Problems with Subscriptions

[Chris ChamberlainParticipant @chrischamberlain17567]

[Chris ChamberlainParticipant @chrischamberlain17567]

Hi All,

Has anyone else been experiencing problems getting the Model Boats magazine? As a long time collector, I have recently renewed my subscription (early in January), but have yet to receive anything. I have tried to contact via the subscriptions mailbox, but get no response.I also found last year that more often than not, the magazine is available in newsagents several days before it was delivered. As one of the selling points of a subscription is early delivery of the mag, this seems pretty poor to me.

 

I am never sure whether to give up and go and buy a copy from my local newsagents or hang on in anticipation…

 

Just wondering if I am an isolated case…

 

Chris

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Hi Chris,

 

Sorry to hear you are experiencing problems.

 

First of all, are you contacting the correct Email as this has recently changed? The current address is [email protected] As you live in the UK you could also try telephoning on 08456 777 807

 

It is possible that there has been a glitch with your renewal.

 

This should produce a response. If not then contact Customer Services: [email protected] Tel: 0844 848 8822

 

During last Autumn there were distribution problems which resulted in a delay in delivery of subscription copies but this appears to have been resolved and they are now being received in advance of appearance in the newsagents.

 

I’m afraid I have no access to the subscription system so you will need to pursue your query via the above contacts.

 

Regards,

 

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 24/02/2011 23:45:52

[Mike RaceParticipant @mikerace67320]

I know I posted my earlier gripe about subscriptions in the wrong thread and again my apoligies so I have made sure that this latest ‘let steam off’ is in a more appropriate place. Despite taking out a new subscription at the end of february and then having to take it out again in march as there was ‘no record of my call’ in March I still have yet to see a copy or a gift. I tried to remain patient but by this issue I got fed up seeing the latest issue in WH Smiths but not on my doorstep. I emailed customer services at the end of last week and got a reply today. The reply thanked me for my phone call from last week (I didnt make a call) and thanked me for my new subscription. They confirmed that they will now process my Direct Debit for the end of May now they have my bank account details following my phone call on 13th May (what phone call I never made one this time I was patient or did the missus slip smething into my tea?) they kindly told me I will get my first copy sometime after the first direct debit payment has been taken next month and I will get my gift in a short while after that. I understand how Bill Murray felt in groundhog day. How on earth can something so simple be so difficult??? I have politely suggested that this isnt really working and perhaps it would be a good idea if I just forgot about my subscription and they forgot about my direct debit. Technically I suppose I cant cancel it because I am still not a subscriber!! I look forward to an email in a couple of days thank me for ringing to order my new subscription to Crotcheting for Bosuns Mates!!

 

 

 

[Mike RaceParticipant @mikerace67320]

Well I came home tonight to find a parcel waiting for me!! No magazine but I couldnt believe that I had actually at long last got my transmitter case. And I hadnt. I had got a precision craft knife set. Unbelievable. I called subscriptions and very politey asked what was going on. The person on the phone apologised profusely for not actioning my subscription requests in February, March April etc and accepted they had messed up. She also accepted that the only reasonable course of action was for them to cancel my direct debit and forget about subscribing as she was at a loss to explain how they keep messing it up and she couldnt guarantee that they could supply a tx case as advdertised way back in February and given the history she didnt know when I would actually get a magazine as they had messed the whole subscription up she didnt know where everything actually stood. She did promise to send me a freepost label to return my craft knife set so it looks like the only thing coming through my door is a gift I didnt want and a label to send it back. So there you go. What can one say? Chris you are not alone I can testify to that and really you really couldnt make this up.

[derfledermauseParticipant @derfledermause]

Is anyone else having problems with the subscription department?. I subscribed to the Model Boat Magazine and payed for a one year subscription. I received a letter dated June 23 2011, asking if I would like to take out a direct debit subscription, this letter indicated that “With a direct debit subscription, we will split your payment over the year, debiting your account on a quartely basis”. I responded in the afirmative. I received another letter dated July 7 2011 stating that I must confirm my details, which were correct, but that a one off payment of £39.95 would be taken every 12 months. This is NOT what I signed up for. I immediately telephoned the subscription department and explained the problem and asked for verification of terms of contract. I was told that I would be telephoned a reply, it never came that day. I then emailed the subscription department for verification on the 14 July and at this time, no reply. The Model Boat Mag is excellent but the mistakes made by the subscription department are becoming a nonsense.

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

If you are having unresolved problems with subscriptions (which are dealt with by a separate company), then you should contact MyHobbyStore Customer Services [email protected] Tel: 0844 848 8822 and ask them to sort out the problem for you.

 

Regards,

 

Colin

[Paul Molyneux 3Participant @paulmolyneux3]

Hi there derfledermause,

my name is Paul Molyneux and i am Subscriptions Manager at My Hobbystore. Please accept my apologies for the confusion with your direct debit subscription. Unfortunately there is only an annual direct debit option for Model Boats magazine and this should have been reflected in the letters you have received. We do not offer a quarterly direct debit option with this title. The best email for customer service subscription queries is [email protected] and the direct telephone number to call is 08456 777 807. Should you wish to contact me direct you can do so at [email protected]

Regards,

 

Paul

[derfledermauseParticipant @derfledermause]

Mr Molyneux,

If this is indeed correct, how many more subscribers to this excellent magazine have been hoodwinked?.

If needed, I can put a copy of the letter onto the forum.

The Model Boat magazine is excellent and the editorial team should be commended for outputting it, but with a mill stone around their neck of myhobbystore subscription department.

I will admit that I feel wrong having to output a post of this nature, onto what is a very informative forum who’s members have helped me a great deal in the past. However, this mistake by the subscription department is despicable and it would be interesting to see how many more subscribers received these letters?.

derfledermause.

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

derfledermause.

I think the best thing for you to do would be to send a copy (scan) of the letter to Paul Molyneux. As I said above , subscriptions are managed by a separate company and not by MyHobbyStore.

 

Posting the letter on the forum will not resolve the situation whereas Paul is in a position to do something about it.

 

Regards,

 

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 25/07/2011 21:42:24

[derfledermauseParticipant @derfledermause]

Mr Bishop,

I have indeed emailed Mr Molyneux a copy of the letter and emailed the subscription department, I talked to them by telephone this morning and have demanded either an apology or a subscription that contains quartely withdrawalls as the letter stated.

This is my final posting on this subject with one point to note. Other model boat sites have legal gagging orders on them to stop people posting their responses to the many mistakes being made by this subscription department. That says it all does it not.

Thank you,

derfledermause.

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

derfledermause.

 

Your statement that:

 

Other model boat sites have legal gagging orders on them to stop people posting their responses to the many mistakes being made by this subscription department. That says it all does it not.

 

Is totally incorrect and untrue and you should not post statements that suggest this. No ‘gagging orders’ have been issued. MHS simply expressed concern that unsubstantiated and inflamatory comments were being made on anothe site without appropriate moderation as a result of which the site owner took the decision to remove all discussion on the subject. MHS do not object to disussion as long as it is factual and expressed in a reasonable way.

 

The moderators of all internet forums, including this one, have a responsibility to ensure that discussions are conducted in a civilised way and that inaccurate statements are withdrawn or corrected when attention is legitimately drawn to them. Should they not do so then there is obviously the potential for legal action to be taken where unsubstantiated defamatory comments are allowed to stand. There are plenty of examples of this outside the model boating world.

 

In this instance you clearly have a genuine complaint and this is being addressed by Paul Molyneux directly with yourself. As I have already pointed out twice before, the ‘Subscriptions department’ is a separate company from MyHobbyStore and acting on their behalf. It appears that a genuine mistake has been made by them and this is now being corrected hopefully to the satisfaction of yourself and anyone else affected.

 

Colin Bishop

Website Editor.

[derfledermauseParticipant @derfledermause]

Mr Bishop,

I apologise to you and I will not post on this subject again.

derfledermause.

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Thank you, I understand that the matter has now been resolved to your satisfaction and the error on the part of the subscriptions company acknowledged.

 

The important thing is that you should continue to enjoy the magazine.

 

Regards,

 

Colin

[G_N_RParticipant @g_n_r]

Hi all.

After years of buying print copies of Model Boats. I decided to subscribe to the digital version, my wife happy no magazines gathering dust waiting for me to fall off my perch so she can dump them in the recycling bin.

Last week I took the plunge, filled out the online form, my details and credit card accepted.But no acknowledgement from Model Boats confirming subscription or which issue it will start.

Is this just bad communication or error within the system as I cannot email Model Boats using the addresses on the website.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Lcm6,

I assume you are in the UK?

Initially try emailing the agency who deal with subscriptions:

[email protected]

otherwise try Customer Services:

[email protected]

Give them as much detail as you can, name, address, when you took out the subscription etc. to help them resolve your query.

I'm afraid that I only edit the website and forum and cannot directly assist you with subscription queries.

Regards

Colin Bishop

[G_N_RParticipant @g_n_r]

.

Hi Colin

I live Bournemouth UK.

I tried those via the contact us link. My emails were returned as unable to deliver.

Have also tried with your links. error message cannot deliver.

My posting on the forum was to see if others had a similar experience and how they overcame the problem with email contact.

Regards.

Brian.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Lcm6

There is a phone number for Subscriptions (UK New, Renewals and Enquiries) – 01858 438798.

Dave M

[G_N_RParticipant @g_n_r]

Hi Dave.

I did see that but a slight problem. I’m 76 and hate the telephone.

Reason difficulty hearing so anyone with a regional accent or mumbles just makes me more frustrated.

If I haven’t had a conformation by the end of the week I will forget it altogether.

Thanks for your help Colin & Dave.

Regards.

Brian.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Brian,

I don't like telephones either as I am deaf too!

The links I gave you should work but I have repeated your problem to Customer Services myself and hopefully that will produce a response .Obviously, there has been a glitch of some type somewhere along the line!

Colin

[G_N_RParticipant @g_n_r]

Thanks again for your help Colin. I will try the email links again if it works I will let you know.

Brian

[G_N_RParticipant @g_n_r]

Hi Colin

I have checked my bank a/c payment not taken.

Puzzling as when I filled out the online form, my payment method had been accepted everything ok even to the final submit subscription. As previously I cannot contact using any of the email links, I only get this message.

Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed.

This week I have subscribed to two other magazines, both are different publishers, not a problem.

So is this MyTimeMedia or an error my end?

Regards.

Brian.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Brian,

I have no idea!

If you are doing a copy and paste of the link, try typing it in as an email address instead. I am not aware of any other instance where the problem you are describing is happening. The only other thing I can suggest is that you go to the subscriptions page and select the pay by post option. This gives you the address to write to to make a postal application for a subscription. Obviously you will need to give your full details and specify which subscription offer you want and then enclose a cheque for the appropriate amount. Hopefully that will work!

I appreciate your difficulties with the phone – is there anyone else who could telephone on your behalf?

Regards,

Colin

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Brian

I found this on the Internet which may solve your problem:

It's possible that Windows Live Mail is the default program for your E-Mails but not for links to E-mail links within Internet pages. In the "Search Programs and Files" in your bottom left, type "Default" then click "Default Programs" when it comes up and click "Windows Live Mail" and then on the right side of the window check for where it says "Set Default Programs," set this as your default program.

Hope it helps.
Dave M

[Author]

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