Radio Times Subscription 250% increase

Cpt_Haddock_1970

I've just had an email stating that my Radio Times subscription is increasing from £52 every 6 months to £128.70 because the current price is unsustainable. They try to soften the blow by saying this is a saving of 11% on the current face value. None of this surprises me BUT if I go to the website where I took my subscription out through they are actively advertising the offer I originally signed up to: 10 issues for £10 then £52 for 26 issues. 

I'm guessing that this is probably legally ok with some get out clause within the small print somewhere. It's probably questionable morally but I'm just wondering if anyone has come across this and overcome it?

Grumpy_chap

Cpt_Haddock_1970 said:

I've just had an email stating that my Radio Times subscription is increasing from £52 every 6 months to £128.70 because the current price is unsustainable. They try to soften the blow by saying this is a saving of 11% on the current face value. None of this surprises me BUT if I go to the website where I took my subscription out through they are actively advertising the offer I originally signed up to: 10 issues for £10 then £52 for 26 issues. 

I'm guessing that this is probably legally ok with some get out clause within the small print somewhere. It's probably questionable morally but I'm just wondering if anyone has come across this and overcome it?

Why not cancel the current subscription and then take out the offer as a new subscriber?

What do the terms of your current and the new offers say about price changes once the initial period expires?
Is the price £52 for 6 months a loss leader?

If you can't get an amenable price for RT, there are other TV listing guides available or free with many weekend newspapers.

born_again

10 issues for £10 offer...

Vote with your feet 👍

pseudodox

When I had a similar deal years ago for 6 months at bargain price, then tried to take out the offer as a new subscriber they checked my address & it was denied.  So decided to change to one of the then 50p-ish guides as I really didn't do more with RT than look at programme times.  Can you use a friend's address for delivery (assuming friend does not then want their own copy!)

comeandgo

Does your library support Press Reader, you can view it on there for free.

Grumpy_chap

pseudodox said:

When I had a similar deal years ago for 6 months at bargain price, then tried to take out the offer as a new subscriber they checked my address & it was denied. 

That is not uncommon.

I did try to find the terms and conditions on the website and it is quite poor really.

The FAQ's state "An introductory offer or trial subscription is a short-term subscription (for example, 3 issues for £5) offered to new customers only"
https://www.buysubscriptions.com/customer-services/FAQs

I eventually found the Terms and Conditions hidden away and they state "5.1 Short-term introductory offers and free trials. We sometimes run short-term introductory offers or free trials for our subscription products (e.g. 12 issues for £1, 5 issues for £5). These offers include an introductory rate or free trial period that increases to a standard subscription rate after the initial payment term or free trial period. These offers are open to new customers only. We reserve the right to reject or cancel any subscription purchased using a short-term introductory offer or free trial at any point if the customer has previously purchased a subscription for that magazine or any other magazine in the Immediate Media portfolio."
https://www.buysubscriptions.com/our-services/terms-and-conditions

That is a bit on the vague side in my opinion "reserve the right to reject..." is not absolute. 
Nor does it clearly define "customer". 
Is that (as pseudodox found) based on address? 
Is it based on name? 
What if Captain Haddock had a subscription and cancelled but then Commander Haddock decided to take out a subscription?

pseudodox

I am pretty sure when my new application got rejected it mentioned that my name/address combo had been in receipt of a previous offer so I did not qualify.  Definitely left with the impression I was blacklisted.  I have since moved house - wonder if the people I sold to ever tried to get the RT offer?  

Marmaduke123

I cancelled my subscription and was immediately offered a much cheaper deal. Not as good as the new subscriber offer, but acceptable. 

Okell

Radio Times is ridiculously over-priced if you just want listings. I use https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/

Money_Grabber13579

I’ve had this experience with Gardener’s World magazine, which I believe is from the same publisher and also through buy subscriptions. I went to cancel my subscription and just before the final screen, I got presented with a better offer - not as good as those offered to new subscribers but better than what they were looking for so worth trying that to see what happens.

MattMattMattUK

Cpt_Haddock_1970 said:

I've just had an email stating that my Radio Times subscription is increasing from £52 every 6 months to £128.70 because the current price is unsustainable. They try to soften the blow by saying this is a saving of 11% on the current face value. None of this surprises me BUT if I go to the website where I took my subscription out through they are actively advertising the offer I originally signed up to: 10 issues for £10 then £52 for 26 issues. 

I'm guessing that this is probably legally ok with some get out clause within the small print somewhere. It's probably questionable morally but I'm just wondering if anyone has come across this and overcome it?

I do not see why you think it is morally questionable?

They, like many companies that make introductory offers will be losing money on the said offer, in the hope that they make money long term when the subscriber converts to paying the standard price.