RE: Introducing Strada Magazine

[Silenoz]

1781cc said:

Silenoz said:

I've requested a refund - to be honest, Strada was a little above where my motoring interests normally are but was worth it for the overall quality of the issue.

Cool username, obviously a Dimmu fan

Thanks, yes I am!

[teeCup]

Silenoz said:

teeCup said:

Silenoz said:

I've requested a refund - to be honest, Strada was a little above where my motoring interests normally are but was worth it for the overall quality of the issue.

As others have said, having had this happen with Modern Classics and now Strada, I probably won't be in a hurry to pay up front for a subscription for a magazine. Shame, but the way the subscription is just transferred to another magazine is just not the way these things should be handled.

How did you request the refund, by emailing the address listed at the end of the 'its over' email?

I probably have my fair share of 'luxury advertising' through my existing Spectator subscription, so don't really want to pay for any more!

Yes, Sent an email to the hothouse email address. As others have said, the lack of specific reference to a refund option rankles with me so I will be pursuing it via a charge back if they don't respond within 7 days. Luckily I paid the Strada subscription on my credit card.

Thankfully I also paid by Mastercard so will pursue a charge back if I don't get a response from Hothouse. I think seven days is a reasonable time frame to expect the matter to be addressed.

[Mezzanine]

Doofus said:

Bear in mind that refunds will probably come out of somebody's personal pocket. I can affofd to lose that money. I won't starve. Whoever has to repay those subscriptions may be in a different position, given this business has gone under.

That’s not the fault of the people who subscribed to something else entirely different though is it? If they agreed to ‘partner’ with Strada’s subscriber list then a decent business would have assessed the likely overhead of that whole list asking for their remaining monies back, surely?

If a certain percentage do not ask, or like Magneto as a replacement and carry on subscribing past the next three issues then Hothouse are in a better place from taking that ‘risk’.

Not giving the clear option to simply cancel and not offering monies back seems poor form. It’s not like Hothouse was lumbered with Strada without a choice, they would have assessed it as a business consideration.

I purchased a copy of Magneto a few years ago and it is definitely not for me, it had a very arrogant air about it.

[premixer]

Great news to wake up to.
Only subscribed a week or so back and haven't even received an issue.

Like others magneto doesn't appeal so will try for a refund or a credit card charge back.

Shame as it looked so promising. Probably the last time I will subscribe to anything now as well after being burnt for the 2nd time on a magazine sub.

[Mezzanine]

premixer said:

Great news to wake up to.
Only subscribed a week or so back and haven't even received an issue.

Like others magneto doesn't appeal so will try for a refund or a credit card charge back.

Shame as it looked so promising. Probably the last time I will subscribe to anything now as well after being burnt for the 2nd time on a magazine sub.

That’s really, really naughty of them to still be accepting money when it seems it was all over many weeks back.

[Doofus]

Mezzanine said:

premixer said:

Great news to wake up to.
Only subscribed a week or so back and haven't even received an issue.

Like others magneto doesn't appeal so will try for a refund or a credit card charge back.

Shame as it looked so promising. Probably the last time I will subscribe to anything now as well after being burnt for the 2nd time on a magazine sub.

That’s really, really naughty of them to still be accepting money when it seems it was all over many weeks back.

Agreed.

[Fiedka]

Just went on Strada’s website. All it says they have partnered with Magneto and to get in touch with hot house.
Honestly, it is hard to give benefit of the doubt if subscribers are treated like this.
Where is the email with a straightforward option for a refund?
I emailed hothouse media as soon as I received the message but no response whatsoever yet.

[Silenoz]

Fiedka said:

Just went on Strada’s website. All it says they have partnered with Magneto and to get in touch with hot house.
Honestly, it is hard to give benefit of the doubt if subscribers are treated like this.
Where is the email with a straightforward option for a refund?
I emailed hothouse media as soon as I received the message but no response whatsoever yet.

No I haven't even had an acknowledgement of my email. Suspect it will end up being a chargeback unfortunately.

[Mezzanine]

Try direct to the publisher

[e-mail]

[hungry_hog]

well this went south quicker than a a marriage between a Rolling Stone and a Mandy Smith!

[Silenoz]

Mezzanine said:

Try direct to the publisher

[e-mail]

Thanks, yesterday's email forwarded to that address. Not holding my breath though!

[Silenoz]

Silenoz said:

Mezzanine said:

Try direct to the publisher

[e-mail]

Thanks, yesterday's email forwarded to that address. Not holding my breath though!

Well that was quick! Got a response from Geoff Love saying they are working through the replies they got to the email sent yesterday and to give them a few days.

[Fiedka]

Thanks for the update.
Let’s wait a few days.

[dandarez]

Hmm. I spotted this when it first came up on PHs and thought are PHs ok with this, perhaps they are endorsing it?
I can imagine what would happen should I plug my books on here!

Mags and newspapers are a bloody hard business to be in these days, as for starting a new 'physical' mag, and independent at that, would be fraught with problems.
About 30 yrs ago I was thinking of starting a car mag called Road & Race Car and had several hacks/enthusiasts willing to contribute (I still have the layouts somewhere) and got quotes (probably have them still too, somewhere in the vaults!).
Sod it, I stuck with books - mind you I was told back then that the 'physical' book was 'dead' and I wouldn't last five minutes - how wrong they were.
Back then it was easier to be independent, even with a car mag - probably the most successful person at that time was Peter Filby when he launched Alternative Cars, truly independent but totally different times, and masses of outlets to sell your product.

Did I sign up to this? What do you think?
Christ, I got a subscription to Classic & Sports Car for 12 quid for a year delivered to my door. Ok, it's full to the brim or half full with ads. What does anyone expect today?

[renmure]

Silenoz said:

Well that was quick! Got a response from Geoff Love saying they are working through the replies they got to the email sent yesterday and to give them a few days.

I also got an instant reply as well which was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately Magneto magazine isn’t really my sort of thing so I’m minded for a refund but for the sake of the few quid I’d have been happier to give it a go if things had been done a bit more properly.

[Mezzanine]

Silenoz said:

Silenoz said:

Mezzanine said:

Try direct to the publisher

[e-mail]

Thanks, yesterday's email forwarded to that address. Not holding my breath though!

Well that was quick! Got a response from Geoff Love saying they are working through the replies they got to the email sent yesterday and to give them a few days.

Was going to forward my email to Geoff too. It sounds like it might be in hand.

[thegreenhell]

There's one copy of Strada on ebay just now, price going nuts!

[DoctorX]

thegreenhell said:

There's one copy of Strada on ebay just now, price going nuts!

[survivalist]

DoctorX said:

thegreenhell said:

There's one copy of Strada on ebay just now, price going nuts!

Assume someone thinks it’ll have some value one day. That’s assuming that have actually sold out of all the ones that were printed. Could be boxes of them kicking about somewhere.

[thegreenhell]

A few days ago Nathan said he thought they had about 100 unsold copies left.