Magazines@Doorsteps

My name is Anurag Chopra and I am from Chandigarh, India

Here is some info which may be of help to somebody you know to start a small business (with good potential and can be established in a short time)

Well, I started this unique business idea (DoorSteps- Add-on to my existing software one http://www.iicpl.net ) in June 2002 and getting good returns.Here is a brief insight to what i do:

MAGAZINES AT DOORSTEPS

Would it be value for your money if 15 magazines of your choice were delivered every month at your DOORSTEPS for Rs 199 only? (approx $4 a month)

The Doorsteps idea came forth to offer reading material at a nominal price.

From list of 65 magazines the readers have the option of selecting the family favorites. In the deal the father gets the news and business magazines, and mommy gets her home stuff and the young children their career and life style numbers. Basically I am a voracious reader and would often be at odds with my wallet. Spending a grand per month on magazines didn’t make sense. That’s what set me thinking and we(with my partner) rolled out with a software programme that takes care of the logistical monstrosity of managing the circulation of 65 magazines(only Indian publications) over let us say a few hundred subscribers.

Doorsteps launched in Panchkula,India primarily because I lived there and of course one needed to test waters. After the success in Panchkula, Doorsteps was launched in Chandigarh and soon we will be starting in Mohali. Our smart delivery boys turn up at the subscriber’s house every alternate day to pick up the old issue and deliver a new one. And as of today we have over 600 active subscribers and making over $ 1000 per month from this business alone.

We are called Doorsteps, The Home Solutions People because there are tremendous possibilities with a service like this. But we shall discuss those when we come with more add on ideas for similar services.

For now Doorsteps is all about delivering magazines at doorsteps in Chandigarh for a small consideration of Rs 199 per month only.

Regards

Anurag

Hi Anurag,

If I understood your business idea right, then your customers can get a whole range of magazines over a month, though they only get them one at a time. In essence, the magazines are "shared" by many of your customers.

The way I'm thinking about it is that it's a bit like a library, where many people can read a single issue of a magazine. However, in your case, instead of people having to go to a library to actually read the magazine, it gets delivered and then picked up from their homes every few days.

It sounds like a very interesting idea!

I'm glad you are having good success with it. Thank you for sharing! :)

- Dien Rice

Hi Dean,

Thanks for your post.

Yes, You got it right. It is a library with a difference. People get the magazines delivered and exchanged every alternate day at their doorstep.

All a customer has to do is to give 15 magazine choices out of a list of 65 magazines(the ones we see on the news stands) and these 15 are delivered to him one at a time and exchanged every alternate day.

Once we get the choices, we feed it into the software (designed and customised by our team) and the distribution lists are generated everyday by the Computer. Each delivery boy gets his list and goes about doing his job. Well, If the customer feels like keeping the magazine for another two days, he gets only 14 magazines in that month.

Well, the software designed by us is so flexible that any information whether it is the list of magazines, the choice of individual subscriber, monthly payment details etc can be modified ...each and every detail is taken care of.

Incase anybody is interested we are open to the idea of a business association on a revenue sharing basis. We will give a copy of software and initial training on running the business.

Anurag Chopra

> Hi Anurag,

> If I understood your business idea right,
> then your customers can get a whole range of
> magazines over a month, though they only get
> them one at a time. In essence, the
> magazines are "shared" by many of
> your customers.

> The way I'm thinking about it is that it's a
> bit like a library, where many people can
> read a single issue of a magazine. However,
> in your case, instead of people having to go
> to a library to actually read the magazine,
> it gets delivered and then picked up from
> their homes every few days.

> It sounds like a very interesting idea!

> I'm glad you are having good success with
> it. Thank you for sharing! :)

> - Dien Rice

dno
> My name is Anurag Chopra and I am from
> Chandigarh, India

> Here is some info which may be of help to
> somebody you know to start a small business
> (with good potential and can be established
> in a short time)

> Well, I started this unique business idea
> (DoorSteps- Add-on to my existing software
> one http://www.iicpl.net ) in June 2002
> and getting good returns.Here is a brief
> insight to what i do:

> MAGAZINES AT DOORSTEPS

> Would it be value for your money if 15
> magazines of your choice were delivered
> every month at your DOORSTEPS for Rs 199
> only? (approx $4 a month)

> The Doorsteps idea came forth to offer
> reading material at a nominal price.

> From list of 65 magazines the readers have
> the option of selecting the family
> favorites. In the deal the father gets the
> news and business magazines, and mommy gets
> her home stuff and the young children their
> career and life style numbers. Basically I
> am a voracious reader and would often be at
> odds with my wallet. Spending a grand per
> month on magazines didn’t make sense. That’s
> what set me thinking and we(with my partner)
> rolled out with a software programme that
> takes care of the logistical monstrosity of
> managing the circulation of 65
> magazines(only Indian publications) over let
> us say a few hundred subscribers.

> Doorsteps launched in Panchkula,India
> primarily because I lived there and of
> course one needed to test waters. After the
> success in Panchkula, Doorsteps was launched
> in Chandigarh and soon we will be starting
> in Mohali. Our smart delivery boys turn up
> at the subscriber’s house every alternate
> day to pick up the old issue and deliver a
> new one. And as of today we have over 600
> active subscribers and making over $ 1000
> per month from this business alone.

> We are called Doorsteps, The Home Solutions
> People because there are tremendous
> possibilities with a service like this. But
> we shall discuss those when we come with
> more add on ideas for similar services.

> For now Doorsteps is all about delivering
> magazines at doorsteps in Chandigarh for a
> small consideration of Rs 199 per month
> only.

> Regards

> Anurag

Hi !

The average monthly income of subscribers would be between USD $ 600 to $ 800 per month. One USD = INR 47.00.

And anybody whose earnings are over USD $ 500 per month has a decent standard of living in India

regards

Anurag

> dno

dno nfm
> Hi !

> The average monthly income of subscribers
> would be between USD $ 600 to $ 800 per
> month. One USD = INR 47.00.

> And anybody whose earnings are over USD $
> 500 per month has a decent standard of
> living in India

> regards

> Anurag