The Boston Globe

I would absolutely love to be able to support the local paper with a digital subscription. However, due to the extraordinarily difficult process to cancel a subscription, I will be avoiding subscribing from the Globe in the future.
I signed up less than 4 weeks ago for a 4-week digital subscription at an introductory rate. Three weeks into this subscription, I was charged $27.72 for a new month. I called today (still, less than 4 weeks have passed since my initial subscription) to cancel and request a refund for the renewal. I was placed on hold and given the offer to receive a call-back.
After about an hour, I received a callback, but I was informed that I cannot officially cancel my subscription and get a refund until after April 1, as we are already in the new payment cycle. This is RIDICULOUS, as I never should have had to pay for the new month in the first place. Every other subscription service I have ever been a part of waits to bill until the end of the initial subscription period. I feel that the Globe makes it particularly difficult to cancel subscriptions so that they don't lose business, but this is not the way to keep customers!! What a scam.

I have been trying to cancell my online subscripyion using the online system provided by the company acording to rheir policy. I have spent hours on hold over several days and can not get through to cancel my subscription

I get the Globe home delivered. The Globe just raised the monthly price - I am not complaining about that. However, in my monthly bill, the Globe also included a charge ($1.50/month) for an "invoice processing fee," without any explanation of what this is. I object to both paying for a service and then paying a fee for the Globe (or its carrier) to process my payment. I tried calling the Globe home delivery customer service number, but got a recording saying there was a wait time and I should give my number and I would be called back. I then left my number but never got a return call. In addition, there have been numerous times over the years when my paper has not been delivered on time. I have then put in for credit on my bill, but I have nevertheless always continued to get the same monthly bill at the same time, as if there was no credit. Apparently, the Globe only gives a supposed credit in the sense that the time covered by the payment is extended - but this is never reflected in a skipped or reduced bill.

I paid for a trial period subscription from the Boston Globe in the amount of $3.96 on November 12, 2018 that was to last for 8 weeks., ending on January 7, 2019. I called to cancel the 8 week subscription on December 12, and I was told that I was cancelled, but that my subscription would run itself out, so not to be surprised to keep receiving the digital articles. I specifically asked for a confirmation number or an email confirmation but was told they "didn't do that" and to rest assured I was cancelled just by verbal request. On checking my January credit card statement, I noticed that on December 31 I was charged $27.72 for a full subscription. I called and complained and a representative named *** (again, all I could get was her name-no confirmation except what she said was my subscription number #***) I was promised a credit on my account. WHen I did not see one on my statement, I called back on February 15 to ask about it and was told it was too late . That refunds were never given after charges have gone through and that "***" was wrong. I was told this new representative would request a credit fo me that would likely not happen. All I could get from her was her ID number. Again, no confirmation of our conversation, even when I asked for one or for an email to verify. I still have heard nothing and am STILL getting the digital subscription, expecting another charge anytime soon. This feels very much like a scam. I see repeated complaints on Revdex.com site now that I have checked into this. I have absolutely no control at this point over being charged by the Boston Globe. Scam.

The Boston Globe makes it extraordinarily easy to START a digital subscription, and you can even manage your payment options online without any problem. The one thing you cannot do is cancel your subscription. To cancel you must call an agent. In this day and age, the only reason you would insist that customers be directed to a live agent is to make it MORE DIFFICULT to do. Obviously it is more EFFICIENT to allow customers to manage their subscriptions AND CANCEL online.
I was on hold 15 minutes to reach an agent. And then when I said I wanted to cancel and it was a huge hassle to do it this way...I was disconnected!!! I had to call again to cancel!
PLEASE PROVIDE AN OPTION TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ONLINE. I love the Boston Globe. And I will not order it again until it makes it easy for customers to cancel. Your practices are predatory.

Dear Ms ***-I apologize that you have been unable to reach us at the Boston GlobeThe past two weeks we have been overwhelmed with calls due to the delivery changesI'm not sure why you had trouble contacting us prior to that - we usually have agents waiting and no backlog of calls or chats.I
have gone ahead and cancelled your account as you requestedAs a courtesy, I am refunding your payments back to SeptemberFinance will process the refund and send a check to your address on record.Thank you for your patience,*** *** Customer Success TeamThe Boston Globe

Consumer states that in June she was informed by her parents that they had not received The Boston Globe in “quite some time”. Upon review of our records we note that the parents’ subscription was cancelled on 11/07/with the notation “SPOKE WITH SUBS (subscriber’s) DAUGHTER, SUB IS
STILL HOSPITALIZED AND WANTS TO CANCEL THE ACCOUNT, WANTS THE OB (overdue balance) TO BE WAIVED OFF SINCE SHE CLAIMS THAT THEY NEVER KNEW THAT THEY HAD PROVIDED A RESTART DATE”The consumer provided instruction to The Globe to close the account but took no corrective action upon identifying that charges from The Boston Globe continued to appear on her credit card statement. In fact, since the subscriptions overlapped from 12/(when the digital subscription was started) until 11/when the parents’ subscription was cancelled the consumer would have noted different charges for different amounts from The Boston GlobeConsumer states that she did not sign up for a digital account. Our records indicate the account was opened through the Boston Globe’s on-line site using a subscriber self-service utility. Further, in order for the digital subscription to remain active, the consumer’s credit card information has to be included at the time the subscription was requested or the subscription would not activate. The Boston Globe would not have access to that information. Additionally, our records indicate a lto the digital account on 12/11/and further access on 01/31/16, 03/06/16, and 07/25/The consumer was told she had a duplicate account and that a refund would be issued for the time period the accounts overlapped. It was later determined that the consumer, in fact, did not have duplicate accounts but The Boston Globe honored its commitment to refund for the period the accounts overlapped as a courtesy The consumer states that she is only being given $for months which must be a misunderstanding. The refund amount is $

Ms***-I sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience this issuehas causedI do see that you have made multiple attempts to stopdelivery of the Globe DirectThis morning I contacted the President of GlobeDirect, as well as the Regional Manager for the delivery person that works
inyour areaThe area manger assured me that her management group will go by and do avisual check next week after the carrier passes through your area to make surethere are no flyers on your propertyThey will continue this practice until weall feel confident that the delivery has stoppedAgain, I apologize that you have had to contact us so manytimes and I assure you we are following up on this.Regards,*** *** ***Manager, Customer SuccessThe Boston Globe

It was confirmed that the newspaper was never deliveredThe subscriber, *** ***, has been refund all charges, $110.00>Regards,

The Globe Direct advertising flyers are being sent via ***The mailing address has units and all have been placed on a Do Not Mailing list.It may be 1-weeks before the *** stops delivering We have already confirmed this address is on a Do Not Mail List Please feel free to contact the ***

The Boston Globe apologizes for your recent delivery issues and has escalated the problem to the distributor in your delivery area. In addition, a message has been e-mailed to the district manager for the Connecticut region requesting she personally address the issue with the distributor.The
Team Lead from The Globe's escalation group will contact you on 01/17/to check on the status of your home delivery and will provide you with direct contact information at that time.Once again, The Boston Globe apologizes for this poor service and is making every effort to rectify the situation

The Boston Globe notified our 3rd party delivery service, The Concord Monitor News, that delivers the newspaper for us in the ex-subscribers area that he has been permanently stoppedThey informed us that they will inform the carrier not to deliverWe called this week to see if the paper was
deliveredThe paper was notWe will continue to monitor it over the next few weeks

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #***I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved.
Regards,
*** ***

Talked with the subscriber and adjusted off the balance dueSubscriber was restarted on 2/26/with delivery of the Sunday Globe

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #***I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolvedI thank the person from the Globe who responded with a clear explanation (the first clear explanation)
Regards,
*** ***

Dr Mr ***, I apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced in trying to get this issue resolved, and I can certainly take care of it for you.I see that your address is listed as Do Not Deliver, but this was recently noted, effective 7/17/Once we receive notification to stop it
takes two weeks to become effectiveI did also contact *** *** in *** and advise them to stop mailing the flyers to your addressI received confirmation that the Production Manager was notified of this change. Again, I apologize that you we were unable to solve this to your satisfaction in a more timely fashion.Please let me know if you have any additional issues.Sincerely, *** *** ***Manager, Customer SuccessThe Boston Globe and boston.com

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues
and/or concerns in reference to complaint #***I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved.
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #***I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved.
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ***Please add your rejection comments belowWhen an updated written bill is received and reviewed reflecting the credit promised over the phone this complaint will be closed and not beforeThere's been way to much dishonesty on the part of the Globe to take anything they say at face valueAlso, please stop calling me and just finally resolve this problemRegards,
*** ***

Dear Ms ***-I sincerely apologize for the trouble you have had trying to resolve this issue.I contacted our Finance office and just received confirmation that this credit was applied back to your credit card this afternoon. Please let me know if you do not see the credit or the issue
is not resolved to your satisfaction. Sincerely, *** *** ***Manager Customer Success TeamThe Boston Globe and boston.com