Why does your magazines appear in my FLGS before I get my subscription in the mail?


Customer Service


What are the chances of the subscribers getting them first or at the same time?

Peace and smiles :)

j.


OOOOooooo, I am looking for this answer as well??? :)

Contributor

Jaws wrote:

What are the chances of the subscribers getting them first or at the same time?

This has been a tough issue for us for awhile now. Basically the problem is twofold. In order to attempt to ensure that our subscribers receive their copies before they are available in stores, each issue has both a subscriber ship date and a newsstand release date. Those dates are posted on our website for each issue as they go out, and are available on the specific issue pages. The newsstand release date is three weeks after the subscriber ship date for each issue, which allows plenty of time for our subscribers to receive them.

The first problem is that the majority of newsstands do not honor the requested release date for each issue, making the issue available as soon as they receive it. They do this for a variety of reasons, the most compelling of which is they really have no motivation to honor our request to hold the issue. We are going to be working with our distributors in the near future to better communicate with our retailers our desire that they hold on to our magazines until the specified release date, and hopefully we will be able to improve the situation with better communication.

The second problem is that that we use different shipping methods to mail out our subscriber copies and our retailer copies. In order to ensure that the most distant retailers have the copy by the release date, we have to ship out the retailer copies well before that date. In most cases, the efficiency of the bulk mailing system we use for the retail copies allows the retail stores to receive them relatively quickly, generally before the periodical rate we use for the subscription copies. This, coupled with the willingness of our retailers to sell their copies as soon as they receive them, means that many of our subscribers do not receive their issue until after it is available in their local gaming store. We are currently working with the Post Office on ways to improve the efficiency of our subscriber mailings, and hopefully that will also allow us to speed up delivery.

There are no easy solutions to this problem, but we are aware that it is a concern for many of our subscribers, and we are working on ways to fix it. Hopefully the situation will improve over the next few months.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

On a somewhat related issue, how long does it take on average for the incredibaly efficient, capable and expeditious (or not) USPS to deliver a magazine? I waited three weeks before I had to send a request to customer service to send me the latest Dragon. It's been 6 days since my absent Dungeon 115 was sent out. When should I exxpect that it is not going to be in my mailbox?


I'd also like to add a comment.
Why does the website say that an issue is shipped to subscribers on, say, the 3rd, but I don't actually get it until sometimes as late as two or three weeks later?

I regularly recieve my issue near the third week of the month (around the 20th)

Why does it take two or three weeks for a magazine to reach me inside the United States (Heck, inside Washington State), but only three days for the letter I mailed to my gramma in Illinois with a regular stamp?

I think you;d get less cmplaints about retailers getting copies before sunscribers if the subscribers actually got theirs within a week of the ship date ;-)


Jeremy, Thanks for the quick and candor on this topic. I hope that it can be resolved with the various shippers/distributor. I know that it is frustrating for those of us who have a subscription to walk into our FLGS/LGS and see a mag and then have to wait upwards of three weeks to receive ours.

Please, stay diligent on this topic as frustration can lead to bad feelings and we all don't want that.... :)

Contributor

Brian Medchill wrote:
On a somewhat related issue, how long does it take on average for the incredibaly efficient, capable and expeditious (or not) USPS to deliver a magazine?
Galahad_Knight wrote:
Why does it take two or three weeks for a magazine to reach me inside the United States (Heck, inside Washington State), but only three days for the letter I mailed to my gramma in Illinois with a regular stamp?

Currently, it generally takes between 3 and 15 days from the posted ship date for our domestic subscribers (the ones inside the US) to receive their issues. The wide disparity in shipping time is due to two factors. Firstly, the shipping method we use to mail out our issues is periodical rate postage. This rate, which is significantly slower than first class, is highly dependant on the distance you are from the point of origin. To clear up one point of confusion, our issues are not shipped out from Washington State (where our office is) but rather from our printing companies in the Midwest. This means that our subscribers in Washington State are generally among the last ones to receive their issues each month. Generally, our experience has been that our subscribers in the Midwest get the issues soon after mailing, while the further away you get, the longer it takes to reach you, up to the full 15 days.

The second reason for the delay is that the shipping method we use (periodical rate) is handled differently by different post offices across the country. Because of its low priority status, some of them hold on to the issue for several days at the post office before they deliver it to local subscribers. The combination of these two factors makes for an extreme variance in delivery time. It is for this reason that our newsstand release date is three full weeks after the subscriber ship date for each issue, to allow plenty of time for all our subscribers to receive their issues (if the system works correctly).


I recieve my other monthly magazines right around the same day as it is on the newsstands. Why is paizo different? This wasn't the case when Dungeon and Dragon was published by WoTC.

Peace and smiles :)

j.

Contributor

Jaws wrote:

I recieve my other monthly magazines right around the same day as it is on the newsstands. Why is paizo different? This wasn't the case when Dungeon and Dragon was published by WoTC.

I don’t know the answer to this question, I can only speculate. My guess is that other larger magazine companies are in a better position to convince local retailers to hang on to their issues until the actual newsstand release date, allowing them more time to ship the issues to the subscribers.

As for why you originally got your issues more rapidly under WotC, that is probably because the printing company that handles our issues has moved them each once or twice from one printing location to another. As our mailing system is extremely sensitive to your distance from the point of origin, that might have caused a delay in shipping that did not exist before. As I said before, however, this is only speculation.


How much would it cost the average subscriber if you switched to a higher priority, more consistant mailing system?

I know I sure as heck wouldn't mind paying a few extra bucks if it means I can get my issue faster. Perhaps give people the option of paying more so that the people in the midwest don't end up paying more for no real increase in speed (since they get theirs faster already)


Galahad_Knight wrote:
....Perhaps give people the option of paying more so that the people in the midwest don't end up paying more for no real increase in speed (since they get theirs faster already)

My FLGS typically sells out of the mag before I get mine here in the middle of the midwest (K.C.).

Contributor

Galahad_Knight wrote:

How much would it cost the average subscriber if you switched to a higher priority, more consistant mailing system?

I know I sure as heck wouldn't mind paying a few extra bucks if it means I can get my issue faster. Perhaps give people the option of paying more so that the people in the midwest don't end up paying more for no real increase in speed (since they get theirs faster already)

My understanding is that we looked at this option recently and found that it was too expensive to be practical. I don't know the exact figures, but I do know is was more than a few bucks per subscription. That is why we ultimately decided to try and improve our existing subscription delivery system rather than set up a new one.

griffrat wrote:


My FLGS typically sells out of the mag before I get mine here in the middle of the midwest (K.C.).

Even some of our subscribers in the Midwest are subject to having thier local Post Office hold on to the issue for a few days (see my previous post). Again, it would not be an issue if the newsstands and gaming stores did not sell the issue until the release date.


I received Dungeon 115 today in the mail. I live in the midwest and I now can expect it 8 days after it ships.

Jeremy Walker, thank you for answering our questions and concerns.

Peace and smiles :)

j.


Well I hope that I get my 115 Dungeon tomorrow or by this weekend. Just sooner than later would be nice...:P


Jaws wrote:

What are the chances of the subscribers getting them first or at the same time?

Peace and smiles :)

j.

ditto. ditto. ditto.

since before xmas of last year my subscription has been getting the shaft like this.

1 issue in the all that time has been on time.

the rest have been almost 1 month late.

i'm still waiting for the last issue.


When I first tried to subscribe (16months ago), other Australian subscribers were getting their issues at the same time as stores.

Great I thought.

When I finally got my subscription, I get them 5-7 weeks after the stores. :-(

I don't understand why though, the post date stamp on the issues say they are coming from the Western Sydney Mail Centre (not the US).
That is the Regional Mail centre nearest to WotC Australia.

Now the stores are getting their issues from WotC Australia...

So if they are both coming from the same source, why do I the subscriber get them almost two months after the guy on the street?

This simple issue has fustrated me no end.
Imagine my disgust when one of my players who buys an issue once a year running around with the copy for almost two months, while I the guy who has committed to 12+ issues (and paid up front) have to borrow his issue to allow him to use something in it.

When I read a review for a book I bought the week before.

When I cannot comment on threads in forums because by the time I get the issue the thread is long dead...

I love the magazines, but I feel like a second class citizen with a subscription.
Unless this issue improves I will not be renewing, why on earth would I want to?


so i finally got my copy. mailed on aug 24th arrived on sept 13.

getting better but still late.


diaglo's problem demonstrates the issue...

Paizo mails the issue "on time" (August 24).
The post office prioritizes as it pleases (September 13).

Magazine postage rates determine priority. If more people subscribed to Dragon, and the subscription pool were a significant revenue stream for the postal service, we might see some better customer service. But as long as we are a"niche population" we won't see any major jump in service from the post office. We just don't represent the steady income stream like Cosmo or Newsweek.

The same is true of the Local Gaming Shops (or any other news-stand) -- we (the subscriber population) don't carry enough numbers for Paizo to threaten pulling copies if they (the gaming stores) don't adhere to the release dates. If anything, the gaming stores would view subscribers as competition.


Seeker95 wrote:

diaglo's problem demonstrates the issue...

Paizo mails the issue "on time" (August 24).
The post office prioritizes as it pleases (September 13).

That might be the case in the US, but it does not work that way at AustraliaPost. (as I have been told by friends who work there).

Also I have five other magazine subscriptions, Dragon and Dungeon are neither the smallest or the largest of these subscriptions.
All other managzine arrive 3-4 days after they are in the stores (if not earlier).
Dragon and Dungeon carry postmarks of typically three business days before their arrive, but around 6 weeks after the stores have them.
Stores in Australia have them on the shelves when they recieve them from WotC which is typically the week after the news stand date.


Jaws wrote:

I received Dungeon 115 today in the mail. I live in the midwest and I now can expect it 8 days after it ships.

Jeremy Walker, thank you for answering our questions and concerns.

Peace and smiles :)

j.

I guess last month was a fluke. Dungeon 116 isn't here yet. Maybe 9 days this time? I will find out tomorrow.

You have on your news page: Dungeon 116 shipped to subscribers this week and should be available on the newsstand any day now.

At least you admit that the newstand will have it before me. Not on Oct 12, 2004.

Maybe you should switch it around. Ships to Newstands Sept. 21. Appears to Subscribers Oct 12.

j.


Jeremy, I'm sure you're getting sick of these kinds of comments... But if I had any idea of how long it took for the subscriptions to be delivered, I wouldn't have bothered subscribing to both Dungeon and Dragon. As it is, I'm feeling pretty annoyed that for the next year, I can look forward to my issues being significantly behind the newsstand dates. I feel like subscribing has made me a second-class citizen.

Obviously there's not much I can do for the next year, but if you don't do something before then, I'm not going to bother renewing my subscription.

So... Is there anyone in the office you can relay our concerns to? I think it's pretty obvious that we all find the situation ridiculous. If the company doesn't fix the problem soon, you're not going to have any subscribers left because no-one's going to be crazy enough to stick it out. And if you don't have any subscribers, the magazines go under, and none of us want that.

Contributor

otter wrote:


So... Is there anyone in the office you can relay our concerns to?

Lets just say I'm not the only one in the office who reads these messageboards. There doesn't seem to be an easy solution right now, but we know the situation won't improve on its own. People around here are working on the problem, and it is definatly a priority for us.


I can say this, for me (I live in the midwest) there has been a drastic change in shipping which started about 4 months ago. Before that time, if you shipped on at the beginning of the week, I would get the issue that friday. Worked like clock work. Then a change happened somewhere in your system, this was also the same issue where I was told by you Jeremy that it had shipped only to find out 10 days later during a phone call with someone in Paizo, it hadn't shipped yet and "might" ship in a few days. (I do not blame you for the information, I know you told me what they told you) I hope someone is looking at what changed in that time period and get things back to "normal". If I recall the verbal conversation, I was told you had changed how you were shipping magazines and this caused the delay. Safe to say, this change was not for the better.

Hoping for a solution :)


I subscribed to Dungeon on Aug. 18 (Canadian subscription) and I still haven't received an issue. I thought that I would get #115 as my first issue (since it didnt' get mailed until Aug. 24), but apparently #116 (which came out over a month after my subscription) will be my first copy.

It's now Oct 7 and I haven't received #116 yet, though after reading the message boards I can see I'm not the only one. It's very frustrating to subscribe in mid-August and still not have anything by Thanksgiving.

I subscribed because the only store that carries Dungeon is on the other side of town, and I wanted to save myself the hassle of a long drive. It's been disappointing to check my mailbox every day for the past six weeks and not find a magazine. Had I known the wait would be this long I would not have subscribed.

I really hope that you can improve shipping times. Unless they do, though, I doubt I'll be renewing once the year is up. I realize it's going to take longer for me because I live in Canada, but reading the posts here isn't really getting my hopes up. Sorry if this sounds accusatory; I know you aren't personally responsible, Jeremy.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Thanurel wrote:

I subscribed to Dungeon on Aug. 18 (Canadian subscription) and I still haven't received an issue. I thought that I would get #115 as my first issue (since it didnt' get mailed until Aug. 24), but apparently #116 (which came out over a month after my subscription) will be my first copy.

It's now Oct 7 and I haven't received #116 yet, though after reading the message boards I can see I'm not the only one. It's very frustrating to subscribe in mid-August and still not have anything by Thanksgiving.

From the FAQ at http://paizo.com/paizo/faq:

The FAQ writer wrote:


I just placed an order for a new subscription. How long will it take before I receive my first issue?

We print the mailing labels for our subscription copies 2 weeks before the subscriber ship date (which is posted on the website for each issue). For our monthly magazines (Dungeon, Dragon, and Amazing Stories) that means that if you just miss the mailing label date and you live in the US, it can take up to eight weeks after we receive your order for you to receive your first issue. Four weeks to wait for the next mailing label run, two weeks between the mailing label run and the ship date, and up to two weeks for delivery.

...so you can see that you missed starting with 115 by about a week.

As for when the issue should turn up, well, it should have shipped on 9/21, and can take up to two weeks for delivery within the US - and Canadian subscribers might need an extra week on top of that. So it should show up within the next few days.

-Vic.
.


Vic Wertz wrote:
it should have shipped on 9/21, and can take up to two weeks for delivery within the US

2weeks was on tuesday... it will be 3 weeks on oct 12.

you need to revise your up to statement.

still waiting in Atlanta, GA, USA...


Thanurel wrote:

I subscribed to Dungeon on Aug. 18 (Canadian subscription) and I still haven't received an issue. I thought that I would get #115 as my first issue (since it didnt' get mailed until Aug. 24), but apparently #116 (which came out over a month after my subscription) will be my first copy.

It's now Oct 7 and I haven't received #116 yet, though after reading the message boards I can see I'm not the only one. It's very frustrating to subscribe in mid-August and still not have anything by Thanksgiving.

I subscribed about 2 days after you did. I'm in the same boat. :-( According to Jeremy Walker, we can expect delivery in Canada to take up to 3 weeks, so at least we'll know for now how long we can expect to wait. Trust me, if it hasn't got there by Wednesday, I'm going to be harassing the poor Customer Service folks big-time. :-)


I just received my Dungeon #116 today (Gainesville, FL).


getting better but still late

my copy arrived today.

which means it took 3 weeks in the US.


Mine got there yesterday, so the customer service people get a reprieve, at least for now. :-)


yet another issue late.

i was hoping for 2 issues on time in a row.

looks like i'll have to wait yet another few months before they get it right.


Hey Diaglo,

When did you receive your Dungeon 121? Mine arrived at our office in Seattle on 2-28-05 and we are usually one of the last to receive them. I think my printer told me that they were dropped off at the post office on 2-17-05. That would mean 11 days with a federal holiday and we've been averaging 9 days, so that doesn't seem that off to me.

--Jeff


Jeff Alvarez wrote:

Hey Diaglo,

When did you receive your Dungeon 121? Mine arrived at our office in Seattle on 2-28-05 and we are usually one of the last to receive them. I think my printer told me that they were dropped off at the post office on 2-17-05. That would mean 11 days with a federal holiday and we've been averaging 9 days, so that doesn't seem that off to me.

--Jeff

i haven't received it yet. according to the website you list the copies going to subscribers as Feb 15. and also on the site it states expect upto 2 weeks for delivery in the US.

two weeks would've been march 1. even with the holiday that would be march 2.

as of march 3 it still wasn't here. and now as of march 7 still no copy.

i'm getting used to youse guys being late. on avg. 4.5 weeks since nov 03.

but last month i got my copy on time. so i was hoping (but not holding my breath) that things were improving.


Jeff Alvarez wrote:

Hey Diaglo,

When did you receive your Dungeon 121? Mine arrived at our office in Seattle on 2-28-05 and we are usually one of the last to receive them. I think my printer told me that they were dropped off at the post office on 2-17-05. That would mean 11 days with a federal holiday and we've been averaging 9 days, so that doesn't seem that off to me.

--Jeff

my suggestion would be to change your site/policy to 4 weeks for US deliveries.

the US Postal service delivers 6 days / week.

heck, i got a delivery on Xmas day this year. so i know they deliver on holidays too. if they are falling too far behind.

i receive many journals, magazines, and books thru the mail all the time. so i know the post office does deliver.


Diaglo,

The reason our site says two weeks for delivery is because on average that's how long it takes. Some folks get it in less than a week and some folks, like you, have to wait a little longer. All the magazines are mailed on the same day at the same time, so I suggest that if it seems to take 4 weeks for it to arrive then bank on it taking 4 weeks (no matter what the average delivery time is). If you want to discuss this further then please email me at jeff.alvarez@paizo.com


Jeff Alvarez wrote:

Diaglo,

The reason our site says two weeks for delivery is because on average that's how long it takes.

Jeff,

I am well aware what an avg is.

but that is not what the site says. and thus why i suggest you change it. heck my suggestion of 4 weeks is still less than my average of 4 and a half weeks. i'd still be getting most of my issues late.

edit: if you are picking 50% as your best time for delivery no wonder you are ticking off so many customers/subscribers. you should go with a 95% confidence.... 4 weeks mang i'm telling you.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Heck, my copies sometimes don't arrive at all. I think it's a problem more with the mail service than with their methods. But I do have to complement them on making sure that whenever I've emailed them about missing issues they always respond promptly and with an answer that I invariably like (i.e. they are going to reship me the copy I should have gotten).

I have to admit they are sending mine to an APO too. (shakes head in infinite sadness at the waiting)

Community / Forums / Archive / Paizo / Customer Service / Why does your magazines appear in my FLGS before I get my subscription in the mail? All Messageboards
Recent threads in Customer Service