ComplaintsforCision

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Cision sent our nonprofit to collections over ** ******** invoices we never should have received. We purchased a package of 5 press releases in 2021. We decided not to renew our annual ** ******** subscription in 2022 but wanted to use the remaining 3 press releases in our package. Our account rep verbally told us multiple times that we had until 3/31/22 to use the rest of the package. Months later, we received an email with the original contract saying that the end date was actually 3/9/22. We hustled to make the deadline and submitted all 3 releases through their portal on 3/9, the final day of the contract, but we spaced out the dates that each would be officially distributed. The submission portal didn't have anywhere to indicate that the releases were part of a package, so when we received confirmation calls for each release from a Customer Content Specialist that evening (calls that were recorded), we made it clear that our intention was to use the releases from our package. The Specialist confirmed the various release dates (3/9/22, 3/15/22, and 3/22/22) with no caveats. We later received invoices for 2 of the press releases. Cision said that because the distribution dates were after 3/9, they weren’t part of our purchased package, even though the releases were all submitted and confirmed on 3/9 within our service term. Our account rep gave zero indication that both the order confirmation date and the distribution date had to be 3/9 and neither did the Customer Content Specialist who confirmed everything. Neither the contract we signed nor Cision’s Client Terms & Conditions specify that the end date of the “Service Term” is the release/distribution date instead of the submission/order confirmation date. Cision is using this gray area in their terms & conditions to unfairly charge our nonprofit and refused to resolve the matter directly. They have been dishonest at every turn, and we want this invoice cancelled immediately.

  Business response

  01/10/2023

  This issue was amicably resolved with our customer.

  Customer response

  01/11/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: our organization has received no contact since submitting this complaint and no indication that the charges have been rescinded.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  In 2021, Cision changed a payment agreement with my conpany, ********** ***, for 3 PRNewsWire press-releases from a pre-pay plan to an ala carte pay plan. They did so without notice. I ordered and paid ala carte for 2 releases. Since the 2nd release was delayed and poorly done, I did not order a third release. Cision then sent me an invoice asking for payment for all 3 releases, although I had already paid for the 2 ala carte releases. I contacted Cision staff, and they said to wait for them to evaluate the issue. While I waited to hear back from them, the original time limit planned if pre-paid expired. Since then Cision has attempted to obtain payment for a 3rd release that I never obtained, including harassing me for most of 2022 with collection agencies. Now in the past week, Cision has locked me out of a different parallel account that was prepaid for 12 PRWeb press releases. I have 3 releases remaining in that prepaid account. Cision has locked me out of this paid account, preventing me from publishing press releases needed for my business for this week, and allowing the time limit on the prepaid releases to expire, so that I cannot use them, even though I already paid for them.I have talked with Cision staff during the past week who have been deceptive and unhelpful. I informed them that I would report them to the BBB. They have still not unlocked my account.

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  We had an account and closed it years ago - every year they attempt to bill us for an active service charge - every year I provide them documentation that the account has been closed - including written emails from their own reps. Every year they try and rebill it - I call the rep and they admit that the company made a strategic decision to attempt to bill every historical user - even with accounts closed - for the service charge and that a certain % of the historic companies do not notice it and just pay the invoice. It's now baked into their business model as a strategy with revenue projections. Below is a sample.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩