Quidco paying £4 for a £3 magazine subscription

dlouis_2

iSubscribe is offering £4 cashback via Quidco for magazine subscriptions paid for by direct debit. I chose a special offer on Mens Health of 3 issues for £3. The £4 cashback is already tracking successfully on Quidco.

You do need to set up a direct debit, but it seems likely Quidco will pay out before the next direct debit installment is due, allowing me to cancel the subscription after the 3 issues and be £1 up on the deal.

I chose Mens Health, but I believe several other magazines have 3 issue for £3 offers, and some even have 3 issues for £1, which would presumably return a £3 profit.

luce181

Thanks for this, one thing,
Just checked their T&C's and it says:
'11. Agree to a minimum term of 12 months for all Direct Debit orders.'

Do they hold you to this or can you cancel after 3 months?

Thanks

Lucy

dlouis_2

Oops. I didn't notice that. But the nature of direct debits is that they can be cancelled any time. So the only way for iSubscribe to enforce that condition would be to delay paying the cashback until the full 12 months are paid for. Which I suppose they may do, but it seems unlikely to me. I'll report back if and when the cashback is validated.

dmg24

Be careful with this - cashback will often be declined on the £1/ £3 offers. The magazines are still a great deal, but I would not just order them to try to make a profit.

lisyloo

But the nature of direct debits is that they can be cancelled any time.

The direct debit can be cancelled.
But your contract with the magazine company is still in place.
You have just stopped paying, that's all.
You haven't cancelled the contract.

So the only way for iSubscribe to enforce that condition would be to delay paying the cashback until the full 12 months are paid for.

No, They could take you to court or sell on the debt i.e. use the normal legal system for chasing debt.
My feeling is that the amounts involved are not worth them pursuing, but you should be clear that a legal contract is in place and you haven't cancelled you have merely stopped payng.
I've not heard of these being enforced before.

On moral grounds, I'd say it's wrong to do this if you understand the agreement.
Most of you would scream "scam and rip off" to high heaven if a comapny renaged on it's obligations to you, but obviosuly that's a matter for individual conscience.

dlouis_2

Well, I was seriously thinking of carrying on with the subscription anyway. I hope I didn't mislead anyone with my original post. Lesson learned - always check the T&Cs carefully.

Magicstar_2

Thanks for this. I've just subscribed to Easy Living which I buy just about every month for £2.70 an issue. It was £6 for first 6 months and £12 for the next 6 months so with the quidco costs £14 for the year.
:beer: