View Camera magazine problems

[Sevo]

You have to weigh the value of the product to you vs the risk of not receiving a copy. Having invested in magazines during the 80s and 90s, the print run being by far the largest direct cost by percent,

Well, being in charge of a low volume publication, I can tell you the actual printing per copy usually is negligible compared to set-up cost. I've never encountered anybody with issues being short on copies - the common issue is the other way around, free/discounted copies overflowing (and damaging) the full price subscriber's market because it is so cheap to print a extra 500 for the archives. Which tempt to sell them through some supposedly discreet channel whenever the need for a few quick bucks arises - sooner or later pissing off and losing part of the subscriber base as you can't hide such a sell-out in the Internet era.

[John Kasaian]

I had to give up my subscription when i got "downsized." Any photo bucks, if there are any at all, go into film, paper and chemicals. But one really nice thing about View Camera is if you've got enough back issues, you can reread the the oldest issue and pretend it's the latest issue. Its all good stuff!

[amac212]

i would suggest sending him a letter, return receipt requested with a bill for the magazines you had to purchase yourself, or
with the suggestion of adding however many issues were never delivered and you had to purchase them yourself, to the tail end of your subscription.

YES. YES. and YES.

If you're a business accepting money in exchange for goods and services. The onus is on the business to make good on that exchange. Not you to foot the bill.

I hesitantly stopped my subscription several years ago. In the last year that I subscribed, the only way I received an issue was by calling at the end of (every other) month inquiring where the heck was my issue. The response was consistently unphased, unapologetic, 'oh okay, we'll send one out - we've just been really behind'.

I must admit however that if they allowed US residents to opt for the digital only, I'd jump back in.

[jnantz]

YES. YES. and YES.

If you're a business accepting money in exchange for goods and services. The onus is on the business to make good on that exchange. Not you to foot the bill.

I hesitantly stopped my subscription several years ago. In the last year that I subscribed, the only way I received an issue was by calling at the end of (every other) month inquiring where the heck was my issue. The response was consistently unphased, unapologetic, 'oh okay, we'll send one out - we've just been really behind'.

it always surprises me that people put up with this sort of stuff ...
... at least something is being published ?

[rich815]

I subscribed a year or so ago. Got my first issue then nothing for 6+ months. Contacted them and another issue was sent. Think I got one more after that at some point. Nothing since. Will not be renewing. Shame.

[john borrelli]

In the past, I subscribed to this magazine for about five years I enjoyed the issues I received. I particularly enjoyed reading articles by LF photographers who at that time actively participated in this forum, it made reading the magazine special. However, if I told readers of this forum about the number of issues I did not receive and the machinations I had to go through to get those issues, the average reader of this forum would be shocked.

[BrianShaw]

However, if I told readers of this forum about the number of issues I did not receive and the machinations I had to go through to get those issues, the average reader of this forum would be shocked.

I don't encourage you to do that... but, no, they wouldn't be shocked.

[QT Luong]

I received the following from Steve Simmons

> 8x10 Masterview For the second time within a year (2012) I failed to receive my View Camera magazine. I missed the March/April issue and now the September/October issue. Upon contacting Steve Simmons about the March/April issue he didn't have any back issues available. I had to buy a used copy from the forum. I e-mailed him about a week ago regarding the September/October issue and tried calling him on both Monday and Tuesday. No answer in either case and I couldn't leave a message as his recorder was full. I'm not pointing any fingers at anyone, not just yet, as someone else might be responsible but not sure how to proceed. Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated. http://www.largeformatphotography.in...s/confused.png

You waited almost 6 months to tell us you did not get the March/April 2012 issue. We always have extra copies printed, primarily for new subscribers who join so we can send them a copy right away rather than have them wait 2 months or so for the next issue. If you had contacted us in 2-4 months we would have had a copy for you. Regarding no Sept/Oct issue, we have not heard from you. Our phone and e-mail system operate just fine. I have gone back through our e-mails and could not find one from someone missing the Sept/Oct 2012 issue. I apologize for not remembering your name but you don’t use it here, instead you use a ‘handle’ which makes it impossible to know who you are.


> Bill Kumpf I missed the last two issues due to a renewal mix up. I missed the renewal notice. My initial contact was by e-mail to verify subscription dates, etc. I did phone in my credit card number and Steve sent both issues. I have excellent response from View Camera magazine.

Thank you


> pdmoylan With so many complaints about this publisher, one has to question whether it is management who can't handle a proper "list" issue to issue, or (and perhaps more likely), the company has reduced the print run to save costs, increase profit, and thereby short a few random subscribers.

This comment is absurd. We always have extra copies printed. We can’t control every postal delivery person. Every publisher I have spoken with in the 26 years I have done View Camera has frustrations with the USPS. If you miss an issue and contact us within 2-4 months we will send you another one.


> rich815 I subscribed a year or so ago. Got my first issue then nothing for 6+ months. Contacted them and another issue was sent. Think I got one more after that at some point. Nothing since. Will not be renewing. Shame.

Who are you? If we owe you copies we will be happy to send them. We have extra copies of all 2012 issues except March/April.


Our phone and voice mail system work just fine. We get calls all day long, and if we miss a call we check our messages and call back. Our e-mail system works just fine. Send an e-mail to amiles@viewcamera.com. Our phone is 505-899-8054

[Light Guru]

I received the following from Steve Simmons

> 8x10 Masterview For the second time within a year (2012) I failed to receive my View Camera magazine. I missed the March/April issue and now the September/October issue. Upon contacting Steve Simmons about the March/April issue he didn't have any back issues available. I had to buy a used copy from the forum. I e-mailed him about a week ago regarding the September/October issue and tried calling him on both Monday and Tuesday. No answer in either case and I couldn't leave a message as his recorder was full. I'm not pointing any fingers at anyone, not just yet, as someone else might be responsible but not sure how to proceed. Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated. http://www.largeformatphotography.in...s/confused.png

You waited almost 6 months to tell us you did not get the March/April 2012 issue. We always have extra copies printed, primarily for new subscribers who join so we can send them a copy right away rather than have them wait 2 months or so for the next issue. If you had contacted us in 2-4 months we would have had a copy for you. Regarding no Sept/Oct issue, we have not heard from you. Our phone and e-mail system operate just fine. I have gone back through our e-mails and could not find one from someone missing the Sept/Oct 2012 issue. I apologize for not remembering your name but you don’t use it here, instead you use a ‘handle’ which makes it impossible to know who you are.


> Bill Kumpf I missed the last two issues due to a renewal mix up. I missed the renewal notice. My initial contact was by e-mail to verify subscription dates, etc. I did phone in my credit card number and Steve sent both issues. I have excellent response from View Camera magazine.

Thank you


> pdmoylan With so many complaints about this publisher, one has to question whether it is management who can't handle a proper "list" issue to issue, or (and perhaps more likely), the company has reduced the print run to save costs, increase profit, and thereby short a few random subscribers.

This comment is absurd. We always have extra copies printed. We can’t control every postal delivery person. Every publisher I have spoken with in the 26 years I have done View Camera has frustrations with the USPS. If you miss an issue and contact us within 2-4 months we will send you another one.


> rich815 I subscribed a year or so ago. Got my first issue then nothing for 6+ months. Contacted them and another issue was sent. Think I got one more after that at some point. Nothing since. Will not be renewing. Shame.

Who are you? If we owe you copies we will be happy to send them. We have extra copies of all 2012 issues except March/April.


Our phone and voice mail system work just fine. We get calls all day long, and if we miss a call we check our messages and call back. Our e-mail system works just fine. Send an e-mail to amiles@viewcamera.com. Our phone is 505-899-8054

What a classy business guy basically insulting his customers and blatantly calling their claims absurd. Don't call your customers liars just apologize for the inconvenience and make it right. His reply really makes me laugh as it truly shows that the guy has no clue how to run a business.

[ImSoNegative]

someone got me a subscription last year, great magazine, i wish it was monthly, i never had any problem getting my issues, as far as steve simmons goes, i really liked his book using the view camera