I want to say right out front that I am a big fan of the magazine Quilting Arts, and have purchased it whenever I could find it. For a few years I was able to buy it from the bookstore here in Bangkok, but I had to be quick as at THB595 ($19.39/£12.14) for a $7.99 magazine, I wanted a copy that had not been well thumbed by half of Bangkok first. Yes it was quite a hefty mark up, but I loved reading the magazine and thought it worth it, to keep up on latest trends etc. In addition to the magazine, I have also purchased many DVDs from Interweave (the publisher of Quilting Arts), which I had shipped to friends in the US. They either hand carried them back for me, or I collected them when I went to the US. I have also bought Quilting Arts books and other magazines produced by Interweave. I guess you can say I am a big fan of their products.
Given my love of the magazine and it no longer being available on the shelf in Bangkok, I decided to subscribe to Quilting Arts. Even with the usual international subscription mark up, it was still a cheaper option then buying it abroad and it also meant I got a guaranteed magazine.
Wrong.
I subscribed in February 2012 and it took Interweave 6 months to get the first magazine to me. Well, when I say they got it to me it was quite farcical really. Their system was able to take my order and my initial enquiry as to why no magazine had arrived, but then for some reason, they were unable to respond to the additional three emails I sent saying that it still hadn't arrived. In desperation, I went through the magazine and emailed every single email address in it. Finally some kind soul forwarded my email to a supervisor.
The supervisor told me that they had no record of any of my complaints, and suggested they had been spammed. This was funny as I had hit reply to the only response I ever got and had emailed via their website which had been able to take my order. The supervisor said she would get a magazine to me and that I should email her if I had any further problems. I emailed her back (yes I was curious to see whether I got a response), to ask whether they had therefore un-spammed me and asking for a response to the other bits of my complaint. Yes you guessed it, no response to that either. My only recourse to dealing with Interweave therefore is to telephone from Thailand to the US, obviously at my expense.
A magazine did eventually turn up. About a month later the same magazine turned up again! I am now up to date on my magazines thankfully.
So if I am up to date, you are probably wondering why I am having a rant today. Well, I get very annoyed with Interweave, as I think they promise things they don't mean. I know I am not the only person who has had problems with subscriptions with Quilting Arts, I am the third person here that I know. The thing that is bugging me at the moment is an email that I constantly receive from Interweave, trying to get me to subscribe to their sister magazine, called Cloth Paper Scissors. It offers me a "free trial issue". This was the same offer that I received from Quilting Arts. Below is taken from the email:
Be Inspired! Try your hand at mixed media! Since its debut, Cloth Paper Scissors has been shaking up the mixed-media world. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced artist, every issue will bring you detailed photos and step-by-step instructions for projects from some of the world’s most talented artists; the newest and most innovative techniques; and the inspiration and support for developing your own creative voice. We are so sure you're going to love it we want to offer you a FREE TRIAL ISSUE today.
Now I don't know about you, but to me a free trial issue means that you take the magazine, try it and no obligations to subscribe, it is a taster. However, when you click on their hyperlink it takes you to a page (below) that doesn't mention a free trial issue anywhere, but instead offers a 'free bonus issue' IF you subscribe and pay by credit card today. This is the hyperlink.
| RISK-FREE OFFER* |
| Save 37% off the newsstand price when you order 1 year (6 issues) of Cloth Paper Scissors for only $29.95! Plus, get a FREE BONUS ISSUE when you pay today.Add $9.00 Canadian postage, $20.00 for Foreign. U.S. funds only. Payment must accompany international orders. * RISK-FREE Offer: If you are not fully satisfied for any reason you can write ‘cancel’ on your invoice and owe nothing. If you have already paid, you can cancel and receive a full refund on any unmailed issues. No questions asked. |
In the small text underneath it tells you that you can write cancel on your invoice and owe nothing. Ha ha, that just isn't true! I tried to cancel my subscription with them when they hadn't sent me a single magazine after 5 months of waiting, which I thought a reasonable request. That part of my complaint was completely ignored by the supervisor who handled my complaint. Yes I finally got my magazines (though it remains to be seen whether I get all of them due to me, including the bonus issue) but it was clear that Interweave wasn't going to give me back my money.
The whole experience of dealing with the shoddy customer services at Interweave has soured what to me was an exciting prospect, my Quilting Arts magazine landing on my doorstep. I think Interweave is very happy to grab your money, but is less than eager to fulfil its obligations.
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