"Quilt" magazine and their strongarm renewal tactics
01-22-2011, 09:41 PM
#191
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Madison Heights, MI
Posts: 1,069
I would call them and let them know what a disappointment their magazine was and that you belong to several forums and you will let all those quilting members about your bad experience with them.
01-22-2011, 09:54 PM
#192
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Portland, OR via Hawaii
Posts: 1,342
Originally Posted by Eddie
I subscribed to "Quilt" magazine back in January 2010 for one year, and decided to let the subscription lapse when it came up for renewal. They sent several reminders to renew, etc., all of which I ignored.
Today, I get this in the mail from them:
This makes my blood boil when I see companies use threats and intimidation like this, simply because someone choose not to renew their subscription. GRRRRRRR!!!!
Today, I get this in the mail from them:
UNPAID ACCOUNT
WE HAVE SENT YOU FOUR INVOICES AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU YET.
EITHER:
(1) PAY YOUR BILL OR
(2) CALL US AT #800-866-2886 TO TELL US WHY YOU HAVE NOT PAID.
OR WE WILL PLACE YOUR NAME ON OUR BAD PAY FILE.
P.S. If you have sent payment within the last two weeks, please disregard this notice.
WE HAVE SENT YOU FOUR INVOICES AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU YET.
EITHER:
(1) PAY YOUR BILL OR
(2) CALL US AT #800-866-2886 TO TELL US WHY YOU HAVE NOT PAID.
OR WE WILL PLACE YOUR NAME ON OUR BAD PAY FILE.
P.S. If you have sent payment within the last two weeks, please disregard this notice.
I have subscribed to a number of magazines and have also decided to stop renewals of several. I have never gotten a notice like what you posted...and I'm really wondering if it's actually coming from them or maybe a scam.
The reason I say that is I have never had any magazine use the term "bad pay file".
I wonder if the publishing company has a 800 number printed in their magazine? I would really be curious as to whether this is really comeing from them or nor.
I have been getting renewal notices for some of my magazines from "Publishers Billing Exchange" which I refuse to deal with. I simply wait until I get a "Last Issue" notice from the particular magazine if I'm renewing.
That notice really sound very, very fishy to me.
01-22-2011, 10:28 PM
#194
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 786
Mine is up for renewal with Quilt also and I keep getting the notices. I did receive a magazine with the last one and was surprised to see that if I renew I will have to pay $4.00 more for my subscription than if I were to order the magazine from the card that is inside the mag. Go figure, I guess being a previous and current customer isnt worth as much to them as being a new one. This has made me decide to not renew.
01-22-2011, 11:23 PM
#195
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,611
I have had the same problem with Country Cooking and Fons and Porter. Country cooking offered a free magazine with no strings attached. If I didn't want the magazine just send back the post card saying no and that would be that. Well it wasn't. I sent the No card back and they sent a bill. I sent it back and they sent another bill. I sent that back and then I got a third that stated that it was the third time they had sent the bill. I wrote on the bill that it was the third time I said NO and don't send any more bills becasue I don't want the magazine. With Fons and Porter it was a DVD program. They would send them monthly for a price for each. It stated that since I hadn't asked for the first one I could consider it a gift and keep it. So I did. The letter said nothing about letting them know I was not interested and was keeping the gift. Well, after 3 or 4 months of statements, I sent an email and explained very nicely that I wasn't interested because I was busy taking care of my husband with his cancer and chemo. I told them the letter didn't state I had to let them know anything and it was a gift because I didn't ask for it. I got an email back stating that I would get no more of anything in the future and yes I could keep it as a gift. Sorry this was so long, but I got aggravated earlier today when the college I attended in my 30s called today wanting money. I'm in my 60s now. You would think I'd be off their calling list.
01-23-2011, 04:58 AM
#196
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 7,050
hey you NY/NJ gals - I am a meek and mild irish/italian american from NE and when I am going to give someone Heck on the phone, My DH pulls up a chair and says Can I listen?? He gets a big kick out of me reading the riot act to someone on the other end.
01-23-2011, 06:05 AM
#197
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 383
Originally Posted by Janet Espeleta
I had a similar thing happen to me with McCalls Quilting. They sent a "bill" in a yellow envelope with big black writing on the outside stating that my service was going to be cancelled if I didn't pay! Then inside it was just a solicition for me to renew. I was furious & wrote to them about it! Of course, I never heard back. Then last yr I received a cd from Fons & Porter that contained patterns of quilts that were on their show. The cd clearly stated that the 1st one was free and they hoped I would order more in the future. I received no less than 5 dun notices to pay for the free cd. Due to that I'm no longer going to subscribe to their magazine. Unfortunately I think the majority of these mags are now owned by the same publishing company & that is why the same scare tactics are being used. Also, I have never heard of any magazine that has automatic renewal system in place and I sure wouldn't do business w/one that does. The law clearly states that if you receive something in the mail that you did not order you also do not have to pay for it. The postal regulations considers this a free gift. I finally returned the "free" cd because I didn't even want it in my house. I still received 2 dun notices for payment after I did that.
01-23-2011, 06:13 AM
#198
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 383
Originally Posted by King's Daughter
Originally Posted by BettyGee
Good for you! I've had problems with Cook's Illustrated to the point where I wanted to go to Vermont and throttle the dude with the bow tie. They charge a fortune for the magazine and act like they are the absolute word in the world of cooking magazines. It is cooking, not brain surgery and then when I didn't respond to all the mail they called me.
01-23-2011, 07:20 AM
#199
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Clemmons, NC
Posts: 1,055
Originally Posted by Eddie
I called them just now and gave them an earful of what I thought of it. They apologized, said it was a form letter, blah, blah, blah. I told them to cancel me and to never contact me again.
01-23-2011, 07:59 AM
#200
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,924
Originally Posted by christina bennett
I don't want to hurt the magazine compaines but! At the news stand you can browse,get only the ones that you will use and no hassle a year later.
Myself,I like to be thrifty. The older magazines at the thrift have the same New patterns. I have a book from 1940 and I have found the same patterns listed as New on the stand.
Christina B
Myself,I like to be thrifty. The older magazines at the thrift have the same New patterns. I have a book from 1940 and I have found the same patterns listed as New on the stand.
Christina B
Blessings,
MaryAnna
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