Glassline POS

[Mattypo]

I just got this email from Glassline:


Your account (**********) has been suspended due
to suspicious account activity. Your account has
exceeded the number of unique hosts we allow to
access your account.

This is usually a sign of more than one individual
accessing a single account, which we do not allow.

Please write to us at Editor@hotglass.com if you
feel this is a mistake. If a mistake has been
made we will gladly re-activate your account.

Admin,
www.hotglass.com


I can't take my hard copies to my studio with me or anywhere for that matter because they stopped printing the magazine so I have to login on my computer at my studio which is a laptop I take with me other places as well. What the hell are they thinking? First they say only one issue will be digital only, then they make all the newest issues digital only without giving anyone notice? I never got an email or anything so if anyone did please let me know. I have already emailed the editor and got no response. I then get this shit email? What the fuck? Has anyone else experienced this problem? What is the point of a username and password if you can't use it on other computers. Shit like this just chaps my ass...

[Dan Kooper]

That's some shitty shit.

So you pay for a magazine and they decide to make it a permanent blog and not tell anyone? A digital magazine shouldn't be the same price as a printed magazine IMO

[Mattypo]

I feel like I am being screwed and I really liked the mag. I agree, it costs less to produce a pdf file than printing a magazine so it should cost less for the subscription. I didn't like the idea of paying for a magazine and getting digital only but now I can't even access the digital copies. They fucking stole from me as far as I am concerned.

[PyroChixRock]

I'd say write Jim and tell him you login from work and home but if he isn't reading his emails...I guess pick up the phone and try? At least then you can access them until your subscription runs out. Then you'll have to decide if you want to renew based on how things are currently.

[dustyg]

That's a form letter sent by a robot without any human intervention. It's just a script watching for people to log in from multiple computers, used to keep people from sharing accounts. Contact a person.

[Ronin]

ya know, now that you mention it, I'm pretty upset about this "digital edition" crap too. I just signed up a few months ago, and every one theyve done since has been digital. I wouldnt be willing to pay as much if i knew it wasnt hard copy

[Jimi The Don]

yeah, i'd calm down until a real person can be reached. they're not trying to rip you off, just protect their intellectual property. it's just a misunderstanding i'm sure. i will say however, that i did not renew my subscription because they went digital, which i was informed about at one point or another.

[jr23]

Bummer. It's a crappy deal and I for one bet they spend more time dealing with these issues than kids are using others accounts . I don't know I may be ignorant . I like supporting things and though about getting a magazine but I like mags so I can't do the computer. But when the mags are at the shop everybody that walks in looks at them.
Netflix even let's you give your info out to like 5 or more can use one account it helps get them more customers.

I bet if Jim made the bot watching and shutting down accounts let a few more log in before shutting down it would help not hurt them.

I know quite a few shops with multiple people that got mags and split the cost and everyone got to read.

What's next making you FaceTime or Skype so they can make sure a friend is not sharing the screen.

[Mattypo]

Jim just responded. He said it looks like more than one person is using my account. He said I could try changing my password but it will do it again if I keep accessing it from different hosts or something. I don't know. I'll just download all the digital pdf files until my subscription is over. If the price drops I would consider digital only. I was upset that I am not getting what I am paying for still. It shouldn't be this much of a pain to read a mag I payed for. Oh well back to melting

[Ronin]

In the first week I downloaded everything from their archive that I could get my hands on, and if they stay digital without lowering the price, I will not renew. Its a nice magazine, but I need hardcopy, which, as far as I am concerned, is what I paid for.

I dont really get the whole bot thing. If I wanted to share, I have their full archive in unprotected PDF format, and I could just hand someone a flash drive.

[Ray]

They go by different IP's I'd imagine.
I connect from 2 different ones..home and work.
That hasn't triggered the bot thing.
I'd imagine if you connect from many different places, they all show different Ip's
and it becomes too many to be acceptable. If you download from first spot, and just use that downloaded copy
the bot shouldn't trigger.
Thats about the only way they have to count downloads..if login from different IP's.
Most people have 2 to 3 devices I'd imagine so that is probably ok. Start hitting 5 or more they probably
start to question that.

It does suck only being digital. I subscribed to 3 years the month before they went digital. Nothing I can do now for 3 years I guess.

[pepep]

I signed up earlier this year for the first class mail option knowing only that the Dec/Jan issue was online only. I thought it was a one time thing and I would get my subscription in print from then on. I paid $11 more for a subscription so it would ship faster but that's all irrelevant now.

I emailed Jim as well. I asked for an $11 refund for a reduction in my subscription. It's pretty poor business to display shipping options and allow us to pay more for first class mail when they are shipping us exactly nothing.

Will update.

[Mike_Aurelius]

In the first week I downloaded everything from their archive that I could get my hands on, and if they stay digital without lowering the price, I will not renew. Its a nice magazine, but I need hardcopy, which, as far as I am concerned, is what I paid for.

I dont really get the whole bot thing. If I wanted to share, I have their full archive in unprotected PDF format, and I could just hand someone a flash drive.

Which would be a copyright violation. You'd be hurting fellow artists, not some huge music/movie studio.

[Ronin]

Which would be a copyright violation. You'd be hurting fellow artists, not some huge music/movie studio.

right... but thats not the point. what I was saying is that if someone wanted to share it all, it would be easy, so the whole bot lockout thing seems to be a moot point.

[Mattypo]

I only logged in from my home and my studio which is 2 locations. Jim actually showed me in the email. 2 different service providers, COX and COMCAST and only 2 locations. Here's the latest email from Jim...

Hi Matthew,

I hope to be back to paper additions soon. I currently do not have enough subscribers and advertisers to cover the cost of printing.
For 28 years it has been printed/paper ...

I'm trying to get back to the printed issue, everybody loves Glass Line but it is just not enough ...
Actually subscriptions are up a little, not enough yet but climbing, the main problem is advertisers, for different reasons they've been pulling their ads, Northstar: expanding - discontinued ads with everybody, etc., the economy is getting better ... you think they would increase advertisement but it's just not working like it should, or should I say ... need it too, LOL.
Printing costs have gone up along with everything else pretty much what everybody expected but the mailing cost is just gone ballistic, what used to cost $.40 to mail, now costs $2.50 just can't do it without more advertisement or double the cost of subscriptions.

It would be nice if everyone would thank their suppliers for keeping their favorite magazine going, LOL

Sincerely,
Jim / Glass Line
PS ... I'll start printing with the next issue if you can come up with five pages of advertisers, that's all it would take.

[Mattypo]

I payed the extra money for first class shipping as well. I believe that is fraud.

[menty666]

I only logged in from my home and my studio which is 2 locations. Jim actually showed me in the email. 2 different service providers, COX and COMCAST and only 2 locations. Here's the latest email from Jim...

Hi Matthew,

I hope to be back to paper additions soon. I currently do not have enough subscribers and advertisers to cover the cost of printing.
For 28 years it has been printed/paper ...

I'm trying to get back to the printed issue, everybody loves Glass Line but it is just not enough ...
Actually subscriptions are up a little, not enough yet but climbing, the main problem is advertisers, for different reasons they've been pulling their ads, Northstar: expanding - discontinued ads with everybody, etc., the economy is getting better ... you think they would increase advertisement but it's just not working like it should, or should I say ... need it too, LOL.
Printing costs have gone up along with everything else pretty much what everybody expected but the mailing cost is just gone ballistic, what used to cost $.40 to mail, now costs $2.50 just can't do it without more advertisement or double the cost of subscriptions.

It would be nice if everyone would thank their suppliers for keeping their favorite magazine going, LOL

Sincerely,
Jim / Glass Line
PS ... I'll start printing with the next issue if you can come up with five pages of advertisers, that's all it would take.

So you paid for the magazine, now he wants you to work sales for him to get what you paid for? Never mind that artists are the ones providing content for his magazine to begin with.

I hate to see a resource die, but I let my subscription lapse after the move to digital. I like pulling out the piles of print magazines and flipping through the pages and rediscovering something I hadn't considered in a while. Someone suggested printing out the digital copy if I really want it in print. No thanks.

[Dan Kooper]

Jim must have all kinds of cash laying around selling paper magazine that you don't have the expenses of printing and mailing. I have a friend that paid for the magazine and has NO access to a computer let alone the internet. He thought they went out of business. He just stopped getting the magazine. He was pretty pissed when I told him they switched to digital Format. He never even got a letter saying anything changed. So he has a subscription to a magazine he can't read.

[PyroChixRock]

He really needs to send a letter out to his subscribers.

[dbglass]

It is a little nuts to charge for 2 tiers of shipping on a digital magazine....

[Mattypo]

So I asked Jim for a refund of the $11 for first class mail and I got this response:

Hi Matty,

Okay I will cancel your account. I will go through the records to see the number of issues you have accessed, I will bill you for that number, $10 an issue. If there is anything to refund I will send you a check. Please do not resubscribe.

Hopefully this will resolve any problem.

Sincerely,
Jim

I never told him to cancel my account. I can't believe this guy.

[Deez]

haha is this guy serious?! by subscribing isnt one of the perks being able to access the bag log of issues? i remember that being one of my selling points when i had a subscription years back.

[Deez]

who is jim? is he on facebook? maybe take this issue there so more people can see that they have been jipped on the shipping and what not!

[Mattypo]

If he tries to bill me for anything I will file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Fuck him.

[Mattypo]

Glass Line Magazine / James Thingwold
1818 E Redwood Ave, Anaheim, CA. 92805-3440. USA
(714) 520-0121

[Ronin]

Wow. No wonder he is losing subscribers with customer service like that.

[Ronin]

That really sucks. Its a good magazine. But I'm glad that I was too poor to spring for the top tier shipping.

[PyroChixRock]

Can you write him back and tell him you didn't ask to cancel, you asked for a refund on postage that is not being used due to the current magazine format.

Let us know what he says.

[menty666]

Can you write him back and tell him you didn't ask to cancel, you asked for a refund on postage that is not being used due to the current magazine format.

Let us know what he says.

I'm curious too.

edit: for the record, I'd genuinely like for him to make a comeback and pull out of whatever dive the magazine is in. It's good to have multiple resources. I'm not actively rooting against him, but that really wasn't a cool approach for him to take.

[Ray]

Hes trying to keep a well liked resource alive in a world that paper is disappearing rapidly.
Its very hard to compete in this age with a paper bound anything.
Hes scrambling around trying to come up with a way to keep it going via paper.
He even so much as said what it would take in advertisers' to go back to a print issue.
To then have someone ask for a refund of YET unused postage...is insulting most likely, not
that your not entitled or anything...from his viewpoint its just a little salt on the oozing wounds already.
If everyone loves that magazine so much..contact your supplier and ask them to run an add in the magazine..help the whole community.
</soapbox off>

[Mattypo]

When you pay for something to get shipped to you and it doesn't that is insulting, in fact it's illegal. I don't really care I just want the $11 refund and when my subscription ends that's it. I don't think that is asking for much and he says he wants to cancel my account and bill me $10 for the ones I accessed? I don't even know what to make of his last email. If I treated my customers like that I wouldn't expect to stay in business.

[Mattypo]

Yes Misha I replied before posting his email. I stated I didn't want to cancel and my subscription was still active and I would like to let it go to the end I just want the refund for the shipping. I will check in the morning for a response.

[rvp117]

We all know why Jim has decided to go digital. He isn't making as many new subscription sales because people hold onto their subscriptions and are able to resell them. So if you spend $30 on a years subscription (6) issues. You can resell those issues for $6 a piece and recoup that original money you invested in his publications.

Now that he has gone digital he doesn't have any upfront production costs and is able to sell way more new subscriptions due to the lack of the circulation of old issues.

[gomilobster]

Ummmm I would think the opposite would happen with digital. Physical copies tear, burn, rip and can generally get destroyed. A digital copy is forever and a person can share or sell those over and over and over and over again. They can print them out even for themselves, especially if they have a good printer or choose good paper. They can rip spill burn the printed pages all they want and print out new ones, etc. Also... this is kinda a strange point... but I got my first subscriptions to Glassline and The Flow when I was locked up. Another glass blower saw my mags and though I let him borrow some (at risk due to rules n all) he ended up getting one or the other as well. That might only be two people in a unique situation, but there certainly won't be any digital copies getting to people who might be incarcerated. And same goes for people as mentioned above who either don't have internet, or live out in the boonies with only the most basic satellite internet that is spotty at best (anything but sunshine seemed to fuck ours up in the past at least). I wouldn't be surprised to find out a decent chunk of glassblowers live and possibly work out of towns/cities. I just think its gonna be tough because it not only became less appealing to a lot of people due to the digital aspect, but it will also be a hell of a lot easier for people to pirate, and the lack of communication seems to have alienated at least a handful of customers.

I for the record loved that magazine, but let my subscription lapse once I heard it went digital. My friend who had only just started getting it managed to start at the end right when 3 or 4 issues all had nearly repeated the same article, and a long one at that. Then it went digital on him, and he was also disappointed and I think plans to or has already let it lapse. I liked the articles in question and would actually buy a hardbound book of them doing what they did in every current color of our pallet, but it was a bit much by the 3rd or 4th time for a magazine imo. It sucked for my friend who felt teased a bit I think.

Maybe he will be lucky and for every person upset by the lack of print issues, there will be 2 more stoked that they can now print out the pages they want and have a copy that won't age (if pdf or screen shot, etc). You would almost think with all the new folks making color/custom pulls and what seems like some different people getting into certain gigs with equipment, legalization in some states, and what seems like more glass blowers than ever before there would be more companies/people seeking exposure/ads, more demand for such a publication than ever before, etc. I think some on here even mentioned they would even prefer a b+w copy (it was to start?). Maybe that combined with a pdf color digital copy (like vinyl records come with mp3 of the album) would get some more action. Maybe he needs someone in marketing or public relations or something, or maybe its just another exit on the highway of death for paper publications that are not also able to have ads about a more wide range of things for example a skate magazine might have clothing lines (shoe companies, clothing companies) skateboard companies (boards and hardware), alcohol, food and regular drinks, etc. Lots of these companies (think pepsi or coke, vans or converse, etc) are major major holders of the lootz heh.

Here is a question... how might you all feel if Glassline had Monster energy drink, oakleys/rayban, Patron, taco bell, state farm insurance, and h+r block ads in it, but could stay in print? Would you be upset, would you not really care at all? Given the culture at least pipes/ boro art spawned from I am totally unsure about how it would effect peoples feels. I myself am not really sure, but I kinda think for some reason if they were mixed with ads for things I actually did care about (glass stuff/events etc) I could live with it. Not to mention it seems very few normal sized color magazines will probably survive the destruction of print unless they get some pretty big backers. Then again opinions are like assholes and everyone's got one. /me shrugs :)

[Mattypo]

No word back from Jim but I tried logging in this morning to read some issues and I got this:

76572

This is unacceptable and I will be reaching out on Facebook to post this. Not sure where but I am furious and everyone that subscribed to his magazine needs to know he is being a scumbag.

[menty666]

If it saved the magazine, I wouldn't care if the KKK were running ads (not that I want them too...). I hate to say but I rarely notice the ads anyway. Ultimately, like any magazine, the pile of pages you're holding is a conduit for advertising with some content to attract you to see the ads. Not the other way around.

I'd sign up again if he even went to a black and white, newsprint zine format, as long as the pictures were clear.

[Mattypo]

I just sent Jim an email. I am furious at this point and will be contacting whoever I have to about this and filing complaints.

Jim,

I just tried accessing my account and it has been canceled. I didn't ask for you to cancel my account but you did. I received 1 issue of Glassline magazine after I payed $39 for a subscription of 6 issues. That is a difference of $32.50. I didn't receive 5 issues of the subscription and expect a prompt refund in that amount. I will be contacting regulators if I do not receive a prompt refund. Thank you.

[istandalone24/7]

for them to still charge shipping is ridiculous. and for there to still be a "priority shipping" option on the website is fraud.

i understand the owner/s are probably having a rough go of it lately, but to not take care of your faithful customers is to give them all to The Flow.

[Ray]

lol...how many people who subscribe to one of the mags..doesn't subscribe to the other one as well?


I'd assume Jim still views his mag as a print mag..he's not committed to digital.
He appears to be still trying to find a way to get back to print.
If/when he gives up on that..then I'd imagine the shipping costs wont be part of the deal.

[istandalone24/7]

plenty. i know lots of people who have a subscription for one and not the other. i know that GL will not be getting any more of my $ any time soon.....just the way that "jim" acted towards mattypo.

[gomilobster]

I would almost dare say given my history in making web pages for someone that Jim most likely is no html/css/js/php wizard. If he is having trouble even printing the magazine, he probably doesn't have the money to pay the original or a new developer of the site to go and fix certain parts of it. I am assuming/guessing of course, but web stuff aint cheap in my experience, and what should seem as simple as removing a line of code isn't when you are dealing with forms and other things that keep track of users and passwords etc. Taking one thing out might end up causing errors in other places etc. Not trying to make excuses, but it is a definite possibility. And for someone who doesn't know any code, the whole thing can look like reading klingon or something.

I myself stopped getting the flow because it seems half of the magazine was always leaning towards beads and what not... I have a lot of respect for that, but at least right now it has very little relevance to my interests in glass, so I always went with glass line which seemed better for marbles, pendants, and some other techniques I found most helpful or interesting. I pretty much feel bad for everyone in this situation because atm it seems like no one is "winning" and a solution might be difficult. It occurs to me that these large companies that often times seem required for a publication to survive might just not want to put out an ad in a magazine that features pictures of glass pipes... Gotta suck for everyone atm. :/

[khan]

I think perhaps the problem from Jim's perspective is that if he makes all the refunds for ppl who deserve to get their shipping money back what happens then if he is able to get back to a paper mag...???
I mean then he has taken out all the shipping funds he had and is stuck trying to either get those ppl to repay or he has to find another way to pay all the shipping money he refunded.
So folks if we like having his mag available i say we all give him a good while to get things straightened out with his advertisers and maybe he can get things back to normal.
Be Patient. Please
Khan

[khan]

Mattypo,
Please give time to get things straightened out... everyone agrees that you should get a refund.. i did exactly the same thing as you did.. i paid for the faster shipping just one month before it went digital.
Anyway if you can.. if its not critical that someone needs to get their shipping money back.. just take some time and see how it works out.
We need to do whats best for the whole glass community... and i for one do enjoy the mag.
Just my thoughts.
Khan

[Mattypo]

My subscription was over next issue. He didn't have to cancel my account. That is a huge problem for me and I can't support him or his magazine anymore. His business is failing for a reason. You can't treat people like that. I'm sorry but at the same time I am not. I work hard for my money. I love this community and I liked the magazine. I don't like it enough to get treated like he is doing me a favor. I paid for a product. If a customer of mine paid for a product and I gave them something else I would expect them to be unhappy. That's it plain and simple. I dealt with the digital only until I couldn't access it anymore and then I felt wronged. Jim could have fixed this easily. He could have sent out a newsletter to all the customers that have supported his magazine. He decided to neglect his customers and offer something else. I take what I do very seriously and I consider this is unacceptable. What happens when I can't deliver my product and my business suffers? I would starve and have to find another job. How are we as a community supposed to take him seriously after this shit? I can't and don't think I will be able to. I could sit back and wait to see how everything pans out while this guy continues to take new subscribers money under false pretense. That is the wrong attitude to have, someone needs to tell this guy what is up. This is my stance on it. I don't like getting screwed over. There is nothing I can do at this point. He should have dealt with this situation 3 months ago or whatever it was instead of making it worse. End of rant.

[Jimi The Don]

i'd be interested to see how matt's email asking for a shipping refund was worded from jim's point of view. based on the following email with reference to regulators (and the tone of this thread), is there a chance that you (matt) may have started off a little confrontational? you get more bees with honey and such, ya dig?

i have never had a problem dealing with my namesake and i was a subscriber for more years than i can remember, had some minor problems here and there and they were all solved in a courteous manner. though not being directly involved in this particular situation, i can only speculate. i do not believe that he is/was or would try to rip anybody off. i imagine that (like a majority of the grievances in this industry) this was/is just a matter of miscommunication and a lack of patience and understanding. i recommend taking a seat, drinking a cold hard cider and enjoying a safety break, then continuing your correspondence with a renewed approach. i'm confident that both sides can achieve their desired goal with just a little bit of mutual respect and about a tablespoon of patience with a pinch of understanding.

oh, and a rainbow, two puppies and some glitter wouldn't hurt either.

[Jimi The Don]

i was told via email that the magazine was switching to digital and i know of more than one person at least that mentioned it to me, it was probably an email that people missed or ended up in the spam folder.

[Mattypo]

This was my response to his email from post #16.

Thanks for the response Jim. I understand times must be tough but the point I was trying to make was I didn't pay for a digital subscription. If I knew it was digital only then that is another story. I am not alone in this, I have no problem with a digital only version but that isn't what I paid for. It costs less to make the magazine digital only so it should cost less for that subscription. Your website is still listing the subscription as getting mailed out first class mail. I can't be the only person to let you know this is wrong and misleading and you have failed to keep your subscribers updated. Good luck because I do like the mag I just think these business practices are pretty bad. Thanks.

Also Jim I would like to request a refund of $11 on my subscription. When I subscribed I payed the extra $11 for first class mail. Since you are not delivering what I payed for I would like a refund for the difference. Thank you.

EDIT: His response to this was the email I posted #22

[menty666]

i was told via email that the magazine was switching to digital and i know of more than one person at least that mentioned it to me, it was probably an email that people missed or ended up in the spam folder.

That is all well and good, but for the people who paid for the better quality shipping when they signed up, they sort of got ripped off. About the best Jim could do at this point is email out their link a day or two ahead of the non-spiffy mailing level people.

I can certainly see their gripe, although for the amount of money we're talking it's pretty low impact. It's the principle involved at this point.

[Jimi The Don]

i agree that a refund should be in order, very obviously. though matt, i do personally see the emails you've sent him (that you've shared with us here) as being confrontational and maybe even derogatory. though you may have a legitimate gripe, if you were sending me emails in that tone i wouldn't go out of my way to solve your issues, even if i should. maybe it's just the way i'm reading them, but it comes off as being disrespectful to me.

[LooseSeal Baller]

i agree that a refund should be in order, very obviously. though matt, i do personally see the emails you've sent him (that you've shared with us here) as being confrontational and maybe even derogatory. though you may have a legitimate gripe, if you were sending me emails in that tone i wouldn't go out of my way to solve your issues, even if i should. maybe it's just the way i'm reading them, but it comes off as being disrespectful to me.

in general you get what you give. Matt being the original recipient of the disrespect. imo

that is the problem with a lot of businesses these days, they treat their customers like shit, and then people expect you to act professional after they are conducting business in such a manner. forget that

[Jimi The Don]

i've seen no evidence that matt was disrespected at the beginning of this conflict.

[Mattypo]

All I want at this point is for the people out there that are interested in subscribing to Glassline to understand what I and many others have been dealing with. They have a right to know that Jim will take their money and the extra they pay for first class shipping and not send anything. Jimi you are entitled to your opinion and if you think I was out of line than that's fine. My tone is that of an upset customer. Owning a business involves customer service and customer satisfaction. If both of those are negative you have a recipe for going under. His actions are unbecoming of a professional. I worked retail for many many years and had to be professional and courteous to those that were upset and frustrated. It's just poor customer service. My initial email inquiring about the change was never answered as well. To those that are signing up today or tomorrow should realize he isn't shipping a mag at this point. It really isn't difficult to let people know. I knew that I was going to get flack for this but I don't care, people should know and be weary of sending him any money at this point. A lot of people are letting their subscriptions lapse. What does that tell you? If you are upset about it too please let Jim know. If you are upset I am making a deal out of this feel free to post it. I'm out 40 bucks with 1 issue of a magazine to show for it. I don't want to sound like a broken record but it might be too late for that. I'm done posting about this for a bit but the dialogue is still open. As artists we sell something we make and create and take pride in. I am able to feed myself and my son knowing I am an honest and hard working professional and I treat my customers with the respect they deserve. If anything, I have learned a valuable lesson and that is treat your customers well because without them you wouldn't be in business. I'm grateful for the support from everyone who purchases my glass and will continue to provide the best product and service to anyone I do business with now and in the future. Peace and love guys.

[LooseSeal Baller]

i've seen no evidence that matt was disrespected at the beginning of this conflict.

the way in which the business was conducted, speaks louder than words. that is the disrespect. The fact that he took the 11$ is the disrespect.

[Yeef]

i've read quite a few of the old glasslines at school, when that was over last december i was very close to pulling the trigger on a subscription. luckily, i caught the rumors of them going digital in december, and held off.

this is laughably combative customer service. jim should realize that his customers have every right to at least question the fact that they aren't getting what they paid for.

he's lucky that you're much more laid back than i am mattypo, if i'd received this email ->


Hi Matty,

Okay I will cancel your account. I will go through the records to see the number of issues you have accessed, I will bill you for that number, $10 an issue. If there is anything to refund I will send you a check. Please do not resubscribe.

Hopefully this will resolve any problem.

Sincerely,
Jim

i'd have been on the phone with the fcc, the post office, the irs and anyone else that might be interested, because fuck that guy. you don't threaten a paying customer with punitive charges for requesting a refund.

i'm sorry if the guy's having a hard time, but that's when you need to double down on being nice to people, both to keep yourself balanced and so you don't alienate your friends, or the people whose support you depend on. oh, and it's easy enough to get out of providing the services your business can no longer provide: declare bankruptcy. sorry, but if he's not at least considering it, then he's looking at a pretty easy class action suit.

[CrassGlass]

Jeez, guys. There are a lot of angry folks here attacking another small business owner in our community. There was no up front communication about the magazine's transition, and yes, that was mistake number one. Jim sure as hell handled Mattypo's e-mail like a pissy little 13-year-old girl, and that is just bafflingly stupid. But take it with a grain of salt and try to see things from his perspective. I bet he has been dealing with nothing but angry people ever since he was forced to move to digital. That move was supposed to be temporary and save some money. Instead, I bet he had a bunch of people raise hell and cancel their subscriptions, making problems even worse. His personal finances have probably gone to shit at the same time, because small businesses are often intimately tied with their owners' finances. So I am sure that e-mail touched the same nerve again. And, maybe he was drunk. Or maybe he is just an emotional little bitch with a hormone problem.
Jim hasn't handled this situation well at all. I was pissed initially, myself. But in the end, do you want to see another resource disappear? I plan to renew my subscription and I hope Jim will abandon printing altogether and just sell the digital version for a bit less (and I say a little bit less because just doing the layout and producing a publication typically costs a whole lot more than printing). I like Glassine and hope it does not disappear. Let's also not forget how Jim generously gives subscribers free classified ads.
Hot glass.com, however.... Ugh. I'm a server/desktop programmer, so I would be of limited help to Glassine in volunteering my services, but shit, there's got to be a junior web jockey out there that could help them for free.

[Dan Kooper]

Just a speculation, I'm guessing that in switching his mag to digital, he had a large amount of advertisers upset and pulling their adds. Everyone will just skip over the adds on the digital version. I'm sure that had a way bigger impact on the magazine then he expected.
now he has probably fell into a hole he didn't see coming.

[Amorphous]

moved this post to "how can we help Glassline" thread

[menty666]

But in the end, do you want to see another resource disappear?

No, but that's the way the free market system works. Give people the product they want, they pay for it. Give people a product they don't want, they won't.

I'd rather see him succeed and continue on, but given the discussion here and in the 2 other threads, a) digital isn't what folks wanted and b) Jim can't seem to handle himself in a way that he'll find a way to pull out of the death spiral.

Instead he's becoming a very public study in what NOT to do.