"ACCOUNT NOTICE" STICKER ON RENEWAL OFFER

 Hi,

   I keep getting renewal offers in the mail from Taste of Home and Simple & Delicious that really annoy me.   They come through with big orange stickers that say "ACCOUNT NOTICE" in capital letters on the front, like I'm late paying for a bill or something.  I don't appreciate it, and even though I like both magazines, and am currently subscribed to both, I am seriously considering not doing business with companies that resort to such cheap trickery.   

I totally agree! I now keep a printed copy of each of the subscriptions I get.  I highlight the expiration date.

  They had sent a renewal notice to my mother about her magazine that I was paying for.  Should have been sent to me. All magazines seem to do this and it is terribly annoying.  Especially when the little postcards in the magazine have a better price!  I won't renew anymore....just fill out a postcard and get a new subscription.  Mary

 

I also agree but it seems to be the norm for most magazines these days.  Just think of how much money they could save by not following this practice.  They also put in a renewal notice with the magazine envelope.

I, too, have received many of these.....at first I thought I was to subscribe again and then noticed it says something about a renewal for a friend.......I keep that letter and hi-lite the date so that I know when to pay my subscription. I also have a 94 an 96 year old aunts - I didn't subscribe for them again as if they get these they will surely pay them. I wonder if they do this to trick people into longer subscriptions? They better check on the person who came up with idea and sort them out real quick! I love the magazines and hope they correct this - they don't want to get a reputation as being dishonest. If I get another one I will try to call the company and see what is going on.

Oh it so ticks me off too. I've just started ignoring them because I Know I've all ready paid. I open it up and if it even say's the words "renew for two years" I just chuck it in the trash. I hate it so much, but I love the magazines... guess we gotta put up with it if we like the magazines. I get Taste of Home and Simple and Delicious...so I get it twice.... Oh well...

I must be a minority.  I have no problems.  I subscribe to S&D for myself and three others.  I subscribe to Reminsce for my father.  The renewal letters come to my home.  I always renew by phone and if I find the price cheaper anywhere else, I ask for that price.  And I ask for something extra -- which I usually get.  They are always very polite.  I can't see where they could improve when it comes to customer relations -- at least that has been my experience.  Thanks Reiman

Aleida

 

 Thanks for all your replies; I had never thought of seeing if I could get a better deal by renewing by phone!   My Mom got me my first issue of Taste of Home, tho, and she's 80+.  When she remembers to read her mail (! - my sister Debbi has to oversee that one) she often gets very confused by this faux ACCOUNT notice.  It just doesn't sit well with me overall; wish they'd change it!

I agree, and I think it is shabby business.  It is to trick you into thinking you owe them the money when you haven't even re-newed or subscribed.  It seems that all the magazines are doing it.  Be careful!!

let's just say i've been tricked lol!  thought i was about to expire so i sent my little postcard in with the check and now.....well, i'm good for ummmm afew years. gotta love that part

I don't like that practice either.  When you are 70 like me or older like some of the subscribers, it is not practical to be paid up for several years.  If the older people returned all of them with a check to renew, they could end up with a lot of years paid ahead, and not live long enough to benefit from the magazines.  Their survivors might not even realize they are paid up that much in advance.

 

  When we are at this age, we usually do not do as much cooking as we used to, especially if we are living alone like I am.  Another thing that is so discouraging to me is all of the ads.  It seems as if there are more of them in each issue.  The magazine has changed so much since I first starting receiving it back in 1995.  It is not as homey as it used to be.  I know my suscription is about to expire early in 2009, and I haven't sent in a renewal yet. Still comtemplating, but I know one thing for sure,  I'm not going to let them trick me into having my subscriptions paid up for years, not at my age. 

 

Editing to add this:  The last renewal notice I got from "Country" has this in big capital letters on the front, FINAL NOTICE.  This is not one of the envelopes they put inside the plastic covers that contain the magazines.  It actually came through the mail with a postmark.  It would appear to the mailman or any other person who might see it, that I am a person that doesn't pay bills on time.  I am not resubscribing to this magazine, because I thought the full page ads deflected from the beauty of the pictures.  It also has YES or NO stickers on the front.  Now, why would I want to spend 42 cents to send the letter back, to tell them No, I don't want to resubscribe?  Ignoring the renewal notices should be enough. 

 

 

 

 

Called it "Simply Scammed"... please note the email on our experience just sent to Reiman Publications who handles this part of the magazine business.. we cancelled and will no longer be getting any associated publications... To Whom it May Concern: You should be aware Reiman offers a free one trial issue of Taste of Homes with the renewal of Simple and Delicious with no purchase obligation with a no reply invoice term. We started receiving more invoices for Taste of Home and then get a notice from them demanding payment or will send the matter to Credit and Collections Department. What a fraudulent scam promotion tactic. We cannot image the senior citizens and other innocent consumers being deceived and coerced to subscribe after getting a free trial offer. We will not permit ourselves to be coerced and cancelled our subscription to Simple and Delicious (it took a phone call to Reiman's to supposedly resolve this). Furthermore, will be informing everyone we know on this scam.. online and off line. You need to take care of this... shame on you all!

I agree with you Mary.  LINDA from PA

I got the new TOH magazine a couple of days ago and it said in their usual "big" way that this was my next to the last issue.  My subscription doesn't expire till Dec 2010!!!!!  I, too, am sick of these notices.  What I think is so funny is that sometimes a letter comes along from them asking me to help them out.  If I renew my subscription now I'll save them the money they spend on sending me reiminders when my subscription is expiring.  Well for crying out loud quit sending me renewal notices when my first issue comes.  And quit including all those account notices along with the magazine.  That should save some money.

 

carole

mapanda:

If the older people returned all of them with a check to renew, they could end up with a lot of years paid ahead, and not live long enough to benefit from the magazines.  Their survivors might not even realize they are paid up that much in advance.

 

I agree.  My SIL has dementia and every time she got one of these notices she thought she should renew.  She would send in a check thinking it was for her when it was an offer to give a gift subscription.  Well, her Reader's Digest is paid up until 2016 and she's 87.  When we took over her finances, we had to check up on these subscriptions.  Just shows that you have to be wary of everything and keep track of your subscriptions yourself.  Those "warning" notices don't mean a thing.  And remember that the info is often on the enclosed envelope label (which you probably toss) and not on the magazine itself.  It does tell you when your last issue will be.

JerseyGal262:

If the older people returned all of them with a check to renew, they could end up with a lot of years paid ahead

 This happened to me. Fortunately, I was looking through my checkbook and saw checks made out to Reiman, severl close together. Upon further checking, I found I was paid up for three years ahead and still getting renewal notices. I just sat back and let everything expire.  I was taking several magazines so I had several different expiration dates, that's how I became confused. Now I only take two so I can keep up with them.