Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 37 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 11 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/13/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
A young man at a local Kings Soopers promotional table offered me a free paper and some KS gift cards on September 30, if I signed up and paid $4 (credit card only) for a 3- month Sunday paper only trial delivery; he also said my address qualified for their Wednesday delivery as a free bonus). I received a receipt via e-mail for said amount. So far, so good. I NEVER gave authorization for the credit card to be used again for future billing. My November credit card transaction statement shows the Gazette charged my CC for $6.46 on 11/11 and 11/28 to my surprise (the 3-month trial period has not yet expired). The customer service department would not issue me a refund for either charge; they even said they were to bill me another $6.46 on this very same day (of course I immediately cancelled my subscription); what a scam and fraudulent offer and operation! I also called my credit card company to warn them of any additional charges this company might post against my account. What a disappointment!
Business Response
Date: 12/15/2022
The Gazette wants to apologize for any misunderstanding there may have been. The last 3 payments of $6.46 or a total of $19.38 will be refunded to the credit card used for the original start. Please allow **** days for the refund.Initial Complaint
Date:11/14/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
IN JANUARY 2022 I PAID $155.48 FOR A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE GAZETTE. IN OCTOBER I RECEIVED A BILL FOR AN ADDITIONAL 13 WK. SUBSCRIPTION FOR $38.87, WHICH I PAID WITHOUT REVIEWING MY RECORDS. IN NOVEMBER I RECEIVED ANOTHER BILL FOR $38.87 WHICH I DID NOT PAY. I CALLED ****** AT THE GAZETTE WHO EXPLAINED THAT WITH MY PAYMENT IN OCTOBER, MY NEW EXPIRATION DATE IN JANUARY 22. I DISPUTED THE CHARGE, BECAUSE BASED ON PUBLISHED RATES MY SUBSCRIPTION SHOULD EXTEND 13 WEEKS BEYOND THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN JANUARY 2023. SHE TOLD ME I HAD RECEIVED 4 "SPECIAL EDITIONS" THIS YEAR @$6.99, DEDUCTING FROM THE EXPIRATION OF MY ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THESE "SPECIAL EDITIONS" BUT EXPECT THEY WERE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENTS FROM ******'S DESCRIPTION. THEN SHE EXPLAINED THAT I DID NOT GET 13 WEEKS FOR MY $38.87 PAYMENT BECAUSE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION THE GAZETTE HAS INCREASED MY RATE TO $82.98 FOR 13 WEEKS BECAUSE OF INFLATION. NEWS REPORTS SHOW INFLATION AT 8% AND THIS IS MORE THAN A 100% INCREASE IN THE ***** I FEEL VERY RIPPED OFF!Business Response
Date: 11/14/2022
Thank you for contacting The Gazette about your account. As noted in our Subscription Terms, there are ten holidays and four commemorative editions throughout the year that all non-7 day delivery and 7day-digital subscriptions are charged. This information was also provided when you first signed up for your subscription online or over the phone and in the confirmation email you received when you started your subscription and is also published on page A2 of the print and e-edition (digital replica) of the newspaper.
The cost of the holiday papers and the commemorative editions that have been delivered to you this year have used some of the credit balance on the account causing your expiration date to change.The Gazette does not want to lose you as a subscriber and therefore is willing to lower your subscription rate from $6.36 per week to $4.87 per week. If you would like to continue to subscribe let us know in your response and someone would be glad to call you.
Customer Answer
Date: 11/16/2022
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.
Sincerely,
*********************Initial Complaint
Date:10/27/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
It is rather sad, and concerning, that we have been unable to resolve this issue at a lower level, despite five attempts.In May or June of 2022 we contacted the Gazette to request they discontinue delivering the Tribune to our residence. We had four concerns leading to our request:1. We never requested to receive the Tribune 2. When the paper is delivered while we are out of town and then not picked up it can alert criminals that we may not be home, which can increase the likelihood of our home being burglarized.3. These papers being delivered in our neighborhood often results in them being blown or washed away contributing to litter in our neighborhood, which makes our neighborhood look junkie and can even negatively impact property values.4. As we do not want this paper to be delivered, this is wasteful and harmful to our environment.After initial contact in May or June, we stopped receiving the paper for several months. However, in August, we started receiving it again. I contacted the Gazette 2 times through their website asking them to stop delivering the paper. At this time, I noted that I had a serious leg injury that made it difficult and even potentially harmful for me to walk down to get the paper and throw it away. I never received a response from the Gazette and kept receiving the newspaper. I called it twice asking them to please stop delivering the paper and explained why each time again. Although intermittent, we are still receiving the Tribune (including today) after five attempts to get them to stop delivering it over a 5 month period. I now had another surgery that makes it more difficult for me to have to go down to get the newspaper.This is a really simple request. It should not take ******************* and a BBB complaint to resolve something so simple. It is disrespectful of my time to not honor this simple request. All I'm asking stop delivering something we never requested to begin with.Business Response
Date: 11/01/2022
The Gazette wants to apologize for the delivery of the Tribune. We have contact the field manager for your area along with the Director of Circulation Operations. The Tribune should no longer be delivered to your address. Again, our apologies.Customer Answer
Date: 11/04/2022
Complaint: 18319137
I am rejecting this response because:We are still receiving the newspaper.
Sincerely,
*************************Customer Answer
Date: 11/16/2022
Complaint: 18319137
I am rejecting this response because:We continue to receive the Tribune, including this morning, November 16, 2022. We have now been told over 5 fives that we would stop receiving this and The Tribute has not honored its word. We are at a loss about this. It is a simple request.
Sincerely,
*************************Initial Complaint
Date:08/04/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a trial subscription to the Gazette at a local grocery store. The representative told me that if I did not wish to continue after the trial that I needed to call the Gazette and remove the ** Pay option and tell them that I did not wish to renew. I did this on 05/14/2022. I continued to get the paper so I sent an email on 05/17/2022 to cancel. I continued to get a **** so I called the Gazette again and the gentleman told me that the subscription was cancelled and I had no balance. I have again received a **** for $20.95 and despite calling again today and talking with a supervisor, they are not willing to write off the balance as they said that I did not follow their "proper procedures." ******** the supervisor, told me that their representatives are not authorized to ask if I am calling to cancel the paper. I called and said that I did not wish to renew but because I did not use the word "cancel" so the representative continued my subscription. This is the worse customer service ever. I was advised that they will be turning me over to collections for this $20.00 balance. I will be reaching out to the editor of the paper as well.Business Response
Date: 08/04/2022
After receiving the email from the subscriber today 8/4/22 The Gazette wrote off the balance owed and the account is at a zero balance. This was completed prior to receiving the BBB complaint.
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