Subscrption magazine

Stu3009

so ive subscribbed to a magazine for my son called lancaster bomber by Hachette costing every 2 months aprox 50.00 in total ive spent 500.00 recently parts have started to go wrong and not working ive contacted them and after 2 weeks go an answer i didnt want they wanted me to go and buy special things as a customer do i have the right to ask for replacent issues which is aprox 17 issues as every time ive asked for theses they keep going round and circles and trying not to send me out these replacments

Ergates

Firstly - as you've probably realised - those "Build a model, a part comes with each issue" type magazines are an absolutely absurd rip off.

In terms of replacement parts - you're entitled to what you've paid for.  If magazines are coming through with missing or faulty parts, then they should replace them.  They don't need to resend the magazine itself (unless that was also missing), jus the part.

Stu3009

They keep saying send videos and pictures of the faulty parts and email after email I’m total they would have to send me aprox 150.00 worth of issues compared to my 500.00 I’ve spent 

Ergates

Stu3009 said:

They keep saying send videos and pictures of the faulty parts and email after email I’m total they would have to send me aprox 150.00 worth of issues compared to my 500.00 I’ve spent 

The cost of fixing the faulty/missing parts is their problem though, not yours.  Also it's a nonsense argument from that - as the cost to them would only be a tiny fraction of the cover price.

You've paid for them, they have to either replace the items (I assume repair isn't possible/practical) or refund you.  The risk is that if you push them they'll go for the latter option - which would leave you with half the bits missing.   Which is another reason why these model-split-between-issues subscription things are a very bad idea.

Exodi

Oh god, I always see the commericals and the Maths on it is absolutely insane.

Usually something like Build this really cool looking thing - get Issue 1 for the low price of just £4.99 !!!
(usual price £24.99, there are 125 issues to complete this model)

Then you do the maths and realise you're spending thousands of pounds on a model kit you could buy outright for less than a hundred quid. It just feels even more exploitative to get people hooked with the initial low price, and keep them hooked with sunk cost fallacy (seeing an incomplete model as worthless/useless). I don't know how receiving a single propeller blade or whatever for your £25 doesn't make your blood boil.

Absolutely they are obliged to provide replacement parts if they arrived faulty!

Undervalued

Ergates said:

Stu3009 said:

They keep saying send videos and pictures of the faulty parts and email after email I’m total they would have to send me aprox 150.00 worth of issues compared to my 500.00 I’ve spent 

The cost of fixing the faulty/missing parts is their problem though, not yours.  Also it's a nonsense argument from that - as the cost to them would only be a tiny fraction of the cover price.

You've paid for them, they have to either replace the items (I assume repair isn't possible/practical) or refund you.  The risk is that if you push them they'll go for the latter option - which would leave you with half the bits missing.   Which is another reason why these model-split-between-issues subscription things are a very bad idea.

It would be an interesting one, if it came to court, to argue that if they can't (or won't) supply the missing parts then the whole exercise is pointless and should be refunded? I wonder if there has been a related test case?

If there is no guarantee of getting all of the parts then it adds a huge risk factor to an already wildly expensive project. Presumably a subscriber hasn't also contracted to buying every issue? A bit like people thinking they are paying a monthly gym membership when if fact they have agreed to a year's subscription paid in easy monthly instalments!.

CliveOfIndia

Exodi said:

Oh god, I always see the commericals and the Maths on it is absolutely insane.

Usually something like Build this really cool looking thing - get Issue 1 for the low price of just £4.99 !!!
(usual price £24.99, there are 125 issues to complete this model)

Then you do the maths and realise you're spending thousands of pounds on a model kit you could buy outright for less than a hundred quid. It just feels even more exploitative to get people hooked with the initial low price, and keep them hooked with sunk cost fallacy (seeing an incomplete model as worthless/useless).

Many many years ago when I was a kid, I'd seen one of these "partworks" (I think that's what they call them) advertised, and went to my local newsagent to ask if he could get the magazines in for me.  He said "no" - he refused to sell them as they were such a rip-off.

Ergates

Undervalued said:

Ergates said:

Stu3009 said:

They keep saying send videos and pictures of the faulty parts and email after email I’m total they would have to send me aprox 150.00 worth of issues compared to my 500.00 I’ve spent 

The cost of fixing the faulty/missing parts is their problem though, not yours.  Also it's a nonsense argument from that - as the cost to them would only be a tiny fraction of the cover price.

You've paid for them, they have to either replace the items (I assume repair isn't possible/practical) or refund you.  The risk is that if you push them they'll go for the latter option - which would leave you with half the bits missing.   Which is another reason why these model-split-between-issues subscription things are a very bad idea.

It would be an interesting one, if it came to court, to argue that if they can't (or won't) supply the missing parts then the whole exercise is pointless and should be refunded? I wonder if there has been a related test case?

If there is no guarantee of getting all of the parts then it adds a huge risk factor to an already wildly expensive project. Presumably a subscriber hasn't also contracted to buying every issue? A bit like people thinking they are paying a monthly gym membership when if fact they have agreed to a year's subscription paid in easy monthly instalments!.

To me this is the biggest risk.   I strongly suspect that the T&Cs will be written to make this either impossible or very difficult.

eschaton

CliveOfIndia said:

Exodi said:

Oh god, I always see we the commericals and the Maths on it is absolutely insane.

Usually something like Build this really cool looking thing - get Issue 1 for the low price of just £4.99 !!!
(usual price £24.99, there are 125 issues to complete this model)

Then you do the maths and realise you're spending thousands of pounds on a model kit you could buy outright for less than a hundred quid. It just feels even more exploitative to get people hooked with the initial low price, and keep them hooked with sunk cost fallacy (seeing an incomplete model as worthless/useless).

Many many years ago when I was a kid, I'd seen one of these "partworks" (I think that's what they call them) advertised, and went to my local newsagent to ask if he could get the magazines in for me.  He said "no" - he refused to sell them as they were such a rip-off.

He probably didn’t want to sell part works full stop. As with many retailers. 

After part 6, further copies are a firm sale. More often than not, most people eventually stop buying and accept the loss so far. 

Then the retailer is left with worthless part works and takes the full hit. 

Ergates

eschaton said:

CliveOfIndia said:

Exodi said:

Oh god, I always see we the commericals and the Maths on it is absolutely insane.

Usually something like Build this really cool looking thing - get Issue 1 for the low price of just £4.99 !!!
(usual price £24.99, there are 125 issues to complete this model)

Then you do the maths and realise you're spending thousands of pounds on a model kit you could buy outright for less than a hundred quid. It just feels even more exploitative to get people hooked with the initial low price, and keep them hooked with sunk cost fallacy (seeing an incomplete model as worthless/useless).

Many many years ago when I was a kid, I'd seen one of these "partworks" (I think that's what they call them) advertised, and went to my local newsagent to ask if he could get the magazines in for me.  He said "no" - he refused to sell them as they were such a rip-off.

He probably didn’t want to sell part works full stop. As with many retailers. 

After part 6, further copies are a firm sale. More often than not, most people eventually stop buying and accept the loss so far. 

Then the retailer is left with worthless part works and takes the full hit. 

Or he just understood they were a scam and didn't want to annoy his customers.

Stu3009

all they want is pictures any videos of the parts not working like i would lie and try and scam more issues how would that help me if i was for 2.5 weeks ive gone back and forward and all i get is lots of excuses blah blah blah its a simple task send me replacement issues and say no more they know im not the only one whos been having same issue its they have looked at cost on how much it would cost them to replace aprox 170.00 compared to what ive spent 450.00-500.00 so far who loses out more