tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) (08/22/89)
Ok, that's all... I heard about A2-Central being sooooo gooood, and heard
it everywhere. So, I figured I'd see what it was all about. I decided on a $7
'trial' subsciption. I received the first one and, well, I was ready to
cancel -- but I saw that unsatisfied customers could get a -FULL- refund (On
the back it says "Unsatisfied subscribers may cancel their subscription at any
time and receive a full refund of their last subscription payment."). I
decided to give A2 another chance. Well after receiving this one I sent in my
cancellation, and clearly expressed disatisfaction :-). Today I received my
'Refund' check from A2--$2.33!!!!!! The check was drawn from Tom Weishaar's
account and signed by Sally Dwyer(names you'll recognize from the back).
I hope this saves someone else from the 'A2-Central Rip-Off'.
-Tom
--
______________________________________________________________________________
| Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)|
| tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM | These opinions may be harmful or dangerous if swallowed|
|_tomp@pro-party_____|_These_opinions_are_100%_pure_and_contain_no_cholesterol|fadden@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Andy McFadden) (08/22/89)
In article <3067@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) writes: > > Ok, that's all... I heard about A2-Central being sooooo gooood, and heard >it everywhere. Not just a few times from me, I would assume. I will continue to insist that it is one of the best Apple II newsletters there has ever been. So, I figured I'd see what it was all about. I decided on a $7 >'trial' subsciption. I received the first one and, well, I was ready to >cancel -- but I saw that unsatisfied customers could get a -FULL- refund (On >the back it says "Unsatisfied subscribers may cancel their subscription at any >time and receive a full refund of their last subscription payment."). I >decided to give A2 another chance. Well after receiving this one I sent in my >cancellation, and clearly expressed disatisfaction :-). Today I received my >'Refund' check from A2--$2.33!!!!!! Did they say how they arrived at that figure? $2.33 goes into $7 about three times... At $28/year, I would assume you signed up for three issues... looks like he he paid you for the issue you didn't get. I'd say that was probably fair, although the line you quote is misleading. The check was drawn from Tom Weishaar's >account and signed by Sally Dwyer(names you'll recognize from the back). Is that good or bad? I'm confused (my normal state). > I hope this saves someone else from the 'A2-Central Rip-Off'. I hope that this makes people who read the net aware that they can get a trial subscription to a great newsletter for next to nothing. >| Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)| -- fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) ...!ucbvax!cory!fadden "Well, I'm back." -- The last line in The Lord of the Rings (I think)
dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons) (08/23/89)
In article <3067@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) writes: > Ok, that's all... I heard about A2-Central being sooooo gooood, and heard >it everywhere. So, I figured I'd see what it was all about. I decided on a $7 >'trial' subsciption. I received the first one and, well, I was ready to >cancel -- but I saw that unsatisfied customers could get a -FULL- refund (On >the back it says "Unsatisfied subscribers may cancel their subscription at any >time and receive a full refund of their last subscription payment."). I >decided to give A2 another chance. Well after receiving this one I sent in my >cancellation, and clearly expressed disatisfaction :-). Today I received my >'Refund' check from A2--$2.33!!!!!! The check was drawn from Tom Weishaar's >account and signed by Sally Dwyer(names you'll recognize from the back). If you really want your other $4.67 back, give them a call and point out where you read that you could get a full refund. I consider A2-Central a high-quality publication, and I'd like to know what you found unsatisfactory about it. --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS | P.O. Box 875 AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons | Cupertino, CA 95015-0875 GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS CompuServe: 72177,3233 Internet/BITNET: dlyons@apple.com UUCP: ...!ames!apple!dlyons My opinions are my own, not Apple's.
tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) (08/23/89)
I wrote: > > Ok, that's all... I heard about A2-Central being sooooo gooood, and heard > >it everywhere. Add Andy: > Not just a few times from me, I would assume. I will continue to insist that > it is one of the best Apple II newsletters there has ever been. > > So, I figured I'd see what it was all about. I decided on a $7 > >'trial' subsciption. I received the first one and, well, I was ready to > >cancel -- but I saw that unsatisfied customers could get a -FULL- refund (On >>the back it says"Unsatisfied subscribers may cancel their subscription at any > >time and receive a full refund of their last subscription payment."). I >>decided to give A2 another chance. Well after receiving this one I sent in my > >cancellation, and clearly expressed disatisfaction :-). Today I received my > >'Refund' check from A2--$2.33!!!!!! > Did they say how they arrived at that figure? Nope, nothing but a check in the envelope. > $2.33 goes into $7 about three > times... Yeah, but it should've been $7!! Who CARES how many times $2.33 goes into $7! > At $28/year, I would assume you signed up for three issues... looks > like he he paid you for the issue you didn't get. I'd say that was probably > fair, although the line you quote is misleading. MISLEADING??? IT WAS A LIE!!! FALSE ADVERIZING!!! MISLEADING?!? Misleading... > The check was drawn from Tom Weishaar's > >account and signed by Sally Dwyer(names you'll recognize from the back). > Is that good or bad? I'm confused (my normal state). just wierd, you figure they'd have checks saying 'A2-Cental' > > I hope this saves someone else from the 'A2-Central Rip-Off'. > > I hope that this makes people who read the net aware that they can get a trial > subscription to a great newsletter for next to nothing. Yeah, just pray that you're gonna be satisfied because *against* their *advertizing* you'll never see your $$$ again! > >| Tom Pierce > fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) > ...!ucbvax!cory!fadden > "Well, I'm back." -- The last line in The Lord of the Rings (I think) -Tom Y'know what? I just tried posting this article (all above this line) and it was 'rejected by inews... included more text then new text'<more or less>!! I took all of the '>'s uot of empty lines, and stuck in a few extra blanks and here we go..... -- ______________________________________________________________________________ | Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)| | tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM | These opinions may be harmful or dangerous if swallowed| |_tomp@pro-party_____|_These_opinions_are_100%_pure_and_contain_no_cholesterol|
bsherman@ibiza.cs.miami.edu (Bob Sherman) (08/23/89)
I have subscribed to Open Apple (now A2-Central) for some 3 years, and while sometimes I get an issue that I do not enjoy (like when every other word was promoting something on GENIE) I must say that overall it is more informitive and usful than any other Apple II publication available. I also know Tom & Dennis personally, and find that they are very personable and honest, and I doubt very much if they intend on running as you put it "a rip off". I'm very sure that a letter or phone call to them explaining the offer you read, and what you would like them to do will result in satisfaction of your complaint. bsherman@ibiza.cs.miami.edu or bsherman@mthvax.cs.miami.edu bsherman@pro-exchange MCI Mail: BSHERMAN
tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) (08/23/89)
I wrote: >> Ok, that's all... I heard about A2-Central being sooooo gooood, and heard >>it everywhere. So, I figured I'd see what it was all about. I decided on a $7 >>'trial' subsciption. I received the first one and, well, I was ready to >>cancel -- but I saw that unsatisfied customers could get a -FULL- refund (On >>the back it says"Unsatisfied subscribers may cancel their subscription at any >>time and receive a full refund of their last subscription payment."). I >>decided to give A2 another chance. Well after receiving this one I sent in my >>cancellation, and clearly expressed disatisfaction :-). Today I received my >>'Refund' check from A2--$2.33!!!!!! The check was drawn from Tom Weishaar's >>account and signed by Sally Dwyer(names you'll recognize from the back). Add Dave Lyons: > If you really want your other $4.67 back, give them a call and point out where > you read that you could get a full refund. It's not that I NEED the $4.67 back, but it's the PRINCAPAL of this. A2-Central, by printing the 'warranty' quoted above, assured me my money back, AND THEY COPPED OUT! Say somebody here goes with a 1/yr. disk & paper subsciption and doesn't like the first issue, but he reads the little 'disclaimer' section and sees he can recieve a -FULL- refund. He figures he'll let it go another month... He doesn't feel #2 is worth the money either, but with the disclaimer's promise he waits another month... Ok, he's ready to cancel! #3 left no doubt, A2 wasn't for him. He sent a letter expressing his disatisfaction... A few weeks later a check from A2 was in his mailbox for... ($80*3/4yr.=) $60??? "Wait, A2 promised," he thought, "they promised me!!" So, he loses $20(until he can clear things up w/A2),and he has to go through the hassle of calling (long distance) Kansas, and the joy of locking horns with whoever answers! Also, just maybe A2 knows exactly what they are doing... Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the hassles... yeah... Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only $4.67, and they do the same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70!! > I consider A2-Central a high-quality publication, and I'd like to know what > you found unsatisfactory about it. Ok, it has _ONE_ article, per se, per issue. For the two issues that I recieved the subject of these articles was yesterdays (or yesterYEAR's--'NEW ShrinkIT' HA!!!) news. Oh, yeah you also get a FUNNY (T.?) cartoon! Don't forget 'Uncle DOS' {(R) and/or (C)}! It was A2 where I found out that YOUR COMPUTER CAN CONTROL AN EGG GRATER!! Yes, folks, an EGG GRATER! Wow?! Any more questions? I have one-What is so 'high-quality' about A2, and why do you like it so much? > --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems - Tom "In no case shall I be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, nor for ANY damages in excess of $2.50" This disclaimer borrwed from A2!!!! -- ______________________________________________________________________________ | Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)| | tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM | These opinions may be harmful or dangerous if swallowed| |_tomp@pro-party_____|_These_opinions_are_100%_pure_and_contain_no_cholesterol|
dseah@wpi.wpi.edu (David I Seah) (08/23/89)
Regarding A2-Central and refunds... In article <3137@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) writes: > It's not that I NEED the $4.67 back, but it's the PRINCAPAL of this. >A2-Central, by printing the 'warranty' quoted above, assured me my money back, >AND THEY COPPED OUT! Say somebody here goes with a 1/yr. disk & paper >subsciption and doesn't like the first issue, but he reads the little >'disclaimer' section and sees he can recieve a -FULL- refund. He figures he'l >let it go another month... He doesn't feel #2 is worth the money either, but >with the disclaimer's promise he waits another month... Ok, he's ready to >cancel! #3 left no doubt, A2 wasn't for him. He sent a letter expressing his >disatisfaction... A few weeks later a check from A2 was in his mailbox for... >($80*3/4yr.=) $60??? "Wait, A2 promised," he thought, "they promised me!!" >So, he loses $20(until he can clear things up w/A2),and he has to go through >the hassle of calling (long distance) Kansas, and the joy of locking horns wit >whoever answers! Also, just maybe A2 knows exactly what they are doing... >Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the hassles... yeah... >Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only $4.67, and they do the >same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70!! Gah...you must really hate those newsletters...you did get to keep them, right? Doesn't it seem that the $7.00 trial subscription is for those cautious subscribers? I'll have to try it...I don't subscribe (*cringe*) Anyway, imagine how much money A2-Central might lose if a cheap SOB somewhere went for a $60 sub, kept all the newletters, then all of a sudden decided that he "didn't like them" and demanded his $60 back. I don't think A2-Central is in the business of making huge mountains of cash from money-strapped Apple II owners. Otherwise, it might be all advertisements, game reviews, and warmed-over editorials. Weisharr is one of the Beagle People! They couldn't ever hurt us! They are the most harmless, gentle people I can think of! "Oh my god! It's the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man! Aiiii!" :-) Dave Seah (dseah@wpi.wpi.edu)
dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons) (08/24/89)
In article <3137@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) writes: >[...] Also, just maybe A2 knows exactly what they are doing... >Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the hassles... yeah... >Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only $4.67, and they do the >same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70!! A2-Central makes its money from the pool of readers who continue to subscribe for a long time because they're happy with the newsletter. I'd be surprised if they made any money at all by charging you $4.67 for two issues. [Dave L] >> I consider A2-Central a high-quality publication, and I'd like to know what >> you found unsatisfactory about it. [Tom P] >Ok, it has _ONE_ article, per se, per issue. For the two issues that I >recieved the subject of these articles was yesterdays (or yesterYEAR's--'NEW >ShrinkIT' HA!!!) news. ShrinkIt may not be new--but widespread acceptance of NuFX and ShrinkIt was news when A2-Central wrote about it. I believe that issue came out at almost the same time as Apple II Technical Note #14 (Guidelines for Telecommunication Programs) and File Type Notes for NuFX. >Oh, yeah you also get a FUNNY (T.?) cartoon! Gee...I usually like the cartoons. > I have one-What is so 'high-quality' about A2, and why do you like it so much? They generally provide correct answers to technical and semi-technical questions. (This is more than you can say for a lot of publications.) When A2-Central is incorrect or incomplete in an answer, they are very good about printing corrections right away. --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS | P.O. Box 875 AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons | Cupertino, CA 95015-0875 GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS CompuServe: 72177,3233 Internet/BITNET: dlyons@apple.com UUCP: ...!ames!apple!dlyons My opinions are my own, not Apple's.
emerrill@tippy.uucp (08/24/89)
>It's not that I NEED the $4.67 back, but it's the PRINCAPAL of this. >A2-Central, by printing the 'warranty' quoted above, assured me my money back, >AND THEY COPPED OUT! Say somebody here goes with a 1/yr. disk & paper >subsciption and doesn't like the first issue, but he reads the little >'disclaimer' section and sees he can recieve a -FULL- refund. He figures >he'll let it go another month... He doesn't feel #2 is worth the money >either, but with the disclaimer's promise he waits another month... Ok, he's >ready to cancel! #3 left no doubt, A2 wasn't for him. He sent a letter >expressing his disatisfaction... A few weeks later a check from A2 was in his >mailbox for...($80*3/4yr.=) $60??? "Wait, A2 promised," he thought, "they >promised me!!" So, he loses $20(until he can clear things up w/A2),and he has >to go through the hassle of calling (long distance) Kansas, and the joy of >locking horns with whoever answers! Also, just maybe A2 knows exactly what >they are doing... Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the >hassles... yeah... Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only >$4.67, and they do the same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70!! I've never seen the A2 "full refund" guarantee, but I have seen that they wil will give you a full refund on the unused portion of your subscription. I don't see your point. You expect to get a free ride or what? I su take both the paper and disk subscriptions and am very satisfied. By continuing your argument, what if all their current subscribers ca cancelled after 11 months? You really think A2 could refund the money that was already put into printing and mailing?
Dig@cup.portal.com (Doug I Granzow) (08/24/89)
Perhaps you should contact A2 Central and let them know about your problem. Is it not possible that they made a mistake? Before you go telling everybody in the world that they ripped you off $4.67 (?), why don't you tell them? They certainly have a right to know that they did something wrong, and they should certainly have an opportunity to correct the error. When I subscribed to A2 Central I sent them a check for $24. I got that price from an old issue of A+, without knowing that the price had gone up to $28. $28/year = $2.33/issue, but they gave me an 11 month subscription, which should have cost $25.67. They could have given me a 10 month subsciption and a check for $.70, but they decided to forget about the $1.67 they lost in the deal. It's not only the articles and letter that make A2 a good deal, but the special deals they get for their subscribers: Free GEnie accounts and the Appleworks 3.0 offer, to name a couple. Doug Granzow sun!portal!cup.portal.com!dig
UD161733@VM1.NODAK.EDU (Mike Aos) (08/24/89)
I think you are WAY off base here, pal. I've read the mag extensively, along with all the back issues, and there are tips and ideas expressed in there that aren't printed anywhere else. Thier news is always current, and often in advance of the other big-name mags. I've read A+ (now Incider), Nibble, and A2 -Central all in one month, and there is definitely more "techie" information and tidbits in it than the others. The others are just ads, A2-Central is actual news and information. Mebbe you just got a bad month, I don't know, but I don't think you can make such rash generalisations (sp) from one month. Osiris
dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons) (08/25/89)
In article <21557@cup.portal.com> Dig@cup.portal.com (Doug I Granzow) writes: >[...] >It's not only the articles and letter that make A2 a good deal, but the >special deals they get for their subscribers: Free GEnie accounts and the >Appleworks 3.0 offer, to name a couple. > >Doug Granzow >sun!portal!cup.portal.com!dig Before people subscribe to A2-Central to get a free GEnie account, let me point out that the *signup* for the account is free, not the actual time you spend using the account. --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS | P.O. Box 875 AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons | Cupertino, CA 95015-0875 GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS CompuServe: 72177,3233 Internet/BITNET: dlyons@apple.com UUCP: ...!ames!apple!dlyons My opinions are my own, not Apple's.
tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) (08/25/89)
I wrote.. >> It's not that I NEED the $4.67 back, but it's the PRINCAPAL of this. >>A2-Central, by printing the 'warranty' quoted above, assured me my money back, >>AND THEY COPPED OUT! [...] >>Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the hassles... yeah... >>Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only $4.67, and they do the >>same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70!! >Gah...you must really hate those newsletters... You better believe it! > you did get to keep them, right? I'd GLADLY send them back! > Doesn't it seem that the $7.00 trial subscription is for those cautious > subscribers? Yup... I'm cautious, and that's why I chose it. > I'll have to try it...I don't subscribe (*cringe*) NO! You don't have to try it!! I advise you NOT to! > Anyway, imagine how much money A2-Central might lose if a cheap SOB > somewhere went for a $60 sub, kept all the newletters, then all of a > sudden decided that he "didn't like them" and demanded his $60 back. All I ask is my LOUSY $4.xx (I forgot...:-) NOT $60!! I didn't like them from DAY 1! The "mony-back garrantee" was the only reason I let it go 2 mo.! > I don't think A2-Central is in the business of making huge mountains > of cash from money-strapped Apple II owners. Otherwise, it might be > all advertisements, game reviews, and warmed-over editorials. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's EXACTLY what the last 2 featured... 'WARMED-OVER EDITORIALS' > Weisharr is one of the Beagle People! They couldn't ever hurt us! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ They pinched my pennies! (it hurt :-) > They are the most harmless, gentle people I can think of! > "Oh my god! It's the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man! Aiiii!" :-) Thanks... You gave me a good laugh... 'Sta-puft' hehehehehe... :-) > Dave Seah (dseah@wpi.wpi.edu) -Tom -- ______________________________________________________________________________ | Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)| | tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM | These opinions may be harmful or dangerous if swallowed| |_tomp@pro-palace____|_These_opinions_are_100%_pure_and_contain_no_cholesterol|
jlink@pro-xy.UUCP (John Link) (08/25/89)
Network Comment: to #683 by obsolete!pasteur!cory.Berkeley.EDU!fadden%ames.arc.nasa.gov >A2-Central, a great newletter...debated by some. I would just add my two cents here also. It is the best consistent source of information about the Apple // going. _____________________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ proline: pro-xy!jlink (System Administrator) uucp: crash!pro-xy!jlink arpa : crash!pro-xy!jlink@nosc.mil GEnie: J.LINK APE : Link007 CompuServe: [71360,1726] ___________________pro-xy @ 616-381-1726 (2400/1200/300)___________________ |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| | "I have met the enemy and they are us" -- Pogo | |___________________________________________________________________________|
tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) (08/26/89)
I wrote... > >It's not that I NEED the $4.67 back, but it's the PRINCAPAL of this. > >A2-Central, by printing the warranty quoted above, assured me my money back, > >AND THEY COPPED OUT! Say somebody here goes with a 1/yr. disk & paper > >subsciption and doesn't like the first issue, but he reads the little > >'disclaimer' section and sees he can recieve a -FULL- refund. He figures > >he'll let it go another month... He doesn't feel #2 is worth the money > >either, but with the disclaimer's promise he waits another month... Ok, he's > >ready to cancel! #3 left no doubt, A2 wasn't for him. He sent a letter > >expressing his disatisfaction... A few weeks later a check from A2 was in his > >mailbox for...($80*3/4yr.=) $60??? "Wait, A2 promised," he thought, "they > >promised me!!" So, he loses $20(until he can clear things up w/A2),and he has > >to go through the hassle of calling (long distance) Kansas, and the joy of > >locking horns with whoever answers! Also, just maybe A2 knows exactly what > >they are doing... Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the > >hassles... yeah... Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only > >$4.67, and they do the same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70 Somebody whose name I (oops..) deleted early... :-) > I've never seen the A2 "full refund" guarantee, More from me: Here it is (again...), quoted from the credit/disclaimer section on the last page- "Unsatisfied customers may cancel their subscription at any time and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -- that's me! recieve a full refund of their last subsciption payment." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -- what they OWE me!! > but I have seen that they > will give you a full refund on the unused portion of your subscription. That's for SATISFIED customers!! > I don't see your point. You expect to get a free ride or what? Nope. I would have cancelled after issue #1, and taken a check for $4.xx, -BUT- I saw the 'money-back garrantee' -AND DECIDED TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE! > I take both the paper and disk subscriptions and am very satisfied. You're entitled to your views and opinions and so am I. > By continuing your argument, what if all their current subscribers > cancelled after 11 months? You really think A2 could refund the money > that was already put into printing and mailing? Nope, but nobody has encouraged or done that! Do you think it hurts them so much to refund $4.xx?!?! They charge $28 for 12 EIGHT PAGE NEWSLETTERS!! Oh, sure they also offer a catalog, and free GEnie signup, but they probably get PAID for putting items in their catalog, and do you actually BELIEVE that they pay your (approx.) $30 GEnie signon fee? C'mon! They don't even have a large number of employees! -Tom -- ______________________________________________________________________________ | Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)| | tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM | These opinions may be harmful or dangerous if swallowed| |_tomp@pro-palace____|_These_opinions_are_100%_pure_and_contain_no_cholesterol|
JerryK@cup.portal.com (Jerry E Kindall) (08/26/89)
To add to the growing dispute over A2-Central, I should point out that A2- Central does indeed promise ALL your money back if you're not satisfied. It's printed in the boilerplate on the back of each and every newsletter. Tom, have you written to A2-Central? (I can understand not wanting to call them; that might cost more than you paid for the subscription.) Could it be possible that they made (gasp) a MISTAKE? Hey, we all make them... the A2- Central staff is responsible and dedicated to fixing their mistakes. I personally think A2-Central is great. The two examples cited (one about ShrinkIt and the other about AppleWorks 3.0) were quite good articles. If you didn't have access to online information resources would you have known about ShrinkIt at all? And the AppleWorks 3.0 article was the FIRST report on AW 3.0 published anywhere. (If you saw it in InCider before A2-Central, the postal service messed up. That particular A2-Central arrived in my mailbox almost a whole week before AW 3.0 was even officially announced!) I will admit that since I got my modem, A2-Central has lost some of its edge. With a modem, I now have access to information as it is available, not two months after it is available. So maybe that's why it didn't meet your high expectations. But it sure does meet a lot of other peoples' expectations. Tom, if you haven't contacted A2-Central about this yet, I'll be happy to do so. In fact, I'll forward this entire message thread to Tom Weishaar. I'm sure he'll see that you're taken care of as soon as possible. /\ Jerry Kindall | JerryK@cup.portal.com \/ Death to COBOL | GEnie: A2.JERRY ALink: A2 Jerry Disclaimer: I sort of work for A2-Central, in a very roundabout way: I'm an assistant in GEnie's A2 RoundTable, which is managed by A2-Central. I don't get paid for my work there except in free time, and nobody is paying me to write this message. (In fact, I'm paying to write it because I use a pay Usenet service.) I do not report directly to Tom Weishaar or other A2-Central staffers on GEnie. And I was a satisfied A2-Central subscriber for a long while before I became a GEnie user (and MUCH later, a sysop).
Dig@cup.portal.com (Doug I Granzow) (08/27/89)
Dave Lyons writes: >In article <21557@cup.portal.com> Dig@cup.portal.com (Doug I Granzow) writes: >>[...] >>It's not only the articles and letter that make A2 a good deal, but the >>special deals they get for their subscribers: Free GEnie accounts and the >>Appleworks 3.0 offer, to name a couple. >> > >Before people subscribe to A2-Central to get a free GEnie account, let me >point out that the *signup* for the account is free, not the actual time >you spend using the account. > > --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems Sorry about that. I guess I slipped because the account is essentially free to me, since I have hardly ever used it. :) Doug Granzow sun!portal!cup.portal.com!dig
brianw@microsoft.UUCP (Brian Willoughby) (08/28/89)
In article <3264@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) writes: > > I wrote.. > >>> It's not that I NEED the $4.67 back, but it's the PRINCAPAL of this. >>>A2-Central, by printing the 'warranty' quoted above, assured me my money back, >>>AND THEY COPPED OUT! > [...] >>>Maybe they're counting on me not wanting to go through the hassles... yeah... >>>Maybe they figure if they rip me off, even if it's only $4.67, and they do the >>>same to 10 other people, they'll have an extra $46.70!! > >> you did get to keep them, right? > > I'd GLADLY send them back! > Wait a minute, you said that you didn't call A2-Central and give them a chance to correct things because of the cost of the call. But here you say that you'd be willing to send back the issues. Sounds like an idle claim for the sake of arguement. Why are you willing to pay postage, but not long-distance fees? Do you also have some PRINCIPAL against the phone company, too? Or perhaps, do you expect A2-Central to pay for you to send their issues back to them (that they've already paid to print and mail to you for an extremely justifiable price)? >> I'll have to try it...I don't subscribe (*cringe*) > > NO! You don't have to try it!! I advise you NOT to! > Why advise that? A2-Central offers the cheapest way of any magazine to find out whether or not you like the publication. If you really want to check a mag out for FREE, then just go to the local library and read every issue you like. I think A2-Central's policy is fair. Their mag is certainly not the biggest, but I'm sure it offers something to their subscribers. I ordered a few back issues with articles on making a SCSI drive, but I wasn't impressed enough to order a subscription. How else can you find out about a mag if you don't pay a little? >> Anyway, imagine how much money A2-Central might lose if a cheap SOB >> somewhere went for a $60 sub, kept all the newletters, then all of a >> sudden decided that he "didn't like them" and demanded his $60 back. > > All I ask is my LOUSY $4.xx (I forgot...:-) NOT $60!! I didn't like them >from DAY 1! The "mony-back garrantee" was the only reason I let it go 2 mo.! > I agree that A2-Central should live up to any guarantee that they promised, but you have to let them know they goofed! They aren't going to track you down and send you a corrective check after they audit themselves, that would cost their satisfied subscribers too much. You seem to be free with everyone else's money (making all these posts that you aren't paying for) when the solution (I believe) is just a phone call away. > Tom Pierce | These opinions don't represent anyone at AT&T (but me!)| > >> Dave Seah (dseah@wpi.wpi.edu) Brian Willoughby UUCP: ...!{tikal, sun, uunet, elwood}!microsoft!brianw InterNet: microsoft!brianw@uunet.UU.NET or: microsoft!brianw@Sun.COM Bitnet brianw@microsoft.UUCP
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (08/28/89)
In article <3301@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> tp@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (thomas.a.pierce) writes: >Do you think it hurts them so much to refund $4.xx?!?! Why the hell don't you call them and find out, instead of wasting our time with this.
JerryK@cup.portal.com (Jerry E Kindall) (08/29/89)
I forwarded the discussion up till Friday (or Saturday) on this topic to Tom
Weishaar this past weekend (apologies to Tom Pierce, who asked me not to do
that just yet -- I did it before I saw his reply), and Tom sent me a reply
to be posted to the net. Here it is, in its entirety, verbatim:
We've checked the paperwork on Tom Pierce and he's right, we made a
mistake. We should have refunded his full $7, which we've done today (Aug
28), along with something extra for his trouble.
In fact, A2-Central does have a policy of refunding unsatisfied
subscribers the FULL AMOUNT of a subscription. Almost all of the few refund
requests we get, however, are from satisfied subscribers who have moved on
to other computers. They only ask for, and we only send them, a refund
covering the unused portion of their subscriptions. My staff mistakenly
processed Pierce's request as this type of refund, although his letter made
it quite clear he was dissatisfied--he should have been sent the full $7.
We do make mistakes, but we're not out to cheat anyone and we're not
liars. We're also very careful about not slandering small businesses until
we're very sure there's an actual problem, and we hope Pierce does likewise
in the future.
Tom Weishaar
A2-Central
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/\ Jerry Kindall | JerryK@cup.portal.com
\/ Death to COBOL | GEnie: A2.JERRY ALink: A2 Jerry
The answer that evades our brains, we only think we're wearing chains
-- Utopia