Astronomy Magizine Subscription

I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

--
Michael A. Barlow
Lat: 42:57:13.799N
Lon: 77:13:29.039W

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message
...
I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from
them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

--
Michael A. Barlow

Mike:

They do it because it works. The theory is that the customer is still in the
first flush of enthusiam for the magazine and will renew early. It's the old
"your best customer is the one you already have" adage. Magazines have found
that irritating people like you and John and me with early persistent
notices actually produces a high return, and that renewing them without
sending the usual suite of 4-5 notices just before the actual renewal dates
saves the company money. So what if they get a few cranks like us PO'd? The
bulk numbers prove the value of it.
How do I know? I was the first ad guy at Astronomy some years ago.

Bob Schmall

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message
...
I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from
them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

--
Michael A. Barlow

Mike:

They do it because it works. The theory is that the customer is still in the
first flush of enthusiam for the magazine and will renew early. It's the old
"your best customer is the one you already have" adage. Magazines have found
that irritating people like you and John and me with early persistent
notices actually produces a high return, and that renewing them without
sending the usual suite of 4-5 notices just before the actual renewal dates
saves the company money. So what if they get a few cranks like us PO'd? The
bulk numbers prove the value of it.
How do I know? I was the first ad guy at Astronomy some years ago.

Bob Schmall

I've bit on some of these offers. Usually it's for something like three
years at a special price. I can't see getting one's shorts in a knot over
it. Just the notices if you don't want them.
--
Curtis Croulet
Temecula, California
33° 27' 59"N, 117° 05' 53"W

I've bit on some of these offers. Usually it's for something like three
years at a special price. I can't see getting one's shorts in a knot over
it. Just the notices if you don't want them.
--
Curtis Croulet
Temecula, California
33° 27' 59"N, 117° 05' 53"W

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message . ..
I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

Let your subscription expire. Sometimes you will get an offer at a lower price.

$40 for either "Astronomy" or "Sky & Telescope" is too much.

Doug Hosey

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message . ..
I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

Let your subscription expire. Sometimes you will get an offer at a lower price.

$40 for either "Astronomy" or "Sky & Telescope" is too much.

Doug Hosey

Hello Mike,

Yes, they do it as a marketing ploy - however, if you join your local (or
even a national) astronomical society or club, you may acquire subscriptions
to both Astronomy and Sky & Telescope at a $10 per year discount on each
publication. The subscription renewals are usually handled by either the
club's treasurer or secretary thereby allowing you to just throw away the
"junk mail" and/or spam emails!

As a side benefit, the magazines pay a small amount to each club for each
subscription they submit. Great way to enjoy our hobby and support local
activities!

Regards,
Skip Cashwell, Windsor, CT, member ASGH, AAAA, AL and IDA

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message
...
I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from
them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

--
Michael A. Barlow
Lat: 42:57:13.799N
Lon: 77:13:29.039W

Hello Mike,

Yes, they do it as a marketing ploy - however, if you join your local (or
even a national) astronomical society or club, you may acquire subscriptions
to both Astronomy and Sky & Telescope at a $10 per year discount on each
publication. The subscription renewals are usually handled by either the
club's treasurer or secretary thereby allowing you to just throw away the
"junk mail" and/or spam emails!

As a side benefit, the magazines pay a small amount to each club for each
subscription they submit. Great way to enjoy our hobby and support local
activities!

Regards,
Skip Cashwell, Windsor, CT, member ASGH, AAAA, AL and IDA

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message
...
I heard of other magazines doing this and I hope it's just a simple
mistake from Astronomy magazine...

I just got an email from them telling me that my subscription is about
to expire and that I should renew it. I just paid for my *first year*
subscription back in March 2003. Then in June I was sent a letter from
them
to renew my yearly subscription and without thinking I sent it in. And now
they want me to renew again.

Has anyone else been zapped by them? to renew a yearly subscription
every couple of months?

--
Michael A. Barlow
Lat: 42:57:13.799N
Lon: 77:13:29.039W

macnmotion wrote in message ...
Or talk to your astronomy club's treasurer and take advantage of the
club discount the next time you're set to renew.

macnmotion

Good idea, if that's an option. The nearest Astronomy Club to me
offered Sky & Telescope as part of their yearly dues, or did about 12
or so years ago. There was also a discount on Astronomy mag. I
looked into it, went to one of their public star parties, where I
learned of the offer.

I also learned that my C-8 was a piece of **** that nobody with half a
brain would want to look through, much less own. Ok, I exaggerate, a
bit. But that was the attitude of more than one member that I talked
to. I didn't bring my scope, nor did I mention what I had--I just
started asking questions about different types of scopes. I never
went back.

I could have joined, got Sky & Telescope and a discount on Astronomy,
never bothered to go to a meeting, and still saved money. I just
didn't like the company that I found myself in that night.

By the way, that night I got my only look through an Astro Physics
five inch apo. It and a C-14 were pointed at Jupiter. The AP blew
the C-14 away. The owner of the C-14 was making well-rehearsed
excuses about how it needed more time to cool, poor seeing, etc. The
AP owner just smiled and accepted compliments. The C-14 owner should
have just pointed at some deep sky object. That's what I would have
done. If I remember correctly, the AP owner said he paid $1195 for
his scope, NEW!

Doug Hosey