Ongoing newspaper subscription problems - Page 2

thepossum · 02-22-2012, 07:20 AM

Day 3, after much much much too much complaining on my part, my Toronto Star subscription no longer reads as "Cancelled", and today's (Feb 22) downloaded. There is no sign that the previous two days (Feb 20-21) are going to be made available to me. NOBODY from Kobo has replied to me to tell me what's going on.

thepossum · 02-24-2012, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thepossum

3- The Kobo website for subscriptions clearly states "Store credit lets you purchase eBooks, as well as electronic subscriptions to your favourite newspapers and magazines here in the Kobo Store." I have $61.01 credit, and my subscription only costs $18.08, but they charged my credit card instead of using my Kobo credit.

Apparently you cannot use the Kobo Store credit for subscriptions, only for books. Awwww. They're going to be updating the website to reflect that information.

All in all, nearly every major complaint for newspaper subscriptions has been resolved now. I'm still waiting to find out when exactly my subscription is going to be renewed. As I noted above, they were crediting my (and everybody else's) accounts for 5 days to cover the most recent error, but neglected to also include other previously missing issues, and I expect nothing for my own most recent two missing issues. (In all, I missed 11 issues total, and they've told me they're crediting me for 5). It's almost like they're trying to make it more difficult than it's worth to get a refund, lol. Ah well, I'm pretty sure they're not doing it maliciously.

Mememememe · 02-24-2012, 12:10 PM

That's interesting. My subscription was also inexplicably "cancelled" at the same time. The difference is that they sent me an email claiming there was a problem with my credit card. This was total BS -- it's the same card that has always been on my account and I keep my credit spotless. There's no way it was declined. I had one other transaction the same day and it was fine. I've used the card since, too.

Interesting that this happened to people who had complained about issues before.

For the record, I don't think my subscription had been extended when they cancelled it -- I never got those make-up days. I'll have to check to be sure.

thepossum · 02-24-2012, 04:13 PM

I believe my renewal date was going to be Feb 20, since the previous subscription was billed to me on Jan 20. But after missing papers for two days, they adjusted my account so that at kobobooks.com -> My Account -> Subscriptions, it now reads "Feb 19" for the next billing date. This is similar to what happened from the previous mass newspaper problem. I won't know exactly how many days I've been credited for until after they bill my credit card.

robko · 02-24-2012, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mememememe

That's interesting. My subscription was also inexplicably "cancelled" at the same time. The difference is that they sent me an email claiming there was a problem with my credit card.

.....

Interesting that this happened to people who had complained about issues before.

I had this happen back in Oct/Nov some time. I think they have inexplicable issues sometimes with their credit card processing (could even as simple as a glitch 1 attempt connecting to the credit card company causes it to consider it bounced). I don't think it's a conspiracy against those with subscriptions.

I do think they have a problem in their billing system with extending the subscriptions as promised and I would keep a close eye on that to make sure you get your extra time (especially if you had to re-subscribe).

thepossum · 03-19-2012, 11:23 AM

They appear to have resolved the delivery problems for the Toronto Star to my Kobo Touch. There are still some niggly issues with the iPhone app, but from what I gather that is somehow specific to my Kobo account, and the fix will be at the server's end. (They managed to replicate it on their end, that somehow only 10 issues out of 14 are being delivered to my iPhone, not including the most recent 4 issues.)

I no longer see any reason to avoid subscribing to newspapers through Kobo at this time.

thepossum · 03-31-2012, 09:51 AM

I may have spoken too soon, again. Apart from one corrupt issue on Mar 20 with no news content (apparently caused by the content provider, ie. the Toronto Star), I've been getting frequent late delivery of my newspapers pretty much all week this week.

And today is even worse, it is after 9:30 (ie. 2.5 hours late), and there is still no Toronto Star to be downloaded yet.

robko · 03-31-2012, 05:37 PM

I'd swear the server needs a reset once a month or something. It's been working pretty much perfectly for month and all the sudden a corrupt issue for me on the 22nd and nothing today. It's getting to be a bit of a farce since there is no way to even get a meaningfully timely (i.e. today, because unlike a book, getting it tomorrow it's old news) response to fix the problem. It's so frustrating because obviously they can make it work, so there is no reason for it to happen this often.

PeterT · 03-31-2012, 05:54 PM

Well the Star's website did have some major issues on Thursday.. I wonder if those might have added to the delivery issues?

robko · 03-31-2012, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Well the Star's website did have some major issues on Thursday.. I wonder if those might have added to the delivery issues?

Possible, but Thurs/Friday this week were fine. Today I didn't get either the National Post or the Star. I'm pretty sure the issue is on Kobo's end. I usually try with my Wifi too just to make sure it's not just device related.

thepossum · 04-01-2012, 10:26 AM

And now it's a missing Sunday Toronto Star too, still no Saturday.

Mememememe · 04-01-2012, 02:49 PM

Same problem with the Globe and Mail.

And the sleazeballs never did honour that "we're extending your subscription" promise.

That's it for me. I'm cancelled my subscription and finally giving in and getting a Kindle. Kindle people tell me they haven't had any problems with subscriptions.

(Of course, Kobo is going to keep sending me the paper until the end of my billing period ... wouldn't want to actually refund money to someone you've screwed over.)

Kobo, Kindle thanks you for driving me to them.

robko · 04-01-2012, 02:57 PM

Have I said recently how much I HATE Kobo customer service? I have to give them credit that at least they got back to me in slightly over 24 hours, but the response was to try a pin reset or try downloading it through my computer. Hmmmm - I stated in my e-mail that I had tried it on 2 different devices so obviously it wasn't my device. Good to know that they've started actually reading the support e-mails - NOT!!

@mememememe - you're not alone on them not keeping promises to extend subscriptions. I've had to bitch about it on more than one occasion. I really wish I didn't love the device itself because from a customer service perspective I'd drop them in half a heartbeat.

thepossum · 04-11-2012, 10:23 AM

Today's email to Kobo support:

Quote:

Today's newspaper is either delayed or missing. It is now more than
three hours late, and as a morning newspaper no longer has any real
value to me. What's going on this time?

thepossum · 04-11-2012, 12:28 PM

And in a (I don't believe in) coincidence, less than 30 minutes after I messaged support, the newspaper finally delivered. Too late to be worth reading, I only have time before work for that.

But in a REALLY strange (I still don't believe in) coincidence, my iPhone is currently showing me today's issue, finally! Cross my fingers that THAT keeps up.

04-01-2012, 02:49 PM	#27
Mememememe Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 7542 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	Same problem with the Globe and Mail. And the sleazeballs never did honour that "we're extending your subscription" promise. That's it for me. I'm cancelled my subscription and finally giving in and getting a Kindle. Kindle people tell me they haven't had any problems with subscriptions. (Of course, Kobo is going to keep sending me the paper until the end of my billing period ... wouldn't want to actually refund money to someone you've screwed over.) Kobo, Kindle thanks you for driving me to them. Last edited by Mememememe; 04-01-2012 at 02:51 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
recipe for newspaper subscription www.nd.nl	NicoDeMus!	Recipes	0	11-24-2011 05:02 PM
Stopping an ongoing search	Artha	Calibre	1	11-19-2011 08:58 AM
Is the trial subscription to newspaper direct still available?	HansTWN	iRex	2	03-24-2010 04:55 AM
Newspaper Direct Free One Month Subscription	Mr. Goodbar	iRex	2	02-25-2010 07:51 AM
Overseas newspaper/magazine subscription downloads	paqua	Amazon Kindle	3	04-20-2009 10:18 AM

02-22-2012, 07:20 AM	#16
thepossum Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 20018 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	Day 3, after much much much too much complaining on my part, my Toronto Star subscription no longer reads as "Cancelled", and today's (Feb 22) downloaded. There is no sign that the previous two days (Feb 20-21) are going to be made available to me. NOBODY from Kobo has replied to me to tell me what's going on.

02-24-2012, 12:10 PM	#18
Mememememe Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 7542 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	That's interesting. My subscription was also inexplicably "cancelled" at the same time. The difference is that they sent me an email claiming there was a problem with my credit card. This was total BS -- it's the same card that has always been on my account and I keep my credit spotless. There's no way it was declined. I had one other transaction the same day and it was fine. I've used the card since, too. Interesting that this happened to people who had complained about issues before. For the record, I don't think my subscription had been extended when they cancelled it -- I never got those make-up days. I'll have to check to be sure.

02-24-2012, 04:13 PM	#19
thepossum Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 20018 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I believe my renewal date was going to be Feb 20, since the previous subscription was billed to me on Jan 20. But after missing papers for two days, they adjusted my account so that at kobobooks.com -> My Account -> Subscriptions, it now reads "Feb 19" for the next billing date. This is similar to what happened from the previous mass newspaper problem. I won't know exactly how many days I've been credited for until after they bill my credit card.

03-19-2012, 11:23 AM	#21
thepossum Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 20018 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	They appear to have resolved the delivery problems for the Toronto Star to my Kobo Touch. There are still some niggly issues with the iPhone app, but from what I gather that is somehow specific to my Kobo account, and the fix will be at the server's end. (They managed to replicate it on their end, that somehow only 10 issues out of 14 are being delivered to my iPhone, not including the most recent 4 issues.) I no longer see any reason to avoid subscribing to newspapers through Kobo at this time.

03-31-2012, 09:51 AM	#22
thepossum Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 20018 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I may have spoken too soon, again. Apart from one corrupt issue on Mar 20 with no news content (apparently caused by the content provider, ie. the Toronto Star), I've been getting frequent late delivery of my newspapers pretty much all week this week. And today is even worse, it is after 9:30 (ie. 2.5 hours late), and there is still no Toronto Star to be downloaded yet.

03-31-2012, 05:37 PM	#23
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	I'd swear the server needs a reset once a month or something. It's been working pretty much perfectly for month and all the sudden a corrupt issue for me on the 22nd and nothing today. It's getting to be a bit of a farce since there is no way to even get a meaningfully timely (i.e. today, because unlike a book, getting it tomorrow it's old news) response to fix the problem. It's so frustrating because obviously they can make it work, so there is no reason for it to happen this often.

03-31-2012, 05:54 PM	#24
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,166 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Well the Star's website did have some major issues on Thursday.. I wonder if those might have added to the delivery issues?

04-01-2012, 10:26 AM	#26
thepossum Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 20018 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	And now it's a missing Sunday Toronto Star too, still no Saturday.

04-01-2012, 02:57 PM	#28
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	Have I said recently how much I HATE Kobo customer service? I have to give them credit that at least they got back to me in slightly over 24 hours, but the response was to try a pin reset or try downloading it through my computer. Hmmmm - I stated in my e-mail that I had tried it on 2 different devices so obviously it wasn't my device. Good to know that they've started actually reading the support e-mails - NOT!! @mememememe - you're not alone on them not keeping promises to extend subscriptions. I've had to bitch about it on more than one occasion. I really wish I didn't love the device itself because from a customer service perspective I'd drop them in half a heartbeat.

04-11-2012, 12:28 PM	#30
thepossum Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 20018 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	And in a (I don't believe in) coincidence, less than 30 minutes after I messaged support, the newspaper finally delivered. Too late to be worth reading, I only have time before work for that. But in a REALLY strange (I still don't believe in) coincidence, my iPhone is currently showing me today's issue, finally! Cross my fingers that THAT keeps up.

Advert

Advert