National Magazine Exchange: Please make unsubscribing from magazines easier, more direct
The Issue
People should be able to choose what comes into their own mailboxes on a regular basis. After doing some research on the topic of unwanted magazine subscriptions, I have found that many other individuals have run into the same problem (just check websites like Consumerist and Yahoo!). They receive a magazine they did not want (or even know that they subscribed to), they write the publisher (often multiple times) to stop the subscription, and often get billed for the service. Sound familiar? Many magazines are sent to peoples' homes simply to increase circulation numbers, which increases advertising costs in the magazines (here is a good source to look at: http://www.magazine.org/assets/69f075cd230048c2996c58b7be494c19/understandingmagazinecirculation.pdf). Many consumers (like myself) are also concerned that it's a waste of resources to print an unwanted magazine. It can also be a source of stress for the person to whom the magazines are addressed because of the often long and difficult process one must go through to simply unsubscribe from the service. It's something that should be SIMPLE and EASY. It's time for these magazine publishers to start listening to consumers rather than their pocketbooks.
Further Research
-The National Magazine Exchange (aka ThinkDirect Marketing Group) has had 368 complaints against them through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to date. Only 128 of them have been settled through the BBB (http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-reviews/magazine-sales-departments/thinkdirect-marketing-group-in-largo-fl-10292)
More news and resources about the National Magazine Exchange:
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/04/20/consumerwatch-unwanted-magazines-pile-up/
http://national-magazine-exchange.pissedconsumer.com/
-Meredeth Corporation has had 450 complaints logged against them through the BBB to date, with about 131 complaints closed in the past 12 months (http://www.bbb.org/iowa/business-reviews/publishers-periodical/meredith-corporation-in-des-moines-ia-101975)
The Issue
People should be able to choose what comes into their own mailboxes on a regular basis. After doing some research on the topic of unwanted magazine subscriptions, I have found that many other individuals have run into the same problem (just check websites like Consumerist and Yahoo!). They receive a magazine they did not want (or even know that they subscribed to), they write the publisher (often multiple times) to stop the subscription, and often get billed for the service. Sound familiar? Many magazines are sent to peoples' homes simply to increase circulation numbers, which increases advertising costs in the magazines (here is a good source to look at: http://www.magazine.org/assets/69f075cd230048c2996c58b7be494c19/understandingmagazinecirculation.pdf). Many consumers (like myself) are also concerned that it's a waste of resources to print an unwanted magazine. It can also be a source of stress for the person to whom the magazines are addressed because of the often long and difficult process one must go through to simply unsubscribe from the service. It's something that should be SIMPLE and EASY. It's time for these magazine publishers to start listening to consumers rather than their pocketbooks.
Further Research
-The National Magazine Exchange (aka ThinkDirect Marketing Group) has had 368 complaints against them through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to date. Only 128 of them have been settled through the BBB (http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-reviews/magazine-sales-departments/thinkdirect-marketing-group-in-largo-fl-10292)
More news and resources about the National Magazine Exchange:
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/04/20/consumerwatch-unwanted-magazines-pile-up/
http://national-magazine-exchange.pissedconsumer.com/
-Meredeth Corporation has had 450 complaints logged against them through the BBB to date, with about 131 complaints closed in the past 12 months (http://www.bbb.org/iowa/business-reviews/publishers-periodical/meredith-corporation-in-des-moines-ia-101975)
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Petition created on March 7, 2012