The Future of Scott Catalogs - Take The Survey!!

A couple days ago Amos Publishing sent out a survey form via various dealers to survey the philatelic community about how they would like to see the Scott Catalogs organized in the future. The current six-volume general catalog has apparently reached its size limit, and Scott is going to have to choose either to expand the existing format into more volumes or perhaps re-arrange the organization of the catalogs along geographic and historic lines (much as Stanley Gibbons, Michel and Yvert et Tellier already do for their catalogs).

Thankfully the publishers in their email included a link to their survey and permission to share the link, and a kind soul at the Stampboards Forum posted it.  Since this is something that I think every collector who uses Scott catalogs even on a casual basis should be participating in, I have decided to put the link to the survey here below.

Scott Catalogue Collector Survey

It's not a long survey, and at the end you have a chance to register to win a copy of the Scott Classic Specialized Stamp Catalog 1840-1940.

The one thing that the survey does NOT address is the question of digital versions of the Scott Catalogs.  This is a shame, since digital reference really is the future for hobbies such as philately.  Collectors my age (I am 44) and younger are very much wired into the digital world, and really live our lives connected to the internet.

While the survey does not directly address digital versions, it does offer respondants a space to leave further comments and opinions. My suggestion to those who believe Amos Publishing need to bring the Scott Catalogs fully into the twenty-first century is to fill this section out with what you think the optimal digital version of a Scott Catalog would be.

On my part, I suggested the following ideas

1. regional organization similar to SG, Michel and Yvert Catalogs
2. fully functional search feature within catalogs based on keyword
3. clear digital images of all stamps listed, not just one -sample- design as currently in the Scott Catalogs
4. ability to use the product offline for those occasions when one is at a show or bourse and there is either poor Wi-Fi access or none at all.
5. My last suggestion would probably be controversial : allow those who buy the digital version of the catalogs be able to have a low-price point subscription model that would allow automatic updates of content (such as adding new issues once they are given Scott numbers) and the ability to purchase new editions of the full catalog at a reduced price.  This is roughly similar to the model my favorite gaming company, Paradox Interactive in Sweden, follows for its historical strategy game - you buy the game, get free patches to fix errors, access to some free new peripheral content, and then ability to purchase new updated versions with more changed and new content at a price lower than the original game.  This is a model that works well for gaming, and I think would work well here for Amos Publishing to make the Scott Catalogs the best catalog for stamp collectors going forward into the twenty-first century.

In any case, take a few minutes to fill out the Scott survey and let your voice be heard!!