no wonder print newspapers are dying

charging customers for non-service

[LifeinAsia]

As of March 2011, the L.A. Times (newspaper) no longer gives credit when you suspend your delivery for a vacation. (Notice of this change in service is buried in the FAQ section in a question unrelated to physical delivery.) Prior to that, if you went on vacation for 1 week and suspended delivery while you were gone, the date of your next payment would be extended by 1 week.

Now, you're still charged for that 1 week of non-delivery, despite the fact they they did not provide any product to you.

I questioned the legality of this and was told that they are charging for a "subscription service," not the physical delivery of papers. I still have access to the online edition during the vacation hold (which I have never looked at and does no good anyway if I have no Internet access).

I pointed out that now when I go on vacation I will be cancelling my subscription then starting a new one when I return, which will create a lot more work for them as well as for me. Not to mention their transaction costs of refunding the remaining balance to my credit card each time.

[engine]

If they used to offer that service, it seems a shame they decided to pull it without informing you. I can understand why they've pulled it, but not why they failed to clarify.
If everyone took your action it'd soon bring it home to them.

OTOH, are they looking to stop delivering dead trees and to go purely electronic?

[LifeinAsia]

OTOH, are they looking to stop delivering dead trees and to go purely electronic?

I don't know if they're losing money with delivering dead trees, but they can't be making much. A few years ago they outsourced delivery in our neighborhood to the company that delivers papers for their only real competitor in the area. (Not sure if was the same time the new policy went into effect.)

From a business standpoint, it probably makes much more sense to push people away from print delivery. Especially in CA.

[StoutFiles]

I pointed out that now when I go on vacation I will be cancelling my subscription then starting a new one when I return, which will create a lot more work for them as well as for me. Not to mention their transaction costs of refunding the remaining balance to my credit card each time.

Then they will have a sign up fee to renew a subscription for any returning customers.

[LifeinAsia]

Then they will have a sign up fee to renew a subscription for any returning customers.

If so, I'd just signup again with my wife's name/credit card instead.

Actually, the new customer rate is cheaper than the existing customer rate, so may do this anyway.