Does Handbag pose threat to print?

But her comments carry little weight with staff at the glossies.

Emma Elms, a senior feature writer at Cosmopolitan, believes that women's magazines have plenty of shelf life left in them.

"I don't think online poses a threat to print. It is a totally different medium," she said.

"A magazine is a luxury item, it is tangible and accessible to everyone not just those with PCs."

What women want

Analysts say Handbag is the closest thing on the web to a women's magazine.

But James MacAonghus at Aqute Research points out that as a portal its traffic is quite low.

Women do not need to be considered a special minority on the internet any more

James MacAonghus, Aqute Research

"It is only as a niche site that it can claim to be a real success, but as a niche site its impact will of course be limited," he said.

With women accounting for nearly 50% of the web audience, he no longer sees a need for sites just for women.

"Women do not need to be considered a special minority on the internet any more," he said.

"Indeed if you look at the sites in the US whose audience is mostly female, they are sites that do not target women as women but as people with a particular need."

Advertisers do see the advantage of niche sites like Handbag.

Speculation about the sustainability of online advertising has constantly haunted commercial websites but Handbag has so far ridden the recession.

"The advertising is rolling in," said Ms Djordjevic. "Premium brands realise that they have to put part of their marketing budget into online. They can't ignore it anymore."

Do you think that glossy magazines have had their day? Would you rather look at a website than flick through the pages of a fashion magazine? Tell us what you think.

Considering how much the average women's magazine costs, only to be full of advertisements, I think webzines are the way forward. Handbag.com is a great site and I haven't bought a glossy in months. You couldn't take handbag.com on a 5 hour train journey though, even with a laptop the batteries don't last that long!
Sophie, France

I haven't bought a women's glossy magazine for years, just a waste of money, too many adverts and not enough real substance

Jan, England

I think that websites are a great idea. Magazines are not only expensive but are also difficult to look at during work hours. Websites are much easier to sneak a peak at while you're working and even better, they don't cost anything.
Natalie, United Kingdom

Websites could never replace magazines. There's nothing like flicking through the pages of a glossy. Plus you wouldn't get the little free samples or the annoying leaflets!
Sarah, England

I hate pages and pages of advertisements in glossy magazines. You pay a ridiculous amount of money only to be faced with 50% of the mag devoted to actual interest and the rest being adverts. At least with online mags you can ignore the adverts and find what you want more easily and not having to wade through rubbish first. I think mags have had their day!
Catherine, UK

Women's websites are ok for glancing through and entering competitions but they cannot replace glossy mags

Rachel Palmer, UK

I haven't bought a women's glossy magazine for years, just a waste of money, too many adverts and not enough real substance. Men's magazines are actually far better! However I don't find much worth looking at on the websites either!
Jan, England

Women's magazines will never die. While websites like Handbag.com might attract female web surfers, I don't think they are competing for the same audience as magazines. The web can never offer the same experience - going to a newsagent or receiving a mag through the post, leafing through it, reading it anywhere, anytime. Reading a magazine is more about relaxation. Surfing the web is about searching for information.
Lisa, UK

Women's websites are ok for glancing through and entering competitions etc., but they cannot replace glossy mags. The tiny image sizes and on-screen format itself cannot compete with flicking through big and beautiful spreads in glossy mags. long live women's glossies!
Rachel Palmer, UK

I visit Handbag.com regularly and especially like their discussion forums. You can post any problems or recommendations on there and get responses in minutes. Much more rewarding than writing into a glossy mag.
Jess, UK

I like a bit of both - I'm on Handbag.com while I'm working but I never miss an issue of Cosmo either. I don't think the internet will ever replace magazines - people will always buy them.
Claire, England

Of course the glossies haven't had their day. How the heck would you pass the time in the dentist or the hairdressers! You can't browse a webpage can you? So that will be the cornerstone of the glossy's survival.
Paul, Wales

Women's magazines are pulpy, samey items of luxury and indulgence that I think most women buy as a treat rather than as a bible or something they actually take seriously

Alison, UK

I have to admit that I do not read any of the so called woman's magazines. They are full of clothes I would not be able to wear (I am a size 22) and more over I am not prepared to pay the prices. I like history, reading and science fiction. None of these subjects are ever covered I am expected to like fashion,make-up and knitting and as I don't I am branded a 'nerd'. I get annoyed at adverts for these magazines which state "what every woman wants" and I think oh no they don't and I expect I am not the only one. Why can't we be treated as a equal to the men and be accepted as such and that some of us have different interests other than clothes and make-up.
Donna, England

Women's magazines are pulpy, samey items of luxury and indulgence that I think most women buy as a treat rather than as a bible or something they actually take seriously. I'd much rather relax over a cuppa on my sofa in my own home flicking through a magazine than sitting in front of a PC a work waiting for pages to load and embarrassed by what I am looking at.
Alison , UK

I resent paying excessive prices for glossy magazines that contain only a few articles hidden away between pages of adverts. If I want to read up on fashion/beauty/women's issues etc. I'll be surfing the net for the info in future.
Sarah, , UK

I read websites that cater for my interests, not necessarily my gender

Nicola, UK

If you work on computers all day, you can have too much virtuality in your life. You can't beat having a hard copy in your hand, I say. However, I rarely buy glossies anyway, not because of the price but because they are so far removed from most peoples' real lives. Ugly clothing at overinflated prices, recipes with ingredients nobody ever buys and endless multi-page reviews of hideously priced "miracle" beauty products! Or is it just me?
Ellie, UK

The only time I'd buy a women's magazine is for a train journey if I couldn't get New Scientist or a cycling mag. Maybe I'm not typical, but I read websites that cater for my interests, not necessarily my gender.
Nicola , UK

If glossy magazines were outdated, the "handful of websites dedicated to women's interests" would never come to life. Does it make any difference what the medium is if the content is the same anyway? Absolutely not. There are people loving gawking at sleeky ads and being bossed around by pretentious magazine writers who in six daft bullet-points can teach anybody to handle anything. After all, what else is there of interest to women, right? The result is simple: with a magazine in one hand and a mouse in the other, Bridgets, Susies and Katies will learn to hate their cellulites even more and will seek more and more comfort in digging up stories of the best occasional date of their unknown birds of feather. Give them five more mediums? They will digest them all
Lada, UK

You cannot take a lap top to the toilet with you! You can read a magazine pretty much any where and you can lend it to someone to read too. Computers don't come with smelly samples of perfume. You can't fall asleep in the sun under your computer! I think that webzines are probably most popular with people at work or those who have to spend a lot of time on the computer. I wouldn't sit down and log on just to read a webzine - my desk is not as comfy as my arm chair! But I would agree that magazines are getting a bit pricey, so I don't buy them as often as I would otherwise!
Lydia, UK

I don't think there has ever been a 'need' for websites specifically for women - how patronising!

Rebecca, UK

I'm not a woman, but the comments made here apply to all magazines vs websites - magazines are expensive and quickly out of date, whereas websites are free and regularly updated (at least the good ones are!) as has also been said though, you can't read a website on a train or plane (not yet, anyway)
Tim C, UK

It depends what you are looking for. Some of the websites like iCircle can be very patronising, but so can some of the magazines. Pick out what you like and leave the rest alone. I like parenting stuff so I am on and off the pages of femail.co.uk all the time, but some of the other sections leave me cold.
Becky, UK

I don't think there has ever been a 'need' for websites specifically for women - how patronising! Websites like this do not pose a threat to printed magazines - which you can read in the bath, curl up on the sofa with, take on a long journey etc. and are relaxing to read rather than having to stare at a computer screen. The two are vastly different mediums. I find the idea that women need dedicated sites on the web slightly insulting. However, I shall continue to buy my Cosmos and Marie Claires for those lazy Sunday afternoons.
Rebecca, UK

I too am sick of glossy mags which cost a fortune and are full of ads - often for things that are way beyond the average woman's pocket! I don't think websites will see them off though - remember how 'books' online were going to see off the traditional book? But with the growth of women's websites, free or nominal cost mags from newspapers and stores, I do think they will have to rethink their strategies to retain their readership.
Sara, UK I use websites for particular topics or occasionally to find something interesting, but prefer magazines as I can relax on the sofa or in bed and read, something difficult to do with a computer. Magazines are also more portable, at least for now
Crystin, Scotland

I agree that websites are so easily accessible and there is so much free information. I very rarely buy magazines these days and I used to buy at least one a month.
Isla Craigie, USA

I definitely prefer the web for womens interest issues over print media. This is because it is relatively cheap, it is fast, in fact immediate, there is access to a huge range in all languages and I am not cluttering up my environment with paper. Some of the current sites could do with an image overhaul but, otherwise, I am really pleased with the huge range of information out there.
Fiona, UK

The only time I feel tempted to buy a magazine is if they have a decent freebie on the front of the cover. I'm all in favour of these sort of websites, it seems with glossy magazines the more you pay the less content you get.
Claire, England

Yes, I do like the idea of a website for women like Handbag which is as good as any of the magazines on sale. I have just only found this site and think it is brilliant. However I would still buy a magazine for the competitions and crosswords as I like doing these.
Pam, UK

In this article there is a comparison between readership figures. Magazines are generally thumbed through numerous times and are nearly always read/ viewed by more than on person.
Mark Ethelston, UK

I don't think they're in competition with each other, they complement each other. As I've gotten older my magazine tastes have changed, as has my attitude to the internet. I now use handbag.com for information, entertainment and time out but I'll also take a copy of Glamour on the plane.
Katy, UK

It's just not the same. You can't read a website in the bath
Victoria, UK

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