The Ford Barn

leo · 03-07-2013, 01:01 PM

While not a Model A question, please indulge me because I have a Model A and this topic is really annoying. The problem is that I subscribe to Old Cars and I have not seen a new issue since the middle of February. I'm behind several issues. The publisher is sympathetic to my complaints but says they can do nothing to prompt the USPS to deliver their 3rd class mail in a more responsible manner. If I go complain to my local post office they say they deliver what they receive. I've paid for a product and it's delivery. The originator and deliverer both say it's not my problem there is nothing we can do to help you. Is this the new normal for customer service? Please tell me how I can light a fire under someone's you know what to get satisfaction.

Tom Wesenberg · 03-07-2013, 04:01 PM

Welcome to the new America. Everything is someone else's fault and no one needs to be responsible anymore.
I've also lately had to go several rounds with the USPS and got nowhere.

Aok · 03-07-2013, 05:25 PM

I receive model A times ,Hemmings classic cars, Power wagon advertiser and old cars weekly . They all are delivered in a reasonable amount of time. I would think the problem is with the magazine shipping or maybe you forgot your mailman's Christmas tip

BILL WILLIAMSON · 03-07-2013, 07:06 PM

Leo, is your mailman into ooooold cars????? (Just thinkin') Bill W.

lance leblanc · 03-08-2013, 10:19 AM

After a similar experience with recieving (suggestive) publications that I never ordered and wanted to have them stop cramming it in my mailbox. After several months of complaining I tried to report the USPS to the Better Business Bureau. The guy there told me that they did not keep a file and would not open a file on the post office.

JBill · 03-08-2013, 10:47 AM

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This is likely a problem with the individual carrier. My experience has been that the USPS overall is a remarkably reliable institution considering that they're the whipping boy for just about everybody (and especially the U. S. Congress). We generally complain bitterly about any increase in postage, even if it's an amount we wouldn't even stoop over to pick up if we saw it on the sidewalk.

leo · 03-08-2013, 06:54 PM

Hey guys, thanks for all the input. But what I really need is a solution, a way to determine where the process is breaking down so I can focus my energy limited as it may be there.

Aok · 03-08-2013, 07:45 PM

You could try to get the magazine to put a tracking number on the magazine and see what happens. This is usually simple to do at the post office but trying to get a large publisher to do it may be a problem.

Hicktick · 03-08-2013, 07:50 PM

Leo does this old car mag. come out once a month?????

If it does then you should get the next one about the middle of march , based on what you said .

John LaVoy · 03-09-2013, 09:18 AM

The post office has a lot of flexability when it comes to delivering magazines. They have about 30 days to get it to you. The local post office decides, along with the carrier when the pieces are delivered. The best way to assure delivery is to pay for first class mail rather than the periodical mail.

leo · 03-09-2013, 10:15 AM

First Class mail for Old Cars Weekly, ha, want to spend $162.00? We are on to something here, apparently many of you have the same problem. There must be a reason why every piece of junk mail catalog finds it's way to your mailbox and other things do not. Anyone ever write to the Postmaster General? I'll do it! Maybe he can rattle someones cage.....

Tom Wesenberg · 03-09-2013, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leo

First Class mail for Old Cars Weekly, ha, want to spend $162.00? We are on to something here, apparently many of you have the same problem. There must be a reason why every piece of junk mail catalog finds it's way to your mailbox and other things do not. Anyone ever write to the Postmaster General? I'll do it! Maybe he can rattle someones cage.....

Your letter might take 5 weeks to get there!

Plus you'll be spending money on postage...........just what the PO wants you to do.

Just can't win!

Keith True · 03-09-2013, 11:24 AM

My friend in North Carolina has been getting his at oddball times.My father here in N.H. gets his like clockwork.In digging into it my friend found they all went out at the same time,but it was the postal service holding things up.I see that here when the postal service shuffles things around.Close a sorting facility,enlarge another,until the glitches are ironed out somebody,somewhere,take a hit.It seems to straighten out in a short amount of time when that is the case.

Jerry Parr WI · 03-09-2013, 11:58 AM

I dropped my subscription because they had so little info related to my vintage of cars. While I subscribed I had no problem with delivery. Nothing to suggest.

1931 flamingo · 03-09-2013, 12:12 PM

Is it available on the news stand/book store or only mail order?? How about online??
I ask because I'm not familiar with it.
Paul in CT

leo · 03-09-2013, 01:36 PM

Keith, if it were only true. I've been a subscriber since it's inception and the service got to bad several years ago and has never improved since. I must be in a geographical local that just merits lousy service. My other mail is also usually late. However, I intend to fight because I just cannot stand the mediocrity to terrible being the new normal. Why should any of us who are getting fleeced through our taxes have to put up with this BS.

Tom Wesenberg · 03-09-2013, 02:08 PM

I agree with Leo. Years ago when I lived in S.D. my Popular Science used to come with the cover torn each month. I complained to the town post office, and much to my surprize, that was the end of torn covers.

There are some things I will no longer mail due to the careless handling and breakage every time. Even boxes that don't have broken parts inside are so smashed and mangled, I don't know how they manage to do it. Like I said before, I think they use old cement mixer trucks to haul packages, and tumble them on the way.

Keith True · 03-09-2013, 02:09 PM

I have another friend that I always gave my old Hemmings to.We were both subscribers,but I could read mine and be done with it before he got his.He finally dropped his subscription and just took mine when I was through.I dropped my subscription to Hemmings for other reasons.It is now handled by marketers,I guess you could call them brokers.You are not buying from Hemmings,you are buying from the marketing people.One of the marketers that handled Hemmings added charges for another magazine subscription to my card.They would take care of it,and take it off,but every month the charge would show up again.I had to get a new card with a different number to stop it.I thought I was buying Hemmings Motor news from Vermont,not G&L Marketing from Apopko Florida.My dad just dropped off the new Old Cars Weekly,he gets it here every Thursday.The only time it doesn't show up on time is if it gets stuffed in the wrong mailbox or if the road isn't plowed enough for the mailman to get through.In that case it shows up the next day.

leo · 03-09-2013, 02:33 PM

This is the end! When did things get so crazy? Marketeers for publications that you don't even know exist handling your subscription. It's no wonder things are so screwed up. But if Keith's father gets his Old Cars Weekly each Thrusday of the week as he should and I don't get it at all or 6 weeks late something is wrong in my distribution process that is not wrong in his.....back to the USPS.

03-07-2013, 01:01 PM	#1
leo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 734	Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings While not a Model A question, please indulge me because I have a Model A and this topic is really annoying. The problem is that I subscribe to Old Cars and I have not seen a new issue since the middle of February. I'm behind several issues. The publisher is sympathetic to my complaints but says they can do nothing to prompt the USPS to deliver their 3rd class mail in a more responsible manner. If I go complain to my local post office they say they deliver what they receive. I've paid for a product and it's delivery. The originator and deliverer both say it's not my problem there is nothing we can do to help you. Is this the new normal for customer service? Please tell me how I can light a fire under someone's you know what to get satisfaction.

03-07-2013, 04:01 PM	#2
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Welcome to the new America. Everything is someone else's fault and no one needs to be responsible anymore. I've also lately had to go several rounds with the USPS and got nowhere.

03-07-2013, 05:25 PM	#3
Aok Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Tx Posts: 502	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings I receive model A times ,Hemmings classic cars, Power wagon advertiser and old cars weekly . They all are delivered in a reasonable amount of time. I would think the problem is with the magazine shipping or maybe you forgot your mailman's Christmas tip

03-07-2013, 07:06 PM	#4
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Leo, is your mailman into ooooold cars????? (Just thinkin') Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

03-08-2013, 10:19 AM	#5
lance leblanc Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Baton Rouge LA Posts: 238	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings After a similar experience with recieving (suggestive) publications that I never ordered and wanted to have them stop cramming it in my mailbox. After several months of complaining I tried to report the USPS to the Better Business Bureau. The guy there told me that they did not keep a file and would not open a file on the post office. __________________ Lance "When Solomon said there was a time and place for everything he had not encountered the problem of parking his automobile." Bob Edwards

03-08-2013, 10:47 AM	#6
JBill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 702	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) This is likely a problem with the individual carrier. My experience has been that the USPS overall is a remarkably reliable institution considering that they're the whipping boy for just about everybody (and especially the U. S. Congress). We generally complain bitterly about any increase in postage, even if it's an amount we wouldn't even stoop over to pick up if we saw it on the sidewalk.

03-08-2013, 06:54 PM	#7
leo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 734	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Hey guys, thanks for all the input. But what I really need is a solution, a way to determine where the process is breaking down so I can focus my energy limited as it may be there.

03-08-2013, 07:45 PM	#8
Aok Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Tx Posts: 502	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings You could try to get the magazine to put a tracking number on the magazine and see what happens. This is usually simple to do at the post office but trying to get a large publisher to do it may be a problem.

03-08-2013, 07:50 PM	#9
Hicktick Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hickory Tavern , SC Posts: 422	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Leo does this old car mag. come out once a month????? If it does then you should get the next one about the middle of march , based on what you said .

03-09-2013, 09:18 AM	#10
John LaVoy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 1,219	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings The post office has a lot of flexability when it comes to delivering magazines. They have about 30 days to get it to you. The local post office decides, along with the carrier when the pieces are delivered. The best way to assure delivery is to pay for first class mail rather than the periodical mail.

03-09-2013, 10:15 AM	#11
leo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 734	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings First Class mail for Old Cars Weekly, ha, want to spend $162.00? We are on to something here, apparently many of you have the same problem. There must be a reason why every piece of junk mail catalog finds it's way to your mailbox and other things do not. Anyone ever write to the Postmaster General? I'll do it! Maybe he can rattle someones cage.....

03-09-2013, 11:24 AM	#13
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,987	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings My friend in North Carolina has been getting his at oddball times.My father here in N.H. gets his like clockwork.In digging into it my friend found they all went out at the same time,but it was the postal service holding things up.I see that here when the postal service shuffles things around.Close a sorting facility,enlarge another,until the glitches are ironed out somebody,somewhere,take a hit.It seems to straighten out in a short amount of time when that is the case.

03-09-2013, 11:58 AM	#14
Jerry Parr WI Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 619	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings I dropped my subscription because they had so little info related to my vintage of cars. While I subscribed I had no problem with delivery. Nothing to suggest.

03-09-2013, 12:12 PM	#15
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Is it available on the news stand/book store or only mail order?? How about online?? I ask because I'm not familiar with it. Paul in CT

03-09-2013, 01:36 PM	#16
leo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 734	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings Keith, if it were only true. I've been a subscriber since it's inception and the service got to bad several years ago and has never improved since. I must be in a geographical local that just merits lousy service. My other mail is also usually late. However, I intend to fight because I just cannot stand the mediocrity to terrible being the new normal. Why should any of us who are getting fleeced through our taxes have to put up with this BS.

03-09-2013, 02:08 PM	#17
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings I agree with Leo. Years ago when I lived in S.D. my Popular Science used to come with the cover torn each month. I complained to the town post office, and much to my surprize, that was the end of torn covers. There are some things I will no longer mail due to the careless handling and breakage every time. Even boxes that don't have broken parts inside are so smashed and mangled, I don't know how they manage to do it. Like I said before, I think they use old cement mixer trucks to haul packages, and tumble them on the way.

03-09-2013, 02:09 PM	#18
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,987	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings I have another friend that I always gave my old Hemmings to.We were both subscribers,but I could read mine and be done with it before he got his.He finally dropped his subscription and just took mine when I was through.I dropped my subscription to Hemmings for other reasons.It is now handled by marketers,I guess you could call them brokers.You are not buying from Hemmings,you are buying from the marketing people.One of the marketers that handled Hemmings added charges for another magazine subscription to my card.They would take care of it,and take it off,but every month the charge would show up again.I had to get a new card with a different number to stop it.I thought I was buying Hemmings Motor news from Vermont,not G&L Marketing from Apopko Florida.My dad just dropped off the new Old Cars Weekly,he gets it here every Thursday.The only time it doesn't show up on time is if it gets stuffed in the wrong mailbox or if the road isn't plowed enough for the mailman to get through.In that case it shows up the next day.

03-09-2013, 02:33 PM	#19
leo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 734	Re: Ford Related: Old Cars Publication Mailings This is the end! When did things get so crazy? Marketeers for publications that you don't even know exist handling your subscription. It's no wonder things are so screwed up. But if Keith's father gets his Old Cars Weekly each Thrusday of the week as he should and I don't get it at all or 6 weeks late something is wrong in my distribution process that is not wrong in his.....back to the USPS.