Doubleday Book Club review: Customer Service 44

I Agree 100%. Get this. I ordered books I never ever saw.
Go figure.
The only thing I got was a Collection notice for $4.20 that was 2 months ago.

Then guess what I opened to my mail box today? Another Collection Notice: "Final Notice". I never even got a 1st notice, so much for this "Final Notice" for how much? $26.00.

Apparently it was to bring my overdue of $32.00 up to date. But if you do the math, you will see that there is something fishy about it. It comes out to $30.20.

I guess Double Day needs to make an additional $1.80 cent tip from me.
I was informed from the collection agency to pay the amount to get my release letter in 5 days.
I informed the collection agency if they could tell Double Day Bye Bye for me.
They informed me I needed to call them.

I tried but the hours are operation are bad that I'm at work during their hours of operation.

I work for a huge Automotive industry and just like you I am not going to let my friends get hounded by double day books.

When I called Double Day Book club the first time after my payment, they told me "thank you" and "Your books are being shipped immediately". I never ever did see those books, which makes me think. "Thanks for your payment but oh by the way we aren't sending you your books."

Then when I received their collection notice for more money, I called Double Day back in regards to this and they had the nerve to tell me they never got my payment. When I saw clearly in my bank account the 'stamped received payment from double day book club' (front and back copies).

Which was a lie that they never received my cheque because obviously it was cashed and I had proof. I keep all print outs of printed and received payments from all companies. I do this because I use to work in Collections and I know how companies like Doube Day work.

They want to make it like you are dumb and that they never received the payment.

My advice to anyone, got verification that a payment was processed in Check format? Print it out and keep in your records.

It will do you good in the future if the company ever comes back to you and says "We never received your payment".

Keep your payment stubs or photo copy it, like I do. Attach it to the Printed copy of your check from your bank statement and keep it all together.

A company cannot say you didn't pay if you have the proof in your hands.

I went on to see if my account works on double day books and guess what "It doesn't work".

Maybe a good thing. I get to say "Bye bye Double Day "Whatever" books Club"

I hope one day they end up filing for bankruptcy. I've had better services with Columbia House over Double Day.

Thanks for putting in your comment about your Bad Service Experience with Double Day. I see on Google you and I are not alone with Double Day Troubles. (there's alot out there actually).

I am really sorry that you were in the hospital and not feeling well during the "Double Day Troubles".

Cheers.

This Is To Whom Ever This May Concern
Seeing there is no where to cancel my membership I am here canceling it with you.
My membership email was sannbedora@bellsouth.net but has changed to sueabedora@gmail.com.
As I said I am writing this to cancell my membership asap.
I'm not complaining its just I've gotten behind on my book reading and I need to cancel this membership.
Thank YOu,
Susan Bedora
sueabedora@gmail.com

That lay was so rude to answer my question, the company always forces the customer to buy. I am so confused that I have been the company's member as I was not aware. When I write email to them, rarely can I get the response .

This company just use internet information to let the customer be its member.

Tried to explain Book Club services that I never ordered their books. Said I did thru the Internet. I returned the books and told them to stop sending them to me immediatly. I received a letter from Barbara Hayes, membership Director telling me that when I joined the club I accepted a package of introductory titles at a very low cost anbd in turn, you agreed to purchase 2 books within 1 year.
Needless to say that the letter says that I didn't fulfilled my agreement and that I owe them $40 in payment of the remaining portion of the contract.

Wow, again, I never ordered anything thru the internet or signed anything to receive those books (As far as I'm concerned - anybody could of ordered these books with my name and my address on my behalf?).

Show me that this book Club services is completely ignorant and people should stop dealing with them immediatl. Hopfully, they will go bankrupt and close their doors soon.

By the way, started to get calls from a collection agency [protected]) on a daily basis sometimes early ion the morning or late at night. Can you believe this?

This company is a cheater, it stealed my informastion, and let me be its member. When I asked it cancel my membership, it will charge me $40, it also uses another name to let me be member, then did the same thing. I was charged $66, if I did not pay, it would go to collection. Let this companty be bankrupt, you are cheater, double day book club!

I got a collection notice on 04/06/2009 for $ 174.78 for books that I returned about 3-4 years ago. I had talked to Doubleday and explained I didn't order those books that they had sent me ones that I was not in the least bit interested in ( it started with a trial bases) and had returned and the girl said no problem just send back ai sent back they kept sending again I called explained don't want this went on about 4 times that I remember. Thought all was good until [protected] and I called the collection agency they wanted proof I said I have none has been 3-4 years and now it's on my credit record so I'm fighting that as I type... Unbelievable... Help what has everyone else done on this.

Grannyg58

I absolutely agree - with all of you!
The routine business practices are underhanded and deceitful. They've gone so far as to insert unordered books into the same package as one you did order - just so you have to pay postage (shipping) to return them - or pay for unwanted books. In addition, in order to achieve the required points for this 'glorious' membership, you can't order any books worth having!
Yes, they do hire socially inept mental pigmies!
Stay clear of this company - bad news! Warn everybody!
AzSunspot

As all of the above, the same happened to me. Customer service is ignorant beyond belief! The collection agency was no better, they called me 24/7 even at work for money I did NOT owe. Couldn't get through to anyone regarding the fact that I did not receive what I ordered and then they kept sending me bills which kept going up in amounts.
I finally filed a complaint re the collection agency (online form) and Doubleday with consumer affairs. Surprisingly all the calls and letters have stopped! I also sent a letter to Doubleday and the collection agency regarding their bad and fraudulent business practices. I cannot believe that they remain in business and wonder how many unsuspecting people they have duped and/or intimidated. If they want to take me to court as they have threatened, for $52 I say bring it! It costs more to file the papers and they will have to pay for legal representation.
Doubleday is the biggest scam going. They are thieves and liers and I am sure that the collection agency they use is in on it.

I emailed them to cancel my account. They replied back my account number was not valid, which it was.

I sent them a scan of my invoice with the account number. No reply back, and my account is still active.

I got a call from a collection agency for 81.41 dollars. I was not aware I even order books from this double date book club. This is the first time I heard of the company. Now, I tried to call the customer service to ask about my account but no one is there!

Well after filing all the complaints against Doubleday and the collection agency, the calls and letters stopped. But lo and behold, the collection agency has started calling again (from a different number) and Doubleday had the audacity to send another form letter apprising me of monies owing and that they would pursue legal action etc. I am not answering the calls, they leave no messages, but found out who they were by calling back and got voice mail. The letters, as promised, go straight into the garbage. These people are sick! and the company is a scam. I cannot believe that nothing else can be done about them. There should really be an inquiry done and they should be out of business.
I think the best all us can do is pass the word to all of our friends and colleagues and keep filing the complaints. Hopefully someone in a position to do something will.

Never heard of this company and got a call from a collection agency too starring I owed $90 and that it was going on my credit. This agent stated that the books were purchased 6 months after I had moved from the receiving address. I told her I couldn't have possibly made the purchase because I had proof that I had closed on my house. She went on to say I had probaly forgot I'd bought the books. That's when I let her have it. When I called back to make a complaint she was the only "supervisor" on duty and everyone had an island accent. What kind of collection agency is this...I think it's all linked together. Anyway, just now starting the process of fighting them :-/

I agree, this "club" is a scam. This collection agency calls me for an amount of 79 dollars; for books I never recieved from Doubleday. I had received a letter from this bookclub over a year and six months ago, saying I owed said amount; but, I ignored it. Just two weeks ago these collection calls have started. I only ever answered the first because I was appaulled at how rude they were. When they called the second time the machine that first spoke said the agency's name was 'National Assests Recovery Services'. So, I hung up, googled the collection agency, got the 1-800 number and called back. The lady at the other end had never heard of my account and couldn't find anything in her computers for it.

I plan on filling complaints before it gets too out of hand.

Doubleday Book Club is a rip-off...they are billing me $40.00 and I don't know for what, because I have'nt even made my selections yet!
Prior to being charged I asked to cancel and the rude girl who answered the phone was "short" and impatient and said I could not cancel untill I fullfill my agreement, .. ok, so I made a mental note to purchase the last books from them and be done forever!
BUT NO, they have charged my bank account without me making a purchase. I have sent e-mails and received no response, I have tried calling again and all I get is a message!
I have not received any books from them, but like I said I haven't selected any either...so why are they charging $40.?
I will take this to any level necessary and make sure that every person, business, and respectful organization is aware of this scam!

I had this same problem for ages but finally figured out why they are doing it and getting away with it... and also how to outsmart them in order to prevent it from happening again. Unfortunately, I don't want to explain how to outsmart them here because that would clue them in as to how to change a few things on their site to prevent us from doing that... nonetheless... this is how they are doing it and how to stop it from billing you again.

They have something in your agreement (obviously the very small print) that gives you a specific amount of time to respond and decline the shipment of their 'featured selections'. When you log into your account, you usually see a message that says "you have featured selections to respond to". Click that link and decline the selections so that they don't get shipped to you. This happens about once or twice a month so log in about once a week just to make sure you decline them in time.

If you want to be notified as to how to outsmart them so you don't get billed by them anymore or have to check once a week, then I will display this information at johnpeniel dot com soon. This info will only be seen if you are logged in there in order to prevent it from hitting Google. I know that if it does, Doubleday will use this info to screw even more innocent people who are just trying to protect their hard earned money.

I had this same problem for months. I discovered why they are doing this, How, and why they are getting away with it.

First... there is a thing called 'Featured Selections'. They set up featured selections about once every three weeks to be shipped to you and charge you the shipping costs unless you decline those shipments yourself. At the top right of the page when you log in, just click on the link 'Featured Selection' to decline them.

Second... They don't let you delete your account unless your membership requirements are fullfilled. And you can NOT delete your primary credit card on file.

To prevent this, there are two things you can do.

1. Log in to your account at least once a week. And decline any of the 'Featured Selections' that they have lined up for you. This will stop any un-authorized books from being shipped in the future.

2. Create a new credit card on your account (by using a prepaid one that you never put money on) and then set that new one as your primary billing card... then delete the good card. (BUT first change the expiration date and other info on the good card because sometimes when the prepaid one is turned down, they will "mysteriously" call back your old card on file. ILLEGAL but how can you fight a book company that is run and operated by the Illuminati to begin with?)

3. Do your homework next time before signing up for a membership. When something looks too good to be true or anything... Google it to see what kind of complaints exist about them. Do a free online check with the BBB also. NEVER just check the BBB and that's it. Records with the BBB are not based on Company Name... they are based on that company's phone number. A company can simply change their phone number and instantly have a good record with the BBB. Doubleday changes their PRIMARY phone number once or twice a year... they only leave the old numbers still intact a while longer but as they are no longer listed, they become an invalid method of BBB reporting.

This book club is totally a scam! i spoke to a customer service representative called Justun who does not totally deserve that title. He was totally rude and obnoxious.

I completely agree with all of you. I joined this book club in July from a promotion i signed in to from another website. I read all their information before subscribing. I purchased that 5 books at .99cents. The shipping was as you know, more than they total books but I was cool with that.
A few days ago I received a package in the mail from them and a letter from my bank stating a debit had been posted against my account from DoubleDay and now my account is into OD. I mailed the books back to Double Day and contacted them via email demanding that they cancel my account form making an unauthorized debit from my account for books I never purchased from them. Their response was that although they want to comply with my request and cancel my
account, according to their records my commitment has not been
fulfilled and that I agreed to purchase 4 regular Club price book(s) during my first year of membership. I never made any such commitments. There was also no where on their site that I read that you needed to commit to anything other than purchasing books at a .99cents club price! I even tried to cancel my account manually but there is no where on their site that allows you to do that!1 These pe

They also claimed I make the purchase in a special sale. The CROOKS! I called my bank to file a complaint and asked them to cancel my card. I also promised DoubleDay Customer Service that I intent to ensure that no one else is fooled into subscribing from them!

THEY ARE CROOKS!

I joined the doubleday book club assuming that if i didn't want a book selection i could just hit no thanks, last week i did that on 9/3/2010 i declined the books and it said, "you have now declined Septembers collection" on the 9/6/10 they send me another selection without my approval. when i called the very rude receptionist said that i had to take it because i had not cancelled septembers collection that i had cancelled decembers collection? how could i cancel decembers collection if we are not in december? then i asked her if i could return them and very rudely again she said yes but i would not get all of the refund just the amount for the books not the shipping and handling charges. I asked if i could cancel the account and she said No, i have three other selections that i MUST buy.

I just received a letter in the mail from Doubleday stating Doubleday charged my debit card $78.96 for the average cost of four books plus shipping to complete my membership agreement. It also says now I need to select four books from the enclosed brochure (which is only a leaflet that lists 38 book titles but not how much they cost) and they will process my order . I laughed when I read this sentence in the letter "In consideration of your payment, you can now order/select four books of your choice." I did not authorize nor make an additional payment. I only had $100 in my checking account with 8 outstanding purchases, one for $20 and the rest all under $10. When the $78.96 cleared my account only one of the other outstanding charges cleared my account. I have been charged NSF fees for the remaining 7 at $30 a piece totaling $210 in NSF fees because of their unauthorized plundering of my bank account. I had until the end of November to fulfill my membership, which I would have completed by ordering in 2-4 weeks, Christmas gifts for the readers in my family. Now my account is overdrawn $293. I had to get a payday loan to purchase gas and pay for my kids school lunches (since that payment was declined by my bank and I was still charged the $30 NSF). This can not be legal. I am going to my bank to cancel my card, have a new card issued and to submit a fraud claim on the money taken out of my account. No one answered at the number given on the letter from Doubleday. Hopefully my bank reverses this and reimburses me for these fees. I only make minimum wage now, 36 hours a week, and trying to take care of my 2 kids. I can not afford these fees. We will be without electricity and water. And to top it off I now have this ridiculous fee on the loan I now am going to have to also pay. Wow, thought I was getting a good deal by joining this club since I like to read and I give books for presents; I was so wrong.

I was sent four books that I did not order and when I phoned customer service I was told they had gone bankrupt . I was told not to return the books because if I did they would not refund my money.

THESE PEOPLE SUCK. i did order some books supposedly 4 years ago which i never recived and they are still trying to get the money, ringing me with there [censor] tactics.Someone please show where i have signed to say ive recived these books...I moved house during this supposed time and they said i should have cancelled the membership. WHY i was happy to pay for the books i just never recived them. The new people in my old house couldnt have taken the books because i had a mail redirection for 6 months, so where are they. I am not paying $275 for something i never recived...They sais please send through a statement saying that you dispute the claim, the supervisor will ring you tonight with the email address, Yeh right Shock noone calls.. Low and behold someone rings 2 weeks later, she didnt even speak fluent english..Stupid cow, wass rude and i seems like no one knows what going on. When they phone now i give a earfull. I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOMETHING I DID NOT GET> Show me the proof were ive signed for these books. NO U CANT CAN U. You are ripoffs and are trying to scare people into paying by threats of legal action and so forth you dont have a freakin leg to stand on, id rather have a bad credit rating than pay you [censor]...Dont ring me again unless you want an earfull CROOKS...

Okay so I knew about having to buy 4 book within a year and about saying no to the featured selections otherwise they just send them to you and charge your account. But what I did not know was that the 4 books had to all be over $9.98 in order to qualify towards the commitment. Actually when I ordered the one book under $9 it even said it was being applied towards my commitment. So I order 2 books thinking, that I have fulfilled it. A week later I get a letter saying I am still 1 book behind and have to buy another book otherwise they are charging me $18.88. No where on that letter does it say the book has to be over $9. The only place it does say it, is under the help section online. Which I don't look at unless I need umm yeah HELP! So I call them up and get this condescending, rude woman on the phone who wouldn't allow me to finish one sentence, like she hears these complaints all day and she knows it all. She tells me I can send the book that was under $9 back for a refund but I wouldn't get the shipping back and then I would have to buy another book and pay more shipping. I wound up hanging up on her and then just doing that later on in the day. So I should be complete with me fulfillment. Well guess what! I am not. The book I ordered is now on backorder until at least the 26th, they won't cancel my order, and if it doesn't get processed and shipped to me by the beginning of February they will charge the $18 non fulfillment charge and charge me for the book order when it come in stock. I have dealt with book clubs before and NEVER had these types of problems. Honestly I am just appalled at their customer service.

They're a bunch of con artists. DO NOT JOIN THIS BOOK CLUB!

DO NOT JOIN THIS BOOK CLUB! I realized after calling customer service about some books I'd paid for but they didn't "recognize" as books from their club that they are just a bunch of con artists

Customer service #[protected] if you don't know your account number, just hang on the phone it eventually goes to a service person.

Before I joined I read their "commitment agreement'. Here is what it says: By Advanced Search
Arrow Cart Quick View: 0 items
Advanced Search
Please enter your search criteria in one or more fields below.

Title
Author's Name
Keyword
Item #
ISBN
Publication Date
Price Range
Format

Subtotal: $0.00

Close Checkout

Help
Your Commitment
Fulfilling Your Purchase Commitment

Most of the books we carry will count toward your commitment. However, books from your initial enrollment package, special sale books and all non-book items, including merchandise, video products and music CDs, will not count toward your commitment. To keep track of your remaining commitment click on the Account link at the top of the page.

Only books and sets purchased at a price after discounts over $9.98 (excluding shipping & processing and applicable taxes) count toward your membership commitment. (Qualifying sets count as one credit.) Non-book product purchases do not count toward your Membership Commitment.

So get this, I used the SEARCH function on their website and because I did that the book I ordered "does not apply". Keep in mind the book I ordered was for 11.65, which is over their $9.98 minimum.

I hate these [censor]s. I purchased the 3 books that I agreed to buy when I opened the account, then I get a letter saying that they charged my account for the 3 books I "owed". I called and talked to a so called customer service [censor] that was rude and obnoxious who told me the the 3 books I DID buy were not from Doubleday because I used THEIR search engine. All the books that are bought using their search engine are not CONSIDERED THEIR BOOKS and therefore are not counted as the 3 books owed. I got pissed and said, Fine take the 60 bucks and cancel my effing account and he said "Fine it's cancelled" I told him I wanted a confirmation and he said "Don't worry about it, it's cancelled." I said " I want a damn confirmation AND I want to speak to your supervisor." And the [censor] hung up on me. I called back and asked for a supervisor and she told me that my account was cancelled but after reading all these complaints, I'm afraid I'm going to be getting charged for more crap. I'm just gonna close my account.
Don't fall for this scam!

Interesting how this bookclub's manager, Frank Lombardi, was also the manager of the One Spirit Book Club. which had similar techniques...
Unless It is just a mere coincidence that the managers share the same first and last names, I'd say something smells funny.

how can they expect you to buy books when most of then are nasty, about romance.

FRANK LOMBARDI IS A FICTITIOUS PERSON. I USED TO WORK THERE. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE COMPANY

Imagine my surprise after receiving an email from Doubleday stating that I had not fulfilled my requirement of ordering 4 books. (Last year, I received an email from them stating I still had one book left to order towards my commitment.) Called the 717 number listed above, asking for an audit of all the books I'd ordered since joining. Oddly enough, Doubleday doesn't keep order histories beyond 18 months. Really? A book club that almost insists upon everything being done virtually, and they don't have the capacity to keep order histories? I'm hoping I've saved that earlier email, stating that I have one book left...but if I didn't save it, I'll play their silly game. The email they sent has an order form on it. I'll simply mail it in and insist that they bill me as, oddly enough, I don't have the capacity to keep track of my credit card...which forced me to report it as lost/stolen...thereby canceling it.

I heard they went bankrupt... Gee I wonder why...

I heard that they went bankrupt.. Gee, I wonder why...

I made an order in june of 2011, for my free books having paid the $23 for shipping. I supposedly have until june 2012 to make my 4 purchases at member price.

This morning I was checking my bank account online and say they charged me $42! For what? I didnt order anything else!

Ive contacted them aprox 6-9 times and have yet to speak with a person.

Ive also contacted my bank to reverse charges, but charge reversals can be $34 with some banks.

I am beyond furious!

Beware...

they store your card number and will charge you whenever the heck they feel like it.

They wont cancel my account until I buy more. I only joined to get a deal on some books. They now take money from my account monthly. SUCKS!

I'm so PISSED OFF! I ordered books from them like a year ago, which was supposed to be 5 books for $1, it turned out to be $14, but it's still a good deal I thought. So I got the books and then few months late I see my account is charged for $45! I was furious that they charged for some other books I've never ordered. Apparently I automatically agreed for a requirement to order 4 books or something like I don't even remember. Thank God, that when I did my first purchase with them I did it through PayPal, so I immediately opened the case in PayPal saying that it was unauthorized transaction. So I got my money back. But not almost a year after I receive a letter from a collector that I owe DoubleDay club $180! And I can't even cancel my membership! what kind of scam is that? Is there a way to close this scam company? Im willing to sue them as I'm at my boiling point

i used to have a membership to this book club. i fullfilled my agreement, then cancelled. I just pulled my credit report and they are on there, apparently they think i owe them $55.00. .. never again...

Change your credit card number that's what I had to do