Are subscription magazines a con?

GGizmo

GGizmo

GGizmo

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I'm probably one of a small number that still subscribe to a physical magazine via an online subscription. The current one I subscribe to is WebUser being sold by Dennis Publishing.

I've been considering letting the subscription run out. I usually pay via paypal for a years worth of editions. So at this time of year they have been hassling me via letters to renew and giving me all kinds of offers.

Today after attempting to buy another magazine from a different online vender a few days ago and getting no where, I decided I'd renew this one.

So the letter says login to my account using the customer number. Select Renew. Enter offer code, then select my payment method. Sounds simple? Nope. I go to their website, login, select renew and it asks me my payment method. No chance to enter the offer code. It had shown me the price already so I've no doubt if I had clicked yes from paypal it would have charged me the price with no offer. So I've gone no further.

The other magazine I was going to buy is being sold by Future Publishing. I was going to buy the Retro Gamer magazine. It had lots of payment methods and I was hoping to buy 12 months worth via the paypal option. I selected the option for 12 months, clicked ok for payment options, and the next screen was telling me how to sign up via direct debit! No other option. It was all direct debit. I hardly ever setup direct debits for anything none essential, certainly not for a magazine. I retraced my steps back twice to make sure I hadn't made a mistake. Then I looked online and noticed a lot of people were having trouble cancelling the direct debit as they weren't even sending the magazines out on time. I emailed them and they acted like I hadn't selected the right option and they give me a link that allowed me to pay by paypal.

I can't help but think these web publishing companies are trying to pull a fast one, or have incompetent website designers, trying to make people pay more money than they should have, or trap them in to a direct debit commitment.

I did buy my mum a 12 months subscription to her magazine for Christmas, then got an email from them (Great Magazines) recently saying the subscription was about to expire! The first magazine was supposed to be delivered today, the 7th, yet its not arrived. It says in the original email when I ordered that it can take up to 15 working days. I'll update this message if it arrives, though I think I'm going to end up having to contact them.

Sorry for the rant guys, I'm sure there isn't many on the forum even buying physical magazines these days. On these recent experiences I can understand why as they don't make the experience of subscribing or renewing a pleasant experience!
 
I actually subbed to 2 magazines this week. First time since 1997, digital editions going for 33% off the usual price. It was good timing.
 
i used to sub to about half a dozen+ mags. back in the day Your Sinclair, then I (this is kind of pre-web/just begining web) what hi fi, pc pro, pc zone, pc plus, t3, fhm ,maxim probably more i've forgotten. The web makes most of all these irrelevant now. Not that it's not good to have a printed material of course, but, the sense of community, the serialised howtos, and tutorials, ongoing correspondence, in-jokes, letters pages it all seemed much more smaller and tight knit. The web has removed this and now it's essentially just another bit of text to read. I mean I'm here right now posting stuff online. In the past people would have written actual letters and awaited their publication in the coming months! Anyone remember pczone forums from about 96/97 era ?
 
Many years ago I was subscribed to New Scientist and PC Zone, I stopped with New Scientist when they posted some borderline political pieces and PC Zone unfortunately closed down.

PC Zone in my opinion was the last of the 'good' gaming mags, the same company that owns PC Gamer bought them and then shut the doors from what I understand. They were pretty edgy and not afraid to take the pee, once they were gone I've not really bothered with mainstream gaming media since.
 
I signed a subscription at discount price that came with a great free gift (something i needed and worth ~£70) after 12 months it auto renewed at full price, they do not remind you of this and full amount taken for 12 months in one hit. I spotted this within a day or two, but couldn't get the money back. Lesson learnt for me.
 
As long as they hadnt shipped anything shoudl be well within your rights to cancel.
If they kick up a fuss then just do a DD indemnity claim
 
malachi said:
I actually subbed to 2 magazines this week. First time since 1997, digital editions going for 33% off the usual price. It was good timing.
Click to expand...

Same, i signed up for a digital copy of a trail running magazine. Was only £18 for the year and came with a free head torch that i needed!

I've really enjoyed reading the first magazine and contemplating signing up for others.
 
I was looking looking to sub to retro gamer actually. Just waiting for a decent offer on their FB page.

Saw one of their "arcade specials" in WH Smith's. It was £10. Lol'd and left.
 
Zatoichi.uK said:
Saw one of their "arcade specials" in WH Smith's. It was £10. Lol'd and left.
Click to expand...

i see this a lot in this thread. I think while it seems a lot for a magazine(5.99+ etc) i dont think its actually more expensive in real terms than its ever been? Im sure pc zone was 3.99/4.99 in the 90’s (20+ years ago folks! ) i used to buy Atari st magazines and the were defo 4.99 and i thought that was expensive at the time, evan as a schoolboy.
 
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