Mags4Cheap review: No magazine - No refund! 72

Mags4Cheap - I ordered a subscription to Newsweek magazine on 1/24/07 as a gift. My credit card was charged promptly yet the person I ordered the sub for has not received one issue as of today 4/30/07. I inquired via customer service with the mags4cheap website and have yet to receive a response.

Same happened to me. I finally did get a response but no reimbursement. They said that they sent the order in to Popular Science so I had to deal with Popular Science. Popular Science said they had no such order. It has been a year and Mags4Cheap just sent me a renewal notice, even though I haven't received a single copy!

In December 2006, I ordered a magazine subscription through Mags4Cheap to “Fit Yoga Magazine” and Mags4Cheap charged my credit card at that time.

I never received the publication and after countless calls to Mags4Cheap and to the publisher, I can not get a subscription going that I paid for many months ago.

At Mags4Cheap, I have spoken to Brian (manager) and Nicole and others and still no resolution.

Mags4Cheap
14760 Memorial Dr. Suite 306
Houston, Texas 77079
Phone: [protected]

Any help you can give would be appreciated. Thank you.

Mike Little

Ordered in Jan 07 a monthly mag didn't receive an issue till april. Ordered a gift subscription a week after first order (thought it would be an easy gift.) Ha! That was FEB 7 2007 today is August 3 2007 and the person has still not received anything. Yes I did file complaints with them and they either didn't respond or stated that publisher issues can take up to 12 weeks to be delivered. Why? Well they evidently take 11 weeks before they turn in the order so they can get some benefit from holding your money.

Ordered and was charged for People magazine subscription 03/24/07. Was not received so contacted them and they advised it would be sent within 4 weeks. That was 06/20/07. Have been trying to reach them since first part of July with no success. By phone I am disconnected. When leaving message for return call, I am ignored. I contacted Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Houston and Mags 4 Cheap would not cooperate with them. What a scam!

I placed an order for a magazine in January of 2007 and was billed $21.95. After not receiving the mag in the 10-12 week period, I emailed them. I received an email informing me that because there was such a large order for the magazine over Christmas, that I would have to wait a little longer. One more month went by and I called mags4cheap and was told by a very disinterested Brian that he'll put in a trouble ticket. Finally in July, I called again and told Brian I wanted to cancel my order. He said that I would receive a refund by check because they do not refund credit cards and that I should receive it in 10 days. It's two months later and I still haven't received a thing.

I paid for four subscriptions, but only received two. The company has not responded to any of my emails and if I try waiting on the phone for customer service to answer, I get disconnected. If I call and leave a message, the message is not returned. Mags4Cheap uses Google Checkout. If we all contact Google, maybe Google will stop allowing Mags4Cheap to use their checkout system. I will also contact the Texas Attorney General's office with a complaint!

Beware!

I was supposed to receive my magazine in June 2007, but I never did. So I emailed, and called, left message, also wrote to their company in Texas. Then I checked my order status online, it says my order was resubmitted to the publisher, and I should receive my magazine by October the latest. Today I checked my order status, the resubmission part was deleted, so my status still says I will receive magazine in June, 2007. So everything is back to the beginning.

Same story with me - ordered in Jan '07, no magazines, no refund. I'm up for a class action on this.

Stay away from this company. Strange enough that they didn't burn me until my third order. I guess they hook you, then they burn you? After talking and emailing with Nicole from Mags4Cheap and stated that they had to reorder mag and so forth. I finally disputed my credit card charge 6months after it posted. WAMU stated 60 day limit on disputing a charge after posting or after mailing appears on credit card statement. WAMU is off the hook for reimbursement and so is MAGS4CHEAP .. I will never ever wait or order something from internet and wait more than two weeks for product as the FEDERAL LAW LIMIT IS 60 DAYS TO SUBMIT DISPUTE AND BANK IS LIABLE. Credit Card Fraud itself is another matter and individual is only liable for first $50 and banks usually waive that. I am currently looking for a Credit Card with stronger language on internet disputes recourse and protection.

Thanks to Complaints Board. Hope this helps somebody!

I ordered Rolling Stone from this site on July 25. It is now November 2 and I haven't received 1 magazine. I've emailed them twice with no meaningful response except an automated email showing that they got my email. I called them and after sitting on hold for several minutes got through to an actual human. She then put me on hold for another several minutes. It sounded like she just set the phone down, and there was no activity in the background. I think she just set the phone down and went and checked her makeup. She got back on and told me some vague generalities about how my magazine would be there soon. I called my credit card and am now challenging the charge. AVOID THIS JOKE OF A "MERCHANT".

I ordered a magazine from mags4cheap.com in April. it never arrived. I called, they reordered. it never came. Now they won't issue a refund. Apparently, they have quite a reputation for this business practice.

This company is owned by Creative One, Inc.
Mags4Cheap
14760 Memorial Dr # 306
Houston, TX 77079

The BBB reports on members and non-members. If a company is a member of the BBB, it is stated in this report.

Original Business Start Date: 09/01/03
Type of Entity: Inc
Principal: Dave Shaw, President
Phone Number: [protected]
Fax Number: [protected]
Web Site Address: www.mags4cheap.com
Membership Status: This company is not a BBB member
Type of Business: Magazines-Subscription Agents
Magazines-Dealers
Additional Business Names:
Entertainment4Cheap
Magazines for Cheap
Mags4Cheap
Mags4cheap.com

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the BBB due to unanswered complaint(s).

When evaluating complaint information, please consider the company's size and volume of business. The number of complaints filed against the company may not be as important as the type of complaints and how the company handled them.

The BBB processed a total of 236 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total 236 complaints in the last 36 months, 167 of those were closed in the last 12 months.

Complaints Concerned
Advertising Issues: 9
Outcome of all complaints -
No Response: 9

Delivery Issues: 124
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 18; Unresolved: 6; Administratively Closed: 3; No Response: 97

Service Issues: 13
Outcome of all complaints -
No Response: 13

Customer Service Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Resolved: 1;

Product Issues: 2
Outcome of all complaints -
No Response: 2

Refund or Exchange Issues: 83
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 10; No Response: 73

Billing or Collection Issues: 4
Outcome of all complaints -
Unresolved: 1; No Response: 3

ADDITIONAL TRADENAMES, ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS

This business also uses the following names, addresses and/or telephone numbers:

Entertainment4Cheap
800 Tully Rd # 170G [protected]
Houston, TX 77079

That's the EXACT pattern I had too. My first two orders went beautifully. I'm been waiting over 3 months for the third one.

Oh, by the way, WAMU must really suck because I was aware that 60 days was the limit, but Citibank is challenging the charge after more than 90 days anyway because of the special circumstances that I told them-- Mags4Cheap doesn't even allow you to inquire until 90 days after they rip you off.

I'm in. There was an error message in my transaction, they don't even know what magazine I chose yet they still charged my credit card, Nov' 07. The BBB has over 230 complaints. How many do you need to classify them as crooks and shut em down? Let's do it together.

More of the same I guess. I also got burned by these scam artists. Charged me immediately for a subscription then told me it would be up to 12 weeks for subscription to start. That was last April. Subsequent emails requesting information get an auto response that a "trouble ticket" has been submitted but of course you get nothing. I think their tact is just take your money and hope you go away after being snubbed enough times. I am surprised that Visa and Mastercard still allow these people to charge credit cards with the amount of rip-offs they have been involved in.

Thanks for this info. It is very helpful. I also got burned by mags4cheap big time! Worse company ever!

Purchased National Geographic on Mags4cheap but did not receive the magazine. It's a year later and I am still trying to resolve the issue. I contact customer service at Mags4cheap, they tell me they'll look into it and I then I don't hear from them again. It's certainly one of the worst customer service departments I've ever dealt with.

On September 24th, 2007. I order a subscription for "good old days". paid for it with mastercard. Have not received the magazine yet.
I am very careful about ordering on line but sure thought this was a good company. old people get scammed like this all the time. Never again. I just got taken for $19.95. Guess i am lucky.

I ordered a one year subscription to Astronomy Magazine from Mags4Cheap for my son in 2006 and received it without a hitch. 4 months before the magazine subscription expired, I attempted to renew again through Mags4Cheap. After watching the expiration date printed on the magazine label never change I contacted the publisher to see if the renewal was processed. They told me they had received nothing. I immediately contacted Mags4cheap via e-mail who responded and opened a "trouble ticket" on my order. They apologized and claimed to have resent the information to the publisher. I checked back with the publisher and still nothing. I went through this runaround 3 times over the last two months and now Mags3Cheap stopped responding to me. I tried calling their contact number (1-877-WEB-MAGS, [protected]) and never did better than voice mail and never received a response. I am giving them one more chance and if they don't take care of this am reporting them to the Internet Crime Complaint Center - http://www.ic3.gov/. There is not much money involved here - just the principle of the matter, my son's disappointment, and all the other people that are getting burned - I see from browsing the web that bad experiences are much more common the good ones with this company. I wish I would have researched them before I ordered.

I talked with a person I had been sending subscriptions to for the past 4 years and he told me he did not receive a single issue of his subscription last year '07. I have already resubmitted the order this year without knowing. I tried to contact the web site by e-mail and tried calling them using the phone # listed on the web site.. No responce either way. Where do I go from here?

I am posting this comment to let the board members of this company know that I am one of the subscribers who paid my entire subscription in full, for the whole year but is not happy at all w/ the service, for the fact that I am getting my magazines 3 wks. late and sometimes not at all. The delivery should be actually on a weekly basis, so kindly fix this problem or you will lose most of your customers. In my case, I am not planning to renew my subscription nor order magazines from your company anymore.

Ordered and paid for Kiplinger's Retirement Letter on Mags4cheap but did not receive any issues. It's a year later and I am still trying to resolve the issue. I contact customer service at Mags4cheap, they tell me they'll look into it and I then I don't hear from them again. It's certainly one of the worst customer service departments I've ever dealt with, and the worst magazine subscription service I've ever seen! A rip-off!

Wish I'd seen this before I placed orders with Mags4Cheap. What is the contact information for the BBB that oversees their territory, so that I can file a complaint? Thanks.

I've had the same problem. Avoid Mags4Cheap! In August 2007, I ordered a 12-month subscription to National Geographic, which was supposed to start by 11/20/2007 at the latest. My credit card was billed immediately. As of 01/29/2008, the magazine still has not come. I have repeatedly contacted them by e-mail (there's no phone number). Each time, they say they'll look into it, but nothing happens. And the response to each follow-up complaint is clearly written by someone totally oblivious to all my earlier complaints (which I keep citing). They refuse to provide a refund. THIS IS FRAUD! They've taken my money for something they cannot deliver.

Same problem with this company. Ordered mags 10 months ago, credit card charged promptly and haven't received an issue. Everytime I complain they "resubmit" order. They finally agreed to refund money... we'll see what happens.

Same exact problem with Mags4cap. I ordered a Men's Fitness subscription in Feb 2007, and I'm still waitng. I contacted them within three months of my order date, and they said they would send me another subscription (in addition) for the inconvenience...I haven't received either.

I have had a similar experience which amounts to a clear case of fraud. I am planning on filing a complaint with the FBI internet crime division. I think if everyone who has had money taken from them and not given anything in return by mags4cheap would file a complaint at www.ic3.gov/complaint, there is a chance they would be held accountable. They apparently are based in Houston Texas, so complaining to Texas authorities would also be helpful.

No customer service. Placed an order in late November for a xmas gift. Magazine never arrived. Tried contacting Mags4Cheap by phone several times and was never able to speak to a live person; left messages and no returned calls. Emailed several times and nobody ever got back to me. Contacted the publisher and they claimed never to have received an order from Mags4Cheap.

Since they took my payment and did not provide the magazines subscription I plan to turn the matter over to the FBI internet fraud division.

Better choices for magazine subscriptions, suggest looking elsewhere. A big waste of time and a disappointment.

Yep; MAGS4CHEAP rippoff here too.

Ordered people magazine; was told over and over again it's on it's way. Then was told I needed to give them 40 bucks more because the publisher raised their price. I said no; so they said they'd refund Friday Guess what; 3 friday's later, no refund.

Then they said; oh our mistake you'll get your mag but you need to contact People Magizine and see when it should be delivered.
I filed a dispute with Mastercard and hopefully I'll get my refund.

This company is bogus. They simply take payments and don't provide the magazines. Why are they still in business? I encourage victims to contact their state's attorney general and file an online complaint.

I ordered a year subscription for my daughter on November 30, 2007 to People magazine through Mags4Cheap. I waited the allowed time for the magazine to be delivered to her and she never got it. I have called but always get an answering machine, I have left numerous messages but get no reply even though they guarantee that they will respond within 24 hours. I've also emailed them several times and been promised they will look into it, and I have had no response back after that. I am very frustrated and will never use their company again!

How do I file a complaint against this company?

I ordered Holiday presents in November, and still no History magazine for my husband, and it is April. I have called and e-mailed the company numerous times to no avail. I can't even get a live body on the phone. They have taken my money and not given me the goods, or have they?! DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY! SAVE YOUR MONEY.

I ordered Forbes Magazine from Mags4Cheap last June. Have called repeatedly and been promised delivery and/or response. Have never received either or a refund. Very shoddy outfit and will never give them a new order.

I renewed a subscription to The Weekly Standard on December 7, 2007. My credit card was promptly charged. On 12/18 I received email stating the subscription had been accepted by the publisher.
6 weeks later the publisher sent notice subscription was canceled because it hadn't been renewed. Called publisher and said Mags4Cheap had never placed an order. Contacted Mags4Cheap by phone, and they said have to wait until after 2/26/08 to file complaint. 3/3 called and filed complaint -they said a response within "7-10 business days". No response, so on 3/26 wrote to file another complaint. Same 7-10 wait period, but still no response and no magazines. 4/26 Credit card company will pursue them and issue provisional credit.
I used Mags4Cheap in the past with no problem, but never again after this!

I order magazines for my nieces in Dec. Nothing ever showed up. I called the company many times and once got a live body and he said "what do you want me to do about it?" I called the magazines and they never received any money for my order. I'm thinking this guy has taken our money and run. I sent a complaint to the Houston Better Business Bureau. Maybe a class action suit would get the company's attention. Don't ever do business with them.

I ordered 2 magazines December 4, 2007. Mags4Cheap doesn't return phone calls or e-mail, they ask that you wait 12 weeks, but it is too late to object to the credit card company. It is now April 28, 2008 and I'm filing a complaint with the NYS AG.

I also ordered 2 magazines on December 17, 2007 for friends as a Christimas present. It is May 1st, 2008! and neither one of them have received their subscription. I called the company several times, left a message each time. No one has returned my calls. I've also emailed several times and was told that they were looking into the status of my account. See below. This is the last correspondance I received from Mags4cheap on 4/14/08:

Hello,

We have not gotten a response for the trouble ticket that we submitted for you. I have submitted an additional trouble ticket to the supervisor at the fulfillment center and I will let you know when I get a response.

Sorry for any trouble this has caused.

Thanks
Brian

When responding to this message, please do not change the Subject line, as the code in the Subject will help us to track and monitor your communications with us.
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I have since written another email, but have not received any reply.

I renewed an order as a Christmas gift and it is now May 2 and one of the two magazines has yet to arrive. They do not respond to phone calls. You can only leave messages. You never get to talk to a live person. You can get better prices elsewhere. DO NOT USE THIS WEB SITE.