Art & Inspiration What's up with The Rodders Journal?

I don’t think they have been transparent, they stated a while ago that the issues had shipped, it wasn’t until after the catalogue complaints started on Facebook they said it was a test and the issue it self hadn’t shipped but would very soon, I’ve not heard anything since.
There are a large number of people who wouldn’t call them selves happy and would say the communication has been poor.
I’m a lifetime subscriber so have no option to “unsubscribe”

 

Got the year subscription and HAMB alliance bundle as a Christmas present. It was ordered in mid December... still waiting...

The inconsistency in how fast/slow things get to you stem from a couple of things. Some companies are short-handed, so orders sit unfilled, even though a shipping label has been created. The other issue is watching your package bounce from one hub/relay spot to another, sometimes in a ridiculous pattern (watched parts for my OT daily go from the the midwest to the left coast to Texas, and finally to me).

 

I subscribed to TRJ in December of 2019 when I re-upped my Alliance membership. I recieved exactly 1 issue in November of 2020, and that's it! Nothing before and nothing since! I can understand the slow down after everything got shut down for 3 months but I should have recieved something before and after the shut down, I would think. So here we are again, I re-upped my Alliance membership in December of 2020 along with the TRJ subscription and STILL NOTHING! Not even an email offering an explanation! Needless to say I'm not happy, but I'm still hoping for a better performance!!! Although, it may just be wishful thinking on my part...

 

I made a part for a guy in France, I sent it in late March or early April. It arrived in France 10 days after I sent it and the trail went cold there. He let me know it finally arrived at his house in late June.
I have seen no evidence that international shipping has gotten any better since then.
Chappy

 

I am not sure why everyone glosses over the fact the OP has emailed them twice with NO reply especially after Curt was on here two weeks ago assuring everyone that every email had or was going to be answered in short order.. That is the real issue.

 

I agree. If you are behind with everything-orders, publication, lost periodical and understaffed and/or underfunded, emails are likely to be the least "squeaky wheel".

 

As an example of my ramblings from above...

I am currently waiting for a package that started in Michigan, went to another site in MI, then went to three places in Wisconsin (luckily, NOT on the Edmond Fitzgerald...), and is currently hovering somewhere in Illinois- ALL before heading to Georgia...

 

Well, all of a sudden I got an answer from them.

They apologized for the delay in answer and said they were understaffed.
According to the answer my order somehow got missed/forgotten and they'll look into it.

Now I just have to wait some more and see what happens.

 

Its a great read, hope we dont loose it to poor service..

 

That's pretty much the same response most people have been getting- with no follow up. It was nice that both Steve and Joey called me to respond to my multiple messages, but there has been no follow-up and no results since then- and we are over six weeks out. Even a bi-weekly message to subscribers explaining what the status of international shipments would probably put us at ease. Hopefully they read this.

 

No excuses, but we can all picture any number of scenarios which have them understaffed and underfunded. That equals overwhelmed. If you work on getting out the next issue-as subscribers want,then you've neglected correcting the back issue problem. And, vice versa. If you are answering phones and emails, you don't have the time to get out the products everyone is asking about. If you have a problem and are brutally honest about it, then advertisers and new customers disappear and you are worse off than before. I don't know how to solve those problems and satisfy most of the base, I'm just really glad that I don't have to work unless I want to.

 

I usually get my issue at a grocery chain in this region, They pulled the issue with Lucky Burton's cover car only last week.
The sales "non -binary entity" at Chapters bookstores, who used to carry it, advised me that they were changing various titles and no longer selling others. At one time they sold a lot of cool, obscure titles.They are dictated to by the TEN network and ((others)) who will decide what you get to read.
I suspect much of this is a new, progressive generation opposed to anything linked to the past; fossil fuels, colonialism, masculinity etc.

 

I got my 2020 Holiday Guide on Feb. 1. I just started my subscription last year and have received one magazine so far. It was such a long time between subscribing and receiving the first copy I forgot I ordered it. Probably will not renew this subscription.

In my opinion, Covid is an excuse, not a reason. I have heard it used for everything, most were complete BS. The auto manufacturer I work with has been working full force since about June. If they can have that many workers that close to each other, there really is no reason others can't do the same.

 

I'm willing to forgive the lateness of my #84 as I know all to well how the pandemic has complicated many facets of business and daily life. I can sympathize entirely. As long as I get #84, no harm no foul.

I am less inclined to forgive what appears to be a near total blackout of communication to international customers unless (and in some cases, even after) the wheel has squeaked long and hard here, there and everywhere. I haven't even bothered to call or email as just reading others experiences has shown me it probably won't make my sub arrive any quicker.

Love me my TRJ, want to continue to love me my TRJ.

 

Without getting political I can assure you this is not the case but the fuddy duddy “damn kids” attitude doesn’t do hot rodding any favors as far as attracting and retaining the attention of young people goes. I somehow suspect that is less important to you than you are broadcasting considering your condescending tone toward the very kids you’re cursing for not being interested, and your use of (((the parentheses))).

 

I feel like TRJ has gotten sketchy since the move and the lifetime subs.

 

Boomers gonna boom.

Ironically, the majority of rodders in my area seem unawares or uninterested in TRJ, the only people I know actively collecting it like me are "younger" (read, under 40) while the older dudes are lamenting the demise of other titles or actively drooling over tabloids like Ol' Skool Rodz. Maybe they're the ones to blame for quality mags like TRG being harder to get at local stands.

 

I haven’t had any problems. If I lived closer, I’d volunteer to go by and help staff the response desk. It sounds like they may be overwhelmed with everything that’s going on these days..

 

I'll give them a shot and subscribe, and buy a few back issues just to see how long it takes.
I've experienced shipping headaches during the pandemic too, as well as seen it take only 15 days for machine partss to get to Turin, Italy.
I've always dug TRJ and wish I could lay hands on it locally , it seems like the only thing left in that sphere of influence.
The same store mentioned earlier also axed the Coolhouse publications

 

It has been over 3 months since I placed my subscription. Still nothing. No response to my emails or phone calls. This morning their answering service said it was full. So clearly they are not answering calls. Sounds like a down hill slide, so I likely can kiss my money away. Too bad as it was certainly one of the best.
I thought H.A.M.B. and Rodders Journal had some advertising link- maybe someone at the head of H.A.M.B. could investigate?

 

IMHO the handwriting was on the wall when they offered lifetime subscriptions twice in such a short time. That's a need for money with a lack of many renewals afterward to keep funds coming in. So now they are probably operating more or less on a shoestring and that doesn't bode well. It's not the first time a situation like this has happened with a publication, It doesn't matter how nice the magazine is or how upstanding you think the owners are. Shit happens

 

It’s almost amazing how these TRJ threads continue to roll along.

I suppose it will continue until the end is revealed, either the horse will get up and carry on and deliver goods or just peacefully expire.

In that case no amount of coaxing will get it going again even if it was a great horse.

 

For those blaming USPS for being slow. This month I've bought things on that auction site we don't mention.
From Transit time
Idaho 2 days
New Hampshire 4 days
Maryland 4 days
Maryland 3 days
L.A. 4 days
Oregon 2 days
Nashville 2 days
Dallas 4 days

That all sounds reasonable to me

 

I have been shipping and buying stuff all over the country recently. Seems as fast as ever once we got past the holidays.

 

I've tried very hard to be supportive of TRJ. I went Lifetime when they first offered it so I'm probably breaking even on that. I bought shirts and books several times a year but the last 2 or 3 orders were very poorly handled.

Lack of response and broken promises seems to now be the rule. My last order was last August and it got sorta resolved in November or early December. I resolved to not even look at their offers any more. When it dies it dies.

 

@TRJ , like Lucy, you have some 'splainin to do

 

Warning Bulletin: It gets a lot worse with the Rodder's Journal.
Those people scammed me out of $858.98 last November when I sent them 40 nostalgia jalopy books at their request for their Holiday Catalog. Sent them an invoice and its been total silence since. They don't pay their vendors for anything in that Holiday Catalog. How many other people have been ripped off? I have a very small network of loyal and reliable sellers of my book and this one hurts big time. AVOID RODDER'S JOURNAL!!! They will rip you off. I don't like to wash my laundry in public but something has to be done to blacklist those people who rip off the common folks.

 

Wow that’s really something else.
And we thought we were out with not getting our subscription issues.
Looks like the end really is getting close for TRJ.

 

I'm in Ohio and I never received the holiday catalog. I also renewed my subscription when my Alliance membership was up and did the combo deal. I had to message Ryan to get the status updated on here after giving it plenty of time to work through the system. I renewed in September.... I messaged Ryan in December... Not sure what is up with TRJ - but hopefully they get it all figured out.