ComplaintsforThe Times Picayune New Orleans Advocate

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am trying to cancel home delivery of The Advocate and switch to a digital version only. The people at The Advocate I talk to indicate they are not authorized to do this and transfer me to the subscription services ***** but no one ever answers this call. I have tried to call this department directly but again no one answers the call.

  

  Business response

  10/17/2023

  Hello - We have reached out to this subscriber. They have switched from a print subscriber to digital subscriber. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have subscribed to the Times-Picayune for many years. I now experience far too many delivery issues and wish to cancel my subscription. Doing this has been a nightmare. I am told now after much effort that they will send me the cancellation form. This form is available online but when I go the site and fill it out and then try and send it, it says there's no such account. I emailed the help desk again and asked that they email it to me immediately so I can get the refund. Unfortunately, for some reason, she can't just email it now. I need to wait for the form which, like I said, is available online. I've been gived the run around all moving with these people. Something is terribly wrong with the way the newspaper is run in New Orleans. I am due $26.81 as a refund.

  

  Business response

  09/21/2023

  We apologize for the several inconveniences you experienced. It is our refund policy to have subscribers fill out the form in order to receive. However, I have checked this account and I do see the refund processing. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Advocate Account #******** I have been trying to reach them to cancel a subscription since last fall. Telephone cancellation option is never answered with no option for leaving VM - and directs you to online subscription management. On-line subscription management and payment options is not accessible: "You do not have access to this page." Online account dashboard and profile links lead to nowhere. Main tel # new subscriptions services claims they are unable cancel subscription and trasfer you to cancellation department - no one answers - no VM option - directs you to website. Emailed No one will return messages, emails or thru their online help center. Finally emailed ************************************ <**********************************>, ************************************************** <************************************************> on 05/24/23, 07/19/23 and 08/09/2023: REQ CANCELLATION Subscription Account #******** *************************** - no response no cancellation. Three charges to my credit card. Recent charges to my account on 05/24/23, 06/21/23 & 07/19/23 - each in the amount of $17.95. PLEASE CANCEL MY SUBSCIPTION and REFUND MY PAYMENTS IMMEDIATELY!Business response

  

  Business response

  08/29/2023

  Hello - We apologize for the trouble. I do see that the customer service team responded to emails on July 20th and then on August 9th with the following response:

  "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. I'm unaware if you received my email from July 20th at 10:55a. Upon not hearing a response within ***** hours, I removed the billing information from the account and have the account set to close at the expiration date of August 23rd. Just as a reminder you can restart your subscription at any time by contacting us at ************ or you can reach me directly at ************. Should you choose, you may be eligible to take advantage of the current promotions by visiting www.theadvocate.com or www.********. If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us."

  I do see that the account was stopped on 8/23/2023. We also have a refund in the system for $53.85. 

  Please let us know if we may assist any further. Our apologies again. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have tried 3 times in the past 3 months. to cancel my digital subscription to the Times Picayune-Advocate. I have emailed them twice to cancel, as per their instructions and I have received no communication from them. They continue to withdraw $18.95/ month from my account for 3 months after my initial cancellation request. What do you suggest I do now?

  

  Business response

  08/10/2023

  Thanks for your feedback. We have no record of receiving an email from you requesting cancellation of your subscription. I have forwarded your message here to our team, and they will be in touch soonest to discuss.

  Customer response

  08/10/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  OMPLAINT AGAINST THE NEW H3133313837313236**31H ADVOCATE SUBSCRIPTION NUMBR ******** We have been subscribers to the daily newspaper for a number of years. For the past year or more we have had issues with carriers and communication with the service managers. The last newspaper delivered to us was on May 15, 2023. We put a one week vacation hold on delivery due to the fact that we would be out of town. The day we returned from our trip, May 24, we did not receive a paper. We reported the delivery problem online. The following is the message I received from the H3337****303536373330H in response to reporting the problem: "We currently do not have redelivery available and apologize for any inconvenience that this has caused. We&#**;ll process a credit to your subscription and notify your independent contractor of the issue to resolve. As a subscriber you do have online access 24/7 to both of our websites ************ and theH3337****303536373330Hd.com as well as full access to all three e-Editions which are replicas of each paper in print for New H35373036**37333530H, ***********, and ********. If we can be of further assistance, please contact **************** at ************ for ***********, ************ for New H35373036**37333530H, and ************ for Lafayette." The Advocate continued to charge our credit card for ****** May, and June of 2023 at the rate of $46.99 per month. After making several attempts to call the Advocate, we finally got to speak to a "real" person. This person said there was no record of our NOT receiving newspapers and the last time we reported not having a paper was May 24. Yes, this was the last report we made of a non-delivery-----why should we call every day when they told us they had no one to deliver the paper in our area? The person we spoke to said she could not resolve the issue. She gave me the phone number of a supervisor. Of course, just like every time you call the Advocate no one answers. A recording comes on saying no one is available to take the call. Instructions are to email subscription services and someone will respond to the email within 24 hours. We emailed twice with a very strong email, even stating that we were on the verge of reporting them to the H333735363534353136**H. Until today, NO ONE HAS CALLED. We could not cancel the payment process on our credit card on line. We had to call the bank and block The Advocate as a vendor no allowed to charge our card. Then we get notification that the price of the paper will go up to $60.00 per month. When they could not charge our card for a July payment, we got an email On July 22, 2023, saying that our subscription expired. This email came from ********************* stating that they would love to keep us as a loyal subscriber and to please call because they would like to know why we stopped the paper! We did try to call the number given to us *************) only again to get a voice message saying to email them and they would call us. We feel like this company is very incompetently run. We do understand that newspapers provide online services; however, some people do enjoy a printed edition which is still offered! The Advocate has take our money and provided no service to us since May 15.

  

  Business response

  07/27/2023

  Hi **** and *******, we received a voicemail the other day, but the recording only had background noise and no message was left. We also don't have any emails from you guys from the account on file. I will ask our team to reach out to you today to restart service. Thanks for your patience.

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I discovered that the Times Picayune has been double-billing me for a digital subscription since February of this year (on two different credit cards). One account # is ****************** have called them and sent emails to their Help Desk. I even had a representative call me back to say she would resolve it, but she didn't. Today, I have attempted to call their support twice and been left on hold for ten minutes, then disconnected. I even cancelled the account online two months ago - did not work. I was billed twice for July. I want to be billed for only one (1) subscription (either ***** or *****) and refunded the past overcharges (six months @ ***** = *****). I want a refund - either a check or a credit to my credit card. I don't want a credit to future ******** because I don't trust them.

  

  Business response

  07/24/2023

  Hi ******, thanks for reaching out. We will be in touch today to resolve this. As you said, we've been in touch previously with a solution to the duplicate subscriptions you purchase. To clarify, this a result of multiple subscriptions purchased, not a a result of a billing system error. But regardless we will get this resolved for you.

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I subscribe to The New Orleans Advocate and was charged for a premium edition (puzzles) insert in my paper. This occurs approximately monthly. I was told by The Advocate if I request not to receive the "puzzle inserts" that my paper for that day will not be delivered. I was not asked if I wanted to receive this "puzzle" edition and am being forced to receive them and pay for them!!!

  

  Business response

  06/12/2023

  Thanks for your feedback. To clarify we don't publish "puzzle inserts;" instead, we have a premium edition policy as you noted and is disclosed on Page 2A of each day's newspaper and at ****.com/new_terms. As you point out on premium edition days we will not charge you for that day's edition. Premium editions can be recipe special sections, our annual Mardi Gras guide, the large Thanksgiving Day paper, etc. If you ever have any questions for **, happy to assist. Just email *********************************** You're welcome to ask for me, ****************************

  Appreciate the feedback, and I'm happy to discuss more.
  
  -- ***************************
  Vice ********** ******** revenue
  The Times-Picayune | The Advocate

  Customer response

  06/13/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I do not want to pay for the premium edition. I never asked for it and throw it away.  I still my paper daily!
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  
   
  

  

  Business response

  06/13/2023

  Our response to this is in accordance with our terms of service published daily on Page 2A and at ********/new_terms. There is no other action to be taken. Customer is welcome to call us ************ to further discuss.

• Initial Complaint

  05/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I engaged ****.com to run the attached advertisement on one of my listings Back in January 2023. The ad was supposed to go live I think in late January or early February and run for 6 weeks. I NEVER received ONE single phone call / email or online inquiry of any sort on the advertisement and I inquired several times with my sales rep about getting any online analytics for the number of impressions on the ad, etc. Really I wanted something to prove the ad even ran since I had a zero response rate. This is the most ineffective advertising that I have ever experienced in 17 years of being a realtor and I am incredulous of whether or not the advertisement even ran. I would like a refund.

  

  Business response

  05/26/2023

  We are sorry and a little surprised to see that ********************************* filed a complaint with the BBB regarding her January campaign. This is the first we are being made aware that there was an issue.

  ******* purchased a Featured Home package that ran in print on Sunday, January 22, 2023, online on homes.****.com for 4 weeks in conjunction with the print launch as a Showcase Home, as well as a block in our weekly Virtual Home Tour Email blast on Friday, January 20th.  *******'s rep,****, communicated back and forth with ******* both via email and over the phone to approve the proof for the print portion of her buy prior to publication, Ive attached the PDFs of the published pages from our archives. On January 20th ******* reached out to ask where her ad could be found online.  **** missed her first email, but when she followed up on February 1 **** got back to her that same day with a screenshot of her Showcase Home. ******* reached out again on April 18 to ask if there was any additional data **** could provide,and she replied the same day with a screenshot of ******** Virtual Home Tour email reporting where 157 individuals clicked on her property. We recognize that this information could have been proactively sent to ******* rather than her having to reach out to request it, but proof of run was indeed shared in writing with ******* and no dissatisfaction with performance or refund request was ever made directly to **. Unfortunately we cannot make our readers want to inquire further about a property, the best we can do is expose them to it and hope it generates interest.

  Now that we have been made aware, we will be reaching out to the customer to talk through and resolve this misunderstanding. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have been trying to reach them to cancel a subscription for months. No one will return messages, emails or thru their online help center.

  

  Business response

  02/28/2023

  Customer Information:
  ***********************
  1785 ************
  ******, ** 93444
  Daytime Phone: **************
  E-mail: ******************************

   

  Research all emails from our ************************ base for the past two years no email records found. We are also doing a search on all phone calls. Customers can log in to manage their Digital Accounts and cancel online. Cancellation is finalized within 24 hours of request went sent through online Account Management.  Attempted to contact customer with number provided here and had to leave a voice mail.  We have no record on file of his phone number - he didn't provide one at time of sign up.Will process cancelation.

  **************************;

  Sr. Director of Customer Relations

  **********************************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We have been getting our newspaper delivered to the same address since we moved here in **** -- first the Times-Picayune daily, then when they went to 3 days a week, the Advocate daily after that. In September of last year, we went to Saturday and Sunday delivery ONLY.Now, let's say you went to buy tires for your car and when it came time to pay, you were charged extra for an oil change that you didn't want, did not ask for and did not need. When you objected, they saw no problem at all, saying the unwanted, unneeded oil change just automatically came with the tires, and refused to write off the extra charge because you had the oil changed. It's outrageous, unethical and possibly even illegal.It has irritated me for several years that the Advocate's billing included a similar unethical practice, moving up the subscriber's "renewal date" to reflect the cost of the several involuntary "premium" issues, namely the annual Mardi Gras Guide, several issues of *************** and most egregious of all, the Thanksgiving paper, where the stores pay the Advocate to advertise their Black Friday sales and subscribers pay extra to receive them. When we changed to Saturday and Sunday delivery only, I reasonably assumed we would finally no longer be gouged in this way. On Friday, 2/10/23, to my surprise and chagrin we received the paper containing the Mardi Gras Guide. I called **************** that afternoon and again on the morning of 2/13 and got nowhere. My renewal date had been moved up 7 days, from 3/5 to 2/26 -- the equivalent of about $5.00. ******* was the last person I spoke with and again told that any such premium charge for something we did not want, did not need, and which was outside of the delivery days we signed up for was unethical and improper. Nevertheless, she said we could not get our renewal date restored to 3/5 because we had received the Mardi Gras Guide (Catch 22). I then asked to speak with a supervisor and after a long time on hold was disconnected.

  

  Business response

  03/02/2023

  *************************
  925 ***************
  ******** **  70001-6306
   #********
  BBB #********
  
  
  *****************,
  
  It is never our intention to cause such frustration or angst with the delivery of our service or products.  After reviewing the representatives conversations, notes, and phone calls with you this all could have been easily resolved. Please accept my apologies that it was not. 
  
  Subscribers that do not wish to receive the premium editions can opt out and no delivery of the paper will be made with no premium charge(s) applied to the subscription.  We have returned credit to your subscription for all premium charges from January 1,2023 through 2/28/23 and have opted out the two dates listed in March.  Your subscription expiration date is now 4/15/23.
  
  Going forward if you do not wish to receive the editions with an additional charge for the premium editions you can avoid them by opting out.  You can process these request via online under Manage my Account, you can contact our **************** team, or you can email us 48 hours in advance of requested temporary stop at ********************************** and well get them processed for you.   If you prefer, the team can opt you out for the remainder of 2023 if you so wish and process those for you. 
  
  Our disclaimers are list daily in our paper on Page 2A and online at www.************/New_terms
  
  For your quick reference you can see a snapshot of the Special editions for your area: Some are simply bonus days while others are the premium editions are also listed below.
  
  All Times Picayune |The New Orleans Advocate Home Delivery subscriptions include the following days: New Year's Day 1/1/23,Memorial Day 5/29/23, Independence Day 7/4/23, Labor Day 9/4/23, Thanksgiving Day 11/23/23, Christmas Day 12/25/23 and New Year's Day1/1/24.
  
  Special Sections included in home delivery subscriptions are 1/27/23, 2/22/23,3/22/23, 4/19/23, 5/31/23, 6/21/23,7/26/23,8/23/23, 9/27/23,10/25/23,11/29/23, 12/20/23 and include a premium charge by date of $1.00 applied to the active subscription account. All subscribers who receive delivery of The Times Picayune |The New Orleans Advocate *********************** ******************* Edition 2/10/23 will be charged a $5.00 premium charge. All subscribers who receive delivery of The Times Picayune |The New Orleans Advocate with ************** Edition in zip codes 70001,70002,70005,70006,70112,70113,70115, 70116,70117,70118,70118,70119,70122, 70123,70124,70125,70130,70433,70448,70471 on dates of 2/9/23, 3/31/23, 4/28/23, 5/26/23, 8/18/23, 9/15/23, 10/13/23,11/24/23, 12/29/23 will be charged a $2.00 premium charge. All subscribers who receive delivery of The Times Picayune |The New Orleans Advocate which includes special edition of GAMBIT Thursday 9/28/23 will be charged $2.00 premium charge to their subscription. The Thanksgiving Day edition includes a premium charge of $3.50. All premiums are charged to the active subscription. To avoid a premium charge(s) and loss of delivery days, you can temporarily stop delivery on these premium days including Thanksgiving and no delivery charge will be applied to your account. You can use our automated phone service or go online at ********************************** temporarily stop the date of delivery and avoid a premium charge to the active subscription. Prices shown are in U.S. dollars. Prices subject to change. 
  
  I hope that you find this resolution to your satisfaction.   If you need further information or assistance, you can reach out to me or one of our specialists at ********************************** .
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *******************************

  *****************************************
  
  

  
  

*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. ↩