Magazine Subscriptions...

anikka

anikka

Active member
So we've all accidentally subscribed to magazines while entering sweeps. I usually have been able to unscribe before I even get an issue. But lately I'm fed up with the fact that companies are making changes to their entry forms to make it harder to not subscribe. I am so use to checking to make sure I don't click "yes" on an subscriptions but now they are making us use a separate form. I have accidentally subscribed to 3 magazines in the last week. I'm very annoyed and contemplating writing some nasty emails. Tricking people into subscribing is not a good business practice. I guess atleast they bother to email me now to tell me I subscribed. Yet another reason to sort more carefully through my inbox...
 
:cheers: I only suscribed to 2 this week! I usually wait a week to go to there site to do the unsubscribe that way I usually get a free magazine out of the deal for my trouble! :laughing: Have gotten many for 1 month only and have never been charged for them.
 
I was seriously thinking of posting the same complaint. It's actually stupid of them to do this due to the fact that they are getting tons of accidental subscriptions I'm sure. And of course they are going to get a flood of emails canceling and people receiving free magazines and not paying. :tongue2: I have gotten a few free magazines myself.
 
I was going through the same thing I had 2 subscriptions for the same magazine and when I contacted them they said it was an independent agency and gave me their # and I had to contact them to unscribe. I am seriously thinking I need to stop dealing
with magazines while sweeping.
 
Unfortunately this tactic of theirs pays off in the long run for them.

The whole point is to get the magazine in your home. Once there:


  • [li]45% will look at the magazine and decide they like it and pay for the subscription[/li]
    [li]30% will ignore the bill while continuing to receive the magazine ... later to deal with collectors and ruined credit.[/li]
    [li]20% will actually cancel the subscription. After receiving and reading the magazine.[/li]
    [li]5% will stick their heads in the sand, scream, and kick their feet.[/li]

Of course we all know we are talking about GH and the Hearst Family of quality magazines here. :crazytongue: Their tactics are a little sneaky .... but definately NOT unethical.

The best way to deal with the problem is to read before you click!

It is clearly stated what you are doing. They just assume that if you want their wonderful magazine you must be able to read after all. :crazytongue: :crazytongue:
 
It doesn't bother me, and it's easy to unsubscribe if you accidentally signed up; but it is our responsibility to read what we are filling out before clicking on "Submit".
 
I have also subscribed (accidently) to a couple of magazines. Since then I have been paying more attention. Here's an example of how we are subscribing to these magazines (this is from Redbook under one-times entries, new today (3/25) and it's the grill sweepstakes)

Fill in the fields below to start a FREE trial subscription to Redbook and be automatically entered for your chance to win:

If you like what you see, you'll get 11 more issues (12 in all) for just $5.99 — that's 86% less than others pay on the newsstand. If not, return the bill marked "cancel" and keep the first issue with no obligation. You'll still be eligible to win the sweepstakes.

No purchase is necessary to enter. If you'd prefer to enter the sweepstakes without starting a trial subscription to Redbook or if you are already a subscriber, click here.
 
Oh- who said it's not unethical.... Okay it's NOT until they do sneaky things like the Marie Claire just did....I "accidentally" subscribed because not ALL of their entry screens are the same! Most of them come up, with the usual check box- only a few of them come up with the "by submitting this- etc" so it was really easy to start the trial subscription! grrrrrr

But it's not too bad to unsubscribe after the first trial issue- just send the bill back with unsubscribe, thanks, on it.

But they ARE getting real sneaky about getting you to slip up.
 
This thread reminded me I need to go do the unsubscribe thing to Good Housekeeping from last week :sunny: :sunny:

I know that they are trying to get subscriptions to the magazines, but I not agree with getting them by making the entry form a bit tricky and hoping people do not read close enough.
 
They are getting sneaky about that. With some of them, if we try to change the link to the "no subscription" version, it defaults back to the "subscription" form. I got two or three unwanted subscriptions this week too. When I got the "congrats for subscribing" note, I clicked into the My Account section and told it that I wanted to cancel. That's the quickest way to cancel. If anyone actually gets a bill in the mail for a mag they didn't want, write CANCEL across the bill and send it back. You won't have to pay anything.
 
A lot of times you can't cancel right after you have subscribed because your info is not there yet so then you have to try and go back later to cancel. I have subscribed to a couple in the last month and then it costs me a stamp to send back the bill. :cry:
 
cin said:
A lot of times you can't cancel right after you have subscribed because your info is not there yet so then you have to try and go back later to cancel. I have subscribed to a couple in the last month and then it costs me a stamp to send back the bill. :cry:
Click to expand...

if you get the bill you can usually go online and unsubscribe or I'm sure you could call too. I use to send the bill back but that does cost a stamp and they start to add up after awhile
 
Something to look out for.... Recently I've had a couple of sites that need a code entered (catcha?) to submit your entry. A few it seemed I could never get right the first time, and would have to try again. However, I noticed in one such instance that almost everything on the page stayed the same "except" for the check by the newsletter. I tried it a couple of times, and each time it was the same, it would kick the code, reset the check box, and ask for a new code. If you did not notice, the second time you requested a newsletter. I haven't seen this on a magazine subscription, but you might watch.....
 
UH I did it again. Those sweeps that make you click here if you just want to enter. I guess I will be canceling again.
 
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