Rodney

I have noticed a number of magazines sending out requests for renewal much in advance of the day the present subscription expires. This riles me a bit, why should I pay a year in advance of the end of my current subscription for renewal? In this particular instance it is Model Airplane News requesting a send renewal money when my subscription does not expire until March of 2007. They are not the only company doing this, I think it is morally wrong for them to sucker (for those who do not keep accurate records of expiration notices) money nearly a year in advance.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

I can totally relate and indeed got had by Model Airplane news. I was in the middle of an annual subscription with them and my son brought home a fund raiser from school. I filled out the form and very clearly checked the box for a subscription renewal. In about a month I was getting 2 issues of the magazine. I called them about it and I never did get it squared away. I do know that I lost about 4 months of a subscription, hence I will not renew again with them. Good Luck, Dave

rcmiket

Creative accounting?

Chris Moon

My Feedback: (8)

What about RCM sending out for renewals when they knew that they were not going to produce any more issues. I know they got me for $50 and now won't refund it.....been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting etc.............

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

ual767.....YOU'VE been waiting..... Have a long story for you....

Chris Moon

My Feedback: (8)

You mean when they told me that it would take 2weeks to get my refund that they were lying??? I have no expectation to get my money back just like they had no intention to perform their part by sending out magazines. The bottom line is to never pay far ahead of time just in case someone feels its ok to rip you off and keep your money.

RCFlyer

When that happened to me I started checking my lables to see when my
subscriptions expired then threw the renewal away.[]
The problem is that one publisher will take care of several magazines.
I was lucky that I didn't renew my subcription to RCM. It had
expired in June 05 the last issue published.

Clarence

KW_Counter

Rodney,

There is a term we accountants like to use, it is "the time value of money".
The longer they have your money the more valuable it is to them.
The longer you have it the more valuable it is to you.
As the expiration date gets closer they seem to get more creative in trying to get you to renew.
The discounts get better.
Also, their advertising rates are based on the their units sold.
The more subscribers the more they can charge their advertisers.
This makes it doubly more important for them to get you to renew, the sooner the better.

To you people who are owed money by RCM (good riddance in my opinion) check and see if they have filed for bankruptcy.
If they did you may have to file with the courts to get your money back. And if this is the case, don't expect it all back.

Good Luck,
KW_Counter

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

Divide that out and it's only "pennies a day."

Azcat59

KW Counter is right, it is all about cash flow. If they can sucker you into paying a year early, that's five percent or better they will earn on your money before they spend anything to produce the mags you ordered.

My wife's quilt magazines are really bad. I imagine a lot of little old grandmas don't keep track, and end up paying several years ahead when they keep getting the "panic" billings, warning that the subscription is about to expire. But I get even with the ones that include a return envelope with the postage paid on it......I just send it back to them full of all the junk mail we get, like fast food, carpets cleaned, oil changes at a discount, Chinese food, discount dental work, etc. They have to cough up the postage on this when they get it, by weight, I have been told. Sure makes me feel good!

Clair

Grampaw

I got into a similar thing with Reader's Digest some years back. I must have had some time on my hands one night because I sat down and went through a bucnh of mail and found the notice from the Digest. I checked back and found I had paid, then checking the Expiration date on the mailing label showed they owed me over a year's issues! I never paid any more of those notices and when the final Expiration Date rolled around I quit them. Had a couple attempts from other sources but the Digest thing taught me to pay attention.

I almost got into the same thing with MAN until I checked my label, then let my subscription expire. One day while in a supermarket went to the magazine sales rack and found the latest issue of MAN. Thumbed through it and found one of those Subscribe Now! inserts, you know "One Full Year's Subscription for only $19.95!" I filled it out, and sent it in and got me another year for $19.95. Had I stayed with my original subscription I'd have paid $24.95. Now it is even more! I kept that up for a few years till I got tire of MAN. The first subscription was under my Middle Name, the next was my Nickname, the last was my wife's name. One time I picked a magazine with no Subscription Insert in it. I panicked! I ran from one store to another until I found one! I think that's when I quit.

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

Another thing about early renewels, whenever a magazine you already subscribe to has a special new customer offer or contest to increase subscribers, as one that's already subscribed you get left out of the contest or promotion. Better to let the subscription expire and renew a bit later.