Popular Woodworking

[joe mclain]

Hello all, I have a question for you magazine subscribers out there. I received a subscription invoice from Popular Woodworking the other day that thanked me for subscribing, hoped I was enjoying my first issue and then informed me that this was a second request for payment. No issue of this magazine has ever arrived at my home and I do not recall having ever sent in a subscription card for it!

Having said that, I suppose I could have had one six-pack too many one night and sent in the card. The first issue may be caught up in the mail somewhere (maybe our mail lady needed some stimulating reading) and the first invoice may have gotten lost before arriving in my mail box. Thank goodness for the second invoice :eek:.

I hate to admit it, but I'm one of those people who assumes the bill is correct and pays it without thinking. Before I pay this invoice, has anyone had "issues" along these lines with Popular Woodworking?

Thanks,

-jr-

[Martin Shupe]

NO, call them and make sure it is not a fraudulent mailing.

I think their website is www.popularwoodworking.com

[Stephen Dixon]

I have no issue with Popular Woodworking, I am a subscriber but have never had an issue like you describe, but having said that, I did have a magazine that was sent to me after I had mailed in one of those postcards, which, after I received the magazine, I decided I really didn't want it. I thought if I just didn't pay the bill, they would drop my subscription. It didn't work that way, they sent me several bills, and then sent my bill to a collection agency. I ended up paying the bill. I know it was my fault, but I sure didn't want that $24.95 on my credit report as a bad debt.
So, do take care of the issue, one way or the other.

Steve

[Alan DuBoff]

My favorite magazine these days...Chris Schwartz really turned it around.

I might be biased as I like hand tools! (but they also have some power tool articles;-)

[Bob Lang]

Joe,

I am one of the editors at Popular Woodworking. Please contact me, and we will get this straightened out for you. My e-mail is:

robert.lang@fwpubs.com

We don't market our magazine by sending out invoices unless we have a subscription request. We're proud of what we publish, and of our customer service. If we've made a mistake, we will take care of it.

Bob Lang

[Chris Barton]

My favorite magazine these days...Chris Schwartz really turned it around.

I am a subscriber as well and I agree with Alan's post. If you like it you may want to just pay the bill and enjoy. I have been know to order stuff while under the influence and have been lucky so far that I liked it all:D .

[Frank Chaffee]

Joe,
Popular Woodworking is a most excellent magazine, and has become my favorite.
Frank

[tod evans]

what`s this magazine about? is it geared toward "joe" or more toward the fellow earning a living chopping up boards?

[Ellen Benkin]

I have used the "free first issue" offer to try out magazines. If you don't want to subscribe, write CANCEL on the first bill and SEND IT BACK. If you don't send it back and they keep sending you magazines, you are responsible for paying for them.

I have never had any magazine send me a bill without my having sent them something first.

I also get this magazine and enjoy it. Maybe you should pay for it and enjoy the articles -- after you get your first "free" copy.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Tod,

Next time you are in a grocery store that has magazines, pick up a copy and peruse it there.

I think there are no magazines out there short of trade publications geared to the professional, except in the general sense. Up until recently, I was a professional furniture maker. And while this and other magazines did not directly contribute to the bottom line, they did serve to prompt me to try new things, inspire new ideas or simply reinforce design ideas.

I would say PopWood has matured its vision of a blended shop concept. That is, a mix of handtool usage along with powered tools. This was and is a great direction of the magazine, a concept I whole-heartedly agree with.

Take care, Mike

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I am Glad that Bob assures us that the Journal "Popular Woodworking" doesn't do this.
Even more assuring is the fact that he asked you to contact him.

But since the subject is on the table:

Deveiving consumers into subscribing to journals using fraudulent inviocing is a very common and rarely prosecuted crime as well as a civil tort.

The Federal crime is mail fraud, and theft by deception which will likely merge into the fraud. The civil tort is Conversion.

If you never subscribed to a journal and they have no valid reason for having your mailing address in their subscriber/billing database then what they did was mail fraud.
The Postmaster in your community can direct you to the Postal Inspectors - the number one best trained and competent police force in the nation.

You also have an action in civil the minute they accept ed your check. Putting it in the mail is constructive delivery they don't actually need to deposit it.

Your states AG's office may have a division that deals with these sorts of things also.

In short you have a plethora of ways to deal with what may be criminal and tortious conduct.

[Mike Wenzloff]

...SNIP...
In short you have a plethora of ways to deal with this criminal and tortious conduct.
Pardon me, Cliff.

But did you read Bob Lang's response and the original message fully? Even Joe says he *may* have sent in a card.

Bob says they do not engage in the practice and will make it right.

So why such strong condemnation of *this* instance?

Take care, Mike

[Mike Wenzloff]

Oops--I see you edited your message.

Take care, Mike

[Larry James]

I have had the same experience of receiving an invoice for a magazine I did not subscribe to. The problem is not limited to WW magazines.

Also, I’ve received a second invoice after paying for a subscription. What I noticed is that the invoice is from a magazine subscription service, not the publisher. Anyone else have this happen?

Larry

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Pardon me, Cliff. No pardon needed.


But did you read Bob Lang's response and the original message fully? Even Joe says he *may* have sent in a card. Yah, "may have." Many journals do use fraudulent invoicing. As I said Unless a journal has a valid reason------- ERGO: sending in a card may very well give rise to a valid reason.


Bob says they do not engage in the practice and will make it right. Yup and that's most reassuring.


So why such strong condemnation of *this* instance?
I wouldn't characterize what I wrote as a "strong condemnation." It was public information given while the subject is on the table, nothing more sinister than that. Maybe it just sounded harsh 'cause I used words like "fraud," "crime," "civil tort," "Postal Inspectors," and "AG" ??? It's all true.

My writing style is often a tad perfunctory. This is due to years of writing in my professsion. We are trained to eliminate all unnessary words. The end result isn't pretty.

[Martin Shupe]

Joe,

I am one of the editors at Popular Woodworking. Please contact me, and we will get this straightened out for you. My e-mail is:

robert.lang@fwpubs.com

We don't market our magazine by sending out invoices unless we have a subscription request. We're proud of what we publish, and of our customer service. If we've made a mistake, we will take care of it.

Bob Lang

Hey Bob,

You and Chris do a really great job with the mag! Please keep the furniture projects by Kerry Pierce (Shaker, of course) and Glen Huey coming!

Thanks for such a wonderful read each month.

[Mark Rios]

On the comsumer advocate radio shows that I listen to, there are instances of someone filling out the subscription cards and putting the name of someone else and their address on the card as a prank. According to some law in the Postal regulations, if someone receives an item that they truly didn't order then they are not required to pay for it. Therefore, the magazine publishers and dristributors would just be giving stuff away, which we all klnow they wouldn't do. :rolleyes:

I'm more inclined to believe that it was a prank or that Joe just doesn't remember filling it out.


On the subject of magazine subscriptions though, as a note to all; When subscribing for the first time or reneweing a sub, I always call the number provided and ask for any discounts that are available. I like to bicycle and there was a 3 year sub for half price deal on a particular bike mag recently, normally 3 years for $48, with the deal it was $24. I don't really care for that mag but I called the subscription number for the mag I do subscribe to and asked for the same deal and got it without the CS person even taking a breath. Never hurts to ask.

Just a tip.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Oops--I see you edited your message.

Take care, Mike


I am famous for the hasty post with the after the fact edit.

[Randy Denby]

I have had instances lately where we recieve an invoice stating that our subscription is about to lapse.Having a fairly good memory for a 49 yr old, I look back and find where I had renewed 2-3 months prior.I believe the mags were Popular woodworking and also Woodsmith. Has anyone else had this happen?

[tod evans]

Hi Tod,

Next time you are in a grocery store that has magazines, pick up a copy and peruse it there.

I think there are no magazines out there short of trade publications geared to the professional, except in the general sense. Up until recently, I was a professional furniture maker. And while this and other magazines did not directly contribute to the bottom line, they did serve to prompt me to try new things, inspire new ideas or simply reinforce design ideas.

I would say PopWood has matured its vision of a blended shop concept. That is, a mix of handtool usage along with powered tools. This was and is a great direction of the magazine, a concept I whole-heartedly agree with.

Take care, Mike

mike, i`ll check it out, i`m all for knowledge and inspiration and if they`re able to provide either i`ll jump on board. thanks, tod

[Brian Jarnell]

Lets hope we hear how Joe gets on.

[Vaughn McMillan]

I have had instances lately where we recieve an invoice stating that our subscription is about to lapse.Having a fairly good memory for a 49 yr old, I look back and find where I had renewed 2-3 months prior.I believe the mags were Popular woodworking and also Woodsmith. Has anyone else had this happen? Among the various mags I subscribe to (woodworking and otherwise), it seems to be a fairly common practice to start the appeals for subscription renewal shortly after you just renewed. Sort of a "Hey, thanks for renewing. Wanna do it again? Man, have we got a deal for you!" Consumer Reports seems to do this more than the others I get. I just always check the fine print on the mailing label on the mag (or my address on the renewal request) to see when my subscription actually does expire.

I recently started getting Popular Woodworking, and like it so far. It's nice to see Bob here on the forum.

- Vaughn

[JayStPeter]

My favorite magazine these days...Chris Schwartz really turned it around.

I might be biased as I like hand tools! (but they also have some power tool articles;-)

I agree. A good mix of hand/power

Jay

[Rob Blaustein]

Hey Bob,

You and Chris do a really great job with the mag! Please keep the furniture projects by Kerry Pierce (Shaker, of course) and Glen Huey coming!

Thanks for such a wonderful read each month.
I'll second that. Great mag as is their sister publication/offshoot "Woodworking." The latter may be more geared towards less experienced ww'ers like me. But they have a nice down to earth style and they seem so approachable. At the end of every article in Woodworking, after they list the author's name, they provide their phone number and extension. Kind of like they're saying, hey feel free to call me if you have any questions about something I wrote.

One thing I do recall--I originally subscribed to Pop Woodworking through Amazon and it took several months before I started getting it (tho I was warned of this).

[joe mclain]

Thanks all!

The consensus appears to be that Popular Woodworking is a good magazine and no one has gotten an invoice for it that they didn't expect. I'm going to assume that I've had a senior moment (of forgetfulness) and that I did request a subscription to Popular Woodworking - though I do wonder what happened to that first issue and that first invoice!

Bob Lang: my check will be in the mail this weekend.

All the rest of you responders, thank you again

-jr-

[Joe Chritz]

If the worst you did while drinking to many Barley pops is order up a fine woodworking magazine you are doing well indeed.

I could tell you stories but the statute of limitations hasn't run out yet. :eek:

I second or third the opinions. A good mag to add to the growing collection.

Joe