Netmagazines.com is disappointing, unreliable, and a rip-off
Written: Apr 02 '05
|
| Full Review |
My husband (the man I met on the internet) kept shaking his head and warning me: "One of these days you're gonna get burned shopping on the internet." Well, after years of safe and successful purchases, he may finally be right.
Netmagazines.com, a division of Netvision Associates, has managed to fulfill his promise of doom and gloom, by not delivering on what was ordered and paid for, but then by being a pain during the attempted resolution process.
The saga begins
In October 2004, another site led me to Netmagazines.com, and I was impressed by both their vast selection of titles (nearly 1500 at the time) and discounted prices.
Being a writer and self-confessed magazine addict, I ordered five magazines at well-below direct subscription rates, for a total of $74.38.
How I paid, and why I liked it that way
Netmagazines.com accepted credit cards and PayPal, and I chose to use PayPal. Easy enough, but in retrospect, using a credit card might've offered me more protection when my order turned into a problem.
The process of ordering
Simple enough; click the mags you wish to purchase, approve your shopping cart, choose a payment method, and it's done. Netmagazines.com suggests it may take 6-12 weeks to start subscriptions, and offers other helpful tidbits in its emailed welcome and response.
The results (or why I'm mad)
I ordered six subscriptions, and here's what I got:
Bon Appetit This subscription started on-time and has come every month, tempting me with its gorgeous food photos. Swoon. $9.50/12 issues
Ladies Home JournalIt's now April, seven months later, and my subscription JUST started. $8.99/12 issues
RedbookThis renewal seems to be coming on-time as well. $7.95/12 issues
O, the Oprah Magazine My favorite of the group, it was also a renewal, but started slowly. My first issue was March, nearly six months after I ordered. $19.99/12 issues
Smithsonian I ordered this one for my husband, to placate him and teach him that shopping on the internet can be both educational and safe. Oops. It's April, seven months later, and I haven't received a single issue. Customer service (ha) assures me it is set to start with the May issue. $11.99/12 issues
Writers Digest Since October, I've received two issues, while there have been many more on the newsstand. $15.96/12 issues
Customer service is frustrating and borders on inept
When I realized my magazines were not arriving as ordered, I visited Netmagazines.com and sent a message to customer service.
Easy enough, until I got an automated email telling me that the volume of such messages was so vast and overwhelming that I couldn't possibly expect an answer for 600 years and to please go away and get a manicure or something.
Well, almost. The first part was right, and insisted I write my complaint on their annoying online form (lots of retyping). It also insisted on an order number and exact date. The original receipt had NO order number.
Not in the mood to be put off, I sent off my complaint and was graced with an automated response. Good enough, they would investigate and get back to me in a few business days.
And so the fun began. After a few friendly questions from their representative, I was promised that Smithsonian would begin with the May issue, as I mentioned above. Gee, EIGHT months to start one title? Blazing.
However, Writer's Digest was another story. They suggested something called postal watch, a concept I've never heard of. What is that exactly, stalking the mailman with binoculars? What do they think, he's sitting in the little white truck reading tips on how to write effective dialogue?
Sometimes you don't get what you pay for
Overall, I'm disgusted with Netmagazines.com, and I will never order from them again. They do a nice job of taking money from customers and then not bothering to fulfill orders properly. Customer service is virtually non-existent and results in more frustration than anything else.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
pbyaeger
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: Pamela Yaeger
Location: Long Island, NY
Reviews written: 157
Trusted by: 158 members
About Me:
I whine, therefore I am.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.