Opinions sought: Dandy subscription problems

[AndyB]

Yep. My Dandy arrived today. I would have been on the phone complaining this morning if I'd remembered, because I'm fed up.

There is no acceptable reason why the Dandy should take seven working days to get from wherever TNT collect it from to my door.

Especially when they collect it at the same time as the Beano. The Royal Mail wouldn't do this.

[Peter Gray]

My Dandy was also late...

[Lew Stringer]

My copy only arrived today unfortunately, several days after it was posted.

Subscriptions are still a great way to save the reader some money, but the other incentive, that readers receive copies before the shops, is badly being let down by the postal service.

lew That sounds like something you cou incorporate into a future story line you could put in postman prat if you ever do more,just as a ever so slight dig at the subs dept or post office

It's not the fault of the subscription dept. On the occasion I phoned them they were very helpful and as annoyed as the customers as to the delays.

[desne]

Lew's right, the subscription people have always been really helpful and cooperative on the numerous occasions I've brought this to their attention. I just think they're completely at a loss as to what to do. So far they've tried tracking the mail and sending it in a plain wrapper (in case the appearance of the comic was proving too tempting for the carriers!), but neither has worked. That said, DC Thomson must be able to do something about this. If TNT are the problem, they should be warned that the situation is unacceptable particularly, I think, where kids are involved. It's not fair for them to be disappointed week after week when their favourite comic appears in the shops long before it arrives at their homes. As for our personal situation, it's now Friday and still no sign of The Dandy that should have been delivered last Saturday!

[AndyB]

I sent a very strongly worded complaint in on Thursday evening. For now, I have a note back that they still consider the problem to lie with local deliveries.

I'm about to reply that I don't believe that explanation. Knowing what towns Peter and Lew live in, I cannot see how they can push the blame from TNT to the Royal Mail, otherwise we would not have the comics delivered consistently late across the country.

[Peter Gray]

Got new Beano today and no Dandy..

[desne]

Perhaps I'm being naive and don't understand the delivery process (although I do work for a magazine publisher myself and know the absolute stink that would be kicked up if our stuff consistently arrived late), but surely they can do something to force TNT to do their jobs properly? Just threatening to take the contract away should do the trick! And AndyB, you're definitely right – there's no way Royal Mail are at fault. When one of the subscription team sent me a replacement Dandy last week in a plain wrapper (that is, I believe, posted it herself rather than put it through the usual subscriptions delivery process), it arrived in 24 hours – as opposed to the sub copy, that was apparently sent on Thursday 23 February and arrived here on Friday 2 March! It is so clear that TNT are responsible, and if they can deliver The Beano in 48 hours I don't know why they can't do it for the other comics. For the record, no Dandy or BeanoMax yesterday, but as ever The Beano itself arrived on time…

[Digifiend]

I don't get it. Beano and Dandy both come out on the same day, so wouldn't you expect to get subscription copies together, on the same day? How can one arrive on time, and the other be so late, that it's quicker to buy it from the shop?

[AndyB]

As I understand it, TNT deliver to the local delivery office according to the Mailsort codes, and Royal Mail take it from there. Once it reaches the local delivery office, I think it ought to be next day, but I could be wrong.

[desne]

Thanks AndyB, I wasn't aware of that… but it just makes me more confused than ever. I don't see what Royal Mail would have to gain by receiving The Beano, Dandy and Beanomax all on a Friday but only delivering one on a Saturday and keeping the rest back for up to a week – but then, I can't imagine why TNT would do that either. I'm almost convinced that while The Beano is picked up from DCT on time, the others aren't – it's the only explanation I can think of that makes sense, but if this is the case, surely those investigating this at DCT would have realised it? I'm getting quite obsessed with this as apart from being damned annoying, it's a mystery that seems to get more and more confusing every day!

[desne]

Well – cautious optimism time – but it seems complaining may have done the trick on this occasion. I've just received this email from a bigwig in the DCT subs department:

'I had hoped that our previous investigations via Royal Mail, and our tracking of your deliveries had resolved your delivery problem, however this appears not to be the case. I have now instructed that all future issues of The Dandy be mailed directly via Royal Mail on Wednesdays. This will unfortunately not take effect until issue dated March 31st (mailed on March 22nd) as carriers are pre-printed 3-4 weeks in advance.'

I've sought clarification and that does mean all subscribers apparently, not just us. (I just hope it doesn't mean a price hike.) So fingers crossed that from the issue due two weeks on Saturday, this extreme lateness will be a thing of the past. As I said, I'm only cautiously optimistic, though! If the problem persists, then we'll have to apologise to TNT…
Do report back on how it works for you!
Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to post in this topic – it's been greatly appreciated. I did ask the powers that be at DCT to please read the thread, so maybe it may just have swung the balance in getting this sorted.

[Digifiend]

Good thinking. If they read this thread, they'll have realised that it's not just individual complainers, and that it's a widespread problem. Sounds like they got the message.

[Peter Gray]

Got my Dandy today so not quite so late this time..

[AndyB]

I got my Dandy today, but still waiting for the Beano and Beano Max...!

[desne]

Ironically, our Beano arrived on Saturday (as usual) with Dandy and Beanomax yesterday (Monday). This is the earliest for a month! Fingers crossed the new delivery procedure should make this a thing of the past for us all…