YOU MAY NOT GET WHAT YOU WANT!!

I know that many people have had problems with magazine subscriptions and particualarly with Bauer and T&S so I thought I would let you know of my issues with Bauer Publishing.
My wife got me the subscription to T&S for Christmas because of the free gift "airflo tactical spey" - my parents bought me the tips to go with the line.
My wife took the subscription in November 2009 - she was promised a gift card (as the sub was a present) and the free gift to be delivered within 28 days. As neither arrived, she e-mailed on 3 seperate occasions and then phoned.
At no point was my wife told:
a. that the free gift was limited availability (or out of stock)
b. that she would not get the free gift
c. that the free gift would be substituted
d. that it would take over 3 months to send anything at all!!

Eventually at the beginning of Feb a standard Airflo spey line arrived in a jiffy bag with a piece of A4 with a small message saying "heres your gift, thanks for your subscription".
Since that date the war of words has continued (I was going to say raged but it takes them 1 month to respond each time!!).
The latest e-mail says
"I can advise all gifts are subject to availability and are of limited stock, if all our stocks are exhausted we will send an alternate gift which is non negotiable"

No where in the advertisment or in the order confirmation is this stated.

Therefore the communication continues. It has become a matter of principle for me now and I WILL NOT let go!

These companies forget that people often take out the subscription in order to get that particular free gift. I had a similiar experience with them last year when I took out a subscription because it offered a particular free line I ended up having to chase for a couple of months to get the gift, then got something different like a fly box which I didnt want or need.

When I took out my subscription the time before last I ended up with 3 pairs of thigh waders. The original pair were the wrong size so I sent them back. Then over the next 2 months 3 pairs came two in size 10 and one in a size 11. It seems that the service hasn't improved although I couldn't complain after getting 2 extra pairs and it means I always got spare pairs for my friends who like to fish occasionally.


David