Magazine subscription price

squirrelpie

I subscribe to a weekly magazine. Back in Dec 2016 they sent me an email offering a discounted price for renewals:


RE: Your limited time 75% discount offer
Limited-time offer: Renew in the next 8 DAYS and save up to £303 on the cover price going forward.

Reference Amount

Get 2 years of ******** for just £99 – and two years thereafter for £99 - that’s a discount of 75% and a saving of £303.90.

2 Year
£99
Click here to renew.


I accepted and paid £99 using my credit card. I have a confirmation email from them and I have my credit card statement confirming payment. They've been sending me copies of the magazine from then until last month. Two weeks ago they didn't send a copy and not last week either. So I emailed them to ask why.

I received a reply saying that the subscription had expired. So I called them and expained the subscription basis. They said, I think, that there had been some problem charging the credit card. But they haven't ever emailed me asking me for the payment of £99 that should have been due in Dec 2018.

They asked me to send them a copy of their email offering the subscription, which I did and they then said the offer is no longer valid and they want me to now pay £109.95 for a year's subscription.

So what is the situation? What is the right price?

Should I be paying £99 and receive magazines until Dec 2020? Or should I be paying £109.95 and receive magazines until Nov 2020? And if the former, what's the best way to request/require it?

(Their confirmation of payment email in 2016 actually says the same payment is due 'every two years thereafter', but I think trying to insist on that would be unreasonable)

pinkshoes

If the contract said £99 for 2 years subscription then that is what they need to supply.

After the 2 years is up, then they can raise the price and you can cancel.

sheramber

Not sure of the dates

Did you Take out the subscription in December 2016 and therefore the two yers was up in December 2018 .?

You have received the magazine since December 2018 without paying any money for it?

bris

The way I read it you were charged £99 in 2016 and have had the subscription for that period.


You have had the subscription still running until recently but not been charged for it.


They said there was a problem with your card so it may have been declined meaning you broke the contract in place at the time.


They are within their rights to cancel the agreement you broke, you must have know you were getting free magazines. Are they asking for a payment for them?

DoaM

bris wrote: »

They said there was a problem with your card so it may have been declined meaning you broke the contract in place at the time.


They are within their rights to cancel the agreement you broke, you must have know you were getting free magazines.

Major assumption there ... it could just as easily be that they didn't request the payment in December 2018.

squirrelpie

I don't think a declined card (if that was what happened, I don't know either way) breaks a contract. There was a continuing payment authority, since they say they tried to charge it and since they continued to supply the magazine. So they should simply have asked me for the payment when due. Indeed they should have told me they were going to make the charge anyway.


I had no knowledge of any payments due. I'd completely forgotten the arrangements until they stopped delivering the magazine.

born_again

Of course them not getting the payment breaks the contract. Even if the card was declined.
I think you need to check your account and see if they took a payment in 2018.

Pretty sure they will have taken payment or they would have stopped sending a lot sooner.

Why are they wanting payment now? As it states 2 years for £99. You paid that in 2016, then again (see above to confirm) in 2018. So you are not due a payment till 2020.
As to what you have to pay going forward. Is it worth arguing over £10?

DoaM

born_again wrote: »

As to what you have to pay going forward. Is it worth arguing over £10?

The way I read it - it's not £10 ... it's £111. (£99 for 2 years versus £109.95 per year).

born_again

I think Op maybe needs to check statements from each year from 2016.

I wonder if the £99 refers to a yearly charge? and they have missed a bit out of the email, or retailer did.

DoaM

Whilst I can't discount your thought, the email reproduced in the OP is very clear that it was £99 for two years subscription, and the same again for a further 2 years - I suggest you re-read the OP.

sheramber

It does happen that magazines bought on subscription can continue to be delivered after the subscription runs out. Readers Digest used to continue for many months.

I have a confirmation email from them and I have my credit card statement confirming payment.

But they haven't ever emailed me asking me for the payment of £99 that should have been due in Dec 2018.



But you never received confirmation of the 2018 payment being taken.