Do not subscribe to SHUTTERBUG MAGAZINE

[topspyn]

I subscribed to Shutterbug Magazine in May 2015. After more than 12 calls and promises each time that I would be receiving my issue in the mail I finally asked for a refund. I received two issues -June and October 2015. I can only hope to get my refund as nothing I was told ever came true.

 

[Braineack]

just signed up for Shutterbug Magazine because of this post. looks like a cool mag, thanks.

 

[Derrel]

I subscribed to it in the mid 1980's, and later in the decade of the 1990's, and enjoyed the heck out of it...at least until "The Internet Era" arrived. I think I let my subscription lapse in 1999. I never had any issues with it being delivered every month, and in good condition, despite it being a very large, super-sized magazine. Not sure if it is still larger in physical dimensions, like say W magazine is, or if the new incarnation is the same size as regular magazines.

One of the real big strengths of Shutterbug magazine was the classified advertisements, which had listings from "real-world" camera collectors and smaller dealers, people who scoured the country for good used equipment, and who sold it at fair prices, not the top-shelf prices that The Big Five retailers asked for the same items. And also the very experienced shooters who often sold off entire systems, sometimes systems built up over many years, and with incredibly nifty items that would be considered "rare" or "uncommon". The classified advertising that Shutterbug magazine offered was really a huge,huge strength of the magazine.

 

[topspyn]

It was and is a cool magazine. Better years ago I agree. But after 11 calls and promises the company can't send a magazine?

 

[Derrel]

Print magazines have fallen on hard times, and there have been some fairly substantial industry reorganizations, with fairly big companies buying up numerous smaller magazines and creating larger "umbrella" organizations; my impression is that once that happens, there's a chance that lil' ol' things like customer service and actually FINISHING ONE'S PAPERWORK can fall through the cracks. I have lost track of the number of times I've called a company on the phone, and discussed the resolution to a problem, and then later as it turned out, the so-called customer service representative had actually not done the single most-critical thing: FINISHED his or her "paperwork"....as in he did not check the submit box...or he did not actually hit the return key....as in he did not actually enter the complaint into the "active" file, and so on...

Another fantastic one is calling for customer service right near the company's break times...on the follow-up call you can ask the supervisor to note the time stamp on the customer service forms, and then ask, "So, how close was that to that employee's lunch time, or break time? Do you suppose that might be why my case wasn;t actually processed?"

I have utterly LOST FAITH in calls that are handled by hourly wage, headset-wearing minions...many of them do not actually FILL OUT their ******* paperwork!

Slipshod work has become part and parcel of business in America.

 

[snowbear]

I subscribed to Shutterbug Magazine in May 2015. After more than 12 calls and promises each time that I would be receiving my issue in the mail I finally asked for a refund. I received two issues -June and October 2015. I can only hope to get my refund as nothing I was told ever came true.

We had problems with customer service for a certain car company but they still sell a crap load of cars and trucks, have thousands of repeat customers, and continue to win awards.

 

[jcdeboever]

Look in your postman's vehicle and see if there is a camera on the seat.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[vintagesnaps]

Some magazines contract out their subscription service and no longer handle it directly themselves. Shutterbug's subscriptions seem to be thru a company called TEN The Enthusiast Network. You could look up the company and let them know of the situation or let Shutterbug know of the problems you've had with the service contracted thru TEN.

Article about the company on Bloomberg. TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC: Private Company Information - Businessweek

 

[Braineack]

It was and is a cool magazine. Better years ago I agree. But after 11 calls and promises the company can't send a magazine? To Braineack: good luck. Your handle must be a misnomer.

have you ever subscribed to a magazine ever?

they don't print the magazine one-off just for you and then hand deliver it that day.

it takes about 1-2 issues for the first to show up, then you keep getting them each month until your subscription is over. it's crazy, i know.

 

[charchri4]

^ this

 

[Nevermore1]

I subscribe to it digitally through B&N. I think it's a pretty good magazine.

All of my magazines except for one are digital now as I got tired of having tons of magazines laying around the house. Very easy to subscribe and unsubscribe and no issues with them getting lost or torn up in the mail.

Sent from my SM-N915T using Tapatalk

 

[DarkShadow]

When I go to my local grocery store shopping,they usually always have a photo magazine or two, by the time I am done shopping throwing chit in the shopping cart, I read the entire thing free.

 

[JimMcClain]

It was and is a cool magazine. Better years ago I agree. But after 11 calls and promises the company can't send a magazine?

While it's unfortunate that your subscription got munged, I don't know what makes you think a brand new member is going to influence the magazine subscription habits of a forum community. I get this same kinda hit-and-run tactic on my flooring forum. People will join just to tell my members not to buy a particular brand of floor covering. One or 2 messages along those lines and they are never heard from again.

I'm certainly not going to cancel my subscription to Shutterbug just because you are an unsatisfied customer. Now, if you had proof that their profits were supporting ISIS, a drug cartel or Apple Inc., that would be different. I'd jump on your bandwagon in an instant.