ComplaintsforKalmbach Media Co.

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have been a customer since 2017 (and actually before). During the 2023 holidays I wanted to purchase several magazines. All the magazines I wanted had free shipping. When I loaded the magazines in a my cart, one magazine had shipping costs even though it was listed as free shipping. I removed it bought two magazines and then loaded it in my cart after purchase of the others and then it was free.I wrote customer service and received no reply. In fact I got a read receipt on an email that the email I sent to customer service was not read.Why is ordering do difficult from your online store? Why is your customer service non responsive.As a longtime customer I would like an answer.

  Business response

  02/02/2024

  We are very sorry this customer experienced any problems using our online shopping system. Our **************** Manager investigated this customers concern and confirmed the following: He did put through two orders on December 3, 2023; none of the orders were charged shipping. Our investigation could not determine why his initial order appeared to include a shipping charge, but we appreciate that he tried again and was able to successfully load his order in his online shopping basket without shipping charges, which was a promotion we were running at the time. In addition, our **************** Manager has informed the manager at the call center facility handling the email correspondence of this customers concern that his email was not read nor was it responded to as it should have been and has asked them to review this matter with the employees there. We apologize that he did not receive an answer to his correspondence; he should have.
  
  We thank this gentleman for his patronage of our company over the years and we appreciate that he took the time to bring his concerns to our attention.
  
  - Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  02/04/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is barely satisfactory to me. The response is weak. Kalmbach in the past was responsive, but no longer.  The website is not customer friendly.  ********************** customer service needs new management.

  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  A few weeks again, I received an issue of Classic Trains Magazine out of the blue. Today I got a bill for $19.95 for an annual subscription. I never subscribed to this magazine and do not want to receive it. My guess is that some scammer got my address from my AARP membership.

  Business response

  10/20/2023

  We appreciate this customer contacting the ******************** about the subscription to Classic Trains magazine that he is receiving. Our **************** Manager has canceled the subscription and he should ignore any invoices he receives for a Classic Trains subscription. Any of the Classic Trains magazines that he has received since this started are his to keep - free of charge. Although the cancellation was put through immediately, he may still receive the next Classic Trains issue, which is the Winter issue. We're sorry he has been inconvenienced. We have attached the subscription card we received for him so he can see what triggered the subscription. If he has any questions, he should feel free to contact our **************** Manager at ************.
  
  Best regards,

  Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  10/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  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.
  
  While I am happy that I will not be billed for this fraudulent subscription, the business needs to investigate this case thoroughly and see who is scamming people by involuntarily signing them up for this publisher's magazines. I did not complete this form, and one can see from the ******** postmark that it is fraudulent. I live in ********** and not in ********. The address is also cut out and pasted on the form, not filled out by hand. Whoever mailed in this form is presumably engaging in mail fraud as well, which is a serious felony: **********************************************************************************************************************************************************).%22%20Schmuck%20v. . The publisher should report this incident to the *** for investigation and prosecution.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

  Business response

  10/25/2023

  We can understand this customer's frustration with the fraudulent subscription; it is a problem we encounter occasionally, and unfortunately, there is rarely any way to trace it back to the wrongdoer. We aren't able to determine whether a card is fraudulent when we receive the subscription cards, either. We receive legitimate subscriptions that are handwritten or have labels on them as well, and the postmark doesn't always match the recipient's "mail to" address. It is frustrating for everyone involved. We don't have the manpower to contact everyone for whom we receive a subscription card to determine if it is legitimate before the subscription goes into effect, but we're happy to cancel any subscription that a customer says was not ordered personally or received as a gift. One option for this customer might be to consider filing a report with his local police since it was a fraud perpetrated with his address information.

  Best regards,

  Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  10/25/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This morning, 11/16/2022, I received notice from *************** that my account was charged $24.95 for a subscription that I did not authorize.In the past year I have received "Discover" magazine but thought it was related to my Discover card. The issues have not been read but sent to the recycle bin.I have no subscriptions and do not intend on beginning any. I placed a call to Kalmbach and their office was closed, so I left a message advising on the above.

  Business response

  11/28/2022

  We are truly sorry that this customer had a problem with a charge to his credit card that he did not expect. In examining his account, we found that it was set up for an auto-renewal of his magazine subscription, which is why his credit card was charged. Our customer service manager has removed the auto-renewal status, which changed his subscription status to expired. Any issues of the magazine that he received from the auto-renewed subscription are his to keep for no charge. He will receive a refund of the amount charged to his credit card. Our customer service manager contacted him by telephone and left her phone number in case he wants to discuss anything else about this matter. 

  Once again, our apologies for the inconvenience this situation caused.

  - Kalmbach Media

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 2/24/2022 I attempted to renew my "Trains" magazine subscription via the businesses web site in the amount of $48.95 for a one year extension. Upon checkout I received a notice stating "Error, problem with credit card". Upon inspection of my bank account I noticed this company had placed 4 authorizations for just one subscription. Upon contact with 2 customer service individuals I was notified that since there was nothing they could do since my account showed zero transactions even though 3 unauthorized transaction were made. I had requested a call back from a supervisor with the agent stating that the message had been sent as "urgent". No contact, as of this writing, has been made.

  Business response

  03/07/2022

  We apologize to this customer for the very poor service he received when he contacted our customer service center for help with a subscription renewal problem. Our ******** Experience Manager investigated the situation and found that the customers transaction didnt go through due to a technical error with the credit card server. Although the customer could see the authorizations on his credit card related to his attempts to make the transaction go through, there was no live activity on his account, which is why the customer service reps said they didnt see a transaction, and they couldnt do anything about it. The customers message was passed along to the ******** Service Supervisor, but he did not receive a response as he should have. Our ******** Service Experience Manager contacted the ******** Service Supervisor about the problem and the lack of response and discussed ways the situation could have been handled with a better response. She also reviewed a better way for the customer service reps to respond rather than say there was nothing they could do.
  
  The ******** Service Manager contacted the customer to let him know of her investigation into the problem. She also let him know that the authorizations on his credit card would drop off the card when no matching transaction shows up. Unfortunately, Kalmbach does not have the authority to release the authorizations from the credit card, and the ******** Service Experience Manager suggested that the customer contact his bank to see if they might be able to do it more quickly. Per the customers request, she canceled his subscription extension and all other current products. She also provided him with the dates of his last issues and informed him of the credit he would receive for issues remaining on one of his subscriptions that he wouldnt receive after the cancellation.
  
  We are very sorry for the inconvenience, and frustration this customer experienced with what should have been a simple transaction. He was given the ******** Service Experience Managers contact information if he should need additional help.
  
  -Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  03/07/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I ordered The February 20 22 Trains Magazine as an individual order on January 11,2022. I noticed as they were processing it that they changed it to Model Railroader Magazine, which I already subscribe to and did not want. I contacted **************** both via email and phone call on 1/13, and again on 1/19 and 1/20 having not received a response. I was initially was told that it was my error and that I had ordered the wrong item. I sent to ****** in customer service on 1/20/2022 a Screenshot of my original order. She advised me when I called that day that the correct issue was shipped. I have still not received the magazine that I ordered nor have I been able to contact customer service. I left callback numbers with no response. I was able to purchase the magazine at a local grocery store and at this point I would like a refund of the $13.76 as they have not been able to deliver the magazine or even respond to my questions. I would like a refund from them. I am very surprised Ive never had an experience like this with this company and have been a long-term customer. Thank you, ******************************

  Business response

  03/01/2022

  We are very sorry that this customer had such a poor experience with our customer service. Our Customer Experience Manager investigated the problem and found that there was something wrong in our system with the inventory record, which created the customer's order with a different ****************** than the one that he ordered. The manager also investigated the lack of response from our customer service reps. ** appears that a customer service rep failed to follow up on the problem and incorrectly told the customer that he would be getting the ****************** that he intended to order.

  Our Customer Experience Manager contacted the customer on Feb. 17 by telephone to find out more directly from the customer. The manager agreed that she would follow up with the customer service rep's lack of performance with the service supervisor and will process a full refund of $13.76 requested by the customer. The Customer Experience Manager contacted the customer again on March 1 to confirm the details of his experience, what she will do about it, and the refund to his credit card.

  Again, we apologize to the customer for the very poor service that he received. He has the Customer Experience Manager's contact information if he has any additional problems.

  -Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  03/02/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 12/4/21 i renewed via a telephone call with a **************** representative my and a gift recipient's subscription to Astronomy magazine for which i was charged $142..20 for both subscriptions. I have received my subscription but my gift recipient has not and when i look into my Astronomy Magazine account #************ it only lists my subscription.I have tried calling their customer service number ************ several times with no one answering the call after 20 minutes. I have also submitted email requests on 1/27/22 and 2/1/22 with no response with the exception of an automated reply telling me they have received the email and it has been sent to a team member.I would like for my gift recipient to have her subscription but if that is not an option i would like for $71.20 to be credited back to my credit card.

  Business response

  02/22/2022

  Our apologies to this customer for the frustrating experience she has had in renewing her subscription and ordering a gift subscription. An investigation of the customers complaint showed that the customer was charged $142.50 for her subscription and a gift subscription. The problem started because the entire $142.50 was credited to the customers personal subscription instead of being split between the personal subscription and the gift subscription. Unfortunately, due to a lack of staffing and customer service follow-up at the customer service center, the customer did not receive the requested callbacks or email responses. Our Customer Experience Manager followed up and confirmed that the intended gift subscription had been changed to apply the money for the gift subscription to that account, leaving the other half of the money for the renewal of the customers own subscription. The gift recipients subscription will start with the March 2022 issue of Astronomy magazine, and the Customer Experience Manager also mailed complimentary January and February issues to the gift recipient as part of her apology for the customer service problems. She emailed and called the customer but received no response. If any additional issues come up, this customer should contact our Customer Experience Manager directly at ************.
  
  Again, we apologize for the frustration and inconvenience caused by a lack of response to the problem.
  - Kalmbach Media

• Initial Complaint

  01/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hi I have been a subscriber to two of Kalmbach medias publications for more than 30 years with those publications being Trains, and Model Rail Roader which have stopped being sent to me since November 2021 .Trains Subscription was due to expire January ********************************* December 2021 .I renewed both subscriptions online via my **** card online using the subscription number that I have had for probably all 30 plus years the date the two transactions went through was 22nd November your date with the subscription no ************ with matched the numbers on the reminder notice from Model Rail Roader that arrived around 20 Jan 2022 and the postal cover sheet subscriber number on the November Trains magazine.I have tried their website three times to inform them both magazine sites say that my subscription number does not exist, If so how can the use the number on the above mentioned documents. I also tried contacting the adverting departments with an email massage to try to get help in getting the already paid for magazines with the costs in ** dollars being $69.95 for Trains and $74.95 for Model Rail Roader. I have tried to phone them on both their normal ** national landline and the land line for subscribers out side of *** and ****** which has cost me more than $50 so far again no response. All I was wanting was a response to say yes they had got the message and how they could fix the non delivery of the of the magazines 3 from the last subscription and from the current subscriptions for which I have paid over $150 ** which is a lot to find on a pension. Could you help by contacting them to get them to contact me to resolve this. My only other option is to contact "Fair Go" which is the *********** national television consumer rights program to shame and name them of their "Wall of Shame" as fraudsters or scammers.You are my last hope before that.Hoping for help Thank you *********************** ******************** ***********

  Business response

  02/10/2022

  We are very sorry that this customer experienced these problems with his subscriptions to our magazines, especially the lack of customer service when he tried to inquire about them. The first problem that he didnt receive his magazines was a result of the U.S. ************** suspending delivery to *********** beginning October 1, 2021, due to COVID and transportation concerns. The suspension has been lifted recently, and subscriptions are resuming with the current issues, which are the February 2022 issues. Our Customer Experience Manager contacted the customer to discuss the situation and to let him know that the **************** team will send him the December 2021 and January 2022 issues that he is missing. His subscription will be extended through the delivery of the February 2023 issue of Model Railroader and the March 2023 issue of Trains magazine.
  
  As to his unsatisfactory experience with the **************** fulfillment center, the Customer Experience Manager is addressing that with the management. One unfortunate side effect of the pandemic has been a shortage of staff at the fulfillment center, although that is not an excuse for poor service, for which we again apologize.
  
  If this customer has any concerns, he is welcome to contact our Customer Experience Manager directly to discuss them with her. We hope this resolves his problems.
  
  -Kalmbach Media

• Initial Complaint

  01/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I canceled a subscription to Model Railroader magazine on October 25, 2021. Despite several contacts with the company they have not refunded approximately $107 which I am owed for the months remaining on my subscription after the cancellation. My account number is ***********.

  Business response

  01/26/2022

  We are very sorry that this customer had to go through this difficult process to get his refund. Upon investigation, we found that our customer service provider had a problem with its refund process that they didn't report which delayed refund checks going out to customers. Our Customer Experience Manager contacted the customer on or around Jan. 18, 2022 to let him know that his refund had been issued on Jan. 3, 2022, and was on its way to him. They agreed she would follow up on Jan. 21, 2022 to see if he had received it. She checked in with him on that date, and he had received his refund check and was satisfied with the resolution. Once again, we apologize to this customer that he experienced this difficulty. 
  
  - Kalmbach Media 

  Customer response

  01/26/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Kalmbach was extremely responsive and diligent in the way they responded to my complaint.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I Subscribed To Their Magazine Classic Trains this ****** .It comes out Quarterly .I received the July (Fall) issue only .the (winter) October issue never came. I contacted Kalmbach the beginning of December to inform them of the missing issue of the magazine. they informed me it would be sent right out. Its now the last week of December no magazine . I would like my subscription money back or make them live up to their end of their contract to me .One full year Of Classic Trains Magazine.Winter, Spring and the ****** editions .Thank you ***************************

  Business response

  01/04/2022

  We appreciate this customer contacting us to let us know he had not received his Winter 2021 issue of Classic Trains magazine. We are sorry for the frustration the situation caused. Our **************** Experience Manager called him on Dec. 29 to let him know that a replacement magazine was sent by **************** on Dec. 13. While he would normally receive it within 10 days, the U.S. ************** has been running more slowly than usual due to the pandemic and holiday mail traffic. The customer did confirm that he had received the replacement copy on Dec. 28.
  
  As a thank you for his patience, the **************** Experience Manager extended the customers subscription to Classic Trains by two issues. He confirmed to the manager that there was nothing more she could do for him.

  - Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  01/04/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/26/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Did not receive final issue of Beadwork magazine, for Fall 2021.

  Business response

  10/28/2021

  We hope this customer is able to get her final copy of Beadwork magazine (Fall 2021) from Interweave/Golden Peak Media, the company that publishes the magazine. We are not the publisher of this magazine. The customer did subscribe to our Bead&Button magazine in the past, but that publication closed a year ago.

  Thank you.

  - Kalmbach Media

  Customer response

  10/29/2021

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I did receive the issues.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *****
  

*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. ↩