I got a renewal letter from TV Guide today. The envelope has a sticker that says, (well, it doesn't SAY anything. You have to read it.) "Urgent! It's time to renew! Prices are going to go up SOON." There are stickers on top of the sticker that read, "Yes, I want to beat the increase." Or "No, I'll pay more later." Arghhhhhhhh! So annoying. As if I would return their renewal offer with "No, I'm stupid so I'll pay more later." So dumb.
So I check my subscription. It's paid through January 2006. Seven full months to go, but it's urgent that I renew now. I have to reply immediately, or this wonderful offer is gone, off the table forever. HA! I hate it that the magazine people think everyone is a fool.
I've heard that the most dangerous thing you can want is MORE. Well, the TV Guide folks wanted too much more. I'm not going to renew when the subscription is actually done. The TV section in the newspaper is good enough for me.
12 comments:
Don't you just love the efficiency of these magazine companies? They want renews before expirations! Same here with Time magazine.
Oh for gosh sakes Lucinda! You must be into the beer already! His name is ekim, not ikem. He's your husband. Just saying.
I KNEW you were a smart cookie!!
Yeah, I hate the whole "it's-time-to-renew-the-subscription-that-started-four-months-ago" thing.
I've gotten to the point where if a given magazine pesters me early and often enough, I'll dump 'em. I did that to "The Advocate" and to "Bass Player" magazine. Their loss.
As for TV, I just look at tv.yahoo.com
I have that problem in areas other than magazines too. My car insurance company sends me a bill three weeks early, just to make sure I know. Its like, didnt I just pay that bill?
You're making a BIG mistake. Renew now, or you might DIE!!!!
Here is what I do to all annoying junk mail that has a handy postage paid return envalope.
I stuff the pre paid envalope full of some paper scraps. Then I return it. See how THAY like it when junk shows up in the mail!
It also makes me feel better knowing that the junk mailer has to waste the money on the return postage.
The Republican National Convention sent me junk mail asking for a donation last election. I sent them $5000 - in Monopoly money :)
I can just send you my copy of the TV Guide through the wormhole. Does it know where you live?
Jevanking, yes, you're right. The 'net has the TV listings.
GodlessMom: Well, I guess if you put your TV Guide in your refrigerator, it could end up in my ice chest the way it did when we were in Vermont, but it would be outdated. So, thanks anyway.
Iguana, I like your idea. I'm thinking about doing that. Sounds like fun.
Hi Lucy and thanks for visiting my blog. I didn't really know about your blog until recently when I read what the Devil wrote about it, but I will be around to read more of you.
Interesting cultural difference in Germany: There are dozens of different TV-Guide style magazines, not counting the free ones you get in the paper. Except for a few of the bigger names, none of them seem to stand out. I bought one for a time that came out in two week editions. There were three similar ones and I kept mixing them up: TV Movie, TV Spielfilm (German for Movie), and TV Today.
Subscriptions renewal is no problem in Germany. The standard is that ALL subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel three months before the (subscription) year ends.
I just got something like that for my son's Nickelodeon magazine. I got him the subscription for Christmas. He's got six or seven months left!! The notice I got didn't include the, "No, I'll pay MORE later!" bit, but it did say something about how quickly time flies and now it's time to renew. No it isnt!!!
Good for you! Show those Tv guide people who's boss!
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