Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Review: I asked a WSJ customer service rep to cancel my 2-week trial subscription in October 2014 was told it would be canceled. However, the WSJ rep was incompetent and failed to turn off the auto-renewal. As a result, I was charged again for 2 months at $24.99 per month.

After I noticed the two erroneous charges, I spoke with another incompetent WSJ rep on 1/*/2015 and was told that I would be issued a refund of $24.99 -- no refund was issued. The other charge was escalated to another dept and I was told that I would get a response in 5-7 days. I did not receive any response, nor refund, and the incompetent WSJ rep failed to turn off auto-renewal yet again. Due to WSJ's unresponsiveness, I spoke with a rep on 1/**/2015 and was told that he would escalate my case again and alert all relevant depts to resolve my issue in 5-7 days. I called WSJ 7 days later on 1/**/2015. The WSJ rep openly indicated that nothing had been down and there was no response to my request for refund of incorrect charges. I waited for 10 mins to speak with a supervisor but no one was available.

Certain WSJ customer service reps are incompetent and have cost me $50. In addition, I was charged another $24.99 because I forgot to cancel my 2 week trial and called 2 days after the deadline. I requested that they waive the charge but was granted no relief. As such, I have been charged $75 for a 2 week trial that was supposed to be free.Desired Settlement: $75 refund back to my credit card

Review: For the past few months I have been receiving charges for a subscription to the [redacted] I have never received. Upon signing up at a sports event for 3-Month, $12 subscription, I was told before the continued billing would take effect I would receive a letter to remind me. Not only did I not receive the letter, I never, in fact, received a copy of the [redacted]. Not one. The initial payment of $12 also did not show up on my bank statement for almost a month. When the charges for renewals started to pour in, twice a month, I contact the offices. I sent multiple e-mails, and even talked to someone on the phone. The charges have since been downgraded to once a month, but nobody can explain to me why I am getting charged for something I have not once ever received, nor am receiving from this point on. When I spoke to someone on the phone, they made it clear that under no circumstances does the [redacted] ever offer a refund. This was a phone conversation back in August. I have been charged 4 times since, including a pending charge that would cost more to Stop Payment then to let it go through. I have sent multiple e-mails in the last two months that are responded to with the same automatic responses. Not once have I received a single e-mail or phone call from a non-automated system to try and remedy the situation. Instead they continue to charge my card. I am upset because not once since I mistakenly signed up at a sports event did I receive a single [redacted] addressed to me, and upon multiple e-mails and complaints, not once has [redacted] done anything to rectify the situation.Desired Settlement: I have been charged $28.50 on 8 different occasions (6/**, 7/*, 7/**, 8/*, 8/**, 9/*, 9[redacted] & 10/**), 4 times since I made initial contact. That is a total of $220 I would like fully refunded. I DO NOT want the newspaper, or an agreed upon amount of subscription to cover the difference. I would like to be done with this company and properly avoid any and all future business intentions with said company. I would just like the money I feel was taken from me without my proper consent. Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: The sales representative told me I was buying only 3 months of the paper with no obligation afterwards. I would have to call to continue receiving the paper. There was no mention of automatic withdrawal from my debit card. When I called to dispute I was told I signed up for auto withdrawal when I signed up for the paper, but they could not provide me with a signed authorization form for auto withdrawal from my account. They also would not refund my money. I never received billing notices via email or paper mail.Desired Settlement: Refund of my $26.99

Review: I selected a digit subscription to read a specific article which I couldn't read because a picture in the article blocked the print. I complained and it didn't correct. I failed to respond to the confirmation email and they still charged my card. I've had no activity on the account, have viewed no other digital content and have not confirmed the subscription but they charged my card and refuse to refund.Desired Settlement: Cancel my subscription as I requested the same day I signed up and refund my $22.62

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: I am a student at the University of Arizona and at one of our home basketball games there were representatives from the Wall Street Journal selling U of A t-shirts. The catch was that we had to sign up to receive their newspaper for 12 weeks as a trial and then if we liked it we could sign up later, which I saw as no problem since they said that it would only be through digital so I could easily just not visit the website. Also, I gave them no credit card information so there was no way that I could be charged later. I paid for the t-shirt with a debit card on their iPad using a Square card reader and went on my way. Recently, I checked my debit card statement to see that there was a charge from the Wall Street Journal for $28.05 stating that I had a subscription, which I did not. I called to see why I had that charge and they said that I had subscribed to them. I explained to them the situation and they said that I should have known the conditions. I explained that their [redacted] did not explain that to us and that I never gave them my debit card information. She said that no refund was available as I had already received the newspaper and after some more talking the lady agreed to give me a partial refund.

I did not sign up for the newspaper and was not information that the purchase of a T-shirt at an Arizona Basketball game would lead to the unauthorized charging of my debit card. They must have saved my debit card information on the iPad they had as I never gave them debit card information.Desired Settlement: Since I did not sign up for this nor was information of my automatic subscription nor did I give authorization to use my card nor the information, I need a full refund from the [redacted]

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern,

We have contacted the subscriber and will be issuing the full amount of $28.05. She was given the wrong information at the event where she subscribed and we have apologized and will ensure this does not happen in the future.

Cordially,

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern,

We have contacted the subscriber and will be issuing the full amount of $28.05. She was given the wrong information at the event where she subscribed and we have apologized and will ensure this does not happen in the future.

Cordially,

Review: Fraudulently represented claim for a free introductory 3 month trial for the Wall Street Journal.

I was signed up for a 3 month introductory trial of the Wall Street Journal at a King's hockey game at the [redacted] in [redacted] on Oct. **, 2014. The offer was represented as a free 3 month trial. I was charged for the 3 month offer and was not notified of the pending terms which included no notification of the pending end date. I was charged 28.99 for the first 3 months and then 28.99 for each subsequent month. I would never have signed up for a 3 month trial at $28.99. I was told that this was a free 3 month trial. I should not be charged the $28.99 for the first 3 months, nor should I be charged 2 additional times for the same amount, when I am not even aware of the terms of the subscription.Desired Settlement: I should be given a full refund of $86.97 for the failure to represent the terms of a subscription that I was not made aware of, nor was I given a term ending date on that offer.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, my complaint, ID [redacted] regarding Dow Jones & Company, Inc. has been resolved.

(By clicking "OK", your complaint will be closed as Resolved.)

Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: Purchased the print edition & online edition of the WSJ in August. No print edition was ever delivered. I called multiple times and was told that they could not cancel my account but that they would contact the local carrier and extend our service, free of charge, for another month. We never received a single copy and they continued to charge my credit card. I finally was able to cancel our subscription (at the end of November) and was told that they could only credit us for one month and that billing would contact me with regards to August/September/October charges --- no one ever contacted me. I never received a cancellation notice via email (which I need so that I can dispute the charges on my credit card) and when I called I was told that they cannot send me proof of cancellation and that I would have to email the website.Desired Settlement: Full refund in the amount of $84.82

Review: Have an online account. Was supposed to be on auto-renew but wasn't. So tried to renew online at the stated price of $413.40 for 1 year. When pushed submit button it locked up. Did the online chat and representative, [redacted], said had to be done by phone and she would call, which she did. However, she then wanted to charge $501.80 for 1 year. Said that's what the account showed the price was. Finally by producing a code from a renewal letter supposedly was charged $413.40. Do not know yet what the actual is because had to email them to request a receipt which do not yet have. The same thing happened last year.Desired Settlement: 1. Would like their online account renewal (and auto-renewal) to function properly. Also would like to not see one charge online and another on the telephone.

Review: For over a year we have been receiving delivery of The Wall Street Journal. This is a service that we do not pay for nor do we want. I have tried on dozens of occasions to call and email to have this stopped. As it is not only unsightly to have these papers litter our buildings parking lot, it is a waste of time and our resources to have it cleaned up. Then there is the issue of wasting paper that is bad for the environment. I have tried not only contacting their customer service department but the VP of Customer Service, Thom Sanfilippo. I also explained to them that if the service does not cease, I will be charging them back.Desired Settlement: To have the delivery of the paper discontinued,.

Business

Response:

We understand your concern in regards to the delivery of the paper that was not requested. I have reached out to the circulation manager in charge of deliveries in the Somerville, NJ area. Our circulation team will alert the local carrier service of the delivery problem and request that delivery be stopped immediately.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

I am sorry but I have received this promise for over 6 months. I will not believe this until a full week of undelivered papers have been made.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

With the exception of one day the paper has ceased delivery. Thank you

Review: I moved into our new home on February **, 2015. The previous owner , [redacted], was a subscriber to the [redacted] which was delivered to his home Monday thru Friday. Prior to selling his home to me, [redacted] requested 3 times to cease delivery to his home stating he was moving . Those requests were not honored. I then asked the [redacted] to cease all further deliveries to my home indicating three requests had already been made by the previous owner. I explained that I was the new owner and wanted deliveries stopped.

Since moving into my home, I have made about 7 verbal requests to the [redacted] Customer Support Department < ###-###-#### > of my situation and for the [redacted] to cease further deliveries. Each call assured me the delivery would cease within 2 days. The newspaper failed to honor all my requests and continued the deliveries.

I sent 3 or 4 emails to the [redacted] < [redacted] >. I have one written response stating the deliveries will cease as of April [redacted]. The deliveries never ceased. They continue as of today with no hope they will cease.

I was told this subscription ends as of June **, 2015. I was also informed the subscription would automatically renew for another year.Desired Settlement: Simply stop all deliveries of the [redacted] Newspaper to my home at the above listed address. . I never requested the newspaper. Stop delivering a product to my home I never ordered. Stop the harassment!

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: I keep receiving phone calls from ###-###-#### even though I have asked to stop being contacted. This has been going on for at least 6 months. I have no idea why I am being contacted - I am not a subscriber of the Wall Street Journal, not interested in becoming a customer. I have no idea what they are selling because their Customer Service does not know why I am being contacted, either. I have called the number back on 3 separate occasions over the past month. One 1 occasion, I was told that they couldn't help me if I wasn't a customer and hung up; another time, I was transferred twice, provided my info and was told that were unsure why I was being contacted, but would make sure it did not happen again. Last week, I called the number back, was transferred to someone who confirmed that I was not in the database, and he had no idea why I was receiving calls, but he that he would ensure that I didn't receive anymore. Today, I received another call. Please have the WSJ stop contacting me.Desired Settlement: Stop contacting me, delete all my information and do not share with any other party.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by The Wall Street Journal Broadcast Services regarding complaint ID [redacted]. This complaint is not resolved. Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: I have been receiving delivery of the [redacted] to which I do not subscribe. When I tried to stop delivery nothing happened. Since March **, I have sent approximately 5 emails and made 6 or 7 calls to their customer service department. Each time they promise to stop delivery after two (2) days, and each time nothing happens and the paper keeps coming. It constitutes a burglary hazard when we are not home to remove the paper from the driveway. It has now been 18 days since my initial request to stop this paper. They will not provide the phone number of the carrier. I have asked them to have the carrier call me, but nothing happens. This has to end.Desired Settlement: Stop delivery of the newspaper and apologize.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted]. On April **, 2015, I wrote to [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], and [redacted], [redacted]. No response from any of them. I finally did get the paper to stop by sitting out in my driveway in the early morning darkness, and stopping the carrier person.Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: On 05/**/14, I ordered Barron's Magazine via their website. After receiving just one issue, I decided to cancel. It wasn't really a magazine, but rather a weekly newspaper. I called on 05/** to cancel and to get my refund, but my request was denied. I was told that my subscription is non-refundable. This was NEVER disclosed to me, ever! If I knew this, I would NEVER agree to it, and I would never order this magazine. Shame on Dow Jones! Their business practice is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I demand immediate refund.Desired Settlement: I want Barron's to refund $26.98 back to my credit card immediately or legal complaint will follow.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: Something must be done about the increased use of auto-renewing subscription services by companies such as the Wall Street Journal. This unethical practice is too widely used nowadays by many many companies. I am tired for seeing credit card charges for services that I subscribed for months or years ago just automatically appear on my bills without prior notice. This is not fair to the consumer. It relies on consumers not remembering they signed up for such service and when it is due to expire and auto-renew. Something must be done about this. In the case of the Wall Street Journal - when my online subscription expired, the company sent me an email to ask me if I wanted to renew. Despite declining this offer, I continued to be charged for the service. Upon calling the company, they said I had to call to actively cancel my account - declining to renew is not the same for them - so my subscription had been auto-renewed. This is a very sneaky and unethical way for businesses to get recurring revenues without consumers knowing.Desired Settlement: There must be legislation put in place that STOPS this practice widely. Again, not just specific to the Wall Street Journal.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have been contacted directly by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted], however my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]

They still auto renewed me without notice. In fact the matter got worse because after a two hour phone conversation, and their promise to cancel my subscription (though they did not refund my previous payments which were paid under the unsolicited auto renewal) - they were STILL to charge my credit card. It literally took me emailing 4 more times to finally get them to cancel my account and email me a confirm. This must be investigated. I do not trust this business is being fair to consumers. I also believe most people pay for their service using their business credit card accounts so probably do not even know they are being wrongly charged since they do not check their business accounts as carefully as their personal accounts. Thank you.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: I am not receiving my weekend paper on Saturday. This has been an issue in the past and when I filed a complaint with the Revdex.com it finally got resolved, but now it is back. I called 8/*/15 spoke to Stephanie she requested for paper to be redelivered and it never came. I called on 8/**/15 spoke to Jennifer and she informed me the paper would be delivered on Sunday and it never came. I called 8/**/15 and spoke to Isabella and she requested for paper to be delivered and it did arrive. I just called today(8/**/15) and we will see if it gets redelivered. I should never have to call because I am paying to have my papered delivered during the week and on the weekends, but I am not receiving the service that I am paying for. This seems to have become a chronic issue.Desired Settlement: All I am asking is that [redacted] delivers my paper every Saturday because that is what I am paying for. They need to get a reliable delivery surface for the weekend because this has become a chronic issue.

Business

Response:

We have contacted the Carrier Manager and the distributors to further investigate delivery issues and will contact subscriber to further assist.

Review: I signed up for a monthly starter subscription and the paper never arrived. I was then charged for new month on my card, when I saw this charge I called and told them that I had not received ANY papers and requested that they refund the money and cancel my subscription. They refused, I have now been charged twice for a service that I am not receiving.Desired Settlement: I am fine paying the starter subscription, I signed up for it knowing that I probably would never see a paper. The renewal charge however is unbelievable given that I have never once received a copy of the paper! I would like this refunded at $26.99. Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: For the last six months, I have had constant delivery issues at my home in [redacted] ([redacted]) by the Wall Street Journal. I have made nothing less than at least a dozen calls to this organization. My newspapers are constantly missing, soaking wet, not placed in the newspaper slot which is underneath the mailbox at the end of my driveway as continually requested. I have had to search for my paper in snowdrifts, found it across the street, down the street, etc. I have specifially asked that the paper be placed in the appropriate slot as I have an elderly parent who searches for the paper and due to traffic I don't want her looking all over the area for the paper.

Calls are met with a half-hearted attempted to rectify the problem, however it continues. I am constantly met with "we are just customer service, ma'am, and not the actually delivery department". However, you cannot be transferred to the department responsible for delivery, and they cannot even tell me who my delivery person is so I can contact him/her directly. In frustration, I cancelled all but the weekend edition. As of yesterday, I still did not receive even this paper. Understanding that there are now on-line editions does not justify the poor, lousy and bad service I am getting from the [redacted] in [redacted], [redacted]. My continual complaints are met with deaf ears and it appears this organization can really care less about the service I am getting.

As a busy executive, I value the news provided by the [redacted], but their customer service is terrible. I am currently seeking out complaints from other homeowners in the association where I reside and perhaps filing a class complaint against the [redacted] for bad delivery service.Desired Settlement: I would like better service on part of the [redacted], which includes, timely delivery of service, delivery of service, adequate product not a newspaper laying out in the driveway/street soaking wet (the newspapers many times are not in a plastic bag, but simply covered with a rubberband or the bag does not fully cover the paper), better concern from them about my problem, a direct email or phone call from them saying my problems have been addressed, and resolving all these matters so I don't have to keep calling!

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: I had a subscription to WSJ over the summer on the promo offer. No where on their website do they make it readily available to cancel a subscription. I am currently a student as they can see on the past of my account and get the WSJ extremely discounted for school purposes. Over the weekend I was charged the monthly rate for a standard member. Since there call operators do not work on weekends I called early into the next week. With no help they said they can refund me zero dollars even though I emailed them twice from my account's email requesting the cancellation of my subscription. The lady on the phone to help me was rude and offered no help or solution to this problem.Desired Settlement: I want to be refunded the full amount of $28.99

Business

Response:

Terms and Conditions provide explanation of our auto renewal policy for all subscriptions and the requirement to call for any cancellation. As a courtesy, we have provided a full month refund to the subscriber as requested and confirmed our policy for any future subscriptions. Sub should receive refund in seven to ten business days to the credit card on file.

Review: In July 2013 I purchased a subscription to [redacted] using my AA airlines miles through a direct mail advertisement, when I returned the subscription form in the mail I also included an address change which was never processed, the failure to process the address change at the time of purchase lead to my never receiving a single issue of the subscription I elected to purchase. After sending several more address change requests via mail with no action or response from the publisher I attempted to call customer service and spoke to someone who had such a heavy accent I could barely understand what they were saying, after explaining my situation to the customer service rep he advised me that since my subscription had ended nothing could be done to help me, I responded that this was unacceptable considering the fact that the publisher had been ignoring my requests to update my subscription since the day I signed up, he explained that there was nothing he could do. So I respectfully request that the Revdex.com advocate on my behalf to help me obtain a reasonable resolution from Barron/s with respect to this matter.Desired Settlement: I request that [redacted] honor the terms of the original offer by providing me deliver service of the [redacted] weekly print issue to my REQUESTED ADDRESS: [redacted] If for whatever reason [redacted] cannot complete the delivery of my order to my correct address which is listed above I would simply request that [redacted] instead refund me in cash or check for the fair market value of the product I never received or credit the original form of payment by depositing miles back into my frequent flyer mile account. Thank you for your time and assistance with this matter

Consumer

Response:

[redacted]PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THIS COMPLAINT[redacted]While at this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted]. I want to point out that the NYC Revdex.com has been sending the complaint to the wrong address, the correct address that should be used is as follows:[redacted]

[redacted]I respectfully request that the Revdex.com of NYC resend my complaint to the address I have provided above and I am certain that a response and resolution will be forthcoming if you are able to assist me and resend the complaint to the proper address as detailed above. Thank you for your time and consideration with this matterSincerely,[redacted]

Review: We have not received home delivery of the Wall Street Journal for the past 6 days. Each day we have contacted the Wall Street Journal and they have advised that they will address the problem. They have not. We have requested the name of the local delivery service they use so we can contact them, but the Wall Street Journal has refused to provide that information. They have informed us that they have elevated the issue, but they have never informed us what the issue is, and what they are doing to resolve it. Really, really horrible customer service. They just don't seem to care.Desired Settlement: We want to receive a full explanation regarding what has happened here, that it has been resolved, and what the Wall Street Journal has done to ensure this will not happen again. Further, the Wall Street Journal needs to implement better procedures for dealing with this issue other than their current policy of giving their paying customers the runaround, and providing no useful information.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,