Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/10/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I subscribed to the Leader Herald newspaper (which is now owned by the Gazette) up until November of 2022 when I canceled it.
  Sometime this past summer 2023, they began delivering the paper again without any authorization or request from me. I called them to say I had NOT resubscribed and to please stop delivering the paper.
  Then I received a bill from them in the mail. I wrote on the bill that I had not subscribed and asked them to cease deliveries. They took no heed, kept delivering papers and sending bills
  I kept returning the bills with the same notation that I had not subscribed, etc.
  At one point I tried to email them, but got the message that their electronic emsil circulation mailbox "had not been set up".
  I continued to receive papers every day including the Sunday edition. I finally started collecting each week's worth of delivered papers in a box and re-delivered them to their doorstep at the Leader Herald with a letter enclosed stating who I was and the fact that I was NOT a subscriber and did not WANT the newspaper. They finally stopped delivering the paper, after I delivered two wekks of papers back to their doorstep, but they then started to call me several times a week asking me to subscribe and asking for past payment. I blocked @ number they used, but the calling never stopped. Yesterday (11/10/23) I received a call asking me to subscribe and the caller (who identified herself as Karen M*****) said she had been given "permission to forgive my past balance"!
  I picked up the phone today and called the number Ms. M***** left (************) and I then sat on hold for 8 minutes before giving up.
  I want them to stop the harrassment and confirm the fact (in writing) that I never re-subscribed to their paper after cancelling it in November 2022.
  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/09/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have had a horrible experience trying to receive the daily newspapers. I have reached out through 6 phone calls and 3 emails with no success. Here is a brief description:
  7/13: paid $104.00 for a 6 month subscription (Introductory offer)
  ~7/20: No paper yet. Called customer service. Was told I would receive credit for the week and would start getting papers the next day.
  ~7/28: Still no paper. Called again.
  ~8/5: Again no paper. Sent email through online site. No response
  ~8/10: Sent another email. Still no response
  ~8/18 3rd phone call. Asked for a full refund. Rep asked me to give them one more chance. Still no paper.
  ~8/21: 4th phone call. Rep told me she knows the driver personally and would make sure he delivers the papers.
  8/22: A man came to our house mid morning the next day and handed my husband the paper along with the previous day's paper (Mon and Tue). He stated that the driver would begin delivering the next day.
  8/23-8/25: Received papers Wed, Thu, and Fri
  8/26: Deliveries stopped!
  8/28: Monday called customer service. Said I want to cancel and want to be refunded. I asked her how much of a refund I would get. She couldn't give me the exact amount until she processed the refund, but said it would be about $82. I said that was unacceptable, since I only received 5 papers. She said I would have to talk to her supervisor, who was gone for the day. I would receive a phone call the next day.
  8/30: Since I did not receive that phone call, I again called customer service.(6th time) I told the rep I would pay $4 for a week's worth of papers, even though I did not receive a full week's worth. I want to be refunded the rest. She said she would take care of it.
  9/5: Never received the credit from the 1st two phone calls I made, and have not received a refund. I sent an email to 2 addresses on the website. ([email protected] and ksmalley@daily gazette.net) No response. I did not want to file a complaint, but don't know how else to get a response.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/28/2023

  The Gazette did not contact me, but I did receive a full refund of $104.00.

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/18/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  have been recieving paper for many years when our usual delivery person was not on or quit started missing paper or thrown on lawn with no bag.We are disabled and asked to have it at least on porch and were told by Gazette this would be done and it never was.Cancelled paper and have been waiting for a refund since last day **** ******* delivered our paper.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/12/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Over the past few years we have experienced terrible service in delivery of our newspaper. Delivery would be sporadic, late at best, nonexistent more often than not. When I called the Gazette to complain (continuously), we were offered an apology and, most often, a promise to get a paper to us that day. There was a 50/50 chance that this would happen. We finally changed our delivery to just Sundays, thinking maybe one day a week would bring more success in getting a paper. It has been sporadic since then (and most often not until about 11:00am), and we have now gone several weeks without a Sunday paper. I appreciate that the Gazette "credits" us for undelivered papers; however, the issue is getting a paper! I just want a Sunday paper!! Actually, I would love to go back to getting a paper every day, by 8:00 in the morning, as was the case with our last carrier.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/30/2023

  Hi *****,  I am so sorry you are experiencing delivey issues on your account. I am going to speak with our VP of Distrubution, Brian Z****** and work on getting this corrected for you. Can you please let me know how Sunday goes?  You can reach me via email: ************************* We will work on getting this corrected and then we will get you converted back over to daily delivery. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to get this corrected. Please let me know how Sunday goes. Thank you for being a loyal subscriber.  All the best, Michelle 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/04/2023

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Nothing has been resolved after Michelle's note.  We didn't receive a newspaper today (Sunday), even though I called their office and was assured that one would be delivered today.  Also--for the record--we did not receive last Sunday's paper (May 28). 
  Regards, 
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/27/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 12th I called asking to renew my subscription because I received an email stating it was past due. When I called I told the representative that I never received an email on April 4th asking for the new subscription. When the representative was unprofessional with her words and stated that it didn't matter if I got my paper on time because I got an online subscription. I politely said to cancel my subscription and to stop it as of April 16th which I was told that it was going to happen. I immediately hung up and received the email saying it was going to end as the 16th of April and then I called to put in a complaint about the representative and her comment. Then the other representative took in my complaint and told me that I will have a manager or supervisor call me to discuss about how she handled the situation and that those words were never supposed to be told to me and how unprofessional at was. Never received my phone call and then on April 28th I called because in three business days I've received four emails about reinstating my subscription that is technically valid until April 30th. I specifically said that I never wanted another extension I just wanted to be over as of the 16th of April and then I called and I asked for another supervisor to call me and the representative told me again that senior Representatives is okay and proceeded to give me the number and email for a home delivery manager when I don't want to home delivery manager I wanted the supervisor for the call center.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  For months now, delivery issues have resulted in a paper being delivered only 3–4 times a week. I am paying for 7-day delivery. Constant calls to the circulation department never fixed the problem, I was always told I would receive a paper, but that was rarely true, when I used to contact them a second time the same day, I would then be told "you're not getting a paper, you're getting a credit". I have asked what these credits are, they have no effect on when I was billed or how much I was billed. I never received a clear answer about the credits, always receiving an answer along the lines of "I can't answer that". It is my belief that these credits are just an empty gesture designed to make the customer think they're getting something and will go away.
  
  I contacted the Gazette on this date, the 30th of January, to cancel my subscription. When asked why, I told them non-delivery. I told them of the problem I have been having for months and told them I have not received a paper on the 1st, 6th, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th or 30th of January 2023. I was offered credits, to which I said no, cancel the subscription. I was then told it was cancelled but must continue to pay until the 24th of February, no refunds because it was too close to the end date of billing. I said, "you're telling me I must continue to pay for a paper I'm not receiving?" And was told yes. I told her I would file a BBB complaint and got a "fine" in a rude manner. At this point, I could tell she just wanted to get rid of me. After all the problems in the past, I knew nothing would be done by the Gazette to resolve this matter. On the 25th of January, a called was placed to their Escalated Customer Service Concerns telephone number, but my call was never returned.
  
  During the period of 26-30 January, no calls were placed to the circulation number for missing papers. I knew I would only receive the usual "we'll get you a paper" which, I knew from past experience was not true.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/07/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  For the past two years, I have subscribed three times (perhaps four?) to The Gazette. In each case, I do not receive my paper. I have filled out the missed delivery form multiple times. I have emailed. Each time, I am promised resolution to the problem, but it doesn't get solved, so I cancel. Then I get communication from The Gazette asking me to come back and a committment that they will work to resolve the issue.
  
  Last month, I subscribed again. I received my paper once only. I have emailed to cancel. In the past, customers were able to cancel via email. This time, I was given a number to call to cancel. I called the number and said I wanted to cancel. It was my understanding that the cancelation was processed. I then asked if I could get a refund for the month that I did not receive my paper. I was told that I would not be given a refund, but rather, my subscription would be extended. I expained that I do not want an extension, as I am not receiving my paper. I went back and forth with this person for several minutes before hanging up.
  
  Today, I received two emails from the The Gazette - one letting me know that my subscription was renewed, and a second showing that I was billed for the subscription.
  
  I would like my subscription canceled and my money refunded for the time missed, and for the upcoming month for which I was just billed.
  
  Thank you.