Since 12/18/17, our paper has been missing 7 times. I have repeatedly contacted customer service center and been given the same verbal run around. I have been told I would receive a call from the distribution supervisor- still waiting. It's so bad, I have talked to the same CS rep at least 3 times. Today, he informed me that my account was perfectly fine. Well, I guess now I get it, they could care less if they provide the service I am paying for. They really need to get their act together. Subscription is down the content is lacking and they can't even manage to do their job. So, I insisted I speak to a supervisor today, after telling Moses (the Rep) that enough was enough. Got the same verbal run around and wait for it - a free week of the paper! I told him not to insult me and just do your job and get our paper to us like you are supposed to do! read more

I'm a bit embarrassed for not mentioning Bill Mayr. So, Bill Mayr, Bill Mayr, Bill Mayr. He's one hell of an arts writer.

Schoedinger Worthington sent all the information in for my husband's obituary to be published on Monday. Received confirmation. Cost $500. It wasn't in the paper! Many elderly relatives do not rely on computers but the paper. After all day angry phone calls and email to managers, someone called at 7 pm. Oh so sorry but can't get it in until Wed. That is too late. There is no do over on this Dispatch! read more

Years ago I got the print version of the Dispatch under the Wolfe family. Hated it. But got an offer for the e edition under the new ownership. The paper is available usually around 4 am. Even in Europe, I would wake up and the paper would be there. There is a wide assortment of local, state and national news that should suit all political views. And please, dip your toe in the other side for their view. These are thoughtful people not ranters. The Dispatch has put resources in investigative stories, ECOT, CVS, Columbus School scandal. The last one I knew some things and Bill Bush was spot on in describing the intricacy. Don't miss Nate Beeler's cartoons or Joe Blundo's wit. The reporters are top notch and do more than give you a quick summary. And if you write them, most of them write back including editor Alan Miller who often himself humorously writes about repairing his old house. There is a lot to love in THIS Dispatch. And the e edition is great to keep reading when you aren't in Columbus. read more

Unbelievable! I have subscribed to the Dispatch most of my adult life, most recently about a decade ago for Sunday only delivery for about $7.99 per month. Over the years the price has continued to increase as one would expect. Most recently, last year it went from roughly $17 to $23.56. Recently, I received a notification from my bank of the automatic withdrawal and I think to myself, didn't I just get charged a week or so ago? I look back as far as my bank will allow(October) and they have been charging me $23.56 TWICE a month!!! Really? I call the Dispatch and am told that that is for the premium service with extra magazines and inserts....without my permission they just start charging my account twice a month instead of once? $47+ per month for what started as $7.99? That my friends is theft- Gannett Media Corp. are thieves!!!! read more

The customer service department has been absolutely useless in resolving my complaint. After billing me for the E-Version of the Dispatch - we have been unable to access it online. I received several promises from the (apparently non-USA based) customer service area to rectify the problem - but nothing ever happens. They do not post notes in the file that would show that I have called a dozen times in the past two weeks - and they refuse to give me a US based contact to call. Apparently the Columbus Dispatch uses an overseas customer service department that has no ability or desire to resolve customer complaints in Columbus, Ohio! read more

On May 1, 2019, I renewed my subscription for 52 weeks of Sunday Only delivery of the Columbus Dispatch. I did not receive my newspaper on 8/18/19, so I called them to report the issue. They told me that my subscription ended because I had also received "premium" editions with my subscription. They did not tell me about this "premium" when I renewed. My newspaper should have been $1.59 per week, but because of the "premiums" it ended up costing me $5:51. per week!! My 52 week subscription only lasted for 15 weeks!!! Buyer Beware! This is a deceitful practice and a total scam!!! read more

After 1 hour on the phone to the Columbus Dispatch "Service Line", I hung up. Just trying to tell them that my subscription phone number had changed. Also had a billing question. Then I tried the Website. Big mistake. This site has the same ease as reading the legal language on the back of a credit card statement. Good Bye Dispatch. read more

The paper didn't come again today. It has been late or missed over 100 times in the last year. They don't give a hoot or care. The automated phone system was written by a 2 year old and never tested. But don't expect a response, they are too busy with such mundane tasks. How can such an inept company stay alive in a dying business. read more

If I could give a negitive one I would.. Our Credit card was charged and over charged at that and for the past 3 week we have not recieved the paper at all. I have called each time and still nothing. I would not recommend them to anyone!!!.. I was getting the Sunday paper for the coupons and Folks it's not worth the hassle to even get the paper for that!!! I wish other people luck but our subscription will be cancelled!! read more

Love to read my paper but as service has declined have reduced to Sunday only as during weekdays do not want it sitting on front porch all day announcing no one is home. Still I should not have to call over half the time to get a paper and yesterday called by 9 and again at 11 to still not get a paper. Feel if there was some competition this paper would die a quick death. I want my paper when the news is still current. Service is a 0 and paper 2 srars read more

Wow -- Just reviewed my billing pattern for the Sunday only, Dispatch. While I knew they had changed their billing I had suspected that they felt carte blanche on my debit card. They are now billing twice a month or more for some "pulp magazine". The cost now had me call to cancel (once again), and the customer service rep. did stop the excess billing and now says I will be billed once a month only for $17.96. Sorry Dispatch, but you are barely worth that amount for a 3/4 size newspaper. We are watching your practices more closely ! read more

Not even worth 1 Star. Very shady billing practices. Double billed me for months to receive only the Sunday Paper. Hid it by billing the exact same dollar amount, hoping I would not notice. Customer service was very rude. They said the additional withdraw from my bank account was for the "Premium Editions." I never opted into this service. Therefore, my Sunday only paper was costing me $8.50 per week. Complete scam! They refuse to refund. Save yourself the hassle an pick up your paper locally. Escalated to my bank for billing fraud. read more

What a bad joke.....you can call in on any given day and be given a different price. So be weary of subscribing to the Dispatch. Or at least call in on different days....one might be your lucky day. Very sad to see it going downhill and not work with long time customers of over 25 years getting the paper. Shame on you Dispatch. read more

Do not subscribe to the Columbus Dispatch. They are liars and rip off. I submitted a form online 2 months ago to cancel our subscription because we don't read it. Our paper stopped coming so I assumed that it was cancelled. I noticed on my bank account the other day that I am still being charged. I am being charged $22 every 2 weeks! So I submit a request online and they ask me to call. So when we call, the customer service agent is talking over my husband arguing with him about it. He finally gets to explain what happened and she puts him on hold. She comes back and offers him only $25.00 refund. He asks her why and she LIES to him and tells him he is only being charged $25 per month! Meanwhile, my bank account says otherwise. I have been charged $22.00 every 2 weeks so if I am only supposed to be charged $25 per month, I would say they owe me a lot more than just $25!! Not to mention the last 6 weeks that I haven't received the paper AT ALL. All I asked for was a refund of $66.00 for the last 3 charges on my account. read more

I am seeing so many negative reviews on our local newspaper and now I see why! I have also been a loyal customer for years and it has been going downhill since the Wolfe family sold the newspaper off to some huge company. Delivery sucks at times, been getting billed for years for something I never agreed to and finally found out on that and cancelled it. Also, the customer service has been minimal, subpar. It's a shame but on the plus side the other papers have some good content like Alive, etc. 614 mag is great but I don't think it's owned by the CD company. I have tried to reach out to local in person management and never hear back from them. read more

We paid for a 6 month subscription in December and got the paper a couple random weekends but other than that it never came. Any time we tried to call in we couldn't get anyone on the line to talk to. We finally were able to talk to someone in March and they said we couldn't get a full refund because there were no previously reported complaints to them. We talked to the supervisor of customer service, Victor, and he said there was nothing else he could do. We offered multiple reasonable solutions (we literally just want the damn paper), but he said all he could do was give us two weeks of paper and he couldn't assure their delivery. Owner of the Dispatch, I hope you read these reviews and see you could easily have subscribers for life, but your customer service and actual delivery of your paper is the WORST. read more

I cancelled the Columbus Dispatch after they more than doubled the subscription cost (7 day delivery). I received a promotional email for $59 for 13 weeks. I called in only to find out they claimed there was a $53.45 penalty for cancellation/delivery of the last subscription that had to be paid before sending the paper again and a payment of $9 extra per quarter for sending us an invoice and a bunch of extras for "special editions" at up to $4 per week. So the "special" promotion ended up being almost $150 for news that is usually 3-4 days old. Only reason I wanted the paper is because they do a good job covering OSU football. But I am not going to pay over $400 a year for a 2nd rate newspaper with a terrible customer service department. Shocked they can legally conduct business this way. I will continue to get my news through various free news feeds on the web - Google news, MSN News, Reuters, etc. read more

The Columbus Dispatch has THE worst customer service. We pay for a service, expect that service but when the service is poor and the paper not recieved as promise, the customer is left to suffer. Calls from Supervisors are NOT recieved, re-delivery of the paper is NOT received and no one cares. Yes, you lost 1 customer - no big deal. But I will continue to speak on the bad service and if it causes you to lose more customers, my efforts will not be in vain. read more

Lousy service! Late or no delivery! Missing sections! And now they think they will charge me for special editions and supplements-no! Liberal political views worthless newspaper- I am cancelling next week! After 40 years - enough is enough!!! read more

I still subscribe because I really need my weekend paper. Most of the time, though, I have to call to get it because of pathetic delivery person. Their customer service is horrendous. Was told I'd get a call back after having to call 3 weekends in a row with no paper, but no one has ever called. What a waste with the Nation & World section! It's nothing but advertising. Gotta wonder what clowns are working there masquerading as reporters. read more

After cancelling my subscription I was lured back with a 13 weeks for $13 deal. They cashed my check and no paper. I called to find out what was going on only to be told that I had a past due amount on my account. You would have thought I would have received a bill for the past due amount when I canceled my subscription, but no. Got that cleared up and was told my subscription was good through July 14, 2019. Today I didn't receive my Sunday paper. I call and was told I have a past due amount and it is due to "premium" editions....which I did not receive. Best he could do was credit me for one premium edition leaving me with a $2 past due balance. Subscription canceled I WILL NEVER subscribe to the Columbus Dispatch again. If I could give a zero rating I would read more

BEWARE THE TEASER INTRODUCTORY SUBSCRIPTION RATE. Do NOT subscribe to this newspaper. First, read how they treat a subscriber of over 25 years. I just got off the phone with them for the second time in the last three months. The first call was prompted by a price increase of over 10%. The initial representative told me there was nothing that could be done. That is, until I told him to cancel my subscription. Then, amazingly there was a supervisor available who could guarantee me my old rate for an additional six months. I received my next bill three months later and the promised lower rate had disappeared due to other hidden increases, such as a $7.00 increase in the fee for a paper invoice (from $2.00 to $9.00) and a $17.00 per month increase for "premium editions" (from $10.00 to $27.00). This all in the span of three months. Goodbye, Columbus Dispatch. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. Ever since we started subscribing again it seems as though we have gotten a new carrier bc EVERY Sunday the high value makeup coupons are missing. They even tear the adjoining page and leave it which makes it more than obviously they are intentionally taking it. I have contacted Columbus Dispatch numerous times and always get the same "We'll pass the message along" which obviously isn't happening or just isn't helping bc it continues to happen. I pay for my paper, and I want it COMPLETE! read more

The model for poor customer service. Having subscribed for home delivery for 40 years I've endured all of the consistent degradation of service. It started when they fired all of the neighborhood "paper boys" and went with contractors. Then it progressed with constant lowering of content. They have minimal original content. Much of what is printed is day old news that was printed elsewhere. Many columns are more than a week old and came from USA Today, Wall Street Journal and, for sports, the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Consequently I get the Plain Dealer on my kindle. By the way, the P.D. blows away the Dispatch, or should I just say the Dispatch blows. Since the Dispatch is so fond of constant change and diminished content I've written the editor to suggest they change their name to more adequately describe the publication. I suggested The Columbus Ctrl-c, Ctrl-v as all they really do is copy and paste. Of course they never replied. read more

If I could give a zero, I would. Not due to editorial policy, but it's (nonexistent) customer service. They called us to start a subscription last weekend. By Saturday, we still didn't get a paper. We called, they said the subscription already started,and we should have been getting the paper; said "another" one would be distributed. Bit never came, nor did Sunday's paper. When we called to cancel - no apology, no what can we do to win your confidence. No Dispatch. read more

Yikes. I've never had contact with this online newspaper till today when I was searching for a news story. I clicked on the link and tried to read the article, but every 5 seconds a new ad popped up. I closed the link. Note to self: don't bother with this online rag again. read more

I would give the Dispatch 4 stars for content compared to the Cincinnati and Cleveland newspapers, but the delivery service is so abysmal that it would not even deserve one star. The circulation has been outsourced and getting a missing or incomplete paper redelivered never happens despite promises. read more

After almost 50 years I have given up on the Dispatch. While the delivery service was great their billing and other administrative processes are horrible. Customer service is a foreign concept. They switched our billing to electronic with no notice and wondered why they didn't get paid. If we wanted to continue a mailed billed they would assess a significant monthly surcharge. When you call to correct problems you are promised things that never happen and if you call back they said that person couldn't have said that. I wish I could give a negative star rating! read more

The customer services and delivery services of Columbus Dispatch are very horrible! Many of the representatives don't know how to talk, don't know how to communicate with us-customers, their attitudes are very very bad, disgusting! Why do I constantly waste my time calling customer services? Because the delivery service has been so bad! We pay for the newspaper and the delivery, what we receive is bad service and inconvenience! The newspapers most of the time are thrown to the end of the driveway. I have to report it again and again. Yesterday and today, it was true, the newpapers were not thrown to the driveway, but they were thrown to the corner of the porch, which has caused my husband, a cripple old man, a dementia senile man had to walked out of the porch to find the newspaper. I just don't understand why the services of columbus dispatch have been so bad, never change no matter how many complaints I have made to BBB and Attorney General and to the customer services. Columbus Dispatch earns our money, provides convenience to itself, but it doesn't know what it is the essence of good services. We pay, we receive bad services and inconvenience. This is a very unfair business! read more

Their motto is... Nobody delivers like the dispatch.. How true. Most companies with a daily delivery would deliver it daily. Not the Dispatch. I have been calling for 5 months and they still miss at least once a month. But my rates went up! read more

Terrible delivery service, and the so-called "Customer Service" via telephone is ridiculous - nothing but electronic prompts and waiting on hold. We've subscribed for over 30 years, but we are cancelling today. read more

Trump nominees unqualified? Repealing environmental laws a bad idea? Climate change a threat? GOP extreme? Not in the editorial department at this newspaper. Your reaction depends on your tastes, but a shallow, Republican-coddling mentality still dominates this paper's editorial choices even after the sale to Gatehouse Media. You won't find much GOP accountability here. There's no other print source for state and local news, and many Dispatch reporters are veteran professionals who do their jobs well, even if the paper's not known for investigative reporting. But even there, cost-cutting measures have led to fewer experienced reporters. The editorial history of the paper under the late John Wolfe was despicable -- editorials openly sneered about climate "alarmism" while never once citing scientists, and the paper conducted an ugly vendetta against all things Obama -- consistently preferring its own amateur's arch-right opinions to real experts or research. Many of the same editorial staff remain, including an editorial editor who apparently never saw a US Chamber of Commerce press release or NRA ad he didn't like. Even under Gatehouse, he's done op eds against regulating assault weapon sales. A sneering "libertarian" cartoonist echoes the message that unless you smirk about climate change and despise Obama, you're not among friends. Op-ed choices are what you'd expect in the rural Deep South, not a northern metro area, with Cal Thomas being a particular favorite. In a one-paper town, there's no adequate alternative for local and state news coverage, but realize that if thoughtful and responsible editorial content matters in your choice, you'll need to subscribe to another newspaper -- you won't get it here. Gatehouse Media could have given readers a quality product. It had a chance to step up. It failed big-time. read more

I wish there is a Zero rating. In one line "It's not easy to get rid of Dispatch subscription once you have it". I have taken Dispatch subscription through Groupon which gives me Sunday paper for 26 weeks. After 26 weeks they kept sending me paper and charged me. Fearing they will place it in collections I have paid the amount over the phone. When I asked why I got the paper even after 26 weeks they said system automatically renews our subscription(With out my notice). When asked for confirmation number for my payment they said their system won't generate a confirmation number. I was puzzled to hear about the system which can do automatic renewals but can't generate a confirmation number. At this time they said my subscription got cancelled automatically because of initial non-payment, I told them that's what I wanted, to cancel the subscription. I have sent my experience in a detailed mail to them but never heard back from them or got no reply from them. Now, the very next Sunday I got paper again, I had to immediately call them on Monday to cancel it. I called the number on their website, it asked me to press 7 for cancellation, the system asked for cancellation month and it will ask me restart month, at this point I have no option but to wait in queue for more than 30 minutes and request the agent to cancel my subscription. When asked why they sent me paper after all that has happened, she says once you made the payment system automatically restarted your subscription(With out my notice). When asked about cancellation confirmation the lady told me the system doesn't give anything like that, I have to believe that it got cancelled, I will have no proof to provide that I have requested for cancellation if this paper comes to my doorstep again. With in one-hour of this, I got call from dispatch asking to restart subscription after I gave a clear feedback that I don't like the paper and their service, I have to request her not to call me back and had to tell her I never wanted that paper or service again in my life. Finally, I have to wait and see till next Sunday whether I will have any more surprises waiting for my at my doorstep. read more

I started my subscription in April 2016 and still have not received my proper order. I have called no less than ten times. Always with the promise that I will be contacted. I am reading the other reviews and I see that I am not on my own. I am VERY disappointed and Irritated with the service I received. And to hear that their motto is "Nobody delivers like the Dispatch" ??? WHAT A JOKE! :( read more

I recently heard a news report that the Dispatch is being sued over their subscription and billing practices. I am glad of this and hope they change their ways. We had a heck of a time with billing and the 'premium' issues. Anyone subscribing to the newspaper: beware of their billing. If you don't want to have your subscription shortened substantially ($9 per 'premium' issue!), you need to insist that you opt out of these issues. It's a shame because when run by the Wolfe family, the newspaper was easy to deal with. read more

The paper itself isn't too bad, but the service is beyond terrible! Missed deliveries and late papers are the norm. By the way, the "premium edition" publications that were sent out (without request) aren't remotely worth the additional cost that they just decided they would start charging subscribers. Who came up with that idea? A $7 puzzle book I don't want--really? What kind of scam is this? What a joke (cancelled immediately)! Whoever is running this sh*t show needs to be let go! read more

Hadn't had much of a problem with delivery until about Early October, 3 weeks go by and no paper. I call every week to get the bill credit. I get a paper first Sunday in November, and then against my better judgement I renewed for another year. Haven't had a paper delivered since. Called every week to let them know, have talked to a district manager, and had customer service reps lie to me and say that they would call back and have the problem fixed. Calling tomorrow and not taking no as an answer to cancelling my subscription. read more

Beware of promotional prices and "premium" editions! I paid $52 in late March for "up to" 52 weeks of Sunday service, with the caveat that premium editions would shorten my subscription by a price of $9 per premium edition. Whelp, apparently they call a lot of content "premium" because here we are, 3 months later, and my subscription has already expired because of all the "premium" editions they sent (and I say that in quotes because I honestly couldn't identify which papers had premium content and which didn't). To me, $1 per week is all the value I give the paper, but their promotional price + premium editions resulted in me paying around $5 per paper, which isn't worth it to me when so much news is freely available elsewhere. It just seems like a sneaky way to get people to pay more than they really want to for a subscription. I called to figure out what was going on, and when they told me it was all due to "premium" content, I told them I wouldn't bother continuing my subscription, and they could not care less. Clearly didn't value me as a customer, so I won't be back. read more

I've always found getting the newspaper to be an important way of bonding with a city. I grew up in a household where it would be out and read by the time I woke up every morning. Personally, most of my actual news does come from the internet, but the editorial page and the city news that is found in the dispatch is delightful, and comforting, and is like listening to the heartbeat of the buildings and roads and cars. Perhaps sitting and thinking the fact that people have lives that are just as self centered as mine is ends up being the important emotional connection I have to the paper. Maybe that's the truth that I seek? read more