Incomplete newspaper

[undertheradar]

Call the ABC (audit bureau of circulation) and complain there. Tell the newspaper mgr. you contacted them too--that will get their attention. Newspapers make their money on advertising and the ABC exists to ensure that the advertisers get what they paid for (an ad in your paper). GL

An ABC audit is used to confirm circulation for the mains. An ABC audit entails confirming delivery of the newspapers to customers. Questions such as: Mrs. Jones of 123 Main St., called in a miss on December 15, 2010. Did Mrs. Jones receive her paper? In hotly contested circulation areas, depositions from the newspaper circulation district managers involve questions like these. Been through several of these and never was asked if a customer received the CVS ad on December 4, 2011.

 

[swilshire]

The ads arrive in pre-bundled sections, ready to be used. Those bundles are assembled in a warehouse via machines, not by humans.

Ours do not arrive pre-bunded. I've toured the building where the papers are assembled. Quite interesting.

I'm even more annoyed since checking my email and seeing the photo of the six coupon inserts the local coupon expert posted. I only received four of them.

Sheila

 

[swilshire]

You aren't comparing even entities. You know what you bought at the store, you don't know what ads are included each week. Not every advertiser participates every week. Your initial post is about missing ads.

As I've mentioned more than once, this is part of the frustration. They make it difficult to determine when you are missing parts, making it likely that I am being shorted even more often than I recognize.

Sheila

 

[Free4Life11]

OP, I feel you. I cancelled my home delivery due to missing ads/coupon inserts. I only buy from the newsstand now and review it to ensure I've received all the ads and more importantly coupon inserts. I can't tell you how many times the coupon inserts had mysteriously disappeared.

 

[MineMail]

I wonder if people would buy the paper plus a bundle of circulars/coupons if they were packaged separately?

 

[mrspaha]

Our main newspaper in Chicago has the ads pre-bundled in a separate plastic bag within the newspaper. I've always gotten the bundle of ads on Sunday.

My issue lately has been that in the past year or so, we've apparently had several changes of delivery people. I don't always get my paper by 9:00 and a few times have not gotten it at all, which is very frustrating, because I keep waiting before I initiate a call to report no delivery. So, a few times when I have called and finally talked to a person (who, by the way is located in another country), they just say they will credit my account. Since I got a discounted rate on my subscription, I get a discounted credit. Then, I have to make a special trip to the store to buy a paper at full price.

I've debated cancelling my subscription, but I do like the convenience of having it delivered, as well as the discount. I keep hoping that once I get a regular delivery person, I won't have these problems.

 

[Bob NC]

Can't understand getting worked up over a missing ad.

We all get worked up over different things.

Why do you really NEED to understand why someone else is upset about something?

 

[swilshire]

I got the new paper out of the box on my way to work this morning. I didn't bother walking back down my 900' driveway in the rain yesterday after the woman told me that she had cancelled the order. I had FIVE ads that I didn't get yesterday morning. Granted, I may have gotten ads that only the town folk were supposed to get, but I pay the same $2 they do. We don't even get a break on cost when we subscribe. On the other hand, a couple of sections I got yesterday weren't there in the second one.

To the person who said that I don't pay for the ads, the advertisers do, how long do you think they would keep paying for ads if the subscribers dropped to nothing?

Sheila

 

[undertheradar]

We all get worked up over different things.

Why do you really NEED to understand why someone else is upset about something?

Why do You NEED to Know why? I find it funny that someone would get all worked up about missing the CVS ad, it isn't like you can't stop by and pick one up from the corner CVS(unless there aren't any nearby and then CVS isn't marketing to you anyway).

 

[undertheradar]

I got the new paper out of the box on my way to work this morning. I didn't bother walking back down my 900' driveway in the rain yesterday after the woman told me that she had cancelled the order. I had FIVE ads that I didn't get yesterday morning. Granted, I may have gotten ads that only the town folk were supposed to get, but I pay the same $2 they do. We don't even get a break on cost when we subscribe. On the other hand, a couple of sections I got yesterday weren't there in the second one.

To the person who said that I don't pay for the ads, the advertisers do, how long do you think they would keep paying for ads if the subscribers dropped to nothing?

Sheila

So, did you cancel like you stated you were thinking about doing?

 

[swilshire]

So, did you cancel like you stated you were thinking about doing?

Why do you need to know?

Not sure how busy your day is, but a stop by a local CVS to pick up an ad is not convenient. I use the Sunday paper to make my shopping lists for the week on Sunday afternoon and carefully plan out my spare moments to get my errands run.

Sheila

 

[seashoreCM]

Sometimes thieves go down the street after the newsboy, stealing the ads to clip the coupons, and leaving the rest of the newspaper.

 

[swilshire]

Why couldn't you answer the question. You spend all sorts of posts complaining you didn't get ad and why its so important to receive it. You then post ordeal of having to go down 900 ft. driveway to get and then get rude when someone asks did you cancel like you stated in first post.

If you read the last few posts prior to this one, it will become clear to you.

I was responding in kind.

I'm puzzled as to why people get so excited about what others post. I often see threads that I don't care to participate in or answers I don't care for. Unless it's my own thread, I just move on.

Some people understand my concern and have joined a pleasant conversation about it, as I would expect on this sort of forum. Others, not so much.

Sheila

 

[undertheradar]

Still not getting why you would rather complain on the internet than cancel and just pick up the paper when you need it. The norm for the newspaper industry is for the filler sections(comics, ads, Parade, etc.) to come already assembled from outside warehouses. While not every distribution center operates this way, the majority do.

OP, you were upset that you didn't receive the CVS or Ingles ads in your paper. You were further upset when the local paper decided not to deliver the ads you wanted due to them being optional to your zipcode. You then went on to post about how several years before you had issues and they were caused by new equipment at your local paper and were worked out. Then you stated that you were thinking of ending your subscription to the paper as you can't be sure that you are getting everything you believe you are paying for when you purchase the paper. That is why I asked if you had made a choice. From reading this thread, it appears that you do not trust that you receive what you believe to be a "complete" paper each and every week.

As for the tone of a post, I find it funny for someone to enter into a thread to ask why anyone cares. I thought the whole idea behind the threads was getting feedback and the interaction of posters and ideas.

 

[Judique]

Still not getting why you would rather complain on the internet than cancel and just pick up the paper when you need it. The norm for the newspaper industry is for the filler sections(comics, ads, Parade, etc.) to come already assembled from outside warehouses. While not every distribution center operates this way, the majority do.

OP, you were upset that you didn't receive the CVS or Ingles ads in your paper. You were further upset when the local paper decided not to deliver the ads you wanted due to them being optional to your zipcode. You then went on to post about how several years before you had issues and they were caused by new equipment at your local paper and were worked out. Then you stated that you were thinking of ending your subscription to the paper as you can't be sure that you are getting everything you believe you are paying for when you purchase the paper. That is why I asked if you had made a choice. From reading this thread, it appears that you do not trust that you receive what you believe to be a "complete" paper each and every week.

As for the tone of a post, I find it funny for someone to enter into a thread to ask why anyone cares. I thought the whole idea behind the threads was getting feedback and the interaction of posters and ideas.

Not the OP, but I cancelled my subscription to the Washington Post.

I actually enjoyed getting the paper on Sunday.

The coupons were a bonus.

Problem was they couldn't keep the billing straight.

Nor the delivery.

Sometimes they even delivered it to my neighbor.

Other times they just threw it in the puddle at the driveway dip.

I have a box for the newspaper. Still landed anywhere but there.

And, it cost more to have it delivered. Delivery charge added in....okay, so it was supposed to be a convenience...paper came to $2.60 with delivery.

Missed paper? Call before 8am. Sometimes I'm not out for the paper by then.

So, I cancel.

The very next week, they call and ask could they still deliver the ads and coupon insert. Sure. I really don't care. But most of that comes in the regular mail anyway ...there is a lot of duplication in my area. And there is a local community paper - the Gazette - that is free and delivered. I notice it keeps getting thicker, and has lots of ads.

I pick up the same paper - Wash Post - for $1 later in the day, when I am out. I get it when I want it, maybe once a month, on a three day weekend when I have time.