The Washington Post

Review: We had a subscription. We called to cancel the subscription in April and mailed in the balance due (less than $5). Now it is July. We continue to receive a paper every day and periodically (every week or so) we receive a phone call from The Post's billing dept. trying to collect on money that we do not owe (Delivery service since April). Last I heard it was $60 (usually they speak with my wife, [redacted]. Every morning I wake up and see the paper in my driveway that I do not want there.Desired Settlement: Stop contacting my and stop trying to charge me for a service that I do not want, and that was cancelled.

Business

Response:

July 21, 2014I am sorry to hear about your experience with cancelling your newspaper subscription. As you requested, we suspended delivery and removed the balance from your account.I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and sincerely thank you for being a Washington Post subscriber.Gregg F[redacted] Vice President Distribution & Customer Care

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

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

Regards,

Review: Two to three times a day for the past month, I have received calls from the Washington Post Newspaper in Washington, DC. Upon answering, the caller precedes to hang up. I returned the call and spoke with a representative in which I asked to have my phone number removed from their calling log, she assured me that she would make a notation of that. 15 minutes later I received another call from the same number with the same result. The following day after the call and hang up, I called and asked to speak with a Supervisor. She also assured me that she would make a notation in the system to have my number removed, two minutes after hanging up from her another call came in from the same number, I did not answer. Yesterday, I received three calls from them in which I answered one, the caller preceded to hang up. I called and spoke with another Supervisor, she informed me that she would research and file a complaint. I informed her that if this continues, I will have to file a complaint. This evening I received another call from the Washington Post. This week has been the worst it's ever been.Desired Settlement: I want the calling to stop immediately! My husband and I are both disabled and this is such an annoyance when someone continues to call throughout the day and hang up.

Business

Response:

I am in receipt of your complaint regarding telephone calls from The Washington Post.

Can you kindly share with me the telephone number which is being called as well as the name of the Supervisor you spoke with so that I can thoroughly investigate your complaint?

Thank you.

_______________________________________________________________________________<...⇄ />
Rich H[redacted]

Director of Consumer Marketing

The Washington Post

###-###-#### phone

###-###-#### fax

Review: I contacted The Washington Post to stop the delivery of Post Marketplace to my house in numerous occasions, but I am still receiving it, they promised to stop the delivery, but every week I find the the trash at my door, this is ridiculous, they are forcing me to take their advertisement and I do not want it, I do not know what else to do.Desired Settlement: Please stop the delivery of your Post Marketplace to my house.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]:

I have received your request to stop delivery of Post Marketplace by the US Postal Service. This free product is delivered by US Mail.

We have taken your address off of our list. This will take up to thirty days to stop as many of our mail pieces are prepared and mailed in advance.

Thank you for contacting us.

_______________________________________________________________________________<...⇄ />
Director of Consumer Marketing

The Washington Post

###-###-#### phone

###-###-#### fax

Review: I was a subscriber of this paper about 4 years ago.

When my subscription ended, I did not renew the services. Since then, the Post has been constantly harrassing me with their continuous solicitation letters despite my calling them twice along all these years.

I called them and nicely requested to be removed from their marketing services, which their customer service did say they would oblige.

Well, they have not.

I feel like there is no point in calling their customer service to complain because they are obviously going to tell me what I want to hear and not do as I say.

Where are the needs of the consumer being respected here?

This needs to be handled immediately.Desired Settlement: Cease all marketing mailings sent to me NO MATTER WHERE I MOVE TO.

And send me a letter attesting that is exactly what you are going to do - physically, not abstractly.

And please do train your customer service better.

If I were to ever subscribe to a newspaper, the Post will be my last option.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding being put on our do not mail and call list.

I have put your current address of [redacted], VA [redacted] and daytime telephone of ###-###-#### on our do not mail and call list.

I can not ensure that any future address you move to is put on the list unless you contact us directly as we can not predict where you might move.

Thank you for contacting us and we hope one day to have your back as a customer.

_______________________________________________________________________________<...⇄ />
Rich H[redacted]

Director of Consumer Marketing

The Washington Post

###-###-#### phone

###-###-#### fax

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Review: I have been trying since the beginning of this year to end my e-replica subscription to the Washington Post, which is $11.99 a month. It is delivered wirelessly to my computer every day and the bill is automatically deducted from my checking account.

There is no link online that lets you end your subscription. Manage Your Account does not allow it. I have talked to three representatives on the phone and they each claim to have no email address for me, as if that lets them off the hook. (It hasn't changed in half a century.) But they obviously have no trouble deducting my payment every month. I got to talk with their webmaster and he was unable to do anything either because he couldn't find my email address. I asked to speak to a supervisor: "He's on another line and doesn't take messages."

WAPO flaunts their integrity as a quality newspaper, but they behave like a cheap act when it comes to honoring their customers. Please let me know how to proceed to end my subscription.

Thank you,

Jan SchererDesired Settlement: End automatic payments from my checking account and terminate my subscription to Washington Post e-replica.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]:

I am writing to let you know that [redacted] has spoken with [redacted]. [redacted]. The subscription which she was referring to is a kindle subscription to The Washington Post. This is billed by [redacted] and we do not control the billing.

[redacted]. [redacted] understands this and knows how to contact Amazon to stop this service.

Please let me know if you need additional information.

Review: I stopped receiving the Washington Post early January. I received calls and bills saying I owed until 26-January. January 23, 2013 I paid the following:

CheckCard [redacted] Washpos*subscription 01-23 $34.45

[redacted] XXXXXXX

At that point (23 Jan), I told them I hadn't received the paper in a couple of weeks and NO LONGER WANTED to continue the service. I would paid what was due and what they considered service until 26 January.

Early March, I started getting calls again saying I had a past due balance. I told them I had already paid it and hadn't received the paper in months. The apologized and said they would clear my account. Today I received a bill saying I owe $15.90 and that my paper stopped 3/10/2013. I am not paying this because I haven't gotten a paper since early January. I've already spoken to them about this early March. I don't care to talk to someone else about the SAME thing. I'm not sure what to say other then...I haven't received the paper since January, I over paid you for 2 or 3 weeks of service already. Leave me alone and clear my account. I am not paying any more for a service I am not getting.

The account in question is acct# [redacted]

Amount they say is due is: $15.90 for service up until 3/10/2013.

I stopped receiving the paper early January. Talked to them in January and again early March.Desired Settlement: I want them to clear my account from their database. EVERYTHING. I do not owe them anything. I do not want the paper. I do not want any calls asking if I want to restart service. I paid for the paper up until late January even though I stopped receiving it early January. I do not want this ending up in collections. My credit is too good for this nonsense. This is a small amount I can easily pay off but it's the principle. I am not paying for something I never received and called to cancel.

Business

Response:

See Attachment

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. Thank you!

Regards,

Review: Cancelled paper in writing and over the phone 4 times, finally they stopped delivering the paper but insisted I owed them money. Seemed to finally get it resolved and then the paper started coming again on Sundays two weeks ago and then we received another bill.Desired Settlement: We don't want the paper, never initiated delivery again and stop sending bills for the paper we don't want.

Business

Response:

See Attachment

Review: I placed a print ad for a Saturday and Sunday print ad to be placed under [redacted] County. I paid $280.00 for the ad which was to include 7 days of online listing starting with March 15. The Saturday ad on March 15 was placed under [redacted] County in Maryland. As well, there was no online listing. I called that very day and was told no one was in the office and to call back on Monday, March 17. I called and spoke with [redacted] - she said she would check and get back to me. She called me and said she saw the error and got confirmation that the online ad was not placed. She said I would receive a refund for Saturday and for the weekend online problem.

I have been continuously billed for $40.00. I called the Washington Post several times and no one could figure out all the notes on the account. I called [redacted] and challenged the $40.00 charge, as I did not know what it was for. They contacted the Washington Post and never heard back from them, and sent me a letter that they would issue a credit of $40.00 to my account. Last week I received a call from the Washington Post billing department asking for the $40.00. I told them to contact [redacted]. Today I received a bill from the WP for $40.00 and called their accounting department. The lady I spoke to was [redacted]. She could not figure out why I was being billed for the $40.00, trying to understand all of the notes on the account. She said it was ready to go to a Collection Agency. That was it for me, I told her that I would not waste any more of my time, pay the 40.00 for whatever it was for, file a complaint with the Revdex.com and cancel my subscription to the Washington Post. I have subscribed for 20 years and just canceled my subscription. I'm also going to write to [redacted], as he would never treat customers this way.Desired Settlement: Give me back my $40.00 for something that no one at the WP could explain.

Business

Response:

[redacted]

Based on the complaint receive from the Revdex.com for [redacted].

I have reviewed the complaint and have done a complete investigation on this matter.

Based on the findings I have agreed to refund this customer the $40.

This was the expected result requested by the customer in her complaint.

I am attaching a copy of the email sent to the customer today 06/03/2014.

The attached with show the credit memo number and a means of contacting me for any further assistance..

Would it be possible to a letter reflecting that this matter has been resolved between the customer and The Washington Post.

Sincerely,

Classified Sales Manager

The Washington Post

Office: ###-###-####

Cell: ###-###-####

Email: [redacted]

To: [redacted]

From [redacted]

RE Revdex.com Complaint # [redacted]

[redacted], in response your complaint to the Revdex.com. I have read the complaint and have complete an investigation on your complaint.

I have had several conversation with you in regards to, your experience and expectation with The Washington Post.

I apologize that your experienced with us wasn’t satisfactory.

In conclusion, I have agreed to refund your account the amount of $40. which was requested in your complaint. Credit Memo # [redacted]-**. This refund should reflect on your [redacted] statement after going through our refund process. If this credit is not reflected on your statement or you receive any further calls from our collections team, please contact me immediately..

Sincerely,

Classified Sales Manager

The Washington Post

Office: ###-###-####

Cell: ###-###-####

Email: [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. If I don't receive the credit of $40.00 by the end of June, I will let you know, thank you.

Regards,

Review: In Aug 2013 we sold our house on [redacted] Clifton, VA. I called Washington Post to stop delivery. Told the lady that we are moving and to stop delivery on Sept 15, 2013. Told her that we are building a home in Leesburg, VA and that I did not know when it will be completed. She told me that Washington Post delivers in Leesburg and that I can continue the rest of my subscription once our home is built. I recently received a bill stating that I owed money but I purchased a special subscription in which I paid for services for a year. Our year was not over when I called last Sept 2013. Today, Nov 26, 2014 I spoke to Michelle first then asked for a supervisor. His name is Hil. Hil told me that they have been delivering the paper to my old address where we have not been for over a year. Washington Post has my email address but I did not receive any notice. Now the Post is saying that I owe money when I never agreed to continue delivery after the one year service that I originally purchased. Hil told me that he would send my request to the billing department but there was no guarantee that they would not have me liable for the bill. I believe they have not held up their end of our agreement. I did not authorize re-delivery to my old address nor any additional extension of our agreement.Desired Settlement: Refund the rest of my subscription which I did not use.

Business

Response:

December 4, 2014Dear [redacted]:Thank you for your recent letter to Stephen H[redacted], President and General Manager, regarding [redacted]’s newspaper account.We have removed the balance from the account on [redacted]; and will reimburse [redacted] the remaining balance of that 52-week agreement, $31.12. I apologize for the problems she encountered and for the inconvenience this has caused her.Thank you for the opportunity to resolve this issue.Respectfully,Gregg FVice President Distribution & Customer Care

Review: The Washington Post guarantees weekday delivery to my address by 6:00 a.m., and weekend delivery by 7:00 a.m. Paper was frequently received later than that, as late as 7:30 on weekdays and 10:00 on weekends, which offers me no benefit if I've already left home. In addition, vacation hold requests were not always honored, and papers were left on my driveway during my absence as a calling card to would-be home burglars. Several complaints were filed against the carrier, and profuse apologies were offered every time, but the bad delivery service continued. After canceling my service, I received no follow-up beyond the automatically triggered "we want you back" emails and phone calls, and no concern about my particular problem with delivery. In short, after being a customer at three different addresses over 16 years, I've concluded that the Post does not care that they are losing paid subscribers due purely to delivery issues.Desired Settlement: I would like the Post to honor its guarantee to deliver the paper by a certain time each morning.

Business

Response:

August 7, 2014Dear [redacted];This is in response to your complaint sent to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) on August 4, 2014, First of all, let me apologize for your delivery issues you have experienced with the delivery time and vacation hold requests of your Washington Post. Late delivery of your paper is unacceptable. Your Post should be delivered to your address by 6:00 AM during the week and by 7:00 AM on the weekend, I discussed this issue with the agent on your territory, Rene R[redacted], and he will correct this issue immediately with the actual carrier. He will also reiterate the importance of meeting the delivery deadline every day.In regards to your vacation hold not honored, this is a serious issue that we do not take lightly. You are correct when you state that this is “a calling card to would-be burglars.” Mr. R[redacted] will retrain your carrier on reading their daily transactions and following their delivery list 100% rather than by memory. If a subscriber is on vacation, that address does not appear on the carrier's delivery list. This indicates that the carrier is not following their delivery list. Mr. R[redacted] will also spot check the carrier's route to ensure compliance with their delivery list and deadline. We pride ourselves on providing the best and most consistent customer Service possible to our subscribers because we value your loyalty to The Post.Again, I do apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced and sincerely thank you for being a loyal Post subscriber. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at [redacted],Respectfully,Gregg FVice President Distribution & Customer Care

Review: On Oct 1 2013 I called the Post and asked for my paper delivery service to be stopped. This is because my eyesight has gotten to the point where I have trouble reading it, I prefer to read my news on the computer. I received a notice from the Post saying that the services was stopped 1/1/14 and that I needed to pay $94.49. I called the Post and told them I had canceled my service in October and would not be paying for the papers received in Oct/ Nov/ Dec 2013. They said they had no record of my cancellation and I informed them I was told I did not need to sent in written confirmation of cancellation and that the phone call would be satisfactory.

I have since received another bill.Desired Settlement: Bill for services rendered after Oct 1 2013 should not be charged to me

thank you

Business

Response:

April 29, 2014Dear [redacted]:I am sorry to hear about the billing dispute with your Washington Post newspaper account. Unfortunately, we do not have record of a verbal request to suspend service so delivery continued in good faith until stopped on 12/31/13, due to non-payment. We endeavor to provide customers with the best service possible. Thus, I have credited your account $31.35 (four weeks of delivery), which brings your balance to $57.79.Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: WP indicates it has not received a verbal response request to suspend delivery. This has nothing to do with the fact that I called and cancelled. At the time I asked whether I should send and email or letter confirming the cancellation and was told that it was not required.

Review: Today's date is April 10, 2013. A Washington Post sales representative contacted our residence about 8 weeks ago to push the Savings Now edition of the Washington Post. According to the sales representative, the call was being recorded, and I encourage her supervisor to review the call. When I asked the sales representative if this product is dropped off in my driveway like a newspaper or delivered to my mailbox, the sales representative told me that it would be dropped off in my driveway. I specifically told her "no, that will not work". I advised the representative that my family travels regularly and that our neighborhood isn't the safest in town, and the only way that I would accept this product is if the item is delivered to my mailbox. The representative responded, "Sure, I'll make a note of it". From Day 1 until now, the Savings Now edition has been dropped off on my driveway every weekend. To add insult to injury, on Wednesday, March 20th at 9:22 PM just before an extended trip out of town, I emailed [redacted]' to cancel my subscription per the instructions on the front cover of the edition, and when my family returned from our trip, we found not one, but two Savings Now packages on our driveway. I have since called the phone number on the cover of the Savings Now edition three times and each of those times, the recording tells me that representatives are unavailable to take my call..."please call back during normal business hours". What the recording fails to tell you is the "normal business hours". When are consumers supposed to call? The Washington Post and their sales representative have failed to meet a verbal contract between business and customer, and completely misrepresented their service. They have also failed to follow-up on my request to cancel my subscription. In addition, they have left me and my family with the feeling that our house is a target when leaving on weekend or extended trips due to papers accumulating in the driveway...a sure sign that no one is home.Desired Settlement: First and foremost, I want the subscription cancelled. Second, I want the Washington Post to remove my phone number ([redacted] and my address from their contact list and never contact me or my family again. Third, it would be beneficial to have the recorded call reviewed by Washington Post management for a determination if internal policies were followed...and follow-up with training for the sale representative.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your email which you submitted to the Revdex.com on April 10th. Please accept my apology for the difficulty you have been having with our SavingsNow! free home delivered publication. At your request, I have placed a stop on delivery of this product and have put your telephone number of [redacted] on our do not call list. As a matter of practicality, it could take up to thirty days to remove your telephone number from all of our outgoing lists. In addition, we have notified your distributor not to deliver SavingsNow! effective immediately, however since our publication is printedand prepared for delivery a week in advance, there is a chance you will receive a copy this weekend. However, it will not be delivered after that. We appreciate the time you took to let us know your concerns and hope that you will consider this publication or another publication of ours in the future.

_______________________________________________________________________________[...⇄ of Consumer MarketingThe Washington Post[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by The Washington Post in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me, providing that after April 21st, the SavingsNow publication is no longer delivered to my residence. I appreciate The Washington Post's quick response to my complaint submitted to the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC.

Regards,

Review: My home delivery should have stopped on 04/12/14. I had cancelled the credit card that was used to purchase the paper. Paper was not stopped until 07/06/14. If they couldn't charged the credit card , I don't understand why the paper was not stopped then. Now I am getting a bill in the mail for $31.80. Contacted The Post on 07/14/14 @ 12:10 pm spoke with Lisa was on hold for 10 mins. Called back @ 1 p.m. spoke with Luisa again. Asked for supervisor. Spoke with Ellen #[redacted]. She said that she would contact another department about my complaint to see what they could do. They will contact me in about a week. They have not contacted me as of yet. The last bill that I have receive is dated 09/05/14Desired Settlement: My account is closed with them. And no money owed.

Business

Response:

October 2, 2014Dear [redacted]:Thank you for your recent letter to Stephen H[redacted], President and General Manager of The Washington Post regarding the billing discrepancy [redacted] has experienced with her Sunday Washington Post subscription.As of this date, [redacted]'s account has been closed and the balance cleared as per her request. A message was left for [redacted] informing her that the account has been closed and the balance cleared. We apologized for any confusion she may have encountered with the proper procedure for cancelling her account,Be assured of my continuing interest in the quality of The Washington Post subscription Services. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at [redacted].Gregg FVice President Distribution & Customer Care

The Washington Post is very sleazy in its billing collection procedures for digital subscriptions - it will automatically renew without your permission and force you to pay for a digital subscription if you want to post a comment on their articles. I have been charged automatically to an old credit card for several years without my permission. Also in order to undo it, you have to be put on hold and then called back and give the same info over and over until they hope you get tired. This is out of the old internet account subscription playbook when they would never let you cancel. extremely sleazy and people need to force them to stop this practice.

Review: I cancelled by Sunday subscription on 5/3/2013 due to inconsistent and delivery of my paper. Over the years I have had many issues and I was no longer willing to put up with it. The customer service representative requested that I give them another chance and I refused that request. I have called several times in the past months because my paper was still being delivered and bills were being sent. I was just recently notified that the billing department refused to take the charges off of my bill because the customer service representative claimed that I agreed to continue my subscription. My bill was paid in full up through 5/25/2013.Desired Settlement: I would like the subscription cancelled and all charges removed from my account.

Business

Response:

December 10, 2013

Dear **. [redacted]:

Thank you for forwarding **. [redacted]’s concerns regarding her Washington Post newspaper account. On November 19,2013, the $16.90 balance was removed from her account.

Thank you for the opportunity to resolve this matter.

Respectfully,

Review: I gave a kid who came to my door $20 to "help with college tuition," and was told I would also receive the newspaper for 10 weeks. I was told at the end of 10 weeks I could continue the service if I wanted to, for an extra charge. After ten weeks the paper kept coming and I later received a bill in the mail for a service I never asked for or agree to pay for. I then received a letter in the mail saying my bill, for the papers I never agreed to pay for, was going to be sent to collections. I then called and was told that I should have called and told them that I didn't want the papers to keep coming. I explained that I never asked for them to come in the first place so I should not have to spend time out of my day to call and stop something I never asked for to agreed to pay for. I asked for them to send me a copy of something where I agreed to receive the newspaper and pay for it and they would/could not, but instead told me their policy to to just deliver the paper and I should have called to stop it if I didn't want it.Desired Settlement: I should not have to pay for something I didnt ask for or want. It is not right to send somebody something and then say they owe you money for it after the fact.

Business

Response:

See Attachment

Review: I found that the Washington Post has been double billing my stepmother at [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], MD. Below is directly from a letter sent Certified Mail and received by the Washington Post on June 30. There has been no response other than they have stopped delivery of the paper even though account [redacted] has been paid through August.

RE: Double Billing of accounts for [redacted] & [redacted]

Hello [redacted],

I am writing because I have contacted your Customer Service Department 3 times, they have escalated this to your billing department twice, and the only response if more billings for an account already paid and to stop delivery.

On August 8, of last year, I set up an on line account to pay for service for [redacted] which was being billed under account [redacted] for delivery to her at [redacted] in [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], Maryland. I found this year she was continuing to pay because she was being separately billed on account [redacted] for apartment [redacted] in [redacted].

On May 7, 2012, she moved from her apartment at [redacted] to assisted living at [redacted]. The Washington Post was delivered to her new address. As I was at the apartment regularly over the next few weeks, I know there was no continued delivery to [redacted].

On May 5, 2014, I called your customer service department to explain the situation. Your representative told me that he had to cancel [redacted] because this was not even a valid account number for that delivery zone even though you had been billing for this and delivering for nearly two years. He said it was escalated to the billing department and to check back in 3 to 5 business days.

On May 14, I found that my on line access to the account was blocked. I called back Customer Service, explained the situation again, and was told that it would again be escalated to the billing department.

On June 6, I called again and was told that deliveries were being continued for Sunday only as we had changed account [redacted] from daily to Sunday only at the beginning of this year.

On June 15, I received a bill with a balance due of $33.13 even though the subscription was paid through August on [redacted].

There has been no paper delivered the last two Sundays.Desired Settlement: I requested in this letter:

Immediate resumption of the delivery of the Sunday newspaper which is paid through August plus credit for deliveries that you have not made.

Billing and receipt information for 2012 through 2014 for both accounts [redacted] and [redacted].

A check issued for credit for the overpayments made due to your double billing of the newspaper.

A complimentary extended subscription for the Sunday Washington Post as an apology for your misconduct.

Business

Response:

July 31, 2014Dear [redacted];I am sorry to hear about your experience with your stepmother's dual accounts. We have corrected the problem. By the time you receive this letter, [redacted] should have received a $267.33 refund check for payments she made to account #[redacted] on 1/9/13 ($164.81) and on 12/30/13 ($102.52).I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and sincerely thank you for the opportunity to resolve this matter.Respectfully,Gregg F Vice President Distribution & Customer Care

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:The letter and check for $267.33 were received, but the response is inadequate.