After letting my many years subscription to Consumer Reports magazine lapse some time ago, I recently reordered the magazine. After receiving the first edition, I was sadly disappointed. In order to access the product testing, I had to access the web site and then could only view limited info, unless I would upgrade my subscription/membership. That was going to cost me as much as my subscription, again. I called Customer Service and clarified my understanding, then asked about cancelling the magazine subscription. I was informed that since ordering the magazines on Dec. 30 and cancelling on Jan 18(20 days), my “pro rated” refund would be roughly 54% of my subscription price. When questioned, the CSR informed me that they had already mailed out two more magazines. So, 3 magazines of 15 subscribed too(20%), costs 46% of the price paid. She said that the charge was $4 per magazine, for the three, with the refund of the remaining 12, at $1.17 each(my math). The “pro rating” certainly doesn’t track with my understanding of the term.Unfortunately, the high regard that I previously held for this organization had now deteriorated to close to nothing. While I still feel the testing is valuable, their apparent bait and switch tactics in offering access to their results, infuriates me. I will be letting my subscription expire, never considering future offers.
