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Reader's Digest Customer Service

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Reader's Digest customer service is ranked #346 out of the 628 companies that have a CustomerServiceScoreboard.com rating with an overall score of 33.60 out of a possible 200 based upon 540 ratings. This score rates Reader's Digest customer service and customer support as Disappointing.

NEGATIVE Comments

513 Negative Comments out of 540 Total Comments is 95.00%.

POSITIVE Comments

27 Positive Comments out of 540 Total Comments is 5.00%.

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Disappointing Overall Customer Service Rating
  • Submit your comment >>
    • Viewing Reader's Digest customer service complaints
    1 - 25 out of 513
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  • I received a free copy of your magazine a couple of weeks ago,and a few days later I recieved my first subscription along with a bill.I did not Order this subscription.so please DO NOT send me any more copies.

    Anonymous 5/11/13 8:51AM
  • I returned a book to Readers Digest and am now being billed for it. They have sent me three different letters asking for payment and I have answered each one with no response to me except to send another bill. They want me to pay $30.93 for this ONE book WHICH I RETURNED. I am asking and wondering about their record keeping and handling of returns.

    wanda h black 4/30/13 8:04AM
  • I canceled a subscription that my father had for many many years due to his death. He was a loyal customer since 1960. RD NEVER sent a refund as they claimed (in a chase bank card??). After 3 tries and different responses from rep's, I wrote the legal department.
    Very poor customer service!

    Anonymous 4/16/13 3:34PM
  • Hi,

    This happened to me also! My aunt bought me a 1-year-subscription. They sent me recently a "past due bill". I mean, it was clearly 1 year agreement wtf!

    Is there anything we can do?

    Thanx,
    Chris

    chrisupi007 4/15/13 5:44PM
  • I am pissed off. I received a(package) magazine from you and I mailed itback to you the following day. Now you have the nerve to send me a bill for $44.50. Are you crazy? I am not working and I DO NOT WANT YOUR MAGAZINE. The account no# is

    Anonymous 4/13/13 6:02PM
  • In January 2013 i placed order for a crocodile leather bag for ladies. Guess what? They sent me a a man's wallet. This was not what I wanted and proceeded to inform customer service by email. No answer, Subsequently, for the net few month they sent reminders that my payment was overdue. Obviously, I don't intend to pay for something which I didn't order. With each reminder, i wrote a letter explaining my position, together with copies of my previous complaints to them. Utter silence!
    Now they threaten that the overdue payment has been passed to collection agency.

    What a horrible company with absolutely no customer service in mind. It is just like you are talking to the wall. This is Reader's Digest, so called trusted brand. My foot. Don't expect me to pay for the unwanted item. As it is, the wallet is sitting in its box, waiting for them to take back. A very bad experience, doubt I will ever buy for them again.

    Anonymous 4/12/13 2:57AM
  • I have been sending magazines back to readers digest stating I did not order . They keep sending me more magazines which continuosly keep coming. I have emaiked them and been ignored. I cant find a number to ring them and now its in debt recovery. Poor service

    wendy 3/27/13 5:59PM
  • We have taken this Readers digest for many years and it was a hell of a lot bigger than it now is. Costs more now and about only 1/3 of the size it used to be. Can't the Frenchmen find any more paper or did they run out of trees. Cut more wages instead of overpaying for what they can't do. Certainly not worth buying anymore. Half sized and twice the price. Looks like when our subscription runs out so does Readers Digest. Can't keep buying overpriced Montreal crap. This is CANADA not Bangladesh.

    Hey You 3/21/13 7:37AM
  • Why do they bill you higher for 1Year than they advertise for? Not nice for repeat custumers.

    Anonymous 3/18/13 1:27PM
  • To the Presidents of Readers' Digest,

    I am very disappointed with all the contests organised by your organisation. As the ways you are trying to convince people in attending the contest are very tempting and manipulating the mindset of the contestants. My mother was one of the contestant whereby she had bought more the RM 7,000 products with your organization. In the end all we had receive is the brochures telling us we were in the finalist, very high chance of winning and so on. But we were all so in shocked that the period of the contest was change to become the next year contestant. I had no legal knowledge on whether they way you attract people in joining the contest is rightful or wrong but i will try my best to ensure that everyone in the world knows that Reader Digest is not an ethical company in their way of making profits. Thank you.

    Emma 3/11/13 7:40PM
  • My parents have been longtime Reader's Digest customers who have orderd the Reader's Digest magazine and many of their condensed bookes. My mom is now elderly and they keep sending her books, coffee table books, games and other materials that she has not ordered. She, being elderly and HONEST pays her bills even though she did not order the goods. I have taken over her bills, have called customer service to cancel everything with Reader's Digest, but they keep sending us notices that they will turn unpaid bills over to a collection agency. Shame on this once well-respected organization. You've turned predatory on your most loyal customers...the greatest generation.

    Anonymous 3/8/13 2:11PM
  • Order a children's music CD online - RD Direct. Weeks went past and received nothing, so rang them and was informed that the item was not in stock (even though on the website at time of ordering, it was "in stock"). The CS operator friendly enough but said there was nothing they could do until the system advised the item was in. As this item was ordered as a gift, I asked for refund and was informed that they would send me out a cheque and it would take up to 35 days. Unbelievable. I have always enjoyed RD and order subscriptions for family, but no more if this is the way they treat customers. They were appy to take my money straight away, deliver nothing, then refund inconveniently after long wait. Will not be recommending RD Direct to anyone.

    OzGirl 3/7/13 2:13AM
  • IIn December I paid for a set of 3 Robin Cook paperbacks. When I received them it was a set of 3 IDENTICAL copies of the book CRITICAL. I'm not that fond of Cook but 3 identical books is a little much. I wrote a letter several week back but never heard back. The item code was 01044. Please send me the rest of the set. Thank you.

    Lila Mager

    lila mager 2/21/13 10:54AM
  • Reader Digest has stooped so low that they have started sending Books by VPP, which have neither been ordered by the customers, to loot the innocent customers. Complaints lodged are neither replied to nor amount looted is refunded. SHAME SHAME

    Anonymous 2/7/13 1:30AM
  • We have been telling RD to cancel for last few years but they keep chasing for bills and keep sending magazines. They will not cancel it. They are just scam. What they say in the magazines about various scams applies to themselves.

    Jay 2/6/13 1:05PM
  • After sending numerous emails unsubscribing from Readers Digest and having already paid one extremely insistent $40 bill they are still sending me the magazine and bills. Why does unsubscribing not result in unsubscritption. Its like they just want money and don't care how they get it.

    Sarah 1/30/13 9:33PM
  • Hi i have tried to call you,got nowhere then i e-mailed you got nowhere,no response so i am trying this now,see if i get a response.I purchased Cliff Richard Collection from you,unfortunately the whole Collection do not work.I refuse to pay for something that doesn't work.I do want the Collection but the CD that work my account number could i have some response please,you have my e-mail address.Thank you..Waiting to hear from you..PS> I have never had this problemn before with any of the CD i have bought from you before..

    Helen 1/22/13 6:37PM
  • I have never been so embarrassed or disappointed in a Company in my life as I have been with RD!I have with them for years and never had a problem until I bought 2 Gift Subs for friends, one friend got 2 copies per month the other was ok. The come renewal time I was not allowed to use my credit Card to renew the Gifts.After 4 phone calls and numerous assurances from staff, I lost my own RD in Feb as did one of my firends! Now I'm getting repeated bills for the other friend. No way will I ever , take RD again!

    EBS 1/16/13 2:12PM
  • Subscriber for several years, including gift subscription for friend. Renewed for 2013, expecting own & friend same as in past. Only friend receiving RD. Customer service not helpful - says renewal is only for friend. RD misleading, especially for seniors. Will never renew again.

    Norma Arena 1/16/13 9:43AM
  • I held for a long time while the CS rep. looked for my account. She had problem with the computer and my account number. You never know what you owe. You get billings every month. I am now paid thru 2/13/14 so I was told. The lady was nice but not efficient.

    Lefty
    SC subscriber

    lefty 1/3/13 1:34PM
  • I received an email from RD to enter a sweepstakes. When I tried to enter, lo, and behold, I had unknowingly purchased a book for over twenty dollars, plus tax. I thought that I must have entered something incorrectly and was to contact them to cancel the book order, since I didn't knowingly order any book. I again tried to enter the sweepstakes being very aware that I needed to be sure to indicate that I didn't want to order anything, just make an entry. Guess what ? They again charged me with purchasing a book. I am positive that I clicked the button that indicated that I didn't want to purchase any book- just wanted to enter the sweepstakes. Humpf, nice way for them to make money off of stupid suckers.
    I then called 4 times to get to customer service to cancel these two books and the first three times their system disconnected me when I was being transferred to customer service. Nice!
    They have some scam going here! Finally, I reached someone who said that the orders are cancelled. We'll see how that goes. When I tried to get my email removed from receiving any offers, it was very difficult to find that page. Hopefully, I won't need to have any further contact with them. I had thought better of this company.

    Anonymous 12/7/12 7:32AM
  • spoke to rep in philipines...could not understand her english...very difficult but I'm sure she needs the work...

    PLEASE BRING THE JOB BACK TO THE USA....

    Anonymous 11/26/12 6:32PM
  • I ordered a book from reader's digest by accident one day by clicking on an email for a sweepstakes. I called immediately to have them cancel it. I was assured that it was cancelled. However a month later I received a book in the mail. Having just had a baby and not in my right mind, I opened the box. Big mistake. I called to say I didn't order the book but because I already opened it I had to pay for it! We straightened everything out, or so I thought. Now 3 months later I just received another book. I explained to the woman on the phone and she only had in my account that I ordered the book. She had nothing about any cancellations, etc. So ridiculous. I have been assured that everything is cancelled now. I am going to refuse this package and send back. But something tells me this won't be the last time this happens.

    anonymous 11/26/12 8:40AM
  • READERS DIGEST GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS....
    BEWARE BEWARE IF YOU GIVE READERS DIGEST YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER THEY WILL ASSUME THAT YOU WISH TO CARRY THE GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS FOREVER AS LONG AS THEY HAVE YOUR CC NUMBER. YOU HAVE TO BE SURE TO WRITE THEM AND CHANGE YOUR WISHES PERFERABLY BY REGISTERED MAIL!

    Anonymous 11/20/12 9:41PM
  • I did not receive any RD Magazine the second year. The last check #741 $13.98 for 2 issues for 1 year mailed on 9/4/12. ( 1 ZP1.....039 )



    Fred Deng

    Anonymous 11/13/12 9:53PM
  • Submit your comment >>
    • Viewing positive Reader's Digest customer service ratings
    1 - 25 out of 27
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  • To cancel the Reader's Digest book club, I did the following:

    1) 1-800-310-3261
    2) To avoid computers and long rerouting menus, dial 0 when prompted to speak. Dial 0 again. Keep dialing 0 when prompted until the man finally says "I'm having trouble understanding you. Let me connect you to a representative."
    3) Congratulations! You have been put on the real human waitlist. From here, you will listen to muzak until someone picks up. They will take your name and zip and then ask why you are calling. Then, they will reroute you to another human.
    4) More muzak, more waiting, and finally another person. This one will be able to cancel the subscription for you. Success!

    The entire experience took me about 5 minutes.

    Anonymous 9/19/12 1:11PM
  • Since last 40 years I have been a devoted supporter of Reader's Digest Articles such of which are not found so strategically published through any other source of its kind.

    Therefore, I've established a sort of deep belief on Reader's Digest that it may accept my reviews and would publish it if found publishable and help me get paid for that what I may deserve to receive as generous money.

    Thanking you once again, in the meanwhile, I remain,

    Yours truly

    ShamsACI

    ShamsACI 5/4/12 7:47AM
  • I also received a RD mag. on April 11. Went to the comp. to look up phone # to call them and ask them why I'm getting this, when I never ordered it. Read alot of the post's on here and was getting angry also. Made the call, got through. Was told I'm getting this free through another mag I had orderd ( Bird's and Blooms) Asked if I was going to be billed for this, she said NO. So I'm happy for now, unless I later get a bill.

    Scales48 4/12/12 8:01AM
  • I am unable to find your customer service site therefore am unable to cancel three product orders. A memo that has been posted to this effect includes my customer number and product codes.
    Customer account number 00077544278
    Items cancelled
    0758177 Agatha Christie Mysteries - DVDS
    0758588 Bless me Father - DVDS
    0413796 Nature's Medicines - book

    A.Y.Fitzmaurice

    18.12.2011

    Anonymous 12/17/11 11:09AM
  • I am very satisfied with your suport groups quick and efficient handling of what I felt was a big problem for me. I am old and very hard of hearing. The two different ladies I spoke with both had foreign accents and I know it was as hard for them as it was for me. They hung in there until they gor my promlem solved.

    Anonymous 10/31/11 1:46PM
  • Thank you for helping solve the double payment I made. Mark was quick, polite and a huge help. THANKS! Angie T.

    Anonymous 10/25/11 7:39AM
  • I don't know why everyone is complaining I just got of the Phone with a rep at customer service and she was very helpfull and answered all my questions.
    She was able to solve all my issues.
    She was also very nice and helpfull.

    Anonymous 10/15/11 10:10AM
  • I worried when I saw all the critical messages entered here, but I called the 800 number and got immediate and outstanding service from the service rep, "Lef".

    My wife received 2 promotional book offers in response to entering the RD Prize contest. We did not attach the tag to the submission to request either offer.

    Lef looked up our account and deleted both offers so we owe nothing and will not receive any further invoices.

    He told us to write "Refused - return to Sender" on the unopened book, and to keep the free book from the other offer.

    Bob Riekert 8/3/11 11:38AM
  • Readers Digest sent me a Book that I ddn,t order. I did not open the box, and took it to the Post Office, and they returned it to you. I do not want to order the book. I will not pay for something that I did not order or want account #00239275373 Janice Mullins 11035 Blair Street Holland, MI 49424

    Anonymous 7/30/11 3:48PM
  • I am a customer of r/digest since 2006 & have bought books,jewelleries,cd's etc.Recently I ordered a multi purpose rug,which was not as I expected & I returned it back and am still getting repeated reminder notices to pay the bill of $64.96 even though I have e-mailed & replied them with a note explaining about the return.Not happy with the service anymore.

    palmy 7/22/11 6:02PM
  • why is it so hard to cancel,but so esay to get i want to pay on line but can't get to my account

    larryhott 7/7/11 9:23AM
  • I have been buying RD bookks and videos for years, since 1975 to be exact, When a book arrives and I do not wish to have it I just return it to the address given, doesn't cost me anything.

    Anonymous 6/21/11 8:11PM
  • was very thankful to readers digest for not having to pay for subscription,they say i ordered but did not recall thank u so much

    Anonymous 5/21/11 12:58PM
  • on 4/12/2011 I received a bill from you for account #cro151-2 in the amount of $26.72.
    I had ordered "Mind stretchers" book and "mind stretchers bubble gum. I returned mind stretchers bubble gum to you and kept mind stretchers. It was my understanding that one of the books was a free gift, therefore since I returned one of the books I owe you nothing. Geanne C. Mentzer

    Geanne C Mentzer 5/4/11 9:18AM
  • I have had nothing but problems with my RD subscription which I have had for years (I enjoy the magazine immensly but hate the way they operate) Paid for what I thought was my subscription renewal AND gift subscription in 11/10, never received a mag from them. Received another offer this month reducing my subs rate to $10.00!! I had to go on-line to get a phone number and call them to ask what happened to my renewal payment in 11/10 of $49.90, they told me that was just for my "gift renewal" and not my renewal. I told "Iris" that I was going to report them to the Better Business Bureau as the statement I received last year was for both, not just one. I told her that I could not believe the way they did business and get away with it. Iris made an "adjustment" and now my scription is paid for until 2013.

    Anonymous 3/24/11 3:15PM
  • I sent RD an email over two weeks ago about their ONE MILLION dollar sweepstakes site. About four days later, I received a reply that several sites were being worked on, and some had been repaired.
    As of today, the ONE MILLION dollar site is still down. It amazes me that companies with all this money can not manage the things that they have for people to use.

    wmbrwn05 2/11/11 12:28PM
  • rece ived a book I did not order. Called spoke to Cheiryl who was very helpful and very pleasant. I will receive a lable to mail it back, and will be taken off the mailing list
    thanks Cheiryl
    marilyn

    eliza 12/2/10 10:42AM
  • I needed to talk with someone about my subscription and gift subscripton as well and I just want to let you know what a pleasant experieince it was. I dreaded calling as I expected a hassle, instead I got a wonderful lady who spoke slowly, was so helpful I was delighted. She had everything straightend out in just a few minutes. I am sorry I did'nt get her name. Thanks for having such great people working for Reader's Digest!

    lucky 11/23/10 11:36AM
  • Today I went to RD.com and found the ph # to call about my RD subscriptions and Earl handled the renewal of my three family mem- bers' and he was great to talk to..very kind & knowledgeable! It was a pleasure to do business with both he and with Leanne, as well. I certainly appreciated their professionalism!

    Thank you ....
    Lettie Ann Poe (lapoe5@msn.com)
    Clearwater, FL USA

    L A Poe 9/29/10 2:39PM
  • I found that the person who helped me with the cancelation of my prescription to the magazine and also the books was very helpfull and polite. If things improve in the future I may renew.
    Thank you
    Leroy Truit

    leroytruit 8/6/10 10:16AM
  • I have always thought Readers Digest was a greatest magazine. Have been reading it for YEARS and YEARS. The only complaint I had was not being able to reach the company by telephone in order to add subscriptions to my gift list!!!

    Anonymous 5/10/10 3:47PM
  • I have had wonderful service from Readers'sDigest for many,many years. I have no complaints.

    wolfpack 4/18/10 11:59AM
  • Customer Service helped out, or at least they said they would help out, with the books they sent to my elderly father without him ordering.

    They said to ignore the bill and they will stop sending the books. 4/14/10

    I called 800 463 8820.

    Grindstaff 4/14/10 10:30AM
  • Ditto to all the below comments Readers Digest has been a warm and fuzzy part of my life forever so what in the world caused a great magazine to stoop to such a stupid gimmick only to destroy peoples trust? How many new readers did this ploy add and how many dropped their subscriptions?Fire the creator of this idea !

    disappointed in ohio 4/12/10 5:17AM
  • Canceling book offer easy so far.
    Promised no more will come.

    Son of Elder Parent 3/23/10 7:02AM
  • Submit your comment >>
  • I worked with them for almost 2 years, and I am hearing customers to sue the company, but none of them are working. The company are doing the right thing, but tricky, I can assure you guys that they are not placing an order without any authorization. Let me write you some list of orders that you "did not order" but was really ordered:
    1. Your enemy might ordered this as a prank for you!(neighbor, classmate,etc. )
    2. Your close friend, a family member etc., place this order as a surprise but surprisingly the bill was sent to you instead for them.
    3. You respond to one of those PROMOTIONAL OFFERS that you thought was a bill (looks like a bill though)that supposedly you must take for-granted. What ever is your response, the machine will read it INITIALLY as a YES to the order, it's not person will read it.
    4. You go online and apply for a sweepstakes, their is a small box you should check so you will not receive a mag/book or sometime hit a wrong button.
    5. Your previous order, a year or 2 ago was places to an auto-renewal service, before making an order online or thru mail, please read the terms and conditions of the offer.
    6. You call them for some issue (let say changed an address), and you agreed to send you a single copy of the other magazine to browse for FREE, but there is a bill together with it that in case you don't like the magazine, you MUST right CANCEL on it, maybe you forgotten this conditions.
    7. The telemarketers are allowed to use the company's name to sell the product, but it's never the company's practice to call customers to subscribe to there mag/book. It's the telemarketers bill, not the company itself.
    8. And lastly, elderly people obviously made an order, but after they receive the book/mag, they forgotten this (mostly happened ages 90+)

    But to know the truth how you made the order, call the customer service hotline (I forgot what it was) and be patient now a days, they have 500+ call waiting on the line.

    former_employee 12/15/11 9:11AM

  • I worked with them for almost 2 years, and I am hearing customers to sue the company, but none of them are working. The company are doing the right thing, but tricky, I can assure you guys that they are not placing an order without any authorization. Let me write you some list of orders that you "did not order" but was really ordered:
    1. Your enemy might ordered this as a prank for you!(neighbor, classmate,etc. )
    2. Your close friend, a family member etc., place this order as a surprise but surprisingly the bill was sent to you instead for them.
    3. You respond to one of those PROMOTIONAL OFFERS that you thought was a bill (looks like a bill though)that supposedly you must take for-granted. What ever is your response, the machine will read it INITIALLY as a YES to the order, it's not person will read it.
    4. You go online and apply for a sweepstakes, their is a small box you should check so you will not receive a mag/book or sometime hit a wrong button.
    5. Your previous order, a year or 2 ago was places to an auto-renewal service, before making an order online or thru mail, please read the terms and conditions of the offer.
    6. You call them for some issue (let say changed an address), and you agreed to send you a single copy of the other magazine to browse for FREE, but there is a bill together with it that in case you don't like the magazine, you MUST right CANCEL on it, maybe you forgotten this conditions.
    7. The telemarketers are allowed to use the company's name to sell the product, but it's never the company's practice to call customers to subscribe to there mag/book. It's the telemarketers bill, not the company itself.
    8. And lastly, elderly people obviously made an order, but after they receive the book/mag, they forgotten this (mostly happened ages 90+)

    But to know the truth how you made the order, call the customer service hotline (I forgot what it was) and be patient now a days, they have 500+ call waiting on the line.

    former_employee 12/12/11 12:05PM

  • I worked with RD before for 2 years as a Customer Service and resign just last month, I thought RD is harassing my grandma for her subscription but I finally understand when I started to work with RD. Most subscribers are range from 65 - 105 years old. They doesn't know which is promotions and which is bill, they doesn't know what there doing on the internet and just hitting all of the button that make them win for a sweepstakes and didn't even read terms and conditions, just agreeing for people who called them for a subscription which is not a practice of RD to call anyone in regards with a subscription, something wrong with the post office and blame it to RD, and worst thing, there enemy making pranks and put there information as if they are making the order and then call us that we're making the order. Common, if you cant handle this stuff, just don't subscribe!

    asdasd 11/2/11 4:03PM

  • This is for Eleanora McClusky who posted on February 1, 2011.

    My name is Sylvie and I work for Reader’s Digest in Customer Care. I just came across your post and I am sorry that you are getting fraudulent calls about winning money from us.

    You are correct, winning something shouldn’t cost anything. Reader’s Digest does not require any payment from its winners and I can assure you that the calls you have been receiving have nothing to do with us.

    For more information about these types of calls, I invite you to read the Fraud Prevention Tips you can find on our website at: http://www.rd.com/customer-care/

    Sylvie Robert
    E-Care Coordinator

    SylvieRD 2/2/11 5:53AM



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