cancelling their
subscriptions would have much impact.  BUT, we live in a capitalist world,
and advertisers often wield enormous influence with editors.  So I would
suggest that people pick a company whose products they use, like Marshall,
or Totally Ferret, etc etc, and write to *them*.  Many of these companies
have web sites and encourage customer feedback--even the ones that don't
have e- mail links offer an address somewhere on the product where you can
write them.
 
Tell the company that you use their product.  Tell them you know they
advertise in Ferrets Magazine (Fancy Publications).  Tell them that you are
dissatisfied with the magazine and its lack of response to its readers (try
to be brief and to the point about the details).  Then point out that you
feel that their product's connection with the magazine, through its
appearing in ads in the magazine, *reflects badly on the product*.  In
other words, you may be less inclined to purchase a product that does
business with the magazine.
 
Advertising dollars are the bread and butter of magazine publishing--not
subscription revenue.  While it's easy for Ferrets Magazine to brush off a
few disgruntled readers, it would be much harder for them to ignore major
accounts like Marshalls, who they depend on to purchase big ads on a
regular basis.
 
This list reaches ALOT of ferret owners and enthusiasts.  Not everyone has
the time or energy to write a letter, but if these ferret product companies
got letters from at least some of us, I think they might be inclined to
voice concern with the editors of Ferrets.
 
Originally, I was going to draft a form letter you all could use to print
or e-mail, but I think letters tend to have more of an impact if they're
not all from the same cookie-cutter.
 
Back to lurking mode now :-)
 
--Skyla
[Posted in FML issue 2628]