Customer ReviewsforThe Charlotte Observer

I paid for a six day delivery subscription through 6/4/25. On 9/16/24 the Observer will be delivering the paper three days a week. On 7/15/24 I wrote to their PO Box 3020, Livonia, MI asking if the subscription would be extended, funds refunded, or if they were just going to keep the money. I received no response. I called today, and ******** told me that they are just keeping the money.

Thank you for contacting the Charlotte Observer. Our team received your information from our editorial team. We want to Thank you again for your feedback. I certainly understand your position. I too as a subscriber love a printed paper as well. There are some things that hold such value by having them in our hands with today's growing changes in order to sustain a not only profitable business but a business that has the resources to focus on more in depth reporting, stories that affect our communities we have to adapt to those unfamiliar changes. We value you as a subscriber and do not make changes without intense research. I hope you allows us to continue to serve you and provide you with news and information vital to you. Your digital access allows you universal access to all McClatchy papers so you can broaden your reading and keep up with events and stories across the country. We also have a Tablet program that would provide you with a loaded Telegraph tablet so that you can easily turn it on and view the paper. Please let me know what I can do to assist you and most importantly keep such a long time subscriber with us. In regards to extending your subscription or refunding at this time is not being offered since you have online access to more content that we can provide on a print version you are gaining more content.

I paid for a years digital subscription for $171.19 on October 2, 2023, account ********. However, I was also charged $347.48 on September 14, 2023. Apparently this is a home delivery subscription which is not available where I live on an account I didn't know I had. I have talked to the customer help line twice and was told those charges are valid, even though i never placed the order for the home delivery. They informed me by voice and the text that they would not refund anything and copied me their policy from April 26, 2021. They informed me if I cancelled now, there would be no refund on either charge. Highly dissatisfied that they gladly take my money with no intention of delivering print home delivery and not notifying me that it is not available in my area. Will never subscribe again.

Thank you for your message to The Charlotte Observer. We are sorry to hear about your customer experience with your account. Our records show your refund request for the account #******** has been submitted and approved. We do apologize for any confusion on your accounts. Your current account #******** is active and paid until October 2024, as you stated.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ****************************************** if you have any questions or concerns.Thank you

I paid for a year subscription for the newspaper on June 15, 2023-June 14, 2024. I called today to cancel from subscription due to moving out of the area and didn't want to continue physical newspaper nor digital. I was never told by phone, email, or by mail that if I stop the subscription that I would not receive a refund. If I known that, I would not have paid for 1 year in advance. I went to the supervisor and told me that I was not going to receive a refund. I told them I wanted to speak to a regional manager or their legal department and they would not transfer. I told them I was going to report them to the Better Business Bureau. It is not the money for 3 months refund that is the problem but how they treated me on the phone and told me that I agreed to something I did not so they indicated I was lying. I am a professional and own a business and If I would treat customers how I was treated, I would have to close my business. Someone has to stop this company from ripping people off. This is not right.**************

Thank you for contacting the Charlotte Observer. The account for ******************************* was stopped on 3/15/2024. The terms of service were explained at this time. ************************ also had a previous subscription prior to the one started on 6/14/2023 in which renewal notices were sent to him having the Terms of Service on it. At this time we will process the refund for the remaining balance which will be refunded back to the card on file. If you have any questions please contact the customer service department at ************ ******************************************************

I haven't had a subscription to the Charlotte Observer in several years, but today my credit card statement shows a charge for $347.48 from them. I have heard that it is difficult to cancel an Observer subscription, but I thought I had succeeded. Guess I was wrong.

Thank you for your message to The Charlotte Observer. We are sorry to hear you would like to cancel your subscription. Our records show your account was started on a digital only subscription a few years ago and was set up on an automatic payment cycle each year. Please let us know how you canceled the account (by phone, email, chat, letter). The current charge is for the next year renewal. If you would like to cancel, please contact us at the information below.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ****************************************** if you have any further questions or concerns.Thank you

I notice that my experience with this paper is not unusual.I was looking at my credit card transactions today and noticed a charge of $516 for the Charlotte Observer posted on January 25th. ***** represented a 33% increase from the charge a year before. I called to cancel my subscription as this rate is absurd - more than twice as much as my subscriptions to the New ********** or *************** which are much better papers.I was told that I could not cancel as one must call the same day as the charge is posted to cancel.This is also absurd as no one I know looks at their credit card charges on a daily basis. I was transferred to a supervisor who reiterated the same statement but after my complaining further said that he would make exception in my case and refund $128 so I would be paying the same price as last year. I asked them to withdraw my credit card information so this would not happen again next year.Can't anyone stop this nonsense?**************

Thank you for contacting the Charlotte Observer. A refund for $128.67 is being processed giving ****************** the previous rate from last year. The autopay has been cancelled so he will receive an invoice prior to his next renewal date so that he has the option to contact us to cancel or renew service. Our Terms of Service that must be accepted prior to any start of service give details on cancellations and refunds. We apologize for the inconvenience and have processed the refund for $128.67 it will go back to the credit card used for the payment. If you have any questions please call our customer service department at ************.

They increased the cost without notice by A LOT. When I attempted to cancel I was subjected to hard sales and refusal to cancel and give me a confirmation of cancellation. No refund for the money they took, and no way to remove my cc info from the account or cancel online. Once they have your payment info they hold onto it with an iron grip. Beware.

Thank you for your message to The Charlotte Observer. Our records show the account was on an automatic payment option each year. Upon renewal, prices are subject to change. Prior to the renewal payment on 8/22/23, there was an email notification sent to inform you of the renewal rate and the price change. We apologize if you did not see the email. Currently, your account is paid until 8/20/24. Your card information has been removed from the account on 1/27/24. We are sorry to hear you want to cancel. Please look for a separate email regarding the cancelation and possible refund for your account. It will come from a @mcclatchy.com email address. Our hope is we will be able to help resolve your account and in hopes you decide to continue in the future.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ****************************************** if you have any questions or concerns.Thank you

Worst value ever! Do NOT waste your money. They will increase the subscription without giving you the option to cancel.

Thank you for your message to The Charlotte Observer. We are sorry to hear about your customer experience. Our records show your account was started on an automatic payment option every 52 weeks. The rate you were on was a promotional rate. Prices are subject to change after a promotional offer. The renewal rate of $167.99 for 52 weeks is the next best rate for your digital subscription. We are sorry to hear you are cancelling your subscription. As of today 11/30/23, we have updated your account to be stopped immediately and a refund requested. However, in order to receive the refund, we do need a physical address on the account. You will be receiving a separate email confirming this information. We hope you enjoyed reading the Charlotte Observer and you will continue digital access with us soon.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ****************************************** if you have any further questions or concerns.Thank you

The Charlotte Observer is the worst company to do business with. When you pay for home delivery and never receive a paper and no credit for no paper. The customer service personnel at the ******************** are all liars.

Thank you for your message to the Charlotte Observer. Our records show your account stopped on 2/1/23. We are sorry to hear about the delivery issues you had experienced. During the year (Feb 2022-Feb 2023), our records show a total of 8 complaints registered on your account. The credits were applied on each call/email. With every call and/or email, we strive to improve in service. We apologize if your service was not resolved. We appreciate the feedback. Please contact us if there is anything we can do for you.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ************************************************ if you have any further questions or concerns.Thank you

I subscribed to the Sunday paper as part of a promotion they were doing at ****** ******. I was billed for a paper I never received (in the 9 months I was subscribed, I received one (1) paper). When I called and emailed multiple times trying to figure this out, I was either ignored or told that they would fix the problem (they never did), that they could not refund me, and that they could not unsubscribe me. I eventually got them to remove my card from the billing system and was supposed to be unsubscribed. I have since received letters from a collections company as the Charlotte Observer has continued to bill me for a paper that I never received.

Thank you for your message to The Charlotte Observer. We are sorry to hear about the experience you had with your account. Our records do show your card information was removed back on 2/10/23. However, there are no notes or complaints in regards to missed papers and/or poor service. We are sorry to hear your delivery issues were not resolved. At this time, your account has been cleared of any balance and we have cleared this with ARM Solutions. You should not be receiving any further notifications.Please note, ARM Soutions is a non-reporting collection company and this will not appear on any credit report.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ****************************************** if you have any further questions or concerns.Thank you

The Charlotte Observer has never notified me that my subscription was up for renewal. Instead, they allowed my subscription to fall into so-called ***** ****** and then charged me because I did not renew in time. I foolishly paid the renewal ****** plus the extra ***** ****** because there was no way to just pay the ***** ****** on their website. I cancelled the subscription the next day thinking the Observer would at least refund the full renewal ****** minus the ***** charge. Instead, I later read I cannot get a refund. I have been an Observer customer for over 30 years. I am done.

Thank you for your message to The Charlotte Observer. We are sorry to hear you are requesting to cancel your subscription. Our records show your account expired 10/2/23. However, since accounts are not stopped automatically, the account continued into a grace ******* A renewal notice was sent on 8/28/23. All renewal notices state, the account continues unless we are notified otherwise. We did not receive a call or email indicating to stop the subscription. Then, on 10/27/23, a payment was made via online payment. This renewed the account until 1/27/24. The current status of the account is showing the account will be stopped 1/27/24 per your request.Please feel free to contact us at ************ or ****************************************** if you have any further questions or concerns.Thank you