No Wonder They're Dying
 

I cancelled my subscription to the local newspaper after they started charging me for 26 weeks three times a year. Multiple calls revealed that they had "special editions" at a much higher price that ate up my balance. I complained that the rate advertised for 26 weeks was false advertising. I finally cancelled after they couldn't tell me what 26 weeks would really cost.

Against my better judgment, on 2/14 I signed up for Sunday only delivery. The special editions are on other days of the week, so I figured I would actually pay the advertised rate. I mailed a check along with the form. I got my first paper last Sunday.

Today, I got a letter in the mail advising me that I still needed to pay for my subscription. WTF? I sent the check with the form. Clearly they got the form. My bank indicated that the check had not been cashed.

I called them, angry. Apparently their customer service department consists of snarky millenials (it reminds me of PARF). The customer disservice rep told me that I needed to pay. I explained that I already had, what did they do with my check? He asked when I sent it. I explained (again) that I sent it with the form. Clearly they got the form. He said that he would put a note on my account that the check was on the way. I said no, they already had the check. What did they do with it? He said that if they had the check they would cash it, which they hadn't. I explained (for a third time) that the check was mailed with the form, and I know they had the form, so what did THEY do with my check? He said they didn't have it but he would put a note on my account that it was on the way. I hung up.

I'll give them time to get their crap together, but I'm not sending them another check for the same 26 weeks. Either they find my check and cash it or if they complain again, I'll stop payment on the check I sent and let my subscription lapse. This is pretty basic stuff they can't seem to handle.

They’re in the death spiral.

With declining revenues, their service gets worse which leads to more cost cutting, less quality leadership and training which leads to dissatisfaction which leads to a further decline in revenues.


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You probably already know this - but in cases like that - you should ask for the CSR's supervisor.

May not help but your options are limited so worth a try.

I haven't subbed to a newspaper in eons. Don't have time to read it.

My 97 y/o Mom still gets hers every day. And reads it. With her coffee.

I still have to email her the info on when the Gator games play - what time - what channel. :)

wtf wrong thread

I was thinking about news papers earlier today. Who gets them for ‘news’ these days? The interwebs are far quicker for providing up to date news coverage than a news paper could possibly be. So what’s left? Advertisements and public interest stories...

We get a news paper at work. I see one guy read it sometimes. That’s it.

We subscribed for years but the delivery became totally unreliable.

We switched to the online version. I read it on my computer now as a PDF. They do have more local based news and of course most important the comics! ;)

The paper is a sad shell of what it once was. It still has worthwhile stories and more depth to some stories than other sources.

Subscribe to the WSJ. It's the only paper I can read anymore.

only one left that is worth a damn

We still subscribe to our local paper because it does have news stories about local happenings. Some of the columnists have a good insight into what is happening with developments downtown, and businesses in general.

The TV news will spend maybe 60 seconds on a story, but the paper usually has much more information about a story.

Have not had a subscription basically since we moved to TX.

I still enjoy a physical newspaper but the local rags, even the big one, all suck.

Maybe you should write a "Letter To The Editor" Chris. Or do they still have those anymore?

Our paper does.

I subscribed to a couple different magazines, but received maybe a quarter of them.

(I wouldn't rule out USPS delivery taking them also. They are batting about 90% here.)