# Rude magazine tactics?



## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

We just received a renewal notice from a very popular sportsman's magazine. The subscription hasn't even expired yet (even though they start bugging you almost a year before it does expire), but this is what we got from them:

_"Mr. XXXX XXXXXX,

Four times I have written to you requesting payment.
Four times you have ignored my requests.

Your subscription to FXXXd and SXXXXm has been stopped and only immediate action by you can start FXXXd and SXXXXm coming again. Pay the seriously overdue invoice enclosed, and we'll reinstate your subscription and upgrade your credit status.

Please take care of this urgent matter right away.

XXX XXXXX
Assistant Circulation Director"_

I was going to renew this subscription, but not now....  
Are more mags going to this rude tactic? I thought they were supposed to be nice to the customer.... ](*,)
I'm also going to let them know what I think of their tactics in trying to keep cusomers.


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## Jason Baliban (Feb 21, 2005)

Mags are worthless anymore!!! I get FAMU.....they took the sunken gardens out!!! HAHAHA Online forums, make mags obsolete!!!
jB


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## Erirku (Oct 5, 2004)

I think you have every right as a human being to pay when it is due. NOT, when their asking a year ahead of a payment! Thats absurd. If I were you, I would definietly call them, and ask for the person who wrote to you and bitch my head off. At the end, I would tell them "How rude of you to do this, when It's not even due yet! Just to let you know, I want my money back, I was totally dissatisfied with your customer service, and NO, I'm not renewing my fee" Hopes this helps, and best of luck. Eric.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

Take a good look at the offering, chances are it is from a 3rd party that sells subscriptions in bulk. Be aware of their tactics as they will bill you forever with automatic recurring billing you didn't realize you agreed to in the very small print, once they have your information. National Credit Audit Corporation is the worst of the lot. They prey on your credit fears by threatening to report you for non-payment.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

How can it be a urgent matter if its just a renewal notice, you have already paid for what you are getting anyway.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Yes the notices to renew before the expiration of the original subscription is a scam that should be illegal.

My family gets swamped with about 20 such notices every week. All are from high quality cooking and home decorating and architechture magazines. None of them stays clear of the dirty scam. All of them shout that we are in a big trouble if we don't act now.

The scam is simple:

It's based in the fact that people seldom remember when their subscription expires. When you get the first obnoxious notice (or when you get sick of getting them) you go ahead and renew the subscription. That usually happens BEFORE the original subscription has expired.

Say you've subscribed to a monthly magazine. When you renew for a year you are supposed to receive 12 issues PLUS whatever ussues you have left from the original subscription.

This is where you loose. You LOOSE the issues that are to be received from the original subscription. You receive only 12 issues, NOT 12 + what's left from the original subscription.

The magazine continues to spam you of course. If you renew again you loose some more issues.

That scam makes a lot of parties win - the editor, the reseller, the printer, the post office. Two parties loose - you and the trees that are used to print tons of scam notices.

My advice is to pick only a few magazines that you really find worth it. Calling or writing letters to stop the obnoxious notices achieves nothing but at least they will be a manageable number.

--Nikolay


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

I think so much of advertising/marketing has become dirty like that. UGHH! I am also very unhappy with groups that automatically renew one's subscription by using the same credit card. McAfee did that to me last year. They better not do it to me again because I've switched to PC Cillin...


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

As Garfield would say...advertising agents should be drug out into the street and shot. Ah, the good 'ole days when cartoons were violent.


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