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The desperation of NYTimes

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Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#221

Post by dangus »

mynameisvlad wrote: post #178
dangus wrote: post #48

Not sure what the author is bitching about. They’re a one-time series of email messages over 14 days. They are transactional emails. Maybe the author doesn’t agree with that but they’re welcome to take NYT to court over it. Is their email provider charging you per email or something?

What is transactional about a daily message for 14 days? Especially when you haven't made a transaction to trigger said message?

They clearly fit within the definition of transactional.

They are part of the transaction and they are not an ongoing marketing mailing list. They end completely after 14 days.

The author described them as "marketing" but did not disclose the content in any way.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#222

Post by kmoser »

somewhatgoated wrote: post #210
kmoser wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If a company does something you approve of [...] and something else you disapprove of [...], is there a good way to signal both as a consumer? I'm a fan of writing actual paper letters, which are (marginally) harder to ignore than emails, and (at least I like to think) carry a bit more moral authority, since I'm making the effort to print and (pay to) send them. In my letter I make it clear what I like they're doin…

You know I spent a lot of my professional work life on the receiving end of these messages and if I had even one ounce of power to change anything for the better I would have. In the beginning I would still compile user complaints into write ups for my managers à la “hey these 50 people hate that we do X, maybe we could do Y and win back their gratitude/trust” - but I soon realised that’s just a waste of my lifetime,…

The flipside of companies not caring is that sometimes they tend to throw you a bone in the form of something they can control, like a free month of service, or a coupon for a free/discounted widget.

Even if the faulty product/service never changes, writing those letters can result in savings of hundreds of dollars a year if done right.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#223

Post by couchdb_ouchdb »

epistasis wrote: post #3

NYTimes is predatory on subscriptions. Over my long lifetime I've subscribed twice, and regretted it both times with intensity. Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation , is a toxic place. I've been told they have stopped this predatory practice due to some newly passed laws or something, but they…

Respectfully disagree that it's toxic or predatory. Very easy to cancel via chat as well. New York times is an incredible jewel of a company. I am fine with some marketing tactics that aren't incredibly heavy handed. They are far far far from unethical.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#224

Post by rdslw »

dieselgate wrote: post #10
epistasis wrote: post #3

NYTimes is predatory on subscriptions. Over my long lifetime I've subscribed twice, and regretted it both times with intensity. Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation , is a toxic place. I've been told they have stopped this predatory practice due to some newly passed laws or something, but they…

I respect your opinion but am grateful for and find tremendous value in my NYT subscription. I share it with my SO and read their articles constantly. Prior to getting a subscription I was a "turn js off" kind of person - which is fine I suppose and still do it for other sites. I do not maintain any streaming or other subscriptions outside of Deezer (and a Garmin GPS FWIW). I would like a Bloomberg subscription but t…

If my polite neighbour smiles, holds the door, but also pisses on my doormat every few days, I call him LOUD a jerk and tell him to stop. I never approve the piss because he said good morning.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#225

Post by wombat-man »

epistasis wrote: post #108
mikestew wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours That hasn't been true for, what, almost ten years? When I cancelled three months ago, it was about three or four clicks through the beg screens, and done. No, I don't live in CA.

I live in California, cancelled about five years ago, and they forced me to talk to a person who demanded a reason for my cancellation, and then argued with me about wanting to cancel. Do not subscribe to the NYTimes. Use your library card, if one must read it, and unfortunately as the undeserved "paper of record" one must often read it to be kept aware of what others are being fed. There's no baby here to throw out…

I cancelled last week and it was all on the web, pretty easy.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#226

Post by wombat-man »

krior wrote: post #209
devindotcom wrote: post #15

It's not just them. Yeah, this is bad, but I get tons of unsolicited messages from any company I establish a basic relationship with. Every interaction I have with a store or site signs me up for some promotional thing, which I unsubscribe from immediately, only to find it's one of 4 different lists I was added to. Then 6 months later I receive some stupid new thing as they try to drum up engagement. One that particu…

Just don't check the box with "I do want promotions". It sometimes is a little hard to find but I don't think I have encountered a service where this does not exist.

I never check it, and still get these.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#227

Post by queenkjuul »

HDThoreaun wrote: post #176
queenkjuul wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I won't even read the NYT lol let alone pay for it. Iraq war: not even once.

If you only read news from companies against the iraq war your options consist pretty much solely of companies that didnt exist on 9/11.

If that's what it takes

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#228

Post by johnvanommen »

epistasis wrote: post #3

NYTimes is predatory on subscriptions. Over my long lifetime I've subscribed twice, and regretted it both times with intensity. Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation , is a toxic place. I've been told they have stopped this predatory practice due to some newly passed laws or something, but they…

> Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation

I moved into a new home. I kept the old one for a few weeks extra. Needed time to move out.

I signed up for CenturyLink at my new home.

After six weeks, I tried to turn off internet at my old house.

* I can’t.

* CenturyLink wouldn’t let me cancel, without waiting on hold for an hour or more

* I work overnight

* CenturyLink is open when I’m asleep

So I’m paying for two plans with the same company. Thanks CenturyLink.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#229

Post by duckmysick »

dieselgate wrote: post #10
epistasis wrote: post #3

NYTimes is predatory on subscriptions. Over my long lifetime I've subscribed twice, and regretted it both times with intensity. Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation , is a toxic place. I've been told they have stopped this predatory practice due to some newly passed laws or something, but they…

I respect your opinion but am grateful for and find tremendous value in my NYT subscription. I share it with my SO and read their articles constantly. Prior to getting a subscription I was a "turn js off" kind of person - which is fine I suppose and still do it for other sites. I do not maintain any streaming or other subscriptions outside of Deezer (and a Garmin GPS FWIW). I would like a Bloomberg subscription but t…

If the NYT subscription indeed has a tremendous value, surely it can attract and retain the subscribers without resorting to dark patterns in their products.

Re: The desperation of NYTimes

#230

Post by daveshistory »

johnvanommen wrote: post #228
epistasis wrote: post #3

NYTimes is predatory on subscriptions. Over my long lifetime I've subscribed twice, and regretted it both times with intensity. Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation , is a toxic place. I've been told they have stopped this predatory practice due to some newly passed laws or something, but they…

> Any place that allows easy instantaneous subscription by a simple web form, but makes you call and talk to a person during limited business hours for cancellation I moved into a new home. I kept the old one for a few weeks extra. Needed time to move out. I signed up for CenturyLink at my new home. After six weeks, I tried to turn off internet at my old house. * I can’t. * CenturyLink wouldn’t let me cancel, without…

Certified mail? I know it's old-fashioned but then you could hold their feet to the fire if they kept charging you.
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