Sample Marketing Paper on Impacts of Tablet-Magazine on the Magazine Print Industry

Executive Summary

The purpose of this survey is to establish the impacts that tablet magazines have on the industry of magazines. An online survey inquiring about functionality, subscription, and the general analysis of the print and tablet magazines was dispatched and allowed the users to observe, physically navigate, and compare a printed magazine and an iPad counterpart.

The study results may be used to forecast the impact of introducing new technology.

If tablet magazines are to have a considerable future, the best strategy is for them to be cheaper than a paper magazine. This will allow the readers to view magazines that have a high resolution free. The most excellent answer is between free and the current prices. Once the price is lowered, a higher readership will be anticipated. This survey concludes that, although tablet magazines will have a larger share in the magazine market, print-magazine has the most customer interest.

Introduction

In the past few years, the world has been transformed by various technological advancements. The internet did set the stage back in the 1960s and eventually transformed how the world consumed information, interacted, and got entertained. In recent years, there was another technological introduction that was more transforming; the iPad touch screen that was introduced by Apple Inc. Unlike its Smartphone counterpart, the Google Android and Apple iPhone of which both combine the interactivity of the touch screen, the Apple’s iPad has a larger touchscreen. Even if the two devices use the same technology, the iPad is more like a computer by having the capabilities of text editing, accessing design, and other editable programs. This development has encouraged magazine publications on an innovative and new way of delivery that has the capability to change the way consumers view magazines.

            The purpose of this survey is to examine the aesthetics, usability, readership of print and tablet magazines with the focus centered on the tablet magazine attractiveness, particularly the iPad, and the impacts they have on the print industry that deals with magazines. Print magazines have not yet realized any substantial damage since the tablets were invented. This does not mean that digital versions may not be able to play an important role in promoting magazines to achieve a better readership. Scrutinizing the consumers’ insights and attitudes of tablet magazines, and conducting research on the trends of purchasing in digital and print media will assist in gaining insight into where the large part of magazine readers will exist. Will the majority continue using print? Or change to digital? Or either support the two media? In addition, inquiring consumers about their view of the essential elements required to make a magazine that is appealing as well as how regularly do they buy magazines of other media, will help in establishing how tablet magazines are affecting the magazine print industry.

Methodology

This study has used descriptive research by conducting a survey on a number of people to inquire about their views on print versus digital magazines. Forecasts of what can be enhanced in the future to advance the satisfaction of the reader can be formulated. This type of research (descriptive) studies collect outside information that cannot be achieved by historical or interview research. This study used a survey of tangibles whereby the survey takes thoughts and opinions of a sample group, which will reflect the opinions of the entire population.

The study was carried out via the surveymonkey.com website so that a good number of participants’ feedback could be evaluated and tallied without difficulty. So as to reach the required number of people, requests were sent through individual emails, particularly to college-age students through Facebook and Graphic Communication Department.  The questions used on this survey are as follows:

Print Magazines

• How regularly do you use print-magazine?

1. 2-4 times a week
2. Once a week
3. Once a month
4. Never / rarely

• How many magazines do you subscribe to?

1. 0
2. 1-3
3. 4-6
4. More than 6

Tablet Magazines

• Do you have a tablet (Kindle, iPad, etc.)?
• Would you buy a tablet magazine (assuming you have a tablet)?

(Yes/No)

• How much would you prefer to pay for a single issue?

3. Less than $3.00
4. $3.00 – $4.00
5. $4.00 – $6.00
6. More than $6.00

• What specifications are you searching for in a tablet magazine? (INDICATE ALL THAT APPLY)

1. Elegant colors
2. Full-page Photo
3. Interactivity
4. Content that is informative
5. Easy to navigate
6. External connections
7. Other (EXPLAIN)

• Which subscription is more attractive? (Yearly/single)
• If so, is a yearly subscription supposed to be downloaded through the iTunes store at regular intervals? (Yes / No)
• Will a digital issue be more attractive if it had the option to ‘share’ and ‘like’ an article with friends and relatives and be able to send it on their wall? (Yes / No)
• If you have a tablet, would you subscribe to a magazine through printed version, or tablet, or both? (Print/ Tablet / Both)

The 10 Step Model for the Questionnaire

• The first step, which is to establish the objectives of the survey, was achieved whereby the questionnaire is intended to establish the impacts that tablet magazines have on the industry of magazine.
• Step two which involves the data collection is achieved since the survey opted to use questionnaires that were distributed online.
• The third step is which involves the response format is considered in this questionnaire for the survey and the design used is closed-ended questions that require a one-word answer or one answer selection.
• Step four of the questionnaire design that is about the question wording is considered in this questionnaire whereby the questions asked are simple, clear, and no grammatical errors.
• The fifth step of questionnaire design that entails establishing the layout and flow of the questionnaire for this survey has been taken into account. The questionnaire starts with general questions about tablets.  In addition, instructions are indicated with capital letters.
• Evaluating the questionnaire that is the sixth step is taken into account. This questionnaire will be able to generate the information required to complete this survey.
• A sample questionnaire was sent to the participants who had confirmed to be available for approval of whether the questions were clear.
• The questionnaire was pretested through ten of my fellow college mates and the results were reliable.
• The ninth step of drafting the final copy was accomplished whereby slight grammatical errors noticed while pretesting was rectified.
• The survey was implemented and results achieved as shown below.

Survey Results

For this study, the survey was conducted online whereby the subject contrasted and compared iPad and print-magazine. The survey that was conducted online was intended to collect the reading habits of the subject, their magazine applications, and their attitude towards tablets. The individual survey was focused on comparing the physical facet of the two concerning navigation, feel interactivity, and graphics. The surveys helped in gaining awareness of how the buyers felt towards tablet and print magazines.

The online survey collected information based on attitude towards print magazines and tablets particularly the iPad. Seventy-seven college-age students completed the survey and presented their views regarding the tablet magazines. The survey, which was conducted online initially inquired for questions concerning the reading habit of the consumer of print magazines. When the respondents were asked how regularly they read a print magazine, a majority either read once a month or once a week, totaling 74 percent. Twenty percent never or rarely read and 5 percent read 3 to 4 times a week. Fifty-two percent said that they subscribed to 1-3 magazines while forty percent did not have subscriptions. This is a rational result because average, respondents are mainly college-age students who have an ever-changing address. Some respondents subscribed to 4-6 magazines at 2 percent and 2 percent subscribed to more than five.

The questions administered in this survey addressed the attitude of the subjects’ towards the usage of tablet and their magazine application. As anticipated, only 20 percent owned a tablet Kindle or iPad. If the same subjects were to possess a tablet, particularly an iPad, 6 percent stated that they would purchase a digital magazine or it. Currently, the price of various monthly digital magazines is almost the same as a print issue price. This has caused frustration to the majority of the subject considering there is no printing or shipping involved. As a result, 52 respondents out of 78 said they would only purchase a digital magazine if an issue was below $3.00. The remaining respondents said they would purchase a digital magazine between $3.00 and $4.00.

 

Conclusion

This study was meant to establish the future of the magazine print industry after the invention of a tablet particularly the iPad from Apple Inc. What this survey revealed is that there are a large number of variables to be measured before introducing a new gadget to a market that already exists. This research concludes that, although a large number of customers seem to enjoy reading magazines on iPads, the magazine print industry has a stronghold on the general magazine industry.

Even though this study reveals that print-magazine is a more popular and enjoyable method of communicating the content of magazines, iPad that are portable are showing huge potential as well. Within a period of eighty days after the iPad was released, over three million had been purchased. Looking at the results of the online survey, 62 percent stated that they would procure a digital magazine if they possessed a tablet. Among those surveyed, only twenty percent owned a portable tablet. The other concern concerning price was the fact that a digital or print issue is the same. The clients understand that there is no postage cost and no paper involved with digital-magazine and therefore, they are not ready to pay more for a digital issue. The majority of respondents stated that if they were buying an iPad magazine they would probably hope to pay $2.00 or less for one issue.

It is evident that both digital magazines and the iPad will drop in price. With the initial popularity of the print – magazine, sophisticated design will be needed in tablets to expand upon interactivity, graphics, and navigation become more attractive if it has to completely overthrow print-magazine. Not unless digital features that are highly sophisticated are invented into the iPad, tablet magazines will remain the second after the print magazine.