Why Companies Like Mercury and FBM Give Away Free Subscriptions to Magazines

Many people are skeptical about the Free Magazine offers. I COMPLETELY understand why! There are some offers from the magazine publishers themselves where they offer a one free issue -  you accept then you get bombarded with bills and a subscription that you feel you didn't really order. That is because they have fine print that says they will send you the "Free" issue and then they'll send you a bill, plus 11 more magazines over the next year UNLESS you write Cancel on the first bill and send it back by the deadline.

Now. Let's talk about companies like Mercury Magazine & Free Biz Mags. The offers from these companies ARE 100% Free for you and me. If you sign up for a magazine offer from one of these companies, you will not get a bill. Here's why they give you the free subscriptions: Companies like Mercury Magazines and FBM are paid by Trade publications. When you complete an offer for a free magazine like TV Guide, they also get you to sign up for a free digital subscription or mailed subscription to a free trade publication. They are paid by the Trade Magazine Publications to get new subscribers. They are paid per subscriber to the trade publications - the trade publications don't need paid subscribers because they are targeted to specific professions so their advertisers pay for qualified subscribers- this is REALLY hard to explain. For example, the publications for retailers have ads that are directed at retailers. The advertisers know that their targeted audience is reading that magazine because when you sign up at FBM you enter your profession and job title and they determine which magazines would suit you. 

Anyway, to get subscribers for the trade publications, Mercury and FBM offer free subscriptions to a magazine you REALLY want. The free mags like Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Self, etc. are sponsored subscriptions. These companies exist purely for purposes of adding "qualified" subscribers to the Trade magazines and they Good magazines that you really want to read are the lure to get you to sign up for the FREE Trade Publications. Whew. If I made that even more confusing, you can learn more by reading about it on the Slickdeals Free Magazines Forum. I have seen a post about it in the past but couldn't find it tonight. If I do, I'll post it!