Do Not Subscribe to American Vogue

Just off the phone with an operator at American Vogue and I feel ripped off.

Way back in June I received promotional mail from the magazine telling me "to subscribe so that I do not miss out on the upcoming September issue of Vogue." I had previously been a subscriber and had let my subscription lapse at the end of 2008as I had decided it was no longer worth it. Perhaps it was because Hubby was away on a business trip and I was feeling down, but for some strange reason I had a moment of weakness and sent in the promotional card to get a subscription.

Two weeks after sending in the card, I received the July issue. Initially I was surprised because I was under the impression that they would be billing me first and then beginning my subscription with the September issue. Also, I was disappointed because the issue was tinier than the fall LL Bean catalog, not to mention that loathesome (and husband-stealer) actress Sienna Miller was featured on the cover. A few weeks later I received the August issue. I did receive a couple of invoices, but as the summer was busy with activity and a couple of trips I did not get around to sending in the cheque until the end of August.

I kept waiting for the September issue to arrive, but it never did, and as the October issue is now on newsstands I finally phoned Vogue. It appears that they did cash my cheque on August 31, but "it takes 4-6 weeks to process the cheque"! So, they stopped the subscription, received my payment, but won't re-instate the subscription for 4-6 weeks, which is the October issue. Basically they have my money for a month before they will do anything.

I cancelled the subscription and asked for a refund as the ONLY reason I subscribed to Vogue was to receive the September issue. The reason I feel ripped off is because by adding my name as a subscriber in June they are 'padding' their number/list of subscribers that is used to sell advertising space in the fall issues. More subscribers means Vogue can command more money for advertising and lure more companies to advertise in the magazine.

That is it for American Vogue; I will not buy another issue. Now, I haven't given up on French Vogue (follow on Twitter: FashionWeekLive), or British Vogue, but they are difficult to locate on newsstands in silicon valley.