Star Tribune Media Company review: Subscription 22

Have been subscribers for close to 20 years until about 0845 this am. Called customer service to ask why it has been so difficult to get my address changed. We moved in May of this year and on every subsequent bill, I have written in our new billing and delivery address. I included a letter in our last bill. The agent I spoke with told me the only proper way to change an address was to call customer service. When I explained that I had written the change on my bills and sent a letter, she scoffed and said "nobody would read a letter." I promptly cancelled my subscription. I don't think I have ever dealt with a company where you cannot change an address via the written word.

I just canceled my online subscription after having it for four years. For years it came like clock work in my email. Starting Feb., 2017 it stopped. I made numerous calls to customer service, where I was always assured the problem was corrected. On 3/7/2017, after no paper in my email, I called the paper and was told to go to their website, reset my password and the problem would be fixed. On 3/8 nothing from the Star Tribune in my email. This is a pattern - I call the customer service, they tell me the problem is fixed and it is not. Called the paper and was told someone would contact me - no one did, so I called again. Told the same thing - they were so sorry I was having the problem, but, they were unable to offer any type of compensation for the time I did not receive paper. I feel like customer service has a a rote response and customer service, even to long time customers, is non existent, I canceled my online subscription. Better service from the New York Times.

I have been a subscriber of the paper for more than 50 years, getting the paper seven days a week. Both my sons were carriers when they were in they were in their teens and they were more reliable and responsible than the weekend carrier I currently have, who is a adult woman! This past year my weekend service has been horrible. I have had to call many times because I have not received my paper. They tell me they will send out a paper, but I still do not receive it. I have spoken with customer service, but nothing has been done to correct this problem, which seems to be the contractor and carrier for my area according to the people I speak with. I would love to speak with someone in charge at the Star Trib, but so far that has not been possible. No one, including GLENN TAYLOR. seems to care about customer service. It is a sad that not only is the service bad, but that no one cares to remedy it.

Delbert Smith
carolmarie0588@yahoo.com

I have been a long time prepaid subscriber and frequently, in the summer, put in vacation holds when I go up to my lake cabin. As far as I know, I have always been given credit for the days I was gone. This spring, I submitted a vacation hold on the internet and received a confirmation of the dates requested as well as a sentence that stated I would be given credit on my account after the first seven days. I thought I might have read that wrong, so I sent in an email asking for a clarification of their original confirmation. They said that I was, indeed, interpreting their confirmation correctly and that the policy had changed since last year. I, quickly, did the math and at $8.00 for seven days of the paper, I realized that if I had the paper held for 6-7 different weeks throughout the summer, I would be giving them close to $50.00 for nothing. I promptly cancelled my subscription and they sent me a check for the remaining balance in my account. Not quite sure what the rationale was for their new policy, other than a money grab.

We had the same experience as most of the others here.
On Friday 9/5/15 we received a letter from a collection agency attempting to collect on a $16 debt for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Of course, this is a nice letter to receive on a Friday before a 3 day weekend where you can do nothing with it. Today my wife called the Strib to ask WTF. It turns out that when they send you a "RENEWAL" notice, it is actually a threat that they are going to give you a 90 day grace period to pay your bill while continuing to send you papers and if you don't pay, they won't send another bill or contact you, they'll just turn over the unpaid balance to a collection agency.

We will NEVER EVER again pay for or utilize another Minneapolis Star RipYouANewOne service ever again. And if this is their standard business practice, I would encourage every single friend of mine to discontinue using their services as well.

Star Tribune has dropped my reliable delivery guy and apparently turned over delivery to Pioneer Press, which does not do weekend delivery. The only way to cancel or inquire is to call (no email option) and after a painful episode of bad music, the line was disconnected. The FAQ page is empty.

Yes they billed me $80 for continuing my subscription after I let it lapse. I complained to the State Attorney General. The Strib dismissed the $80, but apparently this is an "opt in" state. If you don't say no, they renew. Bummer. BTW, the Strib was extremely hostile!

After reading the above comments, I'm thinking that if I cancel my subscription, maybe I will actually get my Sunday paper delivered for once. I rarely get my Sunday paper and when I look out the door of my apartment, I see that my neighbors all have their papers. WTF? Why is my carrier CONSTANTLY skipping my apartment? The security cameras show the carrier walking past my apartment and not leaving my paper. I call customer service (i have the number memorized because i have to call so often) and they tell me that they will have a paper delivered to me. It NEVER happens so I end up going to the store to buy a paper. I have been told several times (after many complaints) at the district manager will contact me regarding this problem but, again, that NEVER happens. I am way beyond pissed off with this stupid, liberal, piece of s*it newspaper. I get the Sunday paper for the ads and the coupons. Worst customer service EVER.

I'm having the same issues. Prepaid for 26 weeks of the paper along with weekly digital access for $32. I was told that if I didn't renew, my paper would stop after the 26 weeks. The paper continued to come so I thought maybe I had the date they were supposed to stop wrong. I finally got a call from them 6 weeks later saying that my account was delinquent and I needed to send payment. What? I prepaid my account so how can this be? The guy told me that they just continue the paper assuming that you still want it until you call to stop it. At no time was I told this or I would have cancelled it. Tried to call customer service about it and the rude lady I got said I should learn to read! So I ask for a supervisor and she was just as rude and told me that I had to pay or it would go to collections. Sorry but I'm not paying $32 for 5 weeks of the Sunday paper. It's no wonder they're going bankrupt. Wish I would have just bought them from the store! Anyone had any luck getting this taken care of? This is the worst customer service I have ever seen!

My term ended, I got one extra paper. Thought it should automatically cancel since I did not agree to continue. I received the one extra paper and called to ask why and told them I never agreed to have continuous paper. They have sent me an $8.63 bill. Told them I was not paying. After 10 years this is how they treat long term customers. Shameful.

I did not receive my paper last Sunday (may 4th). I should receive an extra week as I have purchased a year in advance.

Sincerely,

Lorie Stransky
lorie.stransky@yahoo.com

I just received a collections letter after cancelling our star tribune. It was delivered for months after I cancelled and then we were billed after we moved not knowing the newspaper continued... Do not subscribe to this company.. Clearly calling didn't do the trick and now I am stuck with a bill that we either can go to court for or pay $20 for...

We put our Sunday paper on hold for 3 months while in transition before we moved into our new home. We confirmed that they would start the delivery on 10/6/13, but to date they have not delivered a Sunday paper. Calls the the customer service, and distribution are useless. I've talked with managers who say they will cal you back and don't then they get moved to another department. Every time I've called I have to explain the whole situation to a different person. One of the people I've talked to had a cavalier attitude when I explained what has happened. I've even sent an email to one of the managers who was supposed to call me, and still have not gotten a response. My next step is to contact the VP of distribution directly to let him know what a messed up group of people he has. Then I will cancel the paper with him.

I have spent 2 ours of my time trying to simply have my delivery put on a vacation hold for one week from 26th of nov through dec 2.
Can't do it on line can't waste another minute sitting listening to crappy elevator music...where the hell is customer service? Maybe it's a thing of the past; much like what your newspaper is about to become.

missing my favorite adds

I llive in Stillwater and very disappointed I did not get the cub add and a few others if this is the case I will not order again

i hate this awful paper...dont buy it EVER

This newspaper is awful...
In sports...
Stillwater won their FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN TRACK AND FIELD and guess what?
This stinkin' paper FORGOT to even mention a state championship
And they won't even acknowledge it
When boys hockey comes around front page bold type is about the tourney...
but when east side track and field STATE IS WON THEY SAY NOTHING!

Weekday paper is supposed to be delivered by 6:30am, We don't get our paper until 7:30 or 8:am, We called four times about this and Nothing has changed!, In fact now our paper is thrown in the bushes!, They really want to keep their customers!

We've been subscribers to the Star Tribune for many years, and finally canceled after one too many "mistakes" (that always seem to benefit the Star Tribune). We bought my mother a gift subscription, and 2 months later I called the StarTribune to let them know that she was moving in with us, and to stop the paper at her apartment. They continued delivering the paper to her apartment anyway, and now have been harrassing her via a collection agency to get money for almost a 6 month's worth of papers they've been continuing to deliver to her old apartment, and all of our calls to their customer service do not seem to do anything to address the issue. Terrible terrible customer service.

they told me I signed up for auto renewal when I signed up on-line; so I went on-line and checked my account and indeed that is NOT the case at all. However, when I called them back to say so they told me it was the case; on top of that the first person I spoke with told me she could stop the paper and close the account and refund the money within 48 hours, but the second person (whom I got to the EXACT same way as the first person) tells me she can't verify that was done and she doesn't have the power to do it either so I need to speak with the escalation dept. I think I'll just keep getting the paper at the grocery store if I need it that bad.

I have a similar issue. In fact I only signed up using my airline miles for 13 week. They informed me that they sent me renewal invoices which mention that they will keep sending me papers until I contact them. Even though you sign up for a limited subscription they convert it to an ongoing subscription. Talking to the supervisor he told me this is like a cable subscription they will send me the paper even if I do not want it. So beware even if you sign up for limited service they will convert it to unlimited subscription and send your bills to collection agency.
Star tribune shame on you! Stop this scam!