Complain About Good Housekeeping Magazine - learn how to file a complaint

Good luck getting a quick answer. It feels like sending a message into a black hole.

• Call early in the morning, right when their lines open.
• Have your account number ready. It's on the magazine's mailing label.
• State your desired outcome clearly: "I want to cancel and receive a refund for the unauthorized charge."
• Use the specific phrase "cancel automatic renewal" and ask for a confirmation number.

If customer service is giving you the runaround, your best move is to escalate externally. The most effective place for this is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Go to the BBB website and file a complaint against their publisher, Hearst Communications, Inc. You'll outline your issue, what you've done to resolve it, and what you want. Filing with the BBB works, but be patient. Hearst usually responds, but it might take a couple of weeks. The complaint is public, which gives them a strong incentive to resolve it. Just make sure you tell the BBB you already tried contacting the company first, as they'll ask.

Subject: Urgent: Unresolved Subscription Issue - Account #[Your Account Number]

I am writing again to resolve a persistent issue with my subscription.

On [Date], I was charged [$Amount] for a renewal I did not authorize. This is despite my previous attempts to ensure auto-renewal was turned off. Honestly, the amount of time I've had to spend chasing this is incredibly frustrating.

To resolve this, I require an immediate cancellation of the subscription and a full refund of the [$Amount] charge.

If I do not receive confirmation of the cancellation and refund within 5 business days, my next step will be to file a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau and dispute the charge with my credit card provider.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

[Your Name]

• When you call and successfully cancel, always ask for a confirmation number and the name of the representative. Write it down.
• Follow up a phone call with a quick email summarizing what was agreed upon. This creates a paper trail they can't ignore.
• Check your credit card statements like a hawk for a few months after you cancel. A common complaint on BBB is that they "accidentally" re-bill people.
• One user on a forum said they only got a refund after telling the representative they would report the charge as fraudulent to their bank. This should be your last resort, but it can work.

Tired of trying to navigate Good Housekeeping's customer service maze just to cancel a magazine you never read? Sound familiar? It's a common headache. Pine AI handles it for you. No more waiting on hold or sending emails that get ignored. We deal with the back-and-forth so you don't have to. No joke. Let us take care of it.