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Business Profile

Newspaper

San Francisco Chronicle

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 59 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 24 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/28/2024

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I signed up for a 6 mo. subscription to Sfchronicle in Nov of 2023. The subscription expires June of 2024 but I'm being charged in May. The charge is pending and I requested a stop charge and cancelation 5/28/24 @ approx 9:51 a.m prior to the end date but they are refusing to remove the pending charge. What recourse do I have?

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/08/2024

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Company makes it almost impossible to cancel a subscription. When you are finally able to get a live person they will try to pressure you to continue their service. Repeatedly expressed I no longer wanted any of their services the customer service representative continued to try to retain me as a customer after refusing the customer service representative became a bit hostile.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/07/2024

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I purchased a 3-month trial subscription to the SF Chronicle. At the end of the three months, I tried to cancel, but my account showed no active subscription. I tried to call, but I was unable to reach someone during their business hours. I tried cancelling my credit card and requesting a new one, but I still ended up being charged $19.99 for an SF Chronicle subscription that I do not want. I tried calling customer service, but instead of cancelling, they pressured me into extending my subscription until October, claiming no further charges would be made.When I subscribed, the conditions were that I could cancel anytime, but this has not been my experience. I would like to have my subscription cancelled and refunded.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/05/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Went to log in at the San Francisco Chronicle (SFChronicle.com) and was directed to link my account, again. Acct #: ******** Website found my subscription and then proceeded to glitch. I am unable to read the online edition of this morning's paper which was missing off my porch. This is not the first time I've had that same issue with the company.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/16/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I started my SF Chronicle subscription on 1/18/24 for which I paid $28. It was to be for 7 newspapers a week. Since then most of the time no newspaper was delivered. When I phoned them the recorded voice said a newspaper would be delivered by end of business day. No newspaper was ever re-delivered. Speaking to them on the phone yielded no results. They would only say they were extending my subscription. Right now I have not received a newspaper in over a week. They are a fraudulent organization. Please refund my $28.********************* *************************************************** ************

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/15/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I received notification in December 2023 a large increase to my digital subscription. I called several times to speak with someone (which is difficult at best). When I finally talked to a guy he started the negotiation process finally getting the billing down to something reasonable. When I asked him to send me an email to confirm the amount he said he couldn't do that. I told him to cancel the subscription. I received a notice dated 2/1/24 after not having the service for over a month and I didn't pay it and moved on. Recently got a billing for $13.25. I called and was told that I didn't cancel the service so the digital service continued. They refuse to write off the $13.25 and are sending my account to collections. The Chronicle lost a wonderful reporter last year which was part of the reason I cancelled. I want to support local newspapers but not this way.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/02/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    In April 2023, we called to cancel our subscription as we were moving and delivery and vacation holds had been spotty at our old address. At that time, our SF Chronicle app access stopped working as it would for a paid subscriber and, as expected, we did not receive newspapers at our new address. So, we thought the cancellation took. However we missed seeing a charge on May 1, 2023 for $260 which was apparently for a renewal. We have not received any physical newspaper or had subscriber app access for the last year.Recently, the credit card used for the original billing changed, so when they tried to automatically renew the acct we had tried to cancel, it didn't go through. And they are trying to charge ~$14 for a grace ********* would like then to rescind this new attempt at a $14 grace ****** charge and ideally a refund for the year of service we did NOT receive.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/15/2024

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    The San Francisco Chronicle has been charging a credit card of mine (***** Fargo) for many years for a subscription to the newspaper - whether paper or digital I do not know. While I probably unintentionally signed up for something (I am guessing on a market stall which the paper operates where you get a free newspaper) and gave them information, I have been trying to CANCEL this many many times -- both by phone and on line. No success whatsoever. It is so difficult, it seems to be intentional on the part of the newspaper.So the "Reference Number" on the credit card statement is 2449398E0TPE8AWWR, the description is SUBSCRIPT WWW.SFCHONIC CA, and the current amount is $29.96. I believe the amount has gone up several times.I have made one more effort today by filling in an online Contact Us form with the newspaper and it was responded with an accepted message.I regard this whole thing as fraudulent, and I asked for a six month refund.I am praying (!) that this time they will Cancel as requested - but not holding my breath. I see several other complaints of this kind with the Better Business Bureau.Thank you for being there!

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/04/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I was a subscriber to the SF Chronicle until last summer, 2023. After multiple missed deliveries with no replacement papers, I canceled my subscription and asked that autopay also be canceled. Recently, I discovered that the auto pay was never canceled and that I had a switched to a subscription for digital service. I never agreed to these terms. I requested a refund of $50 for the two autopay withdrawals. I called **************** to discuss a refund, I was told a refund was not possible. I had access to a digital copy of the newspaper all along. I explained that I did not sign up for digital copies of the newspaper. The agent could not honor my request so I asked to speak to a supervisor. A supervisor insisted that I signed up for digital subscription of the newspaper. He agreed to listen to the recording of the conversation last summer when I canceled my subscription. I was put on hold and the agent came back after a few minutes. When the agent came back on the line, he told me that the recorded phone conversation was no longer available and he could not confirm what I told him about my account. Therefore, I was not getting a refund.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/27/2024

    Type:Delivery Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I ordered and paid for a 2 month subscription ($28, 7 days a week) to the San Francisco Chronicle on January 8, 2024. Since then the newspaper often doesn't arrive. When I call their automated system a recorded voice will say it will come later that day. It never comes. I'm suppose to be receiving a Sunday newspaper. I have never received one. When I call and speak with someone I complain that the newspapers I do receive are thrown onto the sidewalk in front of my apartment building where they can be easily stolen. I have requested they be thrown over the fence in front of my apartment building. But the delivery person never does that. This is incompetent service. I would like a refund.

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