525 views
5 comments

We have been subscribing to the Arizona Republic for over 17 years with simple invoicing. However those days are gone. Last October I started getting random fees charged on the bill: balance forward due, premium service fee, holiday charges, extra charges. I called and asked for what since paid in full before due and never paid late, didn't change service and was told no rate increase? Answer: glitch in new system, will credit, forget about it. Next month, more balance forward fees and owed more than the monthly charge. Plus no credit for the overpayment. Again, call, complain, told problem with new software, will credit, ignore it. I pay it all off to prevent issues. Next month, next month, next month, next month, same routine. Irregular charges, call to complain, problem with software, will credit. I say fix the issue that causes the problem, not just the invoice. Called again yesterday, told same thing, requested manager or someone that knew what was going on and how to FIX the issue. Transferred to someone new and then told that the bill was correct and that I was always paying the charges I was complaining about, etc. etc..... I asked WHOSE invoice she was looking at because it could not be mine because the information she was reading was NOT on MY invoice. OH, her mistake.....wrong customer, She has it now....Oh, NOW, they bill monthly for 28 days and the balance forward is the amount due for any days past 28 because there are more than 28 days in a month. The premium service charge is an additional fee charged during the winter months. I asked why? I was told, Yes, told this: AZ has a lot of retirees and winter visitors, so during the winter months there is an additional fee per month. Seriously? OH, and the different monthly charge is because they raised the rate $3 a month higher. All these additional fees raised the monthly rate over $6 a month.

The posted rate on THEIR WEB SITE is listed as $6.35 a week or $27.50 a month. I did the math: $6.35 a week X 52 weeks divided by 12 months equals $27.50 a month, which would be $330.20 a year. Their web site states $27.50 a month (not 28 days) or $6.35 a week. The math adds up to what I USED to be charged. However, the invoice is billed at $33 a month PLUS any additional days over 28 that weren't billed the previous month so each month will be a different fee. How does $6.35 a week add up to $33 a month? Is that some NEW math? Plus additional days? Plus additional winter fees? Oh, PLUS TAX. If I take the current invoice charge it would be over $400 a year, yet they claim they haven't really raised the rate. I think $70 a year is considered a rate increase! You don't have to 'raise' the monthly rate if you randomly add monthly additional charges to increase the monthly cost. Beware when they claim they haven't increased the rate, because they have increased the cost!

I told them that doesn't add up Why charge extra for winter? It doesn't matter if there are more than 28 days in a month when the invoicing has always been done on a monthly average of 12 based on weekly subscription rates, which DOES count every day in the month.

They can't get the billing right, add random fees to pad their bank account, the customer service department is not trained, every time you call in you get a different story and no one seems to know HOW the billing works or why. I call the number on the invoice that states, if problems with billing call this number. When you call that number they tell you the problem is you aren't calling the right number yet offer no other number to call!

Winter visitors mean they have increased subscribers - year round subscribers should not be billed more during the winter months to cover increased business during the winter!

I cannot justify paying for incompetence and lack of customer service.

The Newspaper is an OPTIONAL service, don't they get that?

Reason of review: Pricing issue.

Location: Tempe, Arizona

Do You Have Something To Say ?
Write a review

Comments

chat-icon

Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content

You will be automatically registered on our site. Username and password will be sent to you via email.
Post Comment
Guest

The horrible billing process (amounts change monthly) so-called "premium editions" billed without consent. Padded fees, an endless nightmare when contacting billing for resolution.

The billing practices were the only reason I canceled the subscription after 20 years.

Each month was another nightmare surprise on my bill. I finally had enough.

Guest

The bills from the AZ Republic are an *** nightmare. Possibly padded, manipulated theft.

Every month it seems there is a new fee, and a bizarre "premium edition".

I'm only on Wed and Sunday. It was $16.XX, now it is $25.00.

Guest

Same thing has been happening to me for last 2 years. Today I received a post card in the mail saying they are going to have more 'Premium Editions' and starting August 15, 2018 the $3 price for these will start to be added to my bill.

I assume sending this post card makes it legal for them to charge me for something I did not sign up for when I subscribed for the paper. Just because they think something is interesting, I might not think so, so why shove it down my throat.

They say if you do not want it to cancel your subscription. I guess that is the only alternative.

Guest

I wholeheartedly agree with the poster's comments. I could have written that same post.

The AZ Republic is out of control and are ripping subscribers off at every turn because they're the only game in town. I'm getting very close to canceling my subscription since I can get the same left-wing slant on the Internet for free.

Guest

I actually just googled this as I was paying my bill because it's never the same and seems to hover around $4.00 a month more than before. There are crazy unexplained charges, balance forward when the previous bill was paid in full and more.

It adds up to a few bucks each month and never the same. If they do this to just a portion of their customers than they are raking in a lot of "illegal" money or money they aren't entitled to.

I have tried to deal with them in the past and it is a waste of time. I think the employees all went to school here.

The Arizona Republic Reviews

  1. 120 reviews
  2. 74 reviews
  3. 38 reviews
  4. 8 reviews
  5. 7 reviews
The Arizona Republic reviews