Esses Magazine Moving to Digital Only ;-/

[70SATMan]

Believe those stats are related to users logged in vs not logged in. Even a forum member (whether a paid register member or not) would show as a guest unless actually logged in.

Doesn’t reflect the numbers of registered users (vs visitors) or paid vs unpaid registered users.

If the ‘club’ was run like a club and ‘members’ treated like members, I imagine we’d net a higher turnout of paid membership.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Check your email everyone, it's official.

---Adam

[davep]

Just read it. Does anyone know of a service that can convert a digital copy to print quickly & efficiently? I know I can use my laser printer, but a better printer with better paper provides a premium result.

[Chuck Miller]

This official message just went live to all our paid membership:

To our membership and prospective members, an important club announcement…

After significant analysis and review the administrators of Early 911S Registry have
decided to make a major change to one of our main offerings; namely, our quarterly
magazine, ESSES. After producing a printed publication in one form or the other since
November 1990, due to rising costs to produce, and especially cost of shipping, we have
decided to convert our quarterly magazine into a fully digital version. This change will
allow us to continue to successfully offer our world-class magazine to all of our members
around the globe, and with instant distribution.

The new ESSES is visually crisper and brighter, it may include more content with more
member articles, and with instant advertising links. And it may include more options such
as slide shows and videos.
Now there will be no more mailing delays!!! (especially overseas) And no more mailing
“come backs” because of unreported address changes.

What’s not changed:
• Our website with, of course, the most active online forums and message board for all
things early 911.
• Annual member car listing (roster).
• Our club’s merchandise.
• Our annual printed calendar (if the demand equals the expense and effort).

We will also have more Facebook and Instagram presence.

Here’s how the change will work. Each member will now pay $50 annually, whether based
in the USA or internationally. We will try to rebate our off shore members appropriately.
Each paid member will receive an email link and pass code for their new proprietary issue
of ESSES via the email address we have recorded in our paid membership data base.
Additionally, earlier printed ESSES issues will still be available for purchase via our
website. Also the same for later issues that have been digitized in a simple pdf form.

We have set up a dedicated email address and support channel just for questions about this transition.

Please email support@early911sregistry.org
or visit
https://www.early911sregistry.org/support/

We hope you’ll keep supporting the Registry and enjoy this update that will allow our club
to thrive well into the future.

The Early 911S Registry

This is the personal way we see it:

Dear ESR paid members,

First, our apologies for not getting our first ESSES of 2025 out earlier..

Here’s the deal…
We love and are proud of publishing our printed ESSES.
We were told, mostly by others outside the club, it is one of THE best car club quarterlies in the country…

Here is the challenge:
Printing and mailing costs have been going up for the last few years while our paid membership is disappointingly dwindling.

I have been directly involved with the look of the magazine for the last 8 years and we did not want to lessen the quality.
With our combined printing/mailing service, editor and art director it’s about $24K per quarter.
Couple that with our tech support, web and message board host fees, yearend accounting … you get the picture…
As said, our total year to year paid membership has been disappointing.

I inquired into the 356 Registry. Had a long conversation with the ‘Member Services’ to see what the differences were.
Theirs is also a quality printed magazine, is bi-monthly, and has about 15 more pages. And has a similar financial membership and advertising structure…. So what gives ??? … Then I asked, ‘If I may, what is your total paid membership?’ The answer knocked me out…Their paid membership is 5 times ours !!!!

Through the years we’ve posted ‘stickies’ to ‘join the club’… The paid membership hasn’t increased.
To be clear, from the start of the club every paid member is able to keep their membership number wither they leave or renew. That’s why in some signatures you see membership numbers at over 4400. The fact is our current paid membership is less than 1/3 of that.

There is a ‘donation button’ that has had minimal response. (We greatly appreciate those few who have contributed)
There has never been an overt request or implication as to a contribution back to the club for your person to person sales… Too much to ask ?

Every time I ‘stick’ an intro for the new upcoming ESSES I always end it with ‘Please tell us what you think’… We hardly get any online or offline response’s. Interestingly when there is a response it’s usually an inquiry about a digital offering.

BTW – I’m not sure why we have to struggle every quarter to get articles for our ESSES..
With new owners, new projects, and new adventures we should have articles and photos in the queue.

While we’re at it… For the last two years (’24/’25) we’ve had a hell of a time selling out our annual calendars. A handsome product that takes a lot of work, time, and expense… and a great way to give back to the club… Not sure why ?

Another printed magazine challenge is getting ‘come backs’ because of incorrect or non-updated addresses. This goes double for our off shore members with their mailing delays of sometimes weeks or even months. If we can straighten out the comeback we incur the mailing costs twice.

The club’s financial model just isn’t working at this time…
We aren’t able to replenish merchandise, and have deferred reimbursement for personal expenses for over a year and a half.

Our regret is, the reality of this came up on us in a hurry and we had to make the change to make a reasonable deadline for our members and advertisers.

To keep the magazine running in printed form with our present membership we would have had to raise annual dues prohibitively. We surmised that members in general would not be willing to take that large of a hit. Thus, we started down the path to set up a digital version of the ESSES, costing less money (so as to rebuild our completely depleted reserves) and at a much more consistent and sustainable and ratable rate of spend…. OR, a much more positive solution is, picking up about 60% new paid members at the old rate …

Hopefully at one point we will be able to publish printed ESSES again… We love publishing them as much as you love reading them…

With a sincere hope you’ll stick with us through this time… With this forum enduring as always.

(Please ask your questions through the email in the announcement)

Chuck Miller / ESR

[andy rowe]

Sad to just read this in my email, super disappointed and sadly I’m a huge supporter of paper copy’s/books, I will say I get why it’s happening but will probably now not renew my membership as this was why I joined many years ago and I still have my sacred issue’s to keep me going when things were hard with enthusiasm, sad day indeed

[McOtto]

Sad to just read this in my email, super disappointed and sadly I’m a huge supporter of paper copy’s/books, I will say I get why it’s happening but will probably now not renew my membership as this was why I joined many years ago and I still have my sacred issue’s to keep me going when things were hard with enthusiasm, sad day indeed

Andy, I share your disappointment and genuinely respect your position. Like many others, I have drawn tangible knowledge and personal benefit from the ESR forum. And have further enjoyed the traditional ESSES magazine, much like my youthful days looking forward to the next issue of C&D and R&T. However, Chuck has described the headwinds. Before we make final decisions to back away, let’s first contemplate how we might lean forward and help Chuck get things back on track.

[Rick Cabell]

I hear ya Chuck. And thank you for all the time you and others spend keeping this boat afloat.
I think the majority of posts are "for sale" items. Some people contribute nothing but offer parts for sale. Chuck at one point asked for a small percentage of parts sales, really small. I have done it, but not enough. I bet some who sell parts here on a regular basis have contributed nothing. The whole world is changing, so I guess we have to adapt or go home.

[ajwans]

I think I've said this before but it still stands. Restrict PM/posting/maybe even image viewing on this site to paid members and the finances will improve. I'm not sure why we give a free ride to the entire internet.

This site should be read only unless paid up, this also prevents bots spamming us.

andy

[myflat6]

I will share that I have been around these cars for a long time (as most of us have) and over the years have migrated to this forum as to where I spend the vast majority of my time (stopped my paid membership on Rennlist and spent less and less time on the bird) - I appreciate the deeper focus on the cars that matter most to me - the longhoods. I will also agree with others that the Esses publication is superb and the content I look forward to reading the most compared to my other subscriptions. I am also a business man and understand Chuck's comments. With that said, how do we encourage membership and how do we monetize the valuable content of this registry? With the 356 Registry, membership is encouraged by exclusive events for members, marketplace for members only, and only members can post to the forums. Perhaps these are some actions pointed towards increased membership for consideration?

[Rick Cabell]

356, 912, and PCA, you can't communicate with a seller without logging in, paid members.