Community Forums

wackymac · 06-15-2011, 11:54 AM

Has anyone read the new Good Sam (Camping World catalog) magazine? What do you think of the new format? I personally think that it's just one big advertisement for Camping World.

micd · 06-15-2011, 12:16 PM

I thought it read like a sales catalog. While I love the actual catalog I didn't appreciate the magazine's format combining in a few articles with the sales information. I don't think I will waste my time reading it again.

Camping World is one of my favorite stores to go to and I always pour over their actual catalog.

Michelle

CoastieSCPO · 06-15-2011, 12:38 PM

When the last issue of the Highways magazine came out, Sue Bray who was the executive director for many years wrote that the "new and improved" Highways magazine would come out in June. She said that she had written a column in the magazine for years but that the CEO of Camping World would be taking over. Well, he certainly did take over and the imprint of Camping World and it's publication "The RV View" was stamped all over the new Highways magazine.

IMHO, the new and improved Highways is nothing but a slick ad platform for CW and Coast to Coast. Even the fifth wheel RV that they highlighted in the issue was a rig that CW sells on its sales facilities. Also, it is quite possible the Mr. Lemonis got some flak for whatever they did to Sue Bray, because in his column he said that he would
"reinstate former Executive Director Sue Bray as a key player", etc. Page 5 of the magazine.

I was disappointed in what I saw and read, but will see what appears in the next issue before I made a decision on whether to keep my GS membership. With the merger of GS, CW and Coast to Coast, except for the discount on Good Sam campgrounds, why pay $29.00 a year for GS membership when you get the same basic benefits with CW's Presidents Club.

Didn't mean to rant, but I didn't like the changes.

TW · 06-15-2011, 12:39 PM

Just wanted to join GS yesterday, but the system did not want my Postal Code. It's over a year old, so - I get my mail here and all the RV Magazin's.
I guess I keep my 19.00 Dollars. The Highway Mag was a BIG drawing point for me.

TW

deandec · 06-15-2011, 12:45 PM

The June issue seemed to have about the same content that the old thin magazine had. It was just squished between glossy advertisements.

I did like the CEO's comments about not sending so much spam to members. Since I was able to buy a membership after more than a year's absence for only $13 vs the $30 they wanted for a renewal, I was able to offset the cost immediately with camping discounts.

Hopefully the rain of junk mail will be reduced in the near future.

RVRoadTrip · 06-15-2011, 01:23 PM

IMO, it lacked substance.

texnet · 06-15-2011, 01:43 PM

I did not like the new issue. When I want to look at catalogs I will pickup a catalog and look at it cover to cover. When I want to read articles I will also look at the magazine cover to cover. However, with what appears to be more than 50% advertising it is distracting to have to look at all the advertising just to see the articles.

jprisbe · 06-15-2011, 02:01 PM

I would never buy it if it was not part of my membership.
Too many ads and not enough substance.

dajudge · 06-15-2011, 02:34 PM

I don't like the new Highways magazine/catalog. I have been a GS member since in the early 70 s. I may not renew my subscription due to the fact than less and less rv parks honor the GS discount.

scenic route · 06-15-2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dajudge

I may not renew my subscription due to the fact that less and less rv parks honor the GS discount.

Just recently, we talked to a couple of CG owners that said they quit GS because it's less expensive for them just to hold down the site cost than to have GS on the payroll...

Personally, at around $4.00 a gallon for fuel and at 8mpg(at best), I find their weenie 10% discount is no longer a viable incentive to drive more than 2 or 3 miles out of our way. I'll let the membership lapse...Bob

Triker56 · 06-15-2011, 06:01 PM

With all the ads it is too much bandwidth to download in PDF or look at on line even.

Easyrider · 06-15-2011, 06:03 PM

We liked some of the changes. Bringing Sue back is one of them, less spam mail another, better paper stock the magazine is printed on, 3 national rallies spread across the country instead of 1 at the west coast only. Yes, there is a lot of advertizing and you have to hunt for the articles- or use the table of contents, but advertizements pay for the cost of the magazine, without advertizing the costs would go up dramatically and the size of the magazine would shrink. And I read a lot of the adds to find out about new products and services I wasn't aware of or am in need of. So count us in as members who like the changes.

RV'nOldTimer · 06-15-2011, 06:37 PM

Articles in a magazine are the core value to me as the reader and ads are sometimes useful but I object to advertising presented as an article, or "infomercials as they are called on TV. The new format requires lots of skimming for value received.

JT

Finhawk · 06-15-2011, 07:45 PM

I skimmed thru it and ignored the ads. I do wish tho that I could ignore the fact that I bought a lifetime GS membership. What a waste of money that was!!!!!