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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default Exasperated with FWW magazine

    Has anyone in Oz or outside the USA recently attempted to subscribe to Fine Woodworking magazine on line, or join up with the on-line service? Please post your experience.

    About 10 days ago I received an email to say that my on-line subscription with FWW magazine could not be renewed as the credit card details were incorrect. I checked, and they were up to date.


    I have been a longstanding on-line member and paying a lower fee ($19.95) because of this (a grandfather agreement). To renew, I must now have to pay the full fee ($99). So I contact Customer Service, who send me a form reply after 2 days to say I should log in and renew my account. I explain that I am an existing customer, and wish to continue the discounted rate. Two days later there is another form email ton say that they have discontinued the old subscription and replaced with a new super duper version for everyone. Well, why did they not say so in the first place?


    Now I decide that, what the Hell, I shall subscribe at the new rate. It is only money and you cannot take it with you. I enter my details and country (Australia), and then am asked for my state. This is where it all comes to a grinding halt as only USA states are displayed. I try this every which way ... but only USA states are displayed. (I have completed similar forms on other websites - I am not a doofus).


    I contact Customer Support again, explaining the situation, and begging that they take my money. Two days later I get another form email, explaining that I need to log and and renew my account. OK, perhaps something has changed in the past two days. So I log on again. Same as before - I can be resident of Wyoming but never Western Australia. OK, I have a new idea ... I'll go in and sign up as a brand new subscriber! Yeah right ... same again. Apparently no one resides outside the USA in states with names that are dissimilar to those in the USA.

    Here’s another oddity: If you connect to the Customer Service web page, there is a box "make a payment". Now if you attempt to make a payment (to subscribe), you are asked to first sign in. If you sign in, the "make a payment" box disappears.


    Their web designer must have trained at the school of sadism.


    I have emailed Customer Service one last time. What do you think that they will reply?


    I wonder if the penny will drop when all international subscribers suddenly stop being subscribers ...?!

    Regards from Perth

    Derek




    Thank you for contacting Taunton Store Customer Service.

    We have received your email and it has been forwarded to a Customer Service Representative for review and resolution.

    We understand that your time is precious, so we appreciate you taking some of it to write to us. We will get back to you within the next 48 hours.

    Thank you,
    Taunton Store Customer Service
    [email protected]
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    San Antonio, Texas, USA
    Posts
    3,070

    Default

    Welcome to the latest iteration of 'customer service'. You're not alone.
    Innovations are those useful things that, by dint of chance, manage to survive the stupidity and destructive tendencies inherent in human nature.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Little River
    Age
    77
    Posts
    1,205

    Default

    Some time ago I needed to update some software on a piece of Sony technology. Went to their Aust website and was redirected to the US site for software updates. US site insisted that I register to get the software emailed to me.

    The registration would only allow US addresses.

    In desperation I found the address of Sony US, entered that and my email, and the new software appeared in my inbox.

    So Derek try FWW's address and see if that works.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Tried that. No dice.

    I have now also emailed Taunton as well as their webmaster. Well, I hope this occurred since their software did not receipt the emails I sent

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Darkest NSW
    Posts
    3,197

    Default

    Good luck trying to get anywhere with them....in my case they continue to charge the rate for delivery of the paper magazine plus online access, even though they haven't delivered the magazine for 2 years or more. Most recently, they managed to make a charge against an out-of-date credit card despite me having deliberately NOT updated my C/C details with them (thinking it might be the only way to stop them making charges, all other requests having failed).

    Currently taking this up with my C/C provider to get a refund of an unauthorised charge, and to specifically stop any future payments to Taunton.

    They are, to put it politely, a bunch of muppets. Like many US institutions, I think they're still not really sure that anything exists beyond the US 12-mile limit.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Sydney Upper North Shore
    Posts
    4,464

    Default

    Know where you are coming from Derek. I had the same problem last year and after umpteen emails and trying this and that I gave up.
    I had the online subscription.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,756

    Default

    Back in 2015 I ordered ~$500 worth of DVDs and books from them for the mens shed. They took my order and a polite automated email reply arrived within a few hours saying all was good. Then some 2 weeks later the sent an email saying they were out of stock on some items and it would take a couple of months to obtain new stock. Months went by and only after following up did I receive an email saying they that more items they thought they had in stock they no longer had. Then about 3 month later I got 2 DVDs and one book. I contacted then and they said that most of the rest of what I had ordered was no longer in print - most of these items were still being advertised (with an out of stock label ) on the internet. I got a refund but as you know currency exchange fees bite every time money changes like that. About a year later a couple of guys from the shed asked me try and order again but I said no way.

    I would not buy anything ever from them again.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
    Posts
    2,810

    Default

    Derek, I have had similar issues with them over the years, finding the subs renewal section is often the first hassle. For quite some time I have entered Alexandra VIC in the Suburb/Town field and Australia in the country field and left the State field blank. Everything then seems to happen as it should.

    Would be nice if they could get things right, but I stopped holding my breath a long time ago. I also tend to renew for 2 or 3 years at a time to minimise the aggravation.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Kew, Vic
    Posts
    1,064

    Default

    Derek,

    i just logged in to the FWW customer service portal (to cancel my subscription). I used the “full name and address” choice. As you correctly say, it does not give an option for states other than those in North America, but I entered all other details, left the State field blank and got in OK.

    Brian

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    120

    Default

    Their subscription forms on Taunton press are crap...

    Touch wood so far both my magazine and online subscriptions are working fine at the original rates. My online subscription renewed at the original rate of $14.95 in May.

    Try posting on their Instagram account or Ben directly.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by homey View Post
    Derek,

    i just logged in to the FWW customer service portal (to cancel my subscription). I used the “full name and address” choice. As you correctly say, it does not give an option for states other than those in North America, but I entered all other details, left the State field blank and got in OK.

    Brian
    Tried that Brian. No dice.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by saladonion View Post
    Their subscription forms on Taunton press are crap...

    Touch wood so far both my magazine and online subscriptions are working fine at the original rates. My online subscription renewed at the original rate of $14.95 in May.

    Try posting on their Instagram account or Ben directly.
    There is no link from Instagram. Who is Ben?

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by malb View Post
    Derek, I have had similar issues with them over the years, finding the subs renewal section is often the first hassle. For quite some time I have entered Alexandra VIC in the Suburb/Town field and Australia in the country field and left the State field blank. Everything then seems to happen as it should.

    Would be nice if they could get things right, but I stopped holding my breath a long time ago. I also tend to renew for 2 or 3 years at a time to minimise the aggravation.
    Tried. Failed.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast
    Age
    53
    Posts
    1,094

    Default

    Businesses around the world care very little for the functionality of their websites and I think it's mainly due to lack of knowledge. They can have all the big name brands like Schwarz on board, but without subscribers they will end up like Popular wood on the curbside.

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

    Default

    I gave up on them years ago due to their in insistence I must use an Apple computer for magazine downloads. They promised to make a PC version available but I don't think it ever happened. What idiot ever thought that downloads only for Apple was a good idea I don'r know. That old saying, somes thicker than others springs to mind.
    CHRIS

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