Mel On Ice
08-25-2005, 11:10 AM
I received the most recent issue of IFS with T&M on the cover and was surprised upon reading the letters to the editor page that I hadn't recieved the issue with Dorothy Hamill on the cover.
I called to inquire about the issue, and was told it was returned to them because I had recently moved. I asked why it wasn't forwarded since I had had applied with the post office and every other piece of mail had been sent to me. Apparently IFS doesn't subscribe to forwarding but requested the issue be returned to them instead.
So I asked them to send me the missing issue. They were going to charge me $13! I said the payment was taken care of in my subscription, so the issue should either be sent to me at no charge or they should credit me an issue to my subscription to make up for the missing issue.
Their answer? Tough luck. I tell them to take me off their mailing list for future renewals, since I refuse to re-up.
Of course, I get a renewal in the mail yesterday.
I realize this is a small circulation magazine, but it seems they are their own worst enemy in growth.
Subscription prices are ridiculous compared to other niche magazines (I think it was $22/yr or $40/2 yrs);
News on events is outdated;
There's no incentive to loyal customers to extend subscriptions: no price break, no free gift (or if promised, no delivery of said items: 2002 Skating calendar anyone?), even the reply envelope in the renewal wasn't postage paid. And I've subscribed to this magazine since 1998.
The changes that have occured since Mark Lund left are positive and significant. The new layout and design are attractive, there's less outdated info and more informational feature articles on lesser-known skaters. I have enjoyed the "social pages" with the skaters at benefits and competitor's parties (with less Mark Lund), but all these changes don't make up for what I see as a complete lack of business sense in taking care of the customer.
I can't believe I'm doing it, but I won't be re-upping, even with the Olympics coming up. God, I hate this magazine now.
I called to inquire about the issue, and was told it was returned to them because I had recently moved. I asked why it wasn't forwarded since I had had applied with the post office and every other piece of mail had been sent to me. Apparently IFS doesn't subscribe to forwarding but requested the issue be returned to them instead.
So I asked them to send me the missing issue. They were going to charge me $13! I said the payment was taken care of in my subscription, so the issue should either be sent to me at no charge or they should credit me an issue to my subscription to make up for the missing issue.
Their answer? Tough luck. I tell them to take me off their mailing list for future renewals, since I refuse to re-up.
Of course, I get a renewal in the mail yesterday.
I realize this is a small circulation magazine, but it seems they are their own worst enemy in growth.
Subscription prices are ridiculous compared to other niche magazines (I think it was $22/yr or $40/2 yrs);
News on events is outdated;
There's no incentive to loyal customers to extend subscriptions: no price break, no free gift (or if promised, no delivery of said items: 2002 Skating calendar anyone?), even the reply envelope in the renewal wasn't postage paid. And I've subscribed to this magazine since 1998.
The changes that have occured since Mark Lund left are positive and significant. The new layout and design are attractive, there's less outdated info and more informational feature articles on lesser-known skaters. I have enjoyed the "social pages" with the skaters at benefits and competitor's parties (with less Mark Lund), but all these changes don't make up for what I see as a complete lack of business sense in taking care of the customer.
I can't believe I'm doing it, but I won't be re-upping, even with the Olympics coming up. God, I hate this magazine now.