International Players: Forget the Free Issues

[Bobsch]

I know there is already a thread on free issues, but this needs a new one. After promising to send three free issues to anyone who completed the survey, IL sent this out:

"We regret to tell you that we are not able to send you additional free issues due the high postage costs to mail outside of the US. But we have a special offer for you if you choose to subscribe today."

I actually was going to subscribe, but I also found my country isn't even on the list. So I can't, although I would never pay the ridiculous prices (example, one year/11 issues in Germany is $88). If I lived in the US, I could get a half price subscription. Sorry, but it doesn't cost around $10 to send one magazine overseas.

So, IL...I expect my last two issues, as you promised.

[goalie33fan]

You are starting to get me pissed off. I'm sorry that you won't get your FREE issues but that doesnt meen that you have to post in every thread about the subject. They can't afford it. They had no clue that that many people would do it. You know how exspensive that would be? Pease chill out. You don't see all of the other international laxers making such a big deal about it.

[Bobsch]

Other magazines I subscribe to charge an extra $10-15 for international rates...IL wants $71 extra over the half price rate or $54 over the normal rate. I can and probably will eventually subscribe, but it is way overpriced compared to what they actually pay to mail it. Do you think the 15-17 year old players who have been wondering where their issues are will be able to afford that? At least send them their free issues or tell them they won't get it (they mailed to the stateside addresses a week or so ago and just told us today we aren't getting any....so forget the current issue).

[spenny]

as someone who make a living producing magazines, i cant tell you that the cost of overseas shipping varies wildly with the size (weight) of the magazine, the number of them you ship overseas. ive subscribed to land rover magazines from the UK, and the costs were similar to what IL is asking. given the size of the magazine, and my guess of its circulation, those prices arent out of line.

[RichWutLax]

it doiesnt bother me that much cause i can just go by the magazine in the store but still guys if they are going to promise three free issues they should back it up ... they should have thought of the costs b4 promising tons of people 3 free issues but its kindof cool that there offering a free backpack ..with 50% off subscription ...

[thebrettness]

Yea I kinda wanted to get my issues. oh well.

[Admin]

Sorry if it wasn't prominent enough on the form that we don't send magazines to international subscribers, but that has always been the policy for free issues - we don't ship freebies overseas and never have.

http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=15&status=0

Nothing was rescinded. There WAS an error involved - and the error was sending out the first free issue. We had a new marketing person on board and she inserted the names. Nobody caught it and the first issue was mailed by mistake.

For what it's worth, it is on our list to go back and see if there's a better way to accomodate international subscribers. It is actually one of the reasons that we are thinking about installing the olive software for each issue, so that subscribers can get the magazine online if they'd like.

http://demo.olivesoftware.com/am/welcome/ILM/InsideLacrosse.asp