Although the romantic side of me would love paper magazines to continue, there's no avoiding the death spiral of paper and the embrace of digital. Naturally, traditional publishers need to adapt, and it's sad to see that Future Publishing are struggling.
I subscribed to Edge digitally, and had to go through multiple faffage with sign-ups as although I'd signed up with Future Publishing, having gone through the process I was then referred to "My favourite magazines" where I had to create another account, link the two accounts and then.... wait.
Having subscribed online I could not immediately access content and had to wait several days for the first direct debit payment (their choice) to clear before I could see anything, and all hidden behind obtuse menus and screens that Douglas Adams would be proud of.
A couple of months later I decided to cancel - and although you can sign-up and manage your subscriptions online (limited to only adding additional magazines or transferring the subscription to another magazine), there is no facility online to cancel your subscription. Checking the terms reveals that you can't use an online form, you can't email customer services or phone them, but you have to put it in writing and post a letter. To an address that's not given on the same page as the instructions for cancelling. Again, short of putting it into a bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard', they really couldn't have made it harder to leave.
I wanted to test whether this really was true - having a cancellation method significantly more onerous than the sign-up one is immoral in my eyes, so I phoned "Magazines direct" (who have now consumed "my favourite magazines") and after taking endless amounts of personal details for ID+V, was then told there's nothing they can do for 4 days since they were going through an IT upgrade. I'm still not entirely clear why they wanted so many details if the IT system wasn't working.
I asked them to note my cancellation request so that when the IT systems were up again, they could process it and send me confirmation of the cancellation. Apparently this wasn't possible and I was told to cancel my Direct Debit and then for me phone back in 4 days, when they could try again. No doubt if I do, and if the IT systems (after 4 days!) is up again, I will be told I have to send a letter instead.
This kafkaesque nonsense has made me swear to never again subscribe to another Future Publishing magazine, digital or otherwise and I warn you to do the same.
I subscribed to Edge digitally, and had to go through multiple faffage with sign-ups as although I'd signed up with Future Publishing, having gone through the process I was then referred to "My favourite magazines" where I had to create another account, link the two accounts and then.... wait.
Having subscribed online I could not immediately access content and had to wait several days for the first direct debit payment (their choice) to clear before I could see anything, and all hidden behind obtuse menus and screens that Douglas Adams would be proud of.
A couple of months later I decided to cancel - and although you can sign-up and manage your subscriptions online (limited to only adding additional magazines or transferring the subscription to another magazine), there is no facility online to cancel your subscription. Checking the terms reveals that you can't use an online form, you can't email customer services or phone them, but you have to put it in writing and post a letter. To an address that's not given on the same page as the instructions for cancelling. Again, short of putting it into a bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard', they really couldn't have made it harder to leave.
I wanted to test whether this really was true - having a cancellation method significantly more onerous than the sign-up one is immoral in my eyes, so I phoned "Magazines direct" (who have now consumed "my favourite magazines") and after taking endless amounts of personal details for ID+V, was then told there's nothing they can do for 4 days since they were going through an IT upgrade. I'm still not entirely clear why they wanted so many details if the IT system wasn't working.
I asked them to note my cancellation request so that when the IT systems were up again, they could process it and send me confirmation of the cancellation. Apparently this wasn't possible and I was told to cancel my Direct Debit and then for me phone back in 4 days, when they could try again. No doubt if I do, and if the IT systems (after 4 days!) is up again, I will be told I have to send a letter instead.
This kafkaesque nonsense has made me swear to never again subscribe to another Future Publishing magazine, digital or otherwise and I warn you to do the same.
