The Spectator Reviews 

Took out a subscription with whisky thrown in - the bottle did not arrive - emailed customer services - they told me they'd look into it - heard no more, then, a week or so later said whisky arrived... one star off because I had to chase it up - otherwise? A cracking offer & thoroughly enjoyed.

Frozen out with 3 weeks of my subscription left. Moral: don’t cancel a subscription until the day before the funds are taken.

Terrible customer service. Signed up for a free three months trial and was immediately charged almost £40 to my credit card. When I queried it I was told that as I had previously had a subscription I would be charged. However, the leaflet explaining the offer said nothing about the offer not being available to previous subscribers. The webpage when I signed up clearly explained the offer and it too had nothing about it not being available to previous subscribers. Clicked to order the subscription and immediately £39.99 was charged to my credit card. Try to get a refund and it was like pulling teeth.

Great magazine. Incompetent, totally appalling customer service.

I signed up for 12 weeks free subscription which included a £20 Amazon gift card. I didn't expect to receive the gift card until after the free trial had finished and I had paid my first subscription.

After paying my first subscription I waited for the gift card but nothing came. I contacted Customer Services and was told that they would investigate but more than a month later I had heard nothing and asked for an update.

I was then told that the gift card email had been sent and opened so there was nothing they could do despite me not receiving it. They also said it was now too late to do anything.

I will not be continuing with my subscription for the next quarter.

I had months of excellent feedback twice daily by email- then suddenly stopped. 3 phone calls, apologies- technical department will sort it immediately- didn't happen x 3! I cancelled and notified them why. They have robbed me of three further payments before finally cancellation agreed. I keep getting offers of free month if I renew. No Way!!! Do their excellent lead writers know? Couldn't one of them spotlight this extortion in an article???

At all costs void the 'Hotel California' style special subscription offers - you won't find it so easy to get out as in. A second sub was extracted from my visa account when I tried to cancel, and I had to battle against a third being taken when again I'd given well over a month's notice of wishing to quit. Given the skew towards a 'more mature in years' Spectator readership, the way the sub offers are handled left a nasty taste. Never again.
Also, if this magazine were a restaurant meal it would be five courses of candyfloss. A bite or two may be amusing but ultimately it's not nourishing and even sickening if you persist. After two (the last one unwilling) successive subscriptions, I found that there was usually only one, maybe two, articles or cartoons in each issue that were worth the time and trouble.

Spectator content is extremely good. Since renewing my subscription I've received the print edition on time. But am having trouble with the new app which won't always open on my android devices. What was the matter with the old app ??
Looking at all the negative comments I suspect a campaign by the usual suspects against a right of centre journal.

I started a trial subscription a few weeks ago and intended to keep it once the trial period was over. However, I did not receive the first print edition until I asked them to send me a replacement. The second edition came more then a week later after the third edition was already out. Will I get the third one by the time the fourth will be in print? I don't know! Either way their print subscription is awful. Shame really, because the content is good.

As there are so many complaining about the print subscription I have to think they intentionally try to keep people away from print and steer them to the digital subscriptions.

Appalling experience with these people. Trying to cancel a subscription online is virtually impossible as you are sent around in circles answering the same account login details but with a ‘dead’ link to the cancellation page. They accept NO responsibility for this and refuse to reimburse any subs paid in the meantime. Avoid at all costs.

Spectator's customer care is very poor. We were double charged. Only partial reversal has been processed. We are still trying to receive the final refund of $3.71 which we have been trying to finalise since last year November 2020. Sent numerous emails, but not reply. Sad.

Truly awful, Biased and loaded with adverts, also I received a free trial for 13 issues, I only received 3 of them, totally unreliable delivery system, used to be with THE WEEK magazine and delivery was always on time and during the lockdown, so the spectator magazine cannot blame the royal mail. yes they give you a free trial, as long as you don't wish to receive the magazine offered.

Actually, my recent experienc was a big, fat 0. I am astonished that The Spectator should behave as it does towards Subscribers. Am heartened to find others with similar experience!
I complained by e-mail, then phone this morning, having found that my bank account was debited for £9.99 yesterday 17th Feb. Then I find that same amounts were taken out in Dec. 2020 and Jan 2021, despite my cancellation of free Subscription on 21st Nov. 2020 after accessing one free article the same day-I have confirmation of this in my e-mail account.
I am furious! On phone I was told I could not talk to a Manager to resolve this! Extraordinary, terrible Customer Service (although I don't blame the operator) -I am determined to get a refund and apology.

Lied about what gift I would recieve. Didn't recieve any. I have cancelled

Jack

Fortunately I did not take out a subscription but signed up to emails and updates. The material that I read in these emails really put me off. Disparaging of any opinion but their own, in an often sneering way. Intended to be witty. I read a wide range ofnews sources online, from the left, centre and right, but not this one.

It doesn't matter how good your journalists are if you hold your subscribers in such contempt your views will fall on deaf ears.
Check out the terms you have negotiated with your third parties Andrew Neil et al, I think you will find they are holding you back

I signed up for a month free of The Spectator Magazine with various freebies included. Within a few hours decided that I did not want the subscription and called the Magazine. I was told that it would take 48 hours for my details to show up and I would have to call back - so I emailed - twice. Finally I got a response and I quote -

"Your cancellation will come into effect with the end of your current subscription term. We’re sorry but unless the circumstances are exceptional, we will not issue any refund for unfulfilled issues.

In addition, please be advised that you are currently subscribed to a quarterly Print + Digital subscription at a cost of £12.00. Auto-renewing at £39.99 for every 13 weeks thereafter."

I have never received anything, called to cancel within 2 hours and cannot cancel - and cannot stop them taking money.

HELP - this is crazy - trapped in Spectator madness with no help and money being charged !!

I never consented to receive marketing emails, the opt out button doesn't work and I constantly receive multiple emails a day. STOP SPAMMING ME