I renewed my magazine subscription in February 2021 (it is now August 2021). I have not yet received a copy! Twice I have reported this to Customer Support. Twice they have emailed back to say that my subscription has been extended to cover the missed period. BUT I have yet to receive a copy, and it is now two publications since the last exchange with CS.
I am fully aware that Covid has wrecked havoc with delivery dates, and that I live in Australia. However, I have received other shipped items from other vendors in a reasonable time frame. Usually within a few weeks.
I expect that Customer Support will respond by extending the subscription period yet again, but this does not get me the magazine. I wonder how many others are experiencing the same issue? Has FW changed its mail-out methods?
Frustrated in Perth
Derek Cohen
Replies
Derek, you're a patient guy.
I know from reading your previous posts that this isn't the first time you've had trouble with your membership.
You are an amazing woodworker and regularly share your knowledge with the woodworking community. I hope FWW straightens this out ASAP.
Mike
I think some cargo carriers (FedEx, UPS, etc) have had many schedule disruptions due to the strict quarantining of foreign aircrew members. Might be affecting the timing of deliveries.
Elmaduro, I acknowledge this, however I have been receiving a range of items ordered on line and delivered by one of these carriers. It does not take 4 or 5 months for delivery.
It is as if my account does not exist on the delivery database.
I wonder if other international subscribers are receiving their magazines?
Regards from Perth
Derek
Do you realize that Perth is about 12,500 miles -- that's 20,000 kilometers to you -- from where Fine Woodworking is published? You can't get farther away.
What has that got to do with this? I've been a subscriber for 20 years, and until recently there have not been any issues like this. For what it's worth, I have been published in FWW several times. I used to be a moderator on Knots a decade ago. I'm reasonably intimate with FWW.
I have since received a fair amount of mail from fellow-Aussies, to let me know that many have been experiencing the same issues, some going back 12 months. Apparently, Customer Service have given them the run around as well.
I would be happy to move to the online-only version of the magazine. How does one do this?
Regards from Perth
Derek
I'm not sure if there is an online only version. I still get the paper version as part of the unlimited membership, but it never gets opened. I read the downloaded issue long before it arrives.
It took about 4 months for issues to arrive at my door over the winter, and I'm about 100 miles from FWW headquarters. The postal service here was in shambles.
No one from the hierarchy is here over the weekend, but I'm sure Ben will see this Monday. I hope it gets straightened out quickly.
Does your magazine subscription come from an unlimited membership?
Only reason why I ask is I have issues getting the magazine around my membership anniversary. I've had to call customer support each year to request issues that were never sent.. My unlimited membership gets charged to my CC around July 4 each year.. On Aug 2, after I had not received issues since the Mar/Apr 2021 issue, I logged into my account under the Customer Service link and noticed that my magazine subscription expiration date of Apr 1, 2022, which means my previous year unlimited membership had my magazine subscription expiring on Apr 2, 2021 with goes along with the last issue I had receive, Mar/Apr 2021.. The first issue I received from my unlimited membership was a July/Aug 2019 issue, my unlimited membership started on June 17, 2019 so I'm not sure why my subscription was set to expire on Apr 1?.. I called customer Service to request the issues I was missing (May/Jun 2021, July/Aug 2021) and explained that I thought there was a discrepancy with my magazine expiration date and my unlimited membership anniversary. Customer Service change my subscription expiration date to Jun 1, 2022.. Which means I should automatically receive May/Jun 2022 issue.. On Aug 4th, I received my July/Aug 2021 issue in the mail. I don't think FWW has a 2 day turn around for replacement issues, So July/Aug 2021 must be the one sent automatically after my unlimited membership renewed. Looks like now I won't have missing issues, but will have to wait 2 months after the July/Aug issue is published to receive my copy. If only my unlimited membership magazine subscription started with Sept/Oct issue and was set to expire on Aug 1 (July/Aug issue).. since at the time I signed up for the unlimited membership the the July/Aug 2019 issue was already on the newsstand.
AJG, I do have an unlimited membership. Everything. For many, many years.
The problem does not lie with your subscription, but with a database somewhere. It's meant to connect subscriptions in to subscriptions out. That's the intention ...
I have have the same email from Customer Service as previously. This is three times now: "We are correcting our records and extending your subscription to compensate for any inconvenience caused. Your new expiration date will be the July/August 2023 issue and will be reflected on your address label.
Copies are being mailed to your address listed below. "
And the check is in the mail.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Derek,
I know forum posts are a good way of getting things done if you don't have a direct connection to someone, but as always you have my email–I think it's probably quicker to get things done directly. I sent this onto Donna, and she dug in.
It looks like there was an issue with your zip code/region code. That should be fixed now and they're sending out all of the issues you're missing.
Ben
It's like this is a common issue with a number of forums, but let's hope the delay will be resolved soon.
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