Early last month I ordered a years subscription to the Threads Magazine over the internet on the Taunton website - for delivery to me here in the UK.
I know Sharon mentionesd the other week she had got the new January issue of the magazine, but I haven't!!! I emailed Taunton with my order reference number and asked when I would get my first issue - but they haven't replied!
Could someone in the UK tell me whether they have got the January Threads? And would anyone like to comment about the reliability of Taunton, and any suggetsions about how to get them to talk to me? I don't really want to have to pay for a phone call to America.
Thanks (Thread-less and annoyed and wanting to read it!)
Hi Sarah, sorry to hear your subscription is slow, but I seem to remember most mags have a lag time after the mag is ordered--6 to 8 weeks, or something like that. Seems silly, in the computer age. As far as reliability goes, though, I subscribed to Threads for years, and their delivery was almost flawless--a miracle in itself, since issues are sent through the USPostal service. Keep in mind that Christmas approaches, and the system gets clogged with parcels being sent to soldiers in the war zone, as well as an overload of holiday parcels. Threads is well worth the wait, though. I bought every issue I could get my hands on, from previous years, from anyone who was selling their precious hoard. DId you know that Taunton Press, which puts out Threads, also publishes all sorts of excellent how-to books? Woodworking, homebuilding, excellent hands-on how-to. Plus, you can get the leap on your slow-to-come issue by going to the Threads website. You can undoubtedly gripe there, too, but be nice to them--they do put out such good quality publications. NAYY, just another addict. Sheesh, I should be paid for writing copy! Cea
I have my January issue already, arrived a week or more ago, can't remember exactly as I was in the midst of panto costumes (15 chorus-4 pieces each, 12 principals and 3 authentic belly dancers!) and went straight on to another
10 costumes for a charity concert for a local drama group, and now its straight on to Christmas orders for my dressmaking customers and rugs for my equestrian side-line! at some point I have to attempt (gulp) housework to get ready for Christmas visitors, all family. I have received my Threads regularly on subscription since 1995 with no complaints! Liz.
Sarah, I live in Australia and have subscribed to Threads for 5 years ( after the exchange rates made it waay too expensive to buy at the newsagent). I haven't had any problems - prompt replies to emails, a quick response when I accidentally paid twice and I get my copy about 10 days after those stateside.
Eek - I have found it a bit unreliable. I renewed online and I still got loads of mail notices that my subscription was due. Then, I got a note saying my address didn't exist (sent to my correct address, of course...). I contacted Taunton again by email and they re-sent that issue, plus another one they thought I was missing, but I wasn't. It was all quite a faff, but I hope is working smoothly now. This was after I'd already subscribed for a year without a hitch, btw.
It takes them a long time to deal with emails, but yes, the magazine is worth the wait.
Ah! Perhaps that's it Ann - Taunton obviously have something about those of us living in Wales!!! (I'm in extreme North East Wales - only about 5 miles from England).
Many thanks to all for your help, sympathy and suggestions. I have emailed Taunton for a second time now, and am waiting with fingers and toes crossed in the hopes the magazine will turn up or they will respond to my email.
I'm very interested to learn that it can be sourced from Borders bookshops
- I wish I had known before I had ordered it from Taunton in America. Minf you my borders is a good 1/2hr drive from home :(
Just to give you a quick update on my Threads subscription.
I emailed Taunton on Dec 14th asking where my magazine had got to, and finally got a reply today (Dec 20th). The reply says the magazine was shipped at the end of November and to expect it in 4 - 6 weeks!!
At least I now know it is on its way, and should be here in the next 1 - 3 weeks!!! Thank goodness - I was getting real ansty waiting for it.
I did check out my local Borders book store last week while Xmas present shopping. They did have the January Threads in there - but it was over £5!!! Each issue mail ordered from Taunton will cost about £4.
Thanks for all the symapthy and help - and I'll let you all know when it turns up.
I have had disappointing experiences with Taunton. I ordered a book that they publish and it took 8 weeks to get to me (I am in New Zealand). While I was waiting for it, I contacted them and they said it could be up to 12 weeks. I subsequently ordered another book they publish through Amazon and it took 7 days (same postage and packing charge).
Guess where I shall be shopping next?
Daisy.
Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.
Amazon is a distributor and a retailer; Taunton is a publisher, and sells many fewer of their books individually. Also, since Amazon is a massive direct mail merchant, they probably have excellent shipping deals in place that other, smaller companies (and Taunton would be vastly smaller than Amazon, at this point) can't get.
Magazines in this country are shipped a special way, and we're at the mercy of the Postal Service. I wonder if that's the problem in other countries? When I was in the mail order business I hated getting orders from outside the country. I always got burned on the shipping, and the only way I could avoid losing money was to ship in a way that I knew would not delight my customer. It was never a win-win situation, and every time I adjusted my prices the Postal Service would change the rates, again. As a small retailer I had zilch clout with any shipping company, and it was not an ideal situation.
Thank you Karen for your input. I have ordered items from the US - and not always from mail order companies. I have a friend in Chicago who posts me small items on request - but I don't like to ask her too often because it is a hassle! Next year I hope to visiting Chicago, so I will probably get mail-orders sent to her address, and pick them up when I get there!
The postage on the UPS bags that she sends me, and that other companies have used for small items, go by weight. There is a maximum weight on the most commonly-used size bag. I notice that the postage is normally between $US10-11, which is about what the Amazon postage was on a much bulkier item - packed in a box (as Amazon tend to do!)
You may well be right about the larger mail-order companies having contracts with postal services.
However, Taunton Press magazines are available in New Zealand ("Threads" retails at over $20 here and there has been absolutely no reduction in price since our dollar strengthened and the US dollar has weakened. This is probably due to the New Zealand distributor creaming off extra profits.)
However, the postage on the book from Taunton was marginally more than the one I have just received from Amazon and was the same as a parcel of about the same weight I received from my friend in Chicago.
I don't know the answer to this. I have found Amazon very reliable and very very quick. I think I have now come to the end of my sewing book purchasing for the present.
Happy New Year!
Daisy.
Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.
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