Author Topic: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map  (Read 2811 times)

alan de enfield

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The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« on: 07:50:08, 10/09/18 »

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/09/uk-worst-selling-map-empty-landscape-ordnance-survey-os440-glen-cassley




UK’s worst-selling map: The empty landscape charted by OS440


Ordnance Survey  now sells 1.7m paper maps a year (an increase on previous years) but is coy about sales of individual maps “for reasons of commercial sensitivity”. However, it recently revealed that its most popular map – Explorer OL17 of Snowdonia and Conwy Valley – sells about 180 times more copies than its worst seller, Explorer map 440: Glen Cassley and Glen Oykel. In other words, for every person who uses a map to explore the waterfalls and moorland of these two glens, there are 180 who would rather make the most of the crags and tracks of Snowdonia.

jimbob

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #1 on: 08:33:01, 10/09/18 »
Just ordered 440 out of curiosity.  ;D
Too little, too late, too bad......

vizzavona

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #2 on: 08:40:17, 10/09/18 »
The OS 440 area....The perfect misanthropist's haven.
More of the empty lands  for your money if you buy the 1:50,000 map of the area perfect for a visit to Ben Hee, and other wee ronnies, where from the top the views are very worthwhile. :)

alan de enfield

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #3 on: 08:51:44, 10/09/18 »
Just ordered 440 out of curiosity.  ;D



You have probably just doubled the 2018 sales.

gunwharfman

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #4 on: 10:41:08, 10/09/18 »
Yes, I thought it was a bit of free advertising.

jimbob

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #5 on: 10:41:53, 10/09/18 »
Yes, I thought it was a bit of free advertising.
O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0
Too little, too late, too bad......

richardh1905

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #6 on: 11:39:20, 10/09/18 »
Have often driven through Glen Oykel - beautiful remote country, although not as rugged or spectacular as Assynt further west.
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Percy

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #7 on: 13:14:44, 10/09/18 »
Just ordered 440 out of curiosity.  ;D
Likewise. Orders now tripled. O0

Mel

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #8 on: 13:27:28, 10/09/18 »
So, if jimbob has just ordered 440 and Percy has just ordered 440, that's 880 maps sold.  Does that mean it's no longer the UK's worst selling OS map?  :D


Good effort chaps  ;D !  

alan de enfield

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #9 on: 14:44:13, 10/09/18 »
Yes, I thought it was a bit of free advertising.



I think you mean 'skilful & cost effective Marketing'

bricam2096

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #10 on: 15:24:32, 10/09/18 »
Country Walking magazine did a feature about this in their August edition with different results from the Guardian one.

In the CW mag, the 440 Map was the 10th worst selling map and the worst one was 343 which covers Motherwell and Coatbridge. If you've ever visited the area then you'll understand why no one would want to buy it  O0

Incidentally, the bottom 10 were all in Scotland, many in remote areas.
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alan de enfield

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #11 on: 16:02:11, 10/09/18 »
Country Walking magazine did a feature about this in their August edition with different results from the Guardian one.

In the CW mag, the 440 Map was the 10th worst selling map and the worst one was 343 which covers Motherwell and Coatbridge. If you've ever visited the area then you'll understand why no one would want to buy it  O0

Incidentally, the bottom 10 were all in Scotland, many in remote areas.




I wonder where CW got their map sales figures from - The guardian article quotes OS as saying it is their 'worst seller'


"Indeed, according to the Ordnance Survey its map of Glen Cassley is the least purchased in the entire OS Explorer map series
« Last Edit: 16:06:22, 10/09/18 by alan de enfield »

BuzyG

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #12 on: 00:14:43, 11/09/18 »
I have cycled in that area many years back, on the way up and back to JoG with some mates and on a cycling holiday with my then GF now long suffering wife. Never walked the area though. May have to quadruple sales.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #13 on: 12:15:29, 12/09/18 »
Lets hope that this is not a for warning of the possibility of certain O/S maps being discontinued.
As soon as a leading newspaper highlights the issue, that a particular area of the highlands receives such few visitors, that a map for the area becomes almost unnecessary, its almost inevitable that due to the cost of printing a particular map, its demise may be on the table.

To highlight the continued need for all O/S mapping, however remote the area may be, there was an article in last weeks Western Mail highlighting the specific areas of the United Kingdom, where a mobile signal was non existent.

Most of us take a 3G or 4G signal for granted, but there are areas of northern Ceridigion and Western Gwynedd (Dyffryn included) where there are no phone masts, and very weak mobile signals.

Another area that was in dire need of mobile signal technology, was the Highlands of Scotland.


Using your Smart phone to navigate in the Highlands may be fine for some of us, but unless you can  make a phonecall for rescue using one to navigate may be a waste of time.



They were not specific, but a considerable area of the Scottish highlands are devoid of any 3G signal.

This may be the very reason why the Government owned Public company has not called it a day on certain O/S maps, as without no 440, there would be little chance of rescue for someone who got into difficulty in the area.
« Last Edit: 12:24:57, 12/09/18 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

sussamb

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Re: The UK's Worst Selling OS Map
« Reply #14 on: 13:58:18, 12/09/18 »
Most of us take a 3G or 4G signal for granted, but there are areas of northern Ceridigion and Western Gwynedd (Dyffryn included) where there are no phone masts, and very weak mobile signals.

Another area that was in dire need of mobile signal technology, was the Highlands of Scotland.


Using your Smart phone to navigate in the Highlands may be fine for some of us, but unless you can  make a phonecall for rescue using one to navigate may be a waste of time.

Sorry, your arguments generally confuse me but this one even more so  ::)

How is the fact that you cannot use your phone to make a phone call negate using it for navigation?


They were not specific, but a considerable area of the Scottish highlands are devoid of any 3G signal.This may be the very reason why the Government owned Public company has not called it a day on certain O/S maps, as without no 440, there would be little chance of rescue for someone who got into difficulty in the area.


and how can having a map negate the lack of any 3G signal?
« Last Edit: 14:17:54, 12/09/18 by sussamb »
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