News Corp’s London Times has thought of a creative way to offer new customers a deal on membership to its paper. The Times is dangling a 32GB Nexus 7 tablet for just £50 when you sign up to a £4 per week subscription to its tablet edition. If you do some quick math that would come out to £17.33 per month, for a minimum of 18 months.
That kind of math doesn’t seem right. This would lock customers into an agreement, similar to what we see from wireless phone providers or cable companies. However, there are some perks from this subscription like having the access to as much content as possible on any device. Members also get film screenings and “expert talks.”
That being said, potential subscribers to The Times are better off entertaining other cheaper alternatives. For example, there are options which include access to just the website for £2 per week for a year, with the first three months half price. Customers can also take the basic route by having the newspapers delivered to their house for £6 per week, which includes the tablet app as well.
I guess the question to buyers is, how much do you like the Nexus 7 and The London Times? Is enough to spend £362 in a 18 month commitment?