6 to 8 weeks
I am totally exasperated. I ordered and paid for my subscription to The Advocate like 3 years ago. Ok, not really. But it feels like that. And, as always, the little order form said "expect your first issue to arrive in 6 to 8 weeks." And my question is, "what the hell is up with that!?!?"
The whole thing is automated! I paid with a credit card, and it was approved on the spot. I filled out my mailing address correctly in the little boxes. There is no need for any human to do anything that could possibly take 2 months! If Amazon.com can get me a book in 3 days, why can't The Advocate get me my first issue that fast? It's just a matter of the computer printing an extra label with my name and address on it. THAT'S IT!!
The company has certainly had no problem sending me junk mail using the address I gave them. They certainly had no problem depositing my subscription fee into their bank account where they've started collecting interest on it. SEND ME MY FUCKING MAGAZINE, BITCHES!!!
posted by Matt at 4:35 AM
20 Comments:
Bastards. I had the same issues with them a few years back. I dropped them finally and got my cash back.
;-) Nate.
My guess would be it might have something to do with the fact that the number of issues that they need to print needs to be adjusted for new subscriptions, expiring subscriptions, etc, and they have to be able to put in the next order with their printers in order to make the adjustment. I don't know what the production cycle of a magazine cycle is, but I'm guessing that probably can't print new ones up on demand.
I don't know all this for sure, I'm just guessing. My partner has worked for a newspaper all through college, and I know they can't just adjust the number of papers they want on a few day's notice, but maybe that's a different situation.
Matt,
There's a copy on my nightstand if you'd like to read it (looks up innocently)
You're totally right, Matt. And the publishing industry wonders why everybody is reading everything online these days...
Yeah, as if there were more than "10 percent" of the population subscribing to this magazine? lol
I don't get your point, dit. What do you mean?
10% is supposedly gay
Yes, supposedly 10 percent of the population is gay. I have no idea what the ones who came up with this figure are basing it on. But that is what "They" say.
also the reasoning behind 10percent.com
The Advocate is a worthless piece of shit. Save your money. They are a so-called homo magazine but what it really is can best be described as mainstream sellouts.
It is nervewracking. I work on a catalog with a huge circulation, and to print the summer catalog we need to shoot in December and January... to accomodate the print runs. As another commenter suggested that it's the slow turn around for the printers I bet. Doesn't make it feel better.
On another note.. why do mags include, like, 10 subscription cards with every issue? Do they really hope we'll subscribe 10 times to the same pub? It's nuts... and a massive waste of paper.
I find the Advocate and OUT not really essential, sometimes OK but do we really need to know whether pube-dressing is "In" or "Out".
The absolute best gay publication is "The Gay and Lesbian Review"
www.glreview.com
It's serious reading but has a ton of both historic and artistic stuff, by great writers like Andrew Holleran. Modelled on the New York Review of Books which is also great. Check out glreview.com for a preview.
It's not just the Advocate. It is a magazine "thing". I have worked for a major internet magazine subscription agent for years Just about all magazines require 6-8 weeks for the first issue. The publisher has to know how many issues will be mailed next month to set the "rate base" for advertsing (the more issues the more they can charge). Be thankful it is only 6 weeks some titles can take up to 12 weeks.
The reason it takes so long is that the magazine has to account for it's printing orders far in advance. Once your information is put in their system it still takes time for the printing orders to be changed.
I don't know anything about magazine publishing but I know Danny looks hot as hell in that pic. :-)
The cover reads: "Danny the LATEST gay roommate on MTV's The Real World..."
Last time I checked Danny's season was like 5 years ago. There have been PLENTY gay dudes on the Real World since.
They're making it seem like he JUST came out...
10 percent refers to people who admit to having a homosexual experience. some of those people are gay, some are bi, and some are straight.
no one really knows what portion of the population is gay, mostly because in many parts of the world people are still closeted.
No, no. I understood the 10% reference. I just don't understand what dit's comment had to do with Matt's post.
Why would the fact that only 10% or less of the population subscribes to this magazine have any effect on how fast it arrives in Matt's mailbox?
BTW, dit, if that's your picture, you're hot.
I'm thinking this is an older magazine cover, placed here because of Matt's attraction to Real World Danny. I have always thought it was funny that Danny was presented as this innocent relationship bound person who was totally true to his military boyfriend. I moved to New Orleans just before they filmed this show. Danny wasn't so innocent and MTV cut a lot of what would have painted that picture...
Well I would try not to get to upset about it. There's probably a really good reason why it takes that long. If you really wanted to know you could always contacted their customer support service.
This is just classic I Love it!
Horsey told me about your blog, and I think i will befinately have to take the time to read more.
Move over Seinfield ;)
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