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An eye opening lazy day…….
10 January 2015 | by 
Having read CQ's announcement of dropping CQ plus and combining issues I was not thrilled and wanted to see how time I have on my subscription. I went to their site, logged in and could not find any info about my subscription. I did find other items I had ordered including a calendar so I clicked on that. It was then I found out where my hard copy of CQ was going…..THE WRONG ADDRESS! For some reason the bill to address and ship to address's were different. We had moved and I did change all the credit card address's and added a change of address with the post office just in case. On their site you can only change the bill to address and not the ship to address. I even changed the address with CQ magazine to boot.
Not to thrilled with CQ at this time…….
1. Shipping address is wrong even after an email to them regarding not getting my hard copy which went unanswered.
2. Can't even find my subscription details on their site.
3. Even if I wanted to change the shipping address I can't on their site you can only change the billing address.
4. They do have a customer service link on their site but you have to cut and paste their email address into yours…..not even a link is given. Plus I don't have high hopes of hearing back anyway.
5. The subscription I paid for…..12 issues and CQ Plus is now being changed. This was the big selling point from CQ when I purchase my year's (well I think it is a year as I can't check) subscription.
6. If you go to their website today you are still be told that CQ plus is being offered as part of your digi offer when in fact it is being cancelled see the bottom paragraph once you click on the link.
Well my lazy day is going to start NOW after venting here on the blog and as my blood pressure drops.
21 Responses to “An eye opening lazy day…….”
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Because of late and non-delivery problems, I canceled my subscription last year, they still owe me money, which I don’t expect to get.
“Big Fish in a Small Pool” behavior. Dropped them Years ago
Wow, I just subscribed to the digital edition, and the plus version was the selling point. I was beginning to wonder why the January issue did not come out yet. It find it incredible they don’t send out an email announcement to their subscribers and let them know! I am on their mailing list and get an email when a new issue comes out, they can’t let people know they are not getting a January issue!? Wow, I had to find out from your blog. Interestingly, I looked at your link to the CQ website and searched all the pages and your right there is no mention whatsoever about the big change. How much effort does it take them to update some simple text on their website? That is false advertising. I did read the ARRL article with interest, but I find it really strange there is this big announcement on the ARRL site and no mention of it at all on the CQ website. This is no way to run a business, no wondering they are failing. Anyway, I hope they last, it seems like every time you turn around they are cutting something and combining more issues. But, I am not holding out much hope and I am thinking I may not subscribe again when this subscription runs out.
73,
Tom K2BEW
Not good CQ !! I have a CQ subscription thru to 2017 but haven’t had a mag for a year. My emails go unanswered & I have phoned from ZL many times only to be given all manor of excuses (all blaming others). After much complaining I have been sent an on line link. This is not good enough! I have learnt from another source that NO magazines have been sent to any overseas subscribers in over a year. I know this is true in my case.
Offering goods or services for sale, accepting payment for such & then not providing the service or sending the product paid for is NOT RIGHT!
In my country this known as THEFT!
When is something going to be done about it?
Sorry for venting my anger here but what else can I do. Not a good look for our hobby.
73, Peter, ZL1HD
Thanks for the tip-off. This is not logical in any manner of thinking. The digital edition is by far the cheapest way to go, and the extra 50-60 pages would not cost them nearly as much as trying to hold on to the print edition. Believe me, I prefer the print edition of any magazine, but costs are what they are, and digital is the way most magazines are going to have to go to stay viable.
When they combined Pop Com (the only magazine I was ever really interested in from them) with the CQ etc digital, they made it sound as if current subscribers would get the print CQ and the digital extra for the length of their remaining Pop Comm subscription (naturally I had just renewed for 2 years right before things changed in an effort to show my support of the magazine) but all I got was the CQ subscription and they wanted to charge me for the digital version. Not good. I did not bother trying to get my money back – I felt it was futile, and so resigned myself to the print version. For the last year or more that has been hit or miss, and certainly never on time.
Amazing how Monitoring Times managed to cease publication gracefully and The Spectrum Monitor was able to start up and add more content to the online magazine than MT was able to do in print, and the quality and service have remained excellent.
Long vent – thanks for the space to speak out a bit!
Sounds like this is a magazine that is in financial difficulties that may not be around too much longer? Let us hope I am very wrong.
I have always had good luck calling them!!
I have had good luck calling them as well. They always answer, they are nice to talk to, they give me all sorts of reasons/excuses why I haven’t received my magazine but nothing changes! I still dont get my magazine I have paid for for nearly 3 yrs in advance. I have been ripped off like I know others have. It’s not good enough! It’s bringing our hobby into disrepute as there are many high profile hams & people I see supporting & pushing CQ mag to help them out. I wonder if they know what is happening to their overseas subscribers?
Regarding CQ Magazine… something that occurred to me has kept me at a distance from resuming a subscription. They opted to use an online publishing concern to provide a digital subscription. I have nothing against that at all.. well, until the spam began and boy do they spam – the company that provides the digital subscription that is. I really wanted to continue my subscription to CQ Magazine but found the digital edition not even close to sitting down in my shack and thumbing through the paper edition. Even the paper edition as you have pointed out has it’s faults, but to me… the biggest fault is the price! Wow! So it may not come to pass that I enjoy their magazine anymore. I miss Wayne Green and 73 Mag. I miss the ‘old’ WorldRadio newspaper too. I am glad that the League did in fact decide to continue the print edition of QST while also providing the subscriber with the digital edition too. Both are excellent magazines in my experience. No matter what you might have against the League – for the benefit of Ham Radio itself, it would be great if more hams would join and work for the betterment of our fine service and hobby!
73
Dennis
KK0DJ
Good evening Jeff, very sorry to hear that you cancelled your script and a refund was not sent to you or at least the remainder of issues sent out to you. Jeff thanks for taking the time to comment.
Mike
Hello Scott, I wanted to give them another chance I had dropped the script years ago and just stayed with ARRL and QST but for some reason I renewed after a few years. Have a great weekend Scott.
Mike
Top of the day Tom, someone once told me “timing is everything” and that is so true with you shelling out the money for a script! It’s unfortunate that the website sold you some good that’s they are not offering anymore and I agree the website should be updated to reflect what you are getting. Some of the comments on the blog have said they calling them may net you some results? There may be a chance you can get a refund for your money if you don’t want to continue with the script since you are not getting what you thought you were getting. Thanks for sharing.
Mike
Hello Peter, very interesting to read that you too have not received a rag in over a year, so I am not alone! Lets hope the company lasts until 2017…….I am not so sure as they seem to be cutting and trimming and then there is the whole thing on none happy ham’s who have many problems getting results and answers from CQ. Oh and no problem regarding your venting it’s good for the soul and others have to know the issues with CQ.
Mike
Good to hear from you Robert, never to worry about letting loose on the blog and allowing your feelings out! Good to have your input and from the many comments I have gotten it would seem to me there are a lot more out there who have had problems with CQ mag. I too was miss lead by the advertising when I purchased a year script from them. Spectrum monitor is a great publication and yes as you have pointed out very professional transition for sure. Thanks for all the input and it’s great info for others who will read the post.
Mike
Roger I hope you are wrong as well but they have not been very respectful of the CQ magazine following……those who have put up the money for a service that really does not seem to be being delivered.
Mike
W1DFU it seems according to the posts that others have done the same and called but after the promises on the phone the ball was dropped. But having said that it sounds like you have had good luck with contacting CQ on the phone and that is great news!! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
Mike
Dennis good to hear your input, I too like the paper version and there is something to be said for sitting down with a paper copy……..maybe out age is showing….:)) Wayne sure was a pillar to the magazine and I too miss him and his input he gave the publication. I am not sure what CQ is up to and what road they are attempting to go down these days. I guess time will tell, I very much enjoy the ARRL and QST and look forward to both my paper copy and digi copy as well. I like the fact you can have the added feature with the digi addition to movies and links that are provided for more reading. Thanks Dennis for your comments and taking the time to stop by.
Mike
Just call them. They are GOOD people.
Here are the numbers: 516-681-2922 and 800-853-9797.
I have always had good service with CQ, but not ARRL.
Good boring Peter, thanks for the numbers and I will do that on Monday and see what happens. I too believe that they are good people but from some of the post’s here after the phone call is made not to much happens afterwards…..BUT…..Peter you (as I imagine many others) have had good service and I am going to try on Monday to do the same. Thanks for the numbers Peter and I hope my venting did not upset you.
Have a great Sunday
Mike
I sensed they were in trouble last year when they skipped a month and seemed to be over-promising. I didn’t renew and this confirms what had been a tough decision for me. I have a hunch with the preponderance of decent blogs, most hams are happy with just a subscription to QST. However, I think QST should start beefing up its content and realize that many of us are happy with blogs, etc. on the Web, but we still want that monthly magazine in print.
A good evening to you Bob, I sure do wish I had seem the signs before I signed up for a year but I do have one of the hams who commented give a 1-800 number and on Monday I will be giving them a call. Yes the blogs that are online now do have very good content. As for QST I do enjoy the online content and it will never hurt to alway be looking at improving things.
Have a great upcoming week Bob and thanks for stopping by.
Mike