The Media Pioneer awards have been set up by the Specialist Media Show, in association with InPublishing, to recognise innovative and entrepreneurial activity by specialist media owners, and inspire other print and digital publishers, and event organisers. Fifteen nominations were featured on the show website, and the four overall winners were selected by James Evelegh of InPublishing and presented with their awards at the show on 25 May. In the first of a series of four articles for InPubWeekly, we provide more detail on the winners’ stories.
If you know an innovative specialist media business that deserves to be nominated for the 2011 Media Pioneer awards, just contact carolyn@thespecialistmediashow.com for more details.
MyHobbyStore – meeting hobbyists needs
MyHobbyStore, originally publishers of modelling, woodworking and crafts magazines, are now online retailers and event organisers for hobbyists.
Hobbyist products have often been hard to find and there are many fragmented suppliers. Through publishing magazines, MyHobbyStore learnt about what editorial content inspires a purchase and also how to source products. Hobbyist consumers are highly engaged in their activities and contribute to magazines, online communities and live events.
These skills have enabled MyHobbystore to create an ecommerce business, supplying thousands of products from multiple suppliers. The magazines create the interest and direct the readers to the store. There is a strong focus on customer service, with a dedicated in-house team. Online ecommerce revenues are up by 75% year on year, and make up 80% of all online revenues, with a growing international business.
MyHobbyStore are also developing online communities and offering subscription-based content, including an online TV channel, competitions and digital editions of the magazines. The communities contribute comments and photo albums to the sites.
Owen Davies, CEO, says “we know that content from our magazines drives ecommerce revenue. We have changed the culture of the business from the top down and developed new skills in retail sourcing and merchandising.”
