MBY Subscription Chaos

[EME]

I have read with interest many of the posts about unfulfilled MBY Subscriptions. I thought they were isolated incidents. But now I've been done too.

I read the posts about how good March MBY was and waited , 'all anticipational', for my copy to come through the post.

I redid a 3-yr subscription ( as you do) at LBS.

This morning I received a copy of FEBRUARY ...PLEASE !!! I checked despatch dates...despatched 5/2. I now have 2 copies of the TCM tribute issue on the coffee table.

Tom/Kim ...please pass on my disgust to your subscription department who obviusly believe that they can backdate 'copy' in order to make more money.
Sorry , before you ask, I just want my March copy NOW... I also expect February 2005 to be included in what I purchased at LBS. I would also repectively suggest that you get some real sales process people to look at what is going on.

Anyone else had this shoddy treatment?

<font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>

 

[kimhollamby]

Message received

Don't know why you got Feb; that's not the norm for LBS subs. Label run for that issue is actually before the show starts.

Please send me your postcode and full name by PM or e-mail and I'll get some action sorted on Monday, including checking that your sub doesn't expire early. If you add your full postal address I'll throw an issue in the post myself, just to cover all of the bases.

Meantime sincere apologies.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[tr7v8]

Re: Message received

Kim, I was told on the phone that the first one would be Feb as well, which I think is the one that I was given!
I don't know how many people are affected by this but it seems to be a few.
Also if their is a delay getting copies out which is what I was told, why didn't someone post on here that their was an problem!
Tom (Massachio) has already replied that he'll be talking to the subs dept about mine.

Jim
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[c_j]

I too subscribed at LBS and picked up my Feb copy there. I subscribed on the verbal understanding that I would get my monthly copy early (ie at around the same time they appear in Newsagents.) That has not been the case and I feel conned.



CJ
chris@stone.uk.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stone.uk.com>http://www.stone.uk.com</A>

 

[DavidJ]

Re: Message received

Yep me too but with MBM
So I've now got two. Has the Februarys been overprinted and think we won't notice. At the LBS I was promised the first one would be March delivered in Feb.
David
I will PM you my name address and hope for some action.
It can't be that difficult to get right, surely!

 

[kimhollamby]

CJ,

Please PM me your full name and postcode; I'll look into it.

Meantime apologies - there may be a cock-up involved but no con, I can promise you.

Kim

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: Message received

Jim,

Okay, I'll check with Tom and ensure we get this sorted.

Kim

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: Message received

As stated elsewhere here don't understand the Feb issue thing but will get it sorted. Please PM me your full name and postcode.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[Chris771]

Re: Message received

Think Kim needs an ally here. I've subscribed to MBM almost ever since it started and it just lands on the doormat each month no problem!

With the time spent offshore and the pile of other magazines that build up I am now reading the December 1999 issue......apparently people are worrying about the Millennium Bug. I'll find out if it was ok when I read the next issue.

In my house the only problem is not having enough time to read them.


Chris

 

[stuartw]

I agree.
My daughter bought me a year's subscription to MBM for Xmas, actually signing up for it on Boxing Day. I have yet to see any copy.
I sent an e-mail to the acting editor and complained. He just forwarded it to the subscriptions dept. That's the last I've heard.
It seems an absolute shambles from what everbody else says.
It would be nice to see a copy of the March issue befor April.

 

[sfh]

i have had the same problem i did not recieve February, i was told that they would add an extra month to the end of subs, have not delivered March, at this rate my one years subs will be taken over 2005, maybe?

 

[lanason]

Re: Message received

Well mines fine as well. I signed up for MBM at SBS last year and regular as clockwork it turns up on my door step. Only down side was that when I subscribed the guy was gunna give me a "free" copy of the "current" issue but they had run out of stock at the show so I had to wait ...... for the postman......

BTW - I like the articles on buyng older boats. They featured a nice range inc seamasters and Vikings as well as the bigger boats. I wondered if the Fairline Holiday gets to feature ????? in one of the next issues. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Adrian
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>More Pics of Kelisha</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Forbsie]

Re: Message received

Likewise, I subscribed to PBO, MBM and CB at SIBS. My winge is that they all arrive within one week leaving 3 weeks of famine. I nearly cancelled the PBO subscription when the first issue I received should have been called Practical Raggie! I could not find one mention of a motorboat in the November issue.

The biggest disappointment however was with the Classic Boat subscription where they were offering a bottle of Talisker with every new sub. In this country a bottle is supposed to be 70cl but what I got was a large minature of 20cl /forums/images/icons/mad.gif I could just picture Dan Houston and his chums round the back divvying up the whisky. 50cl to us, 20cl to the punter.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>

 

[c_j]

No I appreciate no con involved inasmuch as I will no fdoubt receive my copy but I like to get it early (I am really sad like that and hesitate to admit it). So although I subscribed to MBM I actually always bought MBY at the News stand. So my question "will I get it early, ie same time as it appears on the Newstand" was the bit I feel conned about. I will pm details Kim, but post this for clarity.

CJ
chris@stone.uk.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stone.uk.com>http://www.stone.uk.com</A>

 

[CaptainNemo]

Well I've got to go with Kim on this one. I've had MBM on subscription for many years, I've moved house twice, and still never missed a copy. Well done to the subscripion dept.

 

[kimhollamby]

I need your full name and postcode; please send me a private message or e-mail and I'll do the rest. Sorry for the problem.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[kimhollamby]

Okay, here\'s what we\'re going to do

First things first, anyone who has reported a problem here over the weekend and provided me with a full name and postcode will go on my personal crusade list for first thing in the morning.

Second I'll find out why Feb issues were sent out and let you have an answer here.

Third I'll find out why some of you are missing March MBY and will let you know.

Fourth a reminder to anyone waiting for MBM March that on sale date is not until week after next, so you shouldn't expect your issues until then (but if you've reported a feb issue arrival to me I'll still check what's what).

Meantime, apologies for any problems. I don't know why the glitches have happened but they will be dealt with.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[kimhollamby]

Advice you were given is correct

If you were told that subs copies should arrive on or around on sale date at newsagent then that is actually correct. There are some geographical variations that often don't seem to make sense to us, let alone anyone else, about areas in which the Post Office is more or less efficient. And the efficiency of newsagent distribution is now much improved, so subs copies don't often arrive much before copies on the bookstands.

We have considered setting up an area on the magazine sites to warn if any delays have crept into production; that's not the issue here - some of the boat show orders have plainly glitched and we need to sort it out.

Once again - apologies.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[kimhollamby]

I need your full name and postcode; please send me a private message or e-mail and I'll do the rest. Sorry for the problem.


kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[DavidJ]

Source of the problem

I had a letter this morning (Monday 10th) from IPC confirming my direct debit instructions with 'Commencing with the issue dated: Feb2003'. I dug out my 'Subscription Order Form' which was filled out at the LBS. There is no commencement date section on the form so it's left to a verbal agreement which for me was commencement in March. Can I suggest that in future the Subscription Order Form has a space for 'Commencement....' so both parties are clear about the agreed date.
hope this helps
David