Mag renewal notices way early

[jnmeade]

It seems that some aviation magazines start sending renewal notices almost a year ahead of time. They offer great "savings" but want to use my money for 9-10 months before the old subscription runs out. Good grief! The magazine could fold by then (or I could die).

Most of us respond to a renewal notice by thinking, "I'll take care of that now and not worry about it" but when the lead time is nearly a year that seems to be stretching things.

Some charities use the technique of our automatic response by sending out multiple solicitation letters at times when we are thinking about charitable tax issues. I caught a college I give to doing that and also a local public TV network.

I guess the necessity to actively manage (check the subscription end date, last donation, etc.) is must another requirement to stay ahead of people who use human nature to their advantage.

What's wrong with notifying me 90 days before the subscription runs out?

 

[ScottM]

What's wrong with notifying me 90 days before the subscription runs out?

You may then only renew for the next year. By sending it early you may have forgotten that your subscription is running for another 9 months and thus are paying them early. If they can keep this up they keep getting money from you earlier and earlier. If you decide to not renew in a year they already have three or more years of subscription cash from you.

 

[jnmeade]

You may then only renew for the next year. By sending it early you may have forgotten that your subscription is running for another 9 months and thus are paying them early. If they can keep this up they keep getting money from you earlier and earlier. If you decide to not renew in a year they already have three or more years of subscription cash from you.

I think you're right. I think the only solution is to never respond so that the subscription drops. There must be some big commercial firm that does this renewal business for magazines, rather like the guys who call you up to donate to the Police Beneficial Society or some other operation where they keep about 70% of the take. I wonder how much IFR, Aviation Consumer, Kitplanes and who knows what others pay to have their subscriptions managed like this? And how many people drop the magazine because they don't like the insulting way they're being treated. I dropped IFR partly because of this practice.

 

[Ddayle]

I keep waiting till I get a super price offer. Like one they lured me in with in the first place. Wait long enough they get desperate. But I do get fooled occasionally, I paid one twice(great rate), so now I got several yrs., some seem to start sending renewals out with the second issue. I read a lot so I got nearly a dozen.DaveR

 

[Lawreston]

. . . . and how many of you received the promotional letter from FLYING Magazine? "1 YEAR / Cover Price $59.98 / You Save $49.98 / Your Professional Rate $7.00."

Either they're obscenely profitable to be able to give away the subscription, or subscription list must be at the bottom of barrel which is being scraped.

HR

 

[Palmpilot]

. . . . and how many of you received the promotional letter from FLYING Magazine? "1 YEAR / Cover Price $59.98 / You Save $49.98 / Your Professional Rate $7.00."

Either they're obscenely profitable to be able to give away the subscription, or subscription list must be at the bottom of barrel which is being scraped.

HR

Maybe their real money comes from advertising.

As for early subscription renewal requests, I just check my expiration date, and wait until a month or two before expiration.

 

[Skip Miller]

Maybe their real money comes from advertising.

Yes, and their advertising rates vary depending on how many subscribers they have. It is not a linear function, it is a step function. Maybe they were about to fall off the rate step. Time to give the magazine away again!!!

-Skip

 

[pookies]

I just let my subscription run out. They keep sending them to you anyways.

 

[gkainz]

It seems that some aviation magazines start sending renewal notices almost a year ahead of time. They offer great "savings" but want to use my money for 9-10 months before the old subscription runs out. Good grief! The magazine could fold by then (or I could die).

You could always submit a forwarding address with the Post Office.

 

[wanttaja]

On a couple of the magazines I receive, they've published warnings about a scam regarding subscription renewals. Basically, you receive a notice from a company that claims your subscription is due, and giving you an easy way to renew it.

It's not all scams, though. I saw a neat magazine at the barber shop, and signed up for a year's subscription. A renewal notice arrived with a month of the first magazine. I've let the subscription lapse on one of my favorite mags, because their "Warning: Your Subscription is about to Lapse" because warning messages come so often I just ignore them....

Ron Wanttaja

 

[Bob Noel]

The AOPA renewels are so annoying and so bloody early... More than once
I missed the renewel date. If they would send it 1 or 2 months prior, then
I would have been more likely to renew.