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Once a month we send out an e-newsletter, giving behind the scenes insight into the production of the magazine, sneak previews of upcoming issues as well as interactive features.Subscriber Response Letters
Hi Kate and fabulous crew!
Your magazine is brilliant and not only because you have supported my little business with coverage. It is proudly on display at any market stall I do and also in my home.
An extra amount would not put me off as it is such a quality read ??I am extremely fussy as a reader; my regular reads are:
NZ Life & Leisure
North & South
The Listener
NZ Today (when I can find a copy)
Good Mag
Best wishes for a fabulous day,
Marcia
Hi Kate,
You and your team do a fantastic job and I’m always thrilled to see the latest copy of Life & Leisure in my letter-box. No, another $18 would not put me off buying your magazine at all – I believe it would still be great value and I hope (and am sure) others will agree.
Cheers,
Tracey
Hi there,
I love my NZ Life & Leisure – I must say that first off!
In response to your question, yes, I would still purchase the magazine if it was $2-$3 more each issue. I am a subscriber but I have also bought it off the shelf and would continue to do so if it was more expensive.
My view is that magazines are one of life's most affordable luxuries. What sets Life & Leisure apart is the quality of the paper, the editorial content and the beautiful photography. Perhaps even more so in the times we are living in, savouring and enjoying the little luxuries are even more valuable. So yes, keep the quality and up the price. An extra $18 a year is well worth it.
Also, I have my own business so understand the difficulties of keeping things in the black these days. Keep focusing on customer relationships and a quality product and while there may not be as many people spending, the ones who do will continue to choose to do so with you.
Regards,
Rachael
I would still buy your mag if the price increases. It is fantastic and my favourite of all the ones I subscribe to. Congratulations on your awards, well and truly deserved.
Bernadette
Hi Kate,
I have never been a purchaser of magazines of any kind as I prefer to spend my money on my home, clothes, shoes (typical woman things) and travel.
I was given a Life & Leisure subscription as a thank you for speaking at a seminar about four years ago. When the first year ran out I purchased the next subscription and also gave subscriptions to my friends and my mother. The following year a girlfriend said to me: “I get all my subscriptions on Fly Buys”. So that is what I’ve done ever since which means I can still enjoy your magazine without it affecting my budget! I would hate to not receive Life &Leisure as it is one magazine I believe is worthwhile purchasing.
I say increase the price; don’t compromise on your product which is more of a collection of “small books” rather than a “magazine”. When things improve and advertisers are more readily available you will then be able to decide whether your magazine becomes fuller or it stays the size it is and you return the savings back to your loyal customers.
So to me it means collecting more Fly Buys. Hope this helps.
Regards,
Maria
I would pay about $1.50 more per issue.
Jenny
I would most certainly still buy Life & Leisure if the price went up! So much so I had to stop what I was doing and tell you asap! After just receiving the web update, I can most certainly say that I would pay more than $2-$3 extra per issue, especially if there were more stories.
I simply can't put a price on the happiness it brings me! An amazing magazine, a pot of plunger coffee and cookies keep me entertained for hours (if I'm lucky to get the chance to read it all in one go). Where else can you buy that much beauty, delightfulness and inspiration? Even at $12 I think it's a treasure that I won't do withou, and honestly – $18 over a year – if I made my cookies instead of buying them, I'd cover the cost in a second and it would be worth it!
Please do what you must to keep going. I'll always be a fan; you bring so much joy to so many and put a big smile on my face whenever I see Life & Leisure poking out of the letter-box.
Jeni
PS: I think Yolanta is fabulous – I love, love, love the layouts from a design perspective. It is an absolute JOY to look at in a world that has so much bad typography!
No.
Peter
Hi Kate,
The quickest answer is yes I would continue to buy (subscribe) to the magazine. The story this month on Lea is one of the best I have read in a long time – very honest and refreshing and what a character and what a life. It is unique stories like these that make Life & Leisure stand out from the crowd, hence your fabulous results and cache of awards. I agree that you should not devalue the magazine's quality by reducing the paper stock.
Well done... will continue to buy!
Warm regards,
Sharon
Kate,
Fourteen years as an editor gives me a particular feeling of sympathy with you in your current dilemma!
All I can say – and Life & Leisure is my only magazine buy (apart from The LIstener) – is that you get what you pay for in this world and one of the great joys of the magazine is the quality of its production which so enhances the quality of the content and makes it stand out from others on the stand. I have never grudged the cost of the magazine, to the extent that I also give a subscription to a friend and am seriously considering two others for Christmas this year. There will doubtless be readers who would struggle with extra cost but I can't help feeling that most of them will make the effort to keep reading it because I'm sure that your readership is a particularly loyal one which buys the magazine for the same qualities I do. Indeed, I was at a wedding last week in the South Island and found myself extolling L & L's virtues to several other guests... the fact that it is high quality, that it celebrates New Zealand and New Zealanders doing exciting and worthwhile things and, above all, has a high standard of journalism so sadly lacking in most of our other media sources these days.
Good luck with your decision making. I'm sure you can come up with incentives to keep the readership up, and I'm equally sure that most of us would make jolly sure that we could still afford another $18 or so to maintain the pleasure the magazine gives us.
Cheers,
Joan
Dear Kate,
Thanks for the invitation to give thoughts on lifting the subs – yes, I agree with your approach. Life & Leisure is much looked forward to in my house and is the one luxury I can never think of being without. It may mean putting on an extra sweater to keep the heating down so the saving can go toward L&L. That is the approach within a large,-well known London residence so if it is good enough for them then it definitely will be for me.
My only comment is that I have noticed over the last few issues an increase in fashion (clothing) and beauty products which is not why I have been buying L&L since its inception. I would have thought there are plenty of those types of publications available if you require that info. I am very much a cover-to-cover reader of the mag but now find I am skipping three or four pages per issue which feels like a swizz. Personally I would love more of your core content or more travel.
I had drafted a letter to send you many months ago but I never got around to sending it, stating how much I hated L&L, the point being once it arrives it is consumed immediately and nothing else gets done. Otherwise extreme willpower is exercised to set it aside for three weeks so that the gap between issues is much closer. Please continue with this great mag in its present form and quality and if that means a few more dollars to keep it that way I am sure your committed and worshipping fans will make the leap with you.
Kind regards,
Peter
Happy to help with increased costs.
Cate
Dear Kate,
How could we refuse such an eloquent entreaty? We are retired but could squeeze out an extra annual $18 in order to continue to receive such a highly desirable example of magazine literature! We wouldn't mind though if the paper quality wasn't quite so shiny – often you use a pale-coloured ink for the print alongside photos. The print is small and the shine on the page doesn't really assist reading in daylight or, particularly, under artificial light. And we often have to really search for the caption which is appropriate for each photo.
'Nuff wingeing – you and your team are providing us with splendid scenes and stories about people's lives from around our lovely country. We greatly enjoy the Taste section too, and as we take turns week and week about to cook dinner, there is often something fairly simple for us to make into a good meal. In our age group we often feel overlooked by the younger market targeting in a lot of casual reading such as magazines, but Life & Leisure brings a well-rounded choice of topics of interest to the over 70s.
So far as the effect of “similar changes in our world” is concerned, we are OK for now. We live in a lifestyle village, are able to get out and about in our community and can still afford to have a membership in a Probus group, a bowling club and are creating a fledgling New Zealand Young@Heart chorus. We travel about a bit too so life is busy and family must always be fitted into the scheme of things. Our youngest granddaughter was last night in a cheerleading team which came second in their section at the All Stars National Championships at the North Shore Event Centre. All our grandchildren are making their marks on this world in one way or another and it makes us very proud indeed. No room in our lives for the glooms and glums!
Thank you Kate for taking the time to seek our opinion. You must warrior on, regardless!
Sincerely,
William and Nola
Good morning,
I am writing in response to your question, would you pay more? I know that your magazine is the BEST lifestyle one on the newsstands and to ensure that the quality and content are not compromised I would happily part with another $3 an issue.
I am something of a glossy magazine junkie and have to say that I still have every past issue of Life & Leisure. Your magazine, along with North & South, are stand-outs and are read from cover to cover by all our family and friends before being taken to The Cookhouse where we host paying guests on the second night of the Tora Coastal Walk, where your mag is devoured by all.
Congratulations on the awards and we look forward to the next issue.
Warm regards,
Alistair and Jenny
Yes, I would still buy Life & Leisure with an $18 increase. Pay peanuts, you get monkeys
Cheers,
Chris
Dear editorial staff,
I am very fortunate in that we get your wonderful magazine at work but we certainly would be happy to pay extra for it.
Congratulations on a wonderful magazine and for achieving such an authentic New Zealand “voice”. I especially love the articles about the fascinating people and their extraordinary creativity in the regions and on the farms.
Many thanks,
Helen
Hi Kate,
I read your question and had to think for only a minute: I would be happy to pay the extra as I view your magazine as my treat and well worth the cover price. I am continually impressed with and inspired by the variety of lifestyles and passionate people you feature.
When my eldest daughter headed to university, to be followed a couple of years later by my youngest, I decided the time was right for me to do something for myself. My husband was very supportive and I opened a small shop stocking homewares and gifts.
Although I love it and have met some lovely people, it has been a struggle and I'm hoping that the other side of winter will see a lift in people’s spirits and, more importantly, a rise in spending.
I therefore know firsthand the worry the recession can be. But when I have a quiet moment in the shop (which is more often than I would wish) I like nothing more than making a cup of tea and settling down to read the latest issue.
Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Donna
Hi Kate,
I would be happy to pay another $18 over the course of the year for L & L but I would like to see more of the exteriors of the houses, not just the gardens. Your articles have fabulous photos and showcase the interiors of houses but only snippets of the exteriors. We are planning to build a new home and getting ideas from magazines is so helpful.
I continue to enjoy your magazine and look forward to its arrival.
Kind regards,
Jackie
Hi Kate
Have just read your email asking for feedback on your proposed price increase for the magazine. An $18 per year increase I believe is quite acceptable. Subscription holders would barely notice it even though I have to watch my finances very closely. The only difficulty I could see is a possible resistance to a price increase from those who buy your magazines from supermarkets, stationers etc.
Hope my thoughts may be of use. Congratulations on the awards! I treasure NZ Life & Leisure and spent a lovely few hours yesterday – a cold, grey, gloomy day – in a warm, cosy room going over some old issues. Bliss.
Kind regards,
Bev
Good morning Kate,
from a very wintry morning in Whakatane!
Regarding the cost conundrum, I have applied the womanly "divide by 52 approach" when trying to justify buying something I really want... pff! Only 35 cents a week more and less ads, so count me in!
The latest issue arrived on Friday. I stealed myself not to open it until Saturday morning (although I did have to smell and stroke it before then). Can`t find the words to describe how much I loved the story of Lea`s home and life; I actually read the whole article (again) out loud to my husband while he was preparing dinner. I was telling a friend about it and ended up sending her (and many more friends as well) the article from the website.
I am so jealous of your pot-luck dinner this Thursday. Let me know if there`s a spare seat; I would happily make the trip from Whakatane for the experience and even help with the dishes.
I have to admit to being a magazineaholic.but Life & Leisure is the one I look forward to the most and is probably the only mag I read from cover to cover. I have every issue from the beginning which I will only share with friends whom I can trust to enjoy but return. They go back onto the pile in our spare bedroom and have been the cause of visitors’ late risings!
Congratulations on the awards.
Kind regards,
Susan
PS: I too have a Red Indian "friend". He arrived on the window seat in our bedroom early one morning about 15 years ago. I feel blessed.
Yes, raise the price. I would still buy the magazine – love it!
Farida
Hello,
I'm more than happy to accept a price increase. It is nice and unusual to be asked! Life & Leisure is still my number-one magazine and I have subscribed since day one.
Regards,
Judy
Hi,
Wonderful magazine , I agree. Being over 65 and not now working, $18 extra is a lot and while it is for a year, when you are having to pay it in a lump sum it’s sometimes hard to find that extra. It is good value but what it would probably mean for me is that the subscription I give to my sister would continue but I would discontinue my own subscription; I could not sustain both at the extra amount. This is now the only magazine I subscribe to; I had a gift subscription to House & Garden but I will not renew that when it becomes due.
I know you will think carefully about the price rise because you will not want to price yourself off the market when people need to make a choice between Life & Leisure and another magazine. I have subscribed since buying the first issue and it would be a shame if I were not able to continue receiving it.
Thanks for your honesty and for giving your readers an opportunity to comment. Enjoy your midwinter dinner and bask in the accolades you have achieved.
Pauline
I would be happy to pay extra if I were getting more editorial and less advertising.
Regards,
Heather, very keen reader
Hi Kate,
I would be happy to pay an extra $18 per annum to keep your great mag going.
Cheers,
Tom
I love the magazine and would be happy to pay more but it would probably impact on how often I gift it to other people.
Thanks for the good reads.
Kindest regards,
Pamela
Hi Kate,
Yes, I would willingly pay extra to continue receiving a magazine of such high-quality content and production. It may be a cliché, but it is like getting a gift each time it arrives in the post and it sits in pride of place on the coffee table until the next issue arrives. So please continue and congratulations on the awards – well deserved.
Regards,
Gary
Good morning Kate,
I would like to give you some feedback. I have been a subscriber to Life & Leisure since its inception and I must say I was quite disappointed with the current issue. In fact the last few issues have not been as enjoyable as they used to be. There seems to be less content and way more advertising and I don’t think I would pay any more than the current price.
Kind regards,
Donna
Hi there,
In a word, "No". It would not stop me from purchasing but I would definitely be subscribing. I really like the Idea of less advertising and think it’s fair that to produce a quality magazine the costs need to be passed along.
Love the mag by the way!
Cheers,
Lesley
Hi Kate,
I would still buy at an increased rate because it's such a great magazine... as long as you promise not to go over $3 for the next few years!
Less ads would be good. It always seems a shame that the gorgeous glossies, like Cavits and Halo for example, are well out of the reach of most of us and they can afford to continue with their full-page ads to tempt us! Who can actually afford their stuff in these difficult times? No one I know. I like reading all the classifieds though – you can often find something special there.
Might be about time for a Rotorua article? We have started a new life in this interesting town – big (read HUGE) change from hill-country farming in wonderful Eastland. We miss Gisborne like crazy but have decided the best way to become part of a new community is to go into business. We are about to open a new store (www.vetro.co.nz) stocking Mediterranean-based produce at very reasonable prices – something for everyone. Call in for a coffee after we open in early September – we'd love to meet any of your staff.
Congrats on all the awards – well deserved.
Regards,
Jen
Hi Kate ,
First, congratulations on your awards. They are thoroughly deserved.
The question of paying more is interesting. This would be one magazine I would pay more for; I am a subscriber and love it.
I have sometimes been frustrated when finishing an article about someone to find myself thinking that the surface has only been scratched . There are not enough magazines which focus on success and inspiration which are passions of mine. Here in the Eastern Bay of Plenty I have started a series called Legends in Business in which we bring successful people to speak to our members. In August they will include Rod Drury, Rob Fyfe (a hero of mine), Justine Troy and Geoff Ross. Tonight we have Dr Karen Wilcox, a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader in 2010.
Keep up the great work from you and your team.
Regards,
Gerard
I would still buy it.
Georgi
I love your magazine and so do my guests and I would be happy to pay an extra $20 per year.
Best regards,
Dawn
I think you might get away with $2 but actually I really do think twice already. I do not subscribe as I prefer to flick through the magazine on the shelf to see if there are interesting things BEFORE I buy. I loved the mix of the last issue, especially the people stories. It is nice to have human interest and affordable ideas. I went off House & Garden as they became sooooo elite. Ordinary folk don't have that sort of money. In Christchurch I still have my bag packed, sleep with clothes on and am ready to evacuate. We are even parking a car outside in the frost as the garage is under the house and our transport might get squashed. It is the new normal and it will get better, but I think we need to be realistic and expect more biggies.
Still, the sun is shining and in two weeks it is the holidays (I’m a teacher of course).
Kathy
Dear Kate and team,
I have been subscribing to your magazine for several years now and nearly always use my Fly Buys points. It’s the only magazine I subscribe to (I don’t seem to be able build up enough points for anything else – flights etc) so it’s a two-monthly treat receiving the mag in my post box!
I enjoy the stories and photos (some are friends or I know of them) and so would welcome more of these and accept that the price will inevitably increase. There are still tough times ahead for everyone; however, I do understand the reasoning behind your proposal.
The covers are all varied and interesting and entice you to look inside and it must be difficult choosing what you will go with for each issue.
I hope this convinces you to continue with more excellent stories and photos.
Best wishes,
Virginia (Ginny)
Hi,
Yes, I would still buy NZ Life & Leisure if the price were to be raised… it is such a treat and very inspirational and I use my Fly Buys to subscribe anyway! The only thing that does irritate me somewhat about the mag is all the advertising so if it meant I had to pay for more readable material and photos, that’s OK by me.
Kind regards,
Jayne
Dear Kate,
No problem with a few extra dollars per year for the magazine. Sounds like it could be even better than it is now!
Regards,
Julia
Hi,
An additional $18 over the course of a year is fair for a magazine of your calibre. My continued regret is that the weight & dimensions of Life & Leisure prohibits it being a regular gift for sending overseas to New Zealand family and expats. If it were lighter it would make a sensational gift of home-grown, enterprising, home-loving stories for Kiwis to enjoy, share with their friends in England and entice them to return or emigrate.
Stephanie
Hi Kate,
Thanks for your email today. I buy only your magazine so would probably not mind an increase in price as it is bi-monthly and I can spend a little something on myself now and then! Love reading Life & Leisure for the wide variety of articles in it. The whole family reads it actually.
Regards,
Lyn
I would be prepared to pay $2 more per issue if there was more content and subscribers still received a discount.
Susan
Yes, your mag is a superb product and yes, I understand the call for higher subs. For me it is a treat and I covet it! I retired early due to MS so finances are limited. My wish is that you keep Life & Leisure at an affordable price for those like me who get a thrill when the postie drops off their mag.
Good luck!
Erin
I would still buy it and subscribe to it and buy subscriptions for others. It is fantastic value now and with more content can only be worth it. Can't wait to see the outcome and watch my mail-box daily for my new mag.
Regards,
Colleen
Hi Kate,
It is a hard one when it comes to costs and I can imagine how advertisers are pulling back a little on space with these recessionary times. I personally love Life & Leisure, have subscribed from the start and have sent out gift subs many times and whilst the increase in price wouldn’t affect me it might some readers. Can you in some way perhaps trim back on the paper quality and presentation but at the same time you don’t want to compromise the overall look of L&L. Perhaps with a slightly cheaper paper you could avoid such an increase in the price on the shelves. So in other words a combo, if you get where I am coming from? I know the advertising side of it brings in the $$$$$.
Trust this gives you an idea of where I am coming from.
Kindest regards,
Patrick
Kate,
To your question would I still buy Life & Leisure if the cost rose $18, I stopped for a minute over my lunch and decided yes, I would find a way to build the extra cost into my budget especially if it means more reading material and less advertising. I am in business myself and know that ads are a necessary form of communication but for great leisure time less ads in my magazine would be fabulous.
I always start to get fidgety around the time the next copy is due and once it is here I can settle to concentrate on many things, just knowing my mag is awaiting me at any given opportunity.
Congratulations on all the awards as they are well deserved. Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Briar
Hello Kate,
I've heard you always back a winner! Congrats to the team. So I am happy to go with an increase in price for the same quality and also Annabel's recipes.
Thanks,
Jan
Yes, happy to pay a bit more.
Cheers,
Phyll
Hi there,
Just a quick response to your question regarding an increase in cost to the fabulous Life & Leisure magazine. Would I still buy it if it cost more? Of course I would! It’s one of life’s little luxuries and I'm only too happy to pay for quality. More editorial content rather than more advertising would sure be a welcome change. Keep up the fantastic work; you bring a little bit of joy into the lives of all us dreamers.
Cheers,
Carolyn
Hi Kate and co,
My sub for Life & Leisure goes to my daughter-in-law in Singapore.She has a great eye for interior design and loves the magazine. I'd be happy to pay an extra $18 a year so she can keep in touch with what is happening in the New Zealand design world.
Best wishes,
Jill
No problem! I would still buy your magazine if it went up $3 a copy as it is the best mag I have ever subscibed to.
Cheers,
Sally
No, $18 extra per year ($3 per issue) would not stop me IF I got more editorial, more photos and more real people doing real things without having too much obvious real money in your pages.
Was interested in the idea that you might shoot several covers in one location (editorial, latest issue). I’ve always loved your covers, especially any with animals on them, but would prefer that a cover reflect the current magazine, ie photographed on location at one of the places featured, than a whole lot of different ones in one location and stockpiled for future use. Just my opinion.
Regards,
Liz
Dear Editor,
I was given a subscription so am not the one paying. However, I love your magazine and would pay more for it to keep it.
Regards,
Shirley
Dear Kate,
I am a subscriber so think I pay only $45/year so I would pay another $2-$3/issue. I certainly wouldn't want lesser quality. There is a great deal of reading in the magazine already – I am still reading Issue 37 and now 38 has arrived! I am one who wouldn't mind if it was thinner on the advertising content.
Best wishes,
Susan
Personally I would be happy to pay a few dollars more for such a quality magazine, especially one with less advertisements incorporated in it! I would be sorry to see the print quality reduced as that is part of my enjoyment.
Regards,
Cathy
Actually, as an advertiser and a subscriber I get two copies/issue – how greedy is that! A subscription using Fly Buys points makes it painless.
Regards,
Janet
Hi Kate,
I do love your magazine very much but I would have to say at $18 it's just getting a bit too close to $20 and we are feeling the recession too. At that price, I would prefer to buy a really good book.
Thank you for sending me your emails. I love your real-life, down-to-earth approach – a freshness we have all appreciated in this time when we have re-evaluated our lives.
Best regards,
Robyn
Just to let you know...
As a long-time subscriber to Life and & Leisure,an extra dollar or three would not put me off buying your excellent magazine. Keep up the quality – don't compromise!
Geraldine
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I love this magazine but the amount of advertising is more than I would like so if another $18 a year meant less advertising I’d be quite happy to pay it.
Regards,
Linda
Dear Kate,
Understand the problem. Yes, increase the price and also remind subscribers that they can use their Fly Buys/hotpoints rewards etc to get a year’s subscription. Maybe encourage gift subscriptions (the magazine will get people hooked) by offering a special-deal subscription gift rate to those who already subscribe?
Given everybody's problems with advertising and sponsorship, have you thought of encouraging people to commit to you and sustainability by putting 30 cents of each subscription towards supporting a successful, national sustainability education programme, the Enviroschools programme? This “top-of-the-cliff” programme is supported regionally by councils but really needs core funding so that all the schools waiting to join the programme can be brought onto it. Yes, I am involved in the Enviroschools Foundation! You could do that for two years, then support another national charitable foundation suffering from funding cuts.
Just some thoughts.
Best regards,
Pamela
Hi,
Thanks for your email – so good of you even to be considering the readers. Yes, I personally would pay more for the quality and contents, but with the economics of New Zealand today is that fitting to all? Good luck with whatever you go with; I will still read it. Thanks for such a superb quality magazine to date.
Bernie
Kate et al,
I would be happy to pay more as Life & Leisure is the only magazine I buy regularly. It would be great to have less advertising, which drives me mad anyway. When the price is compared to other weekly women's rubbish, it is incomparable.
I have been in the glorious environs of the Ida and Manuherikia Valleys in the last couple of days, a place I frequent that is dear to my heart and which often features in your magazine. Yay. I came home an hour ago to find the latest copy of L&L in my mail-box – excellent. I shall curl up in front of the fire with a bowl of soup and buttered Vogels and devour both food and magazine. Splendid.
Congratulations on the well-deserved awards. The magazine is easily the best of its kind in the country.
Shona
Another $18 over a year – no worries.
Veronica
Well, it rather depends on the recession you see! Seriously, I think I would pay $15 but might balk at $18 more. However, since I have been buying it since the beginning I probably would, as I agree with the judges and send my congratulations for a wonderful look each time at all the things we Kiwis get up to! However, I quite like some of the ads as well. Good luck with the decision-making process and letting us have a say. My family (Geddis) used to own the Free Lance and it went under due to price and not responding to reader needs after the war. I would hate to see the quality of Life & Leisure or the type of stories change; it is unique and part of your ongoing success.
Annie Couldwell
