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

My holiday catalog just arrived in the mail today...sorta weird after reading this thread. I ordered a couple calendars back in December that I got in a timely fashion. I hope they're able to sort out whatever is going on, I have a complete set other than the first four issues.

 

Got my holiday catalog today also. I’ve been a subscriber since issue two. I certainly hope they will be able to get back on track. Snowman

 

Holiday catalog showed up today here in NJ.

 

X2

 

I haven't seen one but what does it matter, Christmas has come and gone why should the owners of Rodders Journal spend the money and postage on a sales catalog that is useless. HRP

 

I have no doubt the catalogs went out in a timely manner, the fault lies with Louis DeJoy meddling with equipment, man hours and procedures at the USPS.

 

Wow! Someone hasn't been paying attention and your comment proves it. And just to recap, TRJ posted they were sending catalogs PRE-Christmas to test the speed at which they were delivered. The current Postal service cluster fuck is telling with how long these catalogs have taken to be delivered.

 

I live in Western PA. As others have already reported, my 2020 Rodder's Journal Holiday Catalog arrived TODAY - March11th !! (mailed from Lancaster, PA but not dated)

Should I inquire with the Guinness Book of Records for the longest period of time it took a piece of mail to travel the shortest distance?

 

Strictly up to you whether you take a sub or not but personally I’m through.
I’ve been with them almost since the beginning, I do have a full set but have no hope of seeing issue #85.
I was always patient, it never bothered me that they were behind in meeting their target of four issues a year, (what are they 20 behind?) but I think my sub has run out and I won’t be re-upping.
Will I miss TRJ? Probably, but I find their lack of communication and highly questionable practice of robbing Peter to pay Paul inexcusable.
Some want to defend and support them and that’s fine. I have a hunch though, any money sent their way will go to their creditors, the party’s over.

 

From a very reliable source, Steve's Mother is very ill. He is her only caretaker, the next issue is 50% done.

 

Like I said before.

 

Man I'm rooting for Steve and the Gang to show the world that there are some real Comeback Quarterbacks left! Yes I have some skin in the game,as my Sweety had just reupped my Subscription for my birthday.Every year it is my favorite present.She doesn't get it.If Steve offered me the lifetime subscription tomorrow, with his word he was going to keep trying,I'd be in..Go Steve Go. (This post has been edited by me with an apology to any I offended.It didn't help the situation)

 

I am truly sorry to hear that Steve's mother is ill but that said if issue 85 ever gets finished it doesn't make much difference if it doesn't get sent to international subscribers. I guess if your in the USA then you will eventually get your copies but likely not if you are international. If you take the time to read all the threads and posts on this topic you will see that whilst issue 83 was lost in the post for most international subscribers issue 84 was never and still has not been sent to international subscribers.

So no international subscribers received issue 83 and issue 84 was never sent - (issue 84 is supposedly being held at the distributors - they aren't lost or slow in the post they haven't been sent.

Also this is not a new issue it has been going on now for a long long time

 

Cool thanks for re-subscribing. I hope you can convince a lot of others to do so as well. As one of the Asshats that is good for me because then Rodders Journal might use your money to process the refund (that they agreed to but never processed) for my B cover subscription and the tshirts that I ordered but which have never been sent.

And just because I am an Asshat, that doesn't mean I don't feel for the people who work at Rodders Journal if they loose their jobs but I can't say I have much respect for an organization that fails to communicate to its customers over a period of months.

And am I going to starve if I don't get my issues, tshirts or refund well obviously no but do I appreciate being treated as a fool, or cash cow and left in the dark well I guess you can see that I don't.

To still be taking orders and subscriptions for what you can not or will not supply is not in my view good business practice.

 

This situation reminds me of a similar unfortunate one for a business in town my wife and I used to frequent. The couple had opened a successful shop importing Mexican style furniture, and also took custom orders. On one trip to the store tbey advised us they would be closing. They explained that one of “middlemen” they had been dealing with for many years had “disappeared” with tbe deposits they had brought down for a containers worth of custom pieces. In total, it was about CAN$60K. There was no way of recovering the money, so they decided they would repay all their customers who had made deposits back with their own money. They sold everything they had and repaid their customers, and shut down the business a couple of months later. I truly hope if TRJ is still accepting funds, they return those funds to their subscribers and customers if they are unable to deliver the goods. It’s just the right thing to do.

 

Hummm...if memory serves correctly, I seem to recall that I got a Christmas Catalogue BEFORE Christmas and another one Yesterday.

 

Same here. I'm still waiting on a couple calendars I ordered in January.

 

I can’t help but wonder if magazine subscriptions are like a game of Musical Chairs.
A partial list of publications I subscribed to and had them end seems pretty long;

Rod & Custom - a couple of times
Hot Rod DeLuxe
American Rodder
Rod Action
Custom Rodder
Rodder's Digest
Street Rodder
Car Craft

Now this thread seems to indicate The Rodder's Journal may be in trouble. No doubt the non-US subscribers have been the first to be affected. The unfortunate part, to me, is the lack of explanation by the publisher or others associated TRJ. That seems typical in my experience.

With the dissolution of many magazines I subscribed to TRJ as a way to preserve and promote hot rodding, thus paid for many years and have almost 30 issues due me. Unfortunately, publications seem to have a limited life and like a game of Musical Chairs, without warning someone loses.

 

Got my calendars in a timely fashion in December then the Christmas catalog in late January. I'm a lifetime subscriber so I'll just sit back and accept whatever happens.

 

I just got the 2020 Holiday Catalog, not too bad, only about 3 months late. I have been a subscriber since day one and hope they don't follow many of the other hot rod magazines into obscurity.

 

Steve has a sick mother ? I certainly hope not.
But this is excuse number what ?
Even if this is true he hasn't had time in the last 8 months to post on his website or this site that he is in a bad situation. I'll bet he has had time to cash the checks and submit the credit card information. I do know he turned my credit card information in.

 

When the back order special for $5 came up I bought several as I had let my subscription lapse. and then a few days later I did the joint Alliance/ year subscription in Jan (maybe it wsa early Feb).. got issue 84.. hope to get future.. if I had seen this post I probably would not have signed back up.. I wish the best for everyone

 

Got my 2020 Christmas Gift Ideas Catalog today.....Yay

 

Just for the record: I received my 2020 Holiday Catalog yesterday. Yay USPS!

 

Sounds like what happened to Eric aka VAPhead a few years ago

Sent from my SM-J337V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Ryan, those are all valid points, but the lack of communication is a main problem.

I hope that Steve and TRJ prosper and assume that others who have expressed frustration would as well. According to the masthead in TRJ there are several employees who should be able to step in and deal with the subscribers. As in any relationship communication is a key factor, without it people expect the worst.

 

I have to agree that *ANY* communication is definitely needed. People can be a lot more understanding if they get communication about a situation. The silence from TRJ is what is the problem is and why so many people are upset. I absolutely hope that the reported problems are just a huge roadblock that can be overcome and TRJ can continue on. But please TRJ, provide some communication to customers.

 

Just got my 2020 holiday catalog today.
doesn,t say much for the Post office

 

Over the years in this industry, I have had to send out press releases on behalf of clients explaining situations that affected businesses in an unflattering way. I do not have a dog in this fight, but I find it inexcusable that TRJ has not stepped up to the plate and informed customers and would be customers some sort of explanation as to why the company has been unable to meet customer needs.