Demographics

This year, we had 625 valid responses, a little down from last year but that likely reflect a little noise in the data. Given that ~2000 customers participate in initial sales, we are tapping on average 30-35% of them and it's likely that is the expected rate of success for the survey. Keep in mind that 200-300 respondents gives enormous statistical power and while huge respondents makes the surveyor do more work, it does not change any of the answers. As a result, the decision to close the survey usually occurs once a level of 500 respondents has been reached.

Survey respondents continue to age, though the rate of aging is not keeping up with the passage of real time. This means that while the average respondent in this survey is getting somewhat older (and is arguably middle-aged), there is an slow influx of younger customers that is taking the edge off the rate of aging so that it is slower relative to real time. This year's customers ranged in age from 14 to 71 years and ranged the globe with 80% from the US and Canada, 15% from Europe and the remaining 5% from Central America, Asia, Australia, and South America.

DC Archives Consumption continues in a fairly linear manner with the average consumer picking 4-5 editions each year. There is a slight upturn between this year and last (48 on average vs. 41 on average or 7/year) presumably due to the increased selection in 2004 (16 published). It is unfortunate that DC scaled back this year rather than determine if that trend would hold.

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