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Junior Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/25/2008 7:46:49 PM
Posts: 204,
Visits: 375
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Ikis (1/25/2008)
I am dissapointed in the handleling of this. I got my letter notification today and my options were to chose one of their other magazines. Well, I am not interested in their other magazines... Hello All, this is my first (and possibly last) post since July. - Ikis, you can get a refund, just call them. They DON'T tell you that
- in the form letter. Why offer $$$ if they can get you to take a diff.
- magazine (one you may not want). CORPORATE Mumbo Jumbo!!!
- Corporate Mumbo Jumbo.... Probably the reason the "traffic" here
- dropped!!! Corporate mentality STOPPED this site from supporting
- Ferret Shelters (who actually CARE about ferrets). So instead
- of caring about ferrets and their caretakers, Ferrets Mag will be
- caring about their OWN problems... LESS $$$. Corporate America
- at it's worst!!!
- So don't worry Critters Moderator / Editor, We won't cross-post
- your message. But believe me, MANY other subscribers that don't
- necessarily frequent this site (now, before OR lately) will get their
- form letter and be very dissapointed as well. TOO BAD for US.
-
- Later All, Matt & Kristi (Izzy, Brutus and Sinbad)
- (come visit us at: www.thelazyhammockferretforum.com)
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/25/2008 7:46:49 PM
Posts: 204,
Visits: 375
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- BTW... The phone # IS on the letter. In SMALL black
- type under their address... oh yeah... next to the
- BIG RED type that tells you to make your selection
- and return the entire letter by 2/29 with YOUR OWN
- postage stamp no less.
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/28/2008 4:42:04 PM
Posts: 6,
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| Ah, sorry, I didn't realize the number was actually on the letter. Probably because I already knew about the decision before I read my copy of the letter. I glanced at it and threw it into the 'worry about this later' pile. And about the 'your own stamp' thing, I don't think anyone's really worried about it, I don't think anyone is going to be sending them back....do you? Call in and get your refunds, everyone!
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/25/2008 10:06:19 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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| I too am an unhappy new subsriber. I just paid for two years and do not want a dog, cat, or horse magazine. I prefer to get a refund of my money and feel I was misled. You knew you were shutting down WHILE you were cashing my check. Very bad decision for you and unfortunately none of us have any feasible from of recourse. Unhappy subscriber in Texas
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/27/2008 8:35:43 AM
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Ok .. first off I want to say THANK YOU to you Marylou. You have done a fantastic job as Editor of "Ferrets" Magazine. I always found the magazine interesting and informative and even though I have been owned by ferrets for over 10 years .. I ALWAYS learned something new and interesting with EVERY issue. I am also sure that the new Digital Format is going to be great ... for those that have access to the Internet, but it won't be the same and those that don't have access to it are going to loose out!
BUT ... must also comment on a couple of statements made.
#1 - Perhaps there wasn't the traffic to your your site that you would have liked ... because YOUR magazine was SO GOOD! Not because there wasn't an interest.
#2 - As Kesrael pointed out ... I don't think that moving the Magazine to web format makes much sense if the reason you are doing it is due to the lack of interest in the website. I too feel that the way your decision was handled was wrong and a slap in the face to your loyal subscribers.
#3 - If "Economic factors" is such a big factor .. again I say .. raise the price, NOT do away with it! I would have paid more for it, as I am sure others would have as well verses the alternative.
And as I said before ... I do not have an interest in any of the "other" magazines that you offered as a replacement to my remaining one years subscription, as I do not have a cat, dog, horse or Hobby Farm. A cash refund OR as Weaslemom suggested ... a voucher for future "Ferrets USA" issues would have been more acceptable verses the limited alternatives.
I work in the Pet Industry and I do it so that I can be an advocate for the ferrets sold in Pet Stores. It certainly isn't for the money, LOL. I also work with a local Ferret Rescue Shelter and know how valuable your magazine has been to the Ferret Community.
Do you realize how much your discontinuing "Ferrets Magazine" in PRINT form is going to adversely impact the care that these ferrets are going to get now that people can't "buy" the magazine and don't have internet access to get the wonderful information that is included in them?? If I could learn from them ... IMAGINE how valuable it was to the newbie owners AND the little guys that they just purchased!
As I said in a previous post .. Ferrets are the #3 companion animal in the US today ... with your decision to discontinue publishing, now there will be very little educational material available to those who choose to buy them. Most people that purchase a ferret don't have the knowledge of where to go on the Internet or even access to it for information on how to care for them. But, if they are told about it or just see your magazine on the rack ... they BUY IT and they LEARN! And perhaps one less ferret ends up in an overcrowded shelter or worse ... DEAD!
Also .. as a result of your decision comes the renewed voice of all those that would like to see places like PetSmart and Petco stop selling ferrets. As much as I agree to point with them .. I don't see it happening in the near future. In my opinion ... these people should be going after the mom and pop pet stores first ... where ferrets are are much more abused than in the Big Box stores. A lot of the "little" Mom and Pop Pet Stores care FAR less about the welfare of their animals than any of the Big Box Stores. When was the last time you saw a "SEVERE" biter come from one of the Big Box Pet Store?? Most of the ones we have seen at our Shelter come from the smaller Mom and Pop type stores. SO .. lets stop the Big Box stores from selling them and what does that leave for the Shelters .. all the ones that come from the little stores!
With YOUR decision to stop "Ferrets Magazine" in print form, the last Ferret specific resource of this kind, to NOT have the valuable information between its covers available to the average person that buys a ferret ... I am AFRAID ... VERY VERY AFRAID ... for what is in store for not only the ferrets that are yet to be sold, but for the Ferret Shelters that take them in. Ferrets may be the #3 Companion animal right behind Cats and Dogs ... but they have yet to catch up to cats and dogs when it comes to the resources available to them. Our local Humane Society Shelter has come a long way when it comes to handling the ferrets that they receive, at least they are willing to take them now ... but they still have a ways to go compared to how they are handled and the monies available compared to those available for cats and dogs. This puts an added burden on the "Ferret Specific" Shelters that end up with the ones that the Humane Society doesn't adopt out and will face euthanasia.
Your decision is a SAD DAY indeed for the Ferret Community!
Dianna in MA.
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/29/2008 1:21:44 PM
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| Indeed, Mookie, the impact is going to be felt and mostly by the animals, I'm afraid. I was thinking that it's the subtle influence of the magazine that made the most impact. No doubt there is a subliminal message that the general public is exposed to when they visit a store and see a big cute ferret face right next to a dog or cat magazine. The stores around here, seemed to take care that the ferret mags were right next to the cats and dogs, not mixed in with fish, horses, etc.. It sends a strong message that these are popular, feeling, intelligent animals who are just as important as dogs or cats. Gone were the days when I walked my ferret and stopped to be asked what it was. "What's that? Like a big rat?" "No, it's a ferret." "A what? A parrot?" "No, a feeer-rit" The computer is very close to being mainstream in the home ... a fixture much like the radio or television. But it's not quite there yet. Most importantly, all of those computers in all of those homes aren't really utilized the way they could be. Chats, MySpace, and gaming are the trend with young people. Most people of all ages seem to have a knack of the email system. But I can't tell you how many people lack navigational skills of the web, let alone any research common sense whatsoever. It scares me to think that a person will buy a ferret from a pimply faced kid in a store on an impulse and walk out with no information. Some people will be thoughtful enough to pick up a book, or to go home and research ferrets on the web. But far too many don't know how to get to the better ferret sites that have the proper information. This is where the magazine came in. It was there, right next to the snickers bar in line. Have no extra money for one? Well the wait is long, so why not read a couple of articles. "Hmm, look at that ... they're supposed to run around outside of the cage every day??" Maybe I should take this home ... at least this once. The sad thing, is the way the magazine had such a large impact is not the way a business can be supported. Ya know? A free read in line, a couple issues a year ... is just not going to do it. Not with great books out there and a handy dandy computer at home. We are on the cusp of a huge, huge change. Newspapers were the first to be hit, then the magazine. It's bad enough that you could get the same thing virtually than on paper ... but for prices over the many years to continually rise for that paper on top of it all? Yikes. Sadly, there are only a few magazines next to my beloved snickers bars in the grocery store lines which used to be encompassed by them. They too fell victims to change. Some went online, some raised prices and stopped shipping to stores, and some just threw in the towel. It's tough. The next in line to feel this change are books. Stephen King himself ran into this a while back. His publishers noticed that online books were becoming choice to more expensive hardbacks. Luckily some of that industry has been doing well. They encouraged him to put a book online. I'm sure they heard a resounding "Oh hell no, that's the kiss of death". But he was open minded and gave it a try. Guess what? He about fell over when the money came in and it made more money than four of his more recent books. The music and movie industry .. also teetering on the cusp of this frontier at the same time as feeling the price crunches. As you know, they have unbelievable challenges and obstacles to surmount. Who knows where it is to all lead. I thought this virtual world of cyberspace was to enrich our lives. Not take over and substitute the reality of our lives. Who could have foreseen this? I sure didn't. I didn't think people would ever choose smoke and mirrors over something they could have and hold... but they are.
www.wolfysluv.com
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/7/2008 9:32:37 AM
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I plan to call the office tomorrow, as i have not recieved my Jan/Feb magazine that I paid for and I plan to get my money back from the subscription. After the print does not come out, chances are that i will NOT be visiting nor recommending the site. There are other ways to do things. You have decided to choose a fan based for younger and computer people, what about the poor, the older people and those who want to show and educate the community?????? Maybe someone else will start a printed ferret magazine....
The PACK
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/27/2008 5:10:12 PM
Posts: 84,
Visits: 337
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| I am reallyu disappointed in the magazine going on-line format. The magazine not only covered interesting topics, but pictures and advertisements. I was able to discover new products for my ferrets. I looked forward to going to the pet store to purchase the bi-monthly magazine. With no warning on ending the subscription actually says there is problem with your coorporate structure. All the other information you state can be found on line is a half-truth. Most of the information I was able to tell my vet about came out of the magazine, and I even take my magazine to the vet's office so he could review information found in it. Please reconsider about the magazine, what about the magazine on a DVD/CD-rom for subscribers?
Proud Parents to Sarah, Jasimin, Casper, Taz, Patch, Beuregards, Demon, Scooter, Stripe, Ivan, Calvin, Hobbs, Nikita, Norma, Eistein Junior, Coco, Bonnie, Clyde, Stinker, Grace, China (Forever Toby- Rainbow Bridge Jul 07, Forever Ben Dec 07)
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 3/7/2008 9:32:37 AM
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well i just called as i have not recieved the Jan/Feb issue and the lady on the phone, Rhonda, told me that the magazine (the print version) was not being discontinued, but if it ever did they would send me a letter giving me my options, hello, i read, how do they think i read the damn magazine!!!
The PACK
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/28/2008 4:42:04 PM
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| Now that I've calmed down a little bit, I would like to bring up another point. I wasn't clever enough to come up with this on my own but I agree with it 110%. If you guys were going to allow us to pick other magazines to fulfill our subscriptions, why wasn't the closest thing to Ferrets Mag, Critters, one of the choices? Who picked what we were allowed to have? I mean, I didn't think of it at the time I called for my refund, but if Critters had been one of the choices, I just might have picked that one. Others might have, as well and Bowtie wouldn't have to be refunding all of this money now. Or is Critters going out of print, too? Thanks...
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