topic Re: Magazine subscriptions. in Community Chat

Magazine subscriptions.

LisaMofSLC — Sun, 08 May 2022 16:53:43 GMT

I'm an avid reader but rarely read books much, old eyes. I love magazines though. Travel, home, cooking, etc.... I subscribe to several magazines and never had trouble except for a few missing issues. Lately though, it has been a mess. I have TWO magazines that never sent me May/June issues, so I'm having to write them multiple times. Yesterday was the worst. I was balancing my checkbook online and found I had been debited from Country Living for $35!!!. I never authorized that, and they never had passive renewals before. Luckily I had just received my tax refund so had the money to cover but I wrote them, demanding a refund. It could have been a bouncing check disaster as I had just paid a bunch of bills Friday.

Have any other magazines subscribers noticed terrible service lately? I'm ready to stop subscribing and just make bi monthly visits to the bookstore.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

patbz — Sun, 08 May 2022 17:06:39 GMT

I used to subscribe to many magazines but now I have none! I read 3 papers online (Washington Post, NYT, and LA Times) and very occasionally an online article. My 8" Fire is my constant companion.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

BlueFinch — Sun, 08 May 2022 17:12:30 GMT

I only subscribe to two magazines now, that still aren't on auto renewal. If they eventually are, they will be cancelled. I hate that subscription trap.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

ALRATIBA — Sun, 08 May 2022 17:15:58 GMT

I recently cancelled my subscription to New York Magazine .... I had been a subscriber for more than 20 years - bi-weekly. Then - missing issues. I got tired of calling and emailing - so I cancelled just a few months ago. It had a good crossword puzzle, but the rest of the mag was turning out to be really crappy. So - no loss!

I only get a couple of season mags (four issues a year). No missed-issue problems.

Several magazines that I used to get get stopped publishing - a couple were English versions of German magazines and stopped the English issues. They were knitting magazines that I absolutely loved.

--------------------------------------

I'm a book reader - I have two Kindles full of books. Kindles are great for me - I can carry several hundred books in my handbag ... and read whatever I'm in the mood to read, whenever, wherever!

-------------------------------------

BIG PRINT .... With the Kindle - you can easily adjust type size and font. Easy on "old eyes."

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

ECBG — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:14:57 GMT

I was canceling my subscriptions, because even fashion magazines had gotten so political they barely covered the topic they were purchsed for!

I did find by going to the site with the I.D. numbers on your mailing label you can get in to request a refund.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

Spurt — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:36:46 GMT

@LisaMofSLC

Your problem regarding not receiving magazine issues may not lie with the magazine publisher at all----I have two issues of two different neighbor's magazines sitting on my desk that USPS put in the wrong mailbox that I will have to re-deliver!!! 😫

I dont like the pre-renewal of subscriptions....Good Housekeeping was famous for this, I got tired of them and their content became less and less in what I was interested in and liked about the magazine in the past (new editor) I finally canceled it! My aunt had wanted a gift subcription to Good Housekeeping magazine and after my aunt died and I tried to cancel her gift subscription they made that transaction such a hassle and an emotional situation even more so thanks to trying to even reach someone to process the cancelation NEVER AGAIN!!!

The ony magazines I subscribe to now Sports Spectrum, Catster, and Guideposts which I have had no problems with and will continue to subscribe.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

Krimpette — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:55:06 GMT

I only subscribe to Consumer Reports.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

Sooner — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:03:02 GMT

I used to love Victoria and Southern Lady but cancelled them about 4 months ago. Victoria is nothing I'm interested in now--it seems so horribly out of date and tune with today's world.

Same with Southern Lady and Tea Time. Also, I'm not interested in women entrepreneurs at all and there is too much of that. I'm sick of everything being touted as specific to some sub-group of people. And I quit Architectural Digest because of nothing I would ever be interested in.

I look forward to Martha Stewart Living because there are lots of good topics in it.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

Venezia — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:11:04 GMT

I stopped all my magazine subscriptions at least two years ago and the other day I got an offer in the mail. "Good Housekeeping", "Woman's Day" and "Food Network" - all three for a year: $9.99.

I think they're desperate to get readers back, but it had gotten to the point where the magazines were so thin and at least half was just advertising. Plus, they made the print so small. I don't want to have to use a magnifying glass.

Easy pass for me. Every once in a while I get a free copy of GH and it just reaffirms my decision.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

judianne — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:25:43 GMT

I always pay by check for magazine subscription , that way they don't get ahold of your credit card information . That's how they do the auto renewal , they even offer a discount if you renew on line , they want your cc number . I only get renewal notice by mail . No auto renewal for me , it can be difficult to remove .

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

sunshine45 — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:33:56 GMT

i get a ton of magazines because they are so cheap now for a yearly or more subscription. i do not have any on automatic renewal. i either get an email or a letter in the mail when it is time to renew. i have had very few issues with NOT receiving an issue.

i am now having an issue with just one......SOAP OPERA DIGEST. they were delivering it weekly with my newspaper, but since the beginning of the year i had stopped receiving them. i have emailed them numerous times and they finally said that they would begin mailing my subscription again. well, you guessed it......still no magazine, but lots of emails back and forth. they have now sent me a renewal letter. LOL i said no way am i renewing until you get this all straightened out and extend my subscription.

i take them into work to share with customers or give some to my daughter who works in a senior healthcare facility so that the magazines can be shared by others.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

hckynutjohn — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:38:46 GMT

Used to subscribe to many Health and Fitness type magazines. As time went on and their prices rose at the same time my 1994 $$$'s pension decreased in value! To keep up with my $$'s worth less, and the price raises, I dropped all of them. Even dropped our daily local newspaper.

When times get rough with bucks, it's time to cut the non essentials, which I did. My wife? I have no idea if she subscribes to any magazines. I do know she reads Kindle however.

hckynut 🇺🇸

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

1Snickers — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:40:44 GMT

My only subscription now is Better Homes & Gardens. The last few issues are so blurred ! They are using cheaper paper and the price has increased. I won't renew my subscription.
I've noticed the cheaper paper on coupons also.
📘 🔬 🔦💸 🛑

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

Eileen in Virginia — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:17:30 GMT

We dropped most of our magazine subscriptions years ago because I got fed up with continuous renewal notices, many only 6 months into a subscription. As an alternative, we go to the library once a month to read our favorite magazines. It doesn't take that long because most magazines are filled with ads.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

bonnielu — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:25:44 GMT

I don't have any subscriptions. Once I got them simply because THEY were being sent to my husbands office for free. When he retired some of them found their way to my home. But now overtime there are none. I find magazines nothing but one ad after another so I did not bother trying to get them. And I am about to dump my last newspaper subscription as it is only one sided politically.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

LisaMofSLC — Fri, 13 May 2022 18:46:20 GMT

@Spurt

Yes, the magazine person said there are delivery delays. But they're now talking about July/Aug and I still have no May/Jun. Done with subscriptions, I think. My bookstore needs support since it's the last one in this area. Dang Amazon!

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

Spurt — Fri, 13 May 2022 18:58:44 GMT

@LisaMofSLC wrote:
@Spurt

Yes, the magazine person said there are delivery delays. But they're now talking about July/Aug and I still have no May/Jun. Done with subscriptions, I think. My bookstore needs support since it's the last one in this area. Dang Amazon!

@LisaMofSLC

I support my local bookstores too---both used and new books!

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

spiderw — Fri, 13 May 2022 19:14:08 GMT

I love to read and have since I was a young girl. I enjoy going to Barnes and Noble and browsing and finding new books. I used to frequent other books stores which have sadly closed over the years.

I also subscribe to several magazines and do not have problems receiving them. I especially love the holiday magazines which always add to my seasonal fun. I also pass on the magazines to others who appreciate them. I only stopped subscribing to certain magazines which were more for a younger person. I also receive two newspapers.

I am bored and tired of TV at times but I never get tired or sick of reading whether it be books, magazines or newspapers.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

traveler — Fri, 13 May 2022 20:06:04 GMT

I was recently notified that Entertainment Weekly will be out of print so I would receive People magazine. Immediately canceled because I don't care to read about UK royal family or the Kardashians. I have already deposited the refund check.

Re: Magazine subscriptions.

LisaMofSLC — Sat, 14 May 2022 04:19:21 GMT

@traveler

Thanks for the heads up about Entertainment Weekly. I used to subscribe, but decided just to look for issues when my movies were coming out. Sad to hear.