ComplaintsforThe New York Times Company

• Initial Complaint

  12/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Approximately 60 days ago we began experiencing delivery issues with our physical (hard copy) newspaper. In that time we have filed over 20 reports online and verbally with the company. The ** Times contracts out the delivery of their newspaper to a 3rd party. Our reports have had no effect on the delivery issue and the ** Times has made no honest effort to resolve the issue. The paper claims they have no control over the delivery of their paper. I find this disingenuous and false. We have also missed special "print only" editions that have not been delivered. We have requested these print only copies, weekend sections, magazines, and puzzle sections and the paper refuses to send replacements. We would like replacement copies be sent to us as a resolution of this issue. Note: These items are "for sale" on the ** Times site, so they are available. Thank you.

  

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  Hello, 
  We sincerely apologize for this delivery issue and for any inconvenience it has caused. We will be mailing you the special edition inserts that were missed due to no delivery. We appreciate your patience while we work to address and correct this delivery issue for you. 

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  12/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I got the nyt cooking subscription as a gift last year. I didnt realize it expires after a year and it seems I missed the window by one day. I thought this worked like gift cards where it doesnt expire. The message that it expires is also not at all prominent. It is buried at the bottom of the email in light font thats hard to read. Id like to talk to someone abt getting it reinstated

  

  Business response

  12/22/2023

  Hello, 

  Please be advised that subscriptions are automatically stopped at the end of the gift period, unless the gift giver choses to have it extended.  However, the customer can follow the link below to take advantage of one of our great offers.

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

  Customer response

  12/29/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   The business did not address my complaint. My complaint wasnt about an existing subscription ending.  It is about an inability to redeem a subscription which was purchased 

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   The business did not answer my question/concern and pointed me to an article that does not address my initial concern.

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  
  
  
  
   
  

  

  Business response

  01/16/2024

  Hello,

  Gift recipients receive their gift redemption code via email.  The link below is a step by ******************* on how to redeem the Gift.  We also recommend contacting us at ************ with any further questions.   

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

   

• Initial Complaint

  12/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have an ongoing transaction account on-line thru Apple Pay with Wordle a gaming app available on my iPhone. The app is owned by the New York Times.This gaming app requires a payment thru Apple Pay to play, participate, purchase boosters and progress thru the game.The game has creepingly been not recording achievements reached and required additional expenditure to re-play a level to obtain the reward provided by the game.Over the past 3 months approximately, I initially self-doubted that it hadnt accredited my earned reward, and I replayed to attain the next level.It is now apparent to me over recent days play that this is a systemic practice on about every second word achievement on the daily puzzle, requiring the use of more boosters, time & additional solving problems to have the daily achievement recorded.I reflected on this, and asked the question, what if this is a custom and practice being used against many customers?If as I suspect, this proposition is correct, it is an effective revenue gain by the corporate body against all players so being targeted.I cant say how much loss of time has been involved, but certainly there would be additional out-of-pocket expenses incurred by every player that has been effected.If it turns out to be an engineered or deliberate glitch in their operating system a forensic revenue audit would reveal it.I trust you can look into this and rectify, resolve and monitor this organisations behaviour for compliance with existing Laws.Perhaps a voluntary class-action restitution to all players by the organisation is the appropriate remedy

  

  Business response

  12/14/2023

  Hello,
  
  While World is a game provided at no cost through The New York Times, a subscription is required for The New York Times Games app.

  We are reaching out to the Subscriber now to obtain further information as no subscription was found with the provided email address.

• Initial Complaint

  11/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been a home delivery and online subscriber for 30 years, with recurring automatic payments. When the charge card on file expired, I was unaware that the payment had stopped due to problems receiving my mail in aftermath and disarray from house fire. When I became aware, I attempted to pay online, but was unsuccessful in finding the balance due . I called and spoke to an agent who told me the amount, and process. But contrary to that information, online payment was not possible to restore the account, so I called again, paid over the phone and set up recurring automatic payments again. He said home delivery of the paper would resume in six days, and full online access was restored effective immediately. But it wasnt. Online access was repeatedly restricted and I was labeled a non subscriber, with no option or ability to use my account. I called again. This agent said the payment is put through only on Sundays despite receiving my new card information on Tuesday. And that I would not have the online access for more than a few hours and I would have to call again and again.What? And why was I told the opposite of that in all the previous calls? Another agent from another call had me log off and log back in, which restored service for a few hours, and then once again I was shut out of full access and called a non subscriber.Sunday has come and gone, still no delivery of paper, and I am still locked out of full access. I have made six separate phone calls to agents trying g to resolve this simple matter, the most recent of which was *****. Each one has told me something different, none of them have been accurate. Ive been put on hold too many times, promised call backs from supervisors that never happen. I have not received what I paid for and was promised . This is absurd. Do what you say. I use this paper for my work. I expect agents that take my charge card details to be honest and competent and do what is promised and paid for.

  

  Business response

  11/28/2023

  Hello,

  Please be advised that this complaint has been resolved.  We can confirmed credit card has been updated, payment received and account is currently active.

   

• Initial Complaint

  11/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a subscription for the physical home delivery, 7 days a week, of the New York Times. Several days a week, the paper is missing. I have filed numerous notifications on their complaint site, and have called customer service at least ten **********************. They are always polite if I call, but delivery never gets better. I have asked if perhaps the papers go to another home with the **** house number, and I am promised that this problem is "escalated" to their delivery department. It never gets better no matter what I do. I have a high regard for the Times, but this service is terrible. I am so tired of asking for better delivery. Of course, when I suspended for a week, getting back from vacation we saw our driveway full of papers, the scenario we wanted to avoid. If The New York Times is unable to fulfill good home delivery, they should not offer it.

  

  Business response

  11/22/2023

  Hello,

  Please accept our apology for the delivery issues.  We have contacted our regional circulation manager to look into the matter and work to have it corrected moving forward.

   

• Initial Complaint

  11/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  New York Times advertises the rates for Sunday Delivery plus Digital Access as: $5/week for first year, and $10/week after the promotion expires. (Billed in 4 week intervals; $20 to start, $40 after that.)Our current bill is nearly twice that at $70/4 weeks, and the customer service will not explain why. (In fact they claimed 'the website just hasn't been update yet'.)We want to pay the publicly advertised REGULAR rate, or receive an explanation why we are paying 75% more than that. If we accidentally signed up for additional features, we could understand.

  

  Business response

  11/22/2023

  Hi there,
  
  Please be advised that a 50% off 52 week promotional discount has been added to the subscription as of 11/26/23.

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have subscribed to the ** Times for over 10 years. They, of course, are the national newspaper of record. I cannot imagine complaining about their product.But in June of this year, I lost my sight due to trauma. I also lost my income, so even the $4.26 a week to continue my subscription would have to come from food or rent.I have made three attempts to cancel my subscription. They refused to cancel my subscription, because they continued access to their site, which I do not believe I have used, even after I tried to cancel. Now, the paper is attempting to bill my credit card on an almost hourly basis. I want to be done with them. Great paper, customer service leaves much to be desired.

  

  Business response

  11/09/2023

  Hello, 

  We can confirm that the News subscription was cancelled on 11/7/2023. No further attempts will be made to charge the card on file. 

  Customer response

  11/14/2023

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  For the past week I have been experiencing delivery problems from the **** The paper has not been delivered 5 of the last 8 days. When I call up the 800 number I am told that the paper will be delivered by 11am or the same day. It is never delivered in that time period. I ask that the paper be delivered the next day. I am told it cannot. I ask for the missed copies to be sent to me. I am told I clicked the the credit area on the web page and I am out of luck. Why is the delivery person passing my house? Are other customers missing their paper? It is very frustrating to keep on reporting this problem with nothing being done.I am a senior and enjoy reading the paper while I can. Will you resolve this problem so I don't miss any issues of the paper. This started last week.Thank you,*************************

  

  Business response

  11/14/2023

  Hello,

  We would like to extend our sincere apology for the delivery issues.  We have contacted our distribution partner and received confirmation that they will look into the matter and work to have it resolved moving forward.

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been trying to get the ** Times to stop charging me for a subscription for several months. I have gone through my bank messaging and tried to call as well as to use their chat portal but am unable to get them to stop charging me. Their systems require unrelentingly long wait times or time you out incredibly fast and you have to start over.Every month I am charged $17, but I have no email attached to the subscription and am stuck behind a paywall and cannot access the content I have been repeatedly charged for. I am tired of asking my bank for help. Can you please help me get my money back and to stop these charges?

  

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  Hello,

  We were able to locate a News subscription under email address *************************, and can confirm it has been cancelled and the last 3 charges refunded back to the credit card as a good faith gesture.

  Customer response

  11/09/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  I have on multiple occasions tried to solve this issue. I alerted the nyt that the email was dead and i could not access the account. They have poor customer service and prematurely time you out. I would like to be refunded for at LEAST the year. I have not used that email for over 5 years. I have repeatedly said i could not access the content.

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  ***** *********
  
  
  
  
   
  

  

  Business response

  12/11/2023

  Hello,

  According to our records, the first request to cancel the subscription was on 6/12/23, and since we rendered the service expected of us, we must expect payment for that service. It is the responsibility of customers to inform us if they are not receiving the service they are paying for, wish to end it, or are paying for services they did not authorized, in a reasonably timely manner.  That said, we do try to address our subscribersconcerns, and, as a good-faith gesture, we have issued another 3 month refund, bringing the total to 6 months. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Company does not provide option to cancel or pause subscription on the account page.

  

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  Hello, 

  We were able to locate a Cooking subscription under email address *****************************************, and can confirm it has been cancelled as of 10/28/23.

   

  Customer response

  11/09/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   

  The representative in the online chat cancelled my subscription without my permission.

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Customer response

  12/18/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because: 

   

  the company will not acknowledge that I did not want the agent to go and cancel my subscription.  I wanted the ability to cancel or pause on my own but that function of the website was not working.  Please review and confirm that such function is available and working on the website.

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  
   
  

  

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  Hello,

  Please be advised that digital subscriptions can be cancelled by following the steps below.

  Go to *********************
  Click on "Subscription Overview"
  Click on "Manage Subscription"
  Follow instructions to cancel 
   
  If you have any other questions or require further assistance, please feel free to call us at ************, or chat with us.

*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. ↩