For those of you who subscribe to The Wall Street Journal

[Kuhndan]

My Wall Street Journal came up for renewal. They called and pushed to renew for $910 for two years. I said that seemed like a lot compared to my renewal last year. They then said they would renew it for one year at $505. I said that seem even worse. I shared with her that my administrative assistant had just renewed a co-workers subscription in March for $365. She somehow tried to justify the difference in that my co-worker was on an "incentive rate" and since I had been a 20 year subscriber I didn't qualify for an incentive. After much back and forth, I told her to cancel my subscription....to which she responded she would renew it for one year at $325. What a business model. 

[NormR]

My Wall Street Journal came up for renewal. They called and pushed to renew for $910 for two years. I said that seemed like a lot compared to my renewal last year. They then said they would renew it for one year at $505. I said that seem even worse. I shared with her that my administrative assistant had just renewed a co-workers subscription in March for $365. She somehow tried to justify the difference in that my co-worker was on an "incentive rate" and since I had been a 20 year subscriber I didn't qualify for an incentive. After much back and forth, I told her to cancel my subscription....to which she responded she would renew it for one year at $325. What a business model.

 

Very common with papers / magazines / phone / other subscriptions.  The best prices go to those who are only marginally attached to their subscriptions.  The worst to loyal customers.  Drives me bonkers.

 

 

[Gamecock-YT]

Just google the title of the articles they have behind they pay wall. $0

[mcliu]

I guess that makes sense since the loyal customers obviously have higher marginal utility through their subscription.

[Guest wellmont]

with the abundance of information online these days I doubt I would pay $50 a year for access to wsj. many of the articles you can get by "finding the way in".

[fareastwarriors]

Let it lapse a little, they will then dangle low prices to get you back on.

[west]

Are you on some sort of professional subscription? $910 seems *incredibly* high compared to the subscription rates I've seen.

 

Maybe worth a look:

 

http://online.wsj.com/community/groups/general-forum/topics/logic-how-wsj-prices-subscription

[Kiltacular]

Let it lapse a little, they will then dangle low prices to get you back on.

 

That's the way to go.  Or, just do a little back and forth and then say: "Cancel it" -- they'll give you their best offer.

 

If it isn't that good, you can just call back and re-subscribe.

 

I recently cancelled a magazine subscription after a "misunderstanding".  They went from demanding $50 to offering me the sub. for $5.  This is a very well known publication.

 

One thing that seems to be happening is that these guys are really willing to deal because the number of subscribers is so valuable when they sell their advertising and in the digital age, they just don't know from where, or whether, they're going to get additional print subscribers. 

 

We're "dying" off.

[ageofsocrates]

Personally think the wsj is a great magazine. Probably need to retune the method of delivery i.e push for epaper format rather than print...

[boilermaker75]

We go through the same thing every year with our Comcast subscription. Our rates go up and my wife calls and asks to speak to someone in customer retention. She ends up getting a new customer enticement package every year.

[augustabound]

Just wondering what you get for that?

I read it free everyday online.  As mentioned above any articles I want to read in full I just go through Google's back door.

[rogermunibond]

If online users paid something would we see lower overall subscription prices?  Or would News Corp just pocket the profit.

 

My solution is to pay for the online WSJ, costs less than print and is quite easy to read from an ipad.

[fareastwarriors]

Just wondering what you get for that?

I read it free everyday online.  As mentioned above any articles I want to read in full I just go through Google's back door.

 

 

At some point, it becomes a rather small business expense relative to other things so I justify paying for it...

 

 

 

 

[augustabound]

Just wondering what you get for that?

I read it free everyday online.  As mentioned above any articles I want to read in full I just go through Google's back door.

 

 

At some point, it becomes a rather small business expense relative to other things so I justify paying for it...

 

Gotcha.  I'm an individual investor but I see the draw for the investment business.