It’s a known fact that the average sell-through (number of copies sold from the copies sent to the newsstands) is at best 30% and at its worst less then 20%.  That is to say that from every ten magazines sent to the newsstands, only 2 or 3 magazines are sold, and the rest are returned to “the shredder.”  You will say, this is a lot of waste in this environmentally conscience world we live in.

However, it is also known that if you reduce the number of copies you place on the newsstands, you will reduce the number of copies you will sell.  This dilemma is not new; it dates back as far as magazines were placed on the newsstands.

So how do we solve this problem?  One solution comes from the United States government:  No returns are accepted.  Yes, that was the solution of the issue of returns in 1918, more than a century ago.

In an editorial titled “Roycroft on News  Stands” dated September 19, 1918, in the October 1918 issue of Roycroft magazine, the editors wrote, “We have always tried to give ROYCROFT a very thorough distribution on all the News Stands throughout the country, and in doing so, of course, have had to be generous in the matter of returns from the dealers.”

The editorial continues, “The Government now asks all publishers to restrict these returns. This means that practically every News Dealer will order only such quantities of ROYCROFT as he has advance orders for.  He cannot take chances on being stuck with a bunch of unsold copies. There should be no unsold copies, anyway, but occasionally there are.”

The editors came up with a solution to this problem by suggesting to “all readers of ROYCROFT who have been purchasing the Magazine on the News Stands, that it will be necessary for them to order the Magazine – NOW—from their dealer, or else they may be unable to get it on the Stand.”

Another option the editors offered the readers of Roycroft magazine, “If, for any reason you would rather not place a definite order with your local News Dealer, send in your subscription to us.  This will insure your getting the Magazine every month.”

The editorial ends up with a plug about the magazine, “ROYCROFT will present to its readers a series of articles each month, touching upon vital things and viewed from the unusual standpoint. It will continue to be of vital interest, and we want you with us for all time.”

So, here you have it, a solution from 1918 only preserved in print where history comes alive on every page of the printed magazine.  Print preserves history and history needs print to be preserved.

To find out more of the golden olden gems from magazines please visit the Samir Husni Magazine Collection at The University of Missouri-Columbia by clicking here.

Samir “Mr. Magazine™” Husni, Ph.D.