New Scientist Avis 

After many years of subscribing to NS I decided to cancel my subscription (my reasons were the same as many commentators here - the magazine has deteriorated dreadfully). In November I sent an email to cancel my subscription with effect from 23. January 2024 and received a confirmation mail.
I was then out of the country until mid January and was surprised to find no copies of NS had been delivered. On ringing up (an unpleasant excercise itself) I was informed that my subscription had been cancelled in November with immediate effect. Since then I have been trying to get NS to refund me for the missing copies. They have lied to me (saying that they had transferred the money), claimen that they couldn't find my original payment, promised me that the money will arrive in 10 days, apologised and ignored emails.
Their customer service and finance departments are useless and their senior management have no idea of how to be customer friendly.
Do not subscribe to this magazine!

On 2nd April 2024, my quarterly subscription was due to renew. On that date New Scientist debited my bank account with £257, simultaneously attempting to debit a further £55 (repeatedly) using a different (expired) debit card.
After 7 weeks, 11 emails to "Customer Services" asking for repayment of £257, sending evidence from my bank multiple times, and receiving replies such as "I can confirm you only have one account with us" and similar drivel, I have now commenced legal action for recovery.
I would add that the magazine quality has visibly declined over recent months, and I'm quite pleased to be rid of it.
-----UPDATE. 10 June 2024-----
Launched an online 'small claim' legal action against New Scientist. Heard today that "The Defendant's Response..." (that's NS) says:
"I ADMIT ALL THE CLAIM" and is now legally obliged to refund the amount they stole from me, by 15 June 2024.
I don't expect an apology however - and anyway, what would it be worth?
-----UPDATE. 12 June 2024-----
Have received a pretty genuine apology, plus a full refund, so we are friends again. Their external 'Customer Support' does need a root & branch shake up though, and my impression is that NS is now taking this seriously, having recognised the reputational damage tsunami that was going on.

I've been a New Scientist (NS) fan and subscriber for 36 years. Over most of this period I've enjoyed a fascinating, educational journey that's had a huge impact on the way I perceive this world. For that, I thank you sincerely. But here’s the rub…

Recently things have changed for the worst. Content and admin have deteriorated (admin is appalling) and pricing has gone through the roof. The magazine is thinner with childish, sensationalised covers and many articles that lack detail and depth... typical Daily Mail publishing style (Daily Mail are the new owners of NS; consider, for a moment, the intellectual dissonance involved).

There is also the irritating push-promotion of overpriced cruises, trips and other unwanted rubbish that now fills the magazine and my inbox every week. Apparently you can unsubscribe from this spam, but best of luck navigating the menus on NS's (deliberately?) confusing website. The same goes for trying to stop their site harvesting your personal data.

Today's NS is focussed on just one thing - maximising short term profit for the owners. There's no concern for the heavy impact on product value, intellectual integrity or subscriber satisfaction. In short, NS is being milked for cash and has ceased to be a professional magazine.

So, it is with great regret that I shall not be renewing when my current subscription expires. There's now an abundance of good quality, on-line science feeds and my advice is to save your money and try these instead. If not, consider opting for a respected publication that takes pride in reputation.

RIP (old) New Scientist, you are sorely missed.

Same experience as others below, no possibility to cancel your subscription online, you have to send an e-mail and then they make it complicated to unsubscribe.
now, I took a subscription on Nature, even if New Scientist is a quality magazine, I've had enough of their customer service.

Signed up for £20 student subscription in January 2024. Cancelled in February 2024 but was still charged £45 in April, despite multiple emails assuring me my subscription was cancelled and I would not be charged. There is no option to remove your debit card details from their records.

Emailed on April 1st 2024 and was assured that a refund would be given within 5 days. Called up today April 10th to be told my refunded was cancelled and my subscription was renewed again. No help via emails or phone calls, just empty reassurances that I will be refunded but no refund arrives. I have now had to escalate this with my bank's fraud department and will be reporting to the financial ombudsman.

Appalling customer service and cancellation policy. Tricked into a subscription through a trial and the promise afterwards I could cancel at any time and would be refunded for outstanding issues. When I did that I was told it was only possible within 14 days after payment was taken (I cancelled 3 days later!) and I’d had to pay for the full period. They even had the audacity to offer me a discount for a later subscription… as if anybody would want that after such an experience! Such a poor customer service makes me doubt if that’s still a reputable publication on the editorial side! Never agsin without checking reviews first!

Intentionally deceitful sale of data option on site. Turning it off causes a confirm all button to pop up. Turning it on causes it to disappear. When you read the description it seems more like an opt out of sale of data option but is misleadingly titled the opposite way. Trying to trick people into giving up their data by making this confusing.

This is a con - do not subscribe!! I purchased a subscription on offer and clearly ticked for no renewal and do not save my account details but after the 3months they took £45 without permission. I now have to wait in excess of 10 days for a refund (not yet received ) So don’t fall for the trickery - avoid any dealings.

In general a high-quality publication. However, the comments section occasionally contained comments suggesting ideas with a poor scientific basis which may lead to environmental degradation. The comments section could have been moderated or contained advice.

"Asteroid sampled by NASA may once have been part of an ocean world"... Or it may not. ;-)

"How menopause can make menstrual cycles longer and more unpredictable"... Or it can not. :-)

"A bold new take on quantum theory could reveal how reality emerges"... Or it could not! ;-D

For several years now, this has been the kind of BS that readers have been bombarded with. If I had to choose, I would rather have articles about menstruation, menopause, preparing dishes or losing weight because at least then they really know what they are writing about.

Do not get a subscription. We set up an electronic subscription years ago and only just realised they have been charging us for magazine delivery which we have never had - 2023 they charged us 4x£70 2022 4x65 and so on. They refuse to do anything about it no deal for subscriptions or refund or even apology. On the web there are loads of deals for new subscriptions but they just deny it. Amazingly appalling.

11/7/2023 advised auto renewal of subscription at £148.50 / yr
6/12/2023 Payment declined - credit card had expired
7/12/2023 Acknowledged receipt of new card details
Since then even after paying for the renewal on my subscriber portal twice (via credit card) their systems initially accepted the payment but then failed to renew the subscription and reversed the credit card payment!!
Their customer services are useless as is the subscription department - no escalation process - no complaints system. Staff with no authority and poor language skills. Will only renew at £170 pa in breach of contract law (as I was taught it). Promised phone calls are never made. After subscribing for more than 5 years I have given up with this shambolic company

Given the never ending horror stories about negative experiences with subscriptions and contributions that are simply being stolen, people would be crazy to still subscribe.
My irritation is about the feminization of this magazine: more than half of the articles - allegedly - come from female "scientists", which is not an accurate reflection of their actual representation in the scientific world. The result is lies, assumptions, fantasy stories and appropriation of research. No one, not even the biggest supporter of gender equality, can deny that this magazine is drifting into a women's magazine in which science is more a means of gender discrimination than a goal to promote scientific research.

WHAT A HORRIBLE COMPANY. I have asked them repeatedly to stop sending me unsolicited emails touting all of their products. I've asked them to unsubscribe me. BUT LISTEN TO THIS, first you have to register with them and create an account THEN you may actually be permitted to stop them spamming your inbox. Now I find that today's complaint was been blocked. Apparently THEY don't like unsolicited emails but think it's okay to bombard others with theirs. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT SPAMMERS

Much the same as previous reviews. Bank details given awaiting a full refund since 4/12/23 and responding to my emails after giving details are only automated responses. Very frustrating and a very unprofessional company. Do not subscribe no matter how tempting the offer for new subscribers is….long term frustration guaranteed. I will edit review if they respond and refund me in full

Money was taken out of my account even after I've canceled my subscription. Customer service promised a refund, but then they claimed that they weren't able to process the refund. They then asked for my bank account details to transfer the refund - which I provided - and now they have not responded to the 5 emails that I've sent to chase this.

Renewed membership in error. Very expensive and they are unwilling to refund. Has been difficult to access on line presentations, information dumbed down. Very disappointed.

The physics contains too much astrofizzix from academic press releases from institutions paid to ignore electricity in space and perpetuate the denial of Halton Arp's redshift findings. Or the editorial is unable to process fiction v. Reality. Either is not a good look.

I took out a digital subscription on 6th November for a trial period but decided to cancel before the trial period ended because it wasn't working well on my device. The £25 taken from my account on the 8th November has never been refunded despite phone calls and emails to the digital service. Lots of promises over the phone and by email but no refund. This service is clearly run by a call centre in India who seem incapable to deal with this refund. I've now taken it up with VISA as I paid with a Visa debit card and have given them all of the evidence. Shocking customer service from a supposedly reputable magazine. I've just read all the previous one star reviews. I wish that I had seen them before getting involved with NS subscriptions. Even more shocking that NS can treat so many people like this. The publisher of this magazine appears to be a crook. Now I understand. In March 2021 New Scientist was sold to the owner of the Daily Mail so no wonder that the subscriptions are in chaos and you can't get your refunds!

I bought a gift subscription for a friend for Christmas. He wanted 12 months with print delivered to the door. We checked the website approaching Black Friday, and there was a gift deal for 12 months with web access, app access and print for £99 to commence after Christmas. I discussed this with my friend whilst making the purchase to make sure he was getting what he wanted. Letters arrived and I had confirmation emails, but I foolishly did not open them and the emails were automatically sorted to spam and deleted (so I had no evidence - I know: stupid).
Anyway, I decided to open the letter on the 18th December, and it said that it was digital access only to commence on the day of purchase. I rang customer service the following day, and I was told that was exactly what I had purchased. I said I wanted to cancel the subscription and get a refund, but I couldn't because it was beyond the 14 day cooling off period. I could, however, upgrade the subscription to what I thought I had purchased for ANOTHER £99. I said no, so they came back at me with another offer that involved more money (£50), so I said no. I said I would rather cancel the subscription, so he said he would do that, did it, and said there would be no further payment when the subscription expired. I told him there shouldn't be anyway, because it was a gift subscription and should have been a one-off payment. Anyway, I found another offer on their website whilst we were talking, for 6 months gift subscription for print and digital access. I told the man on the phone, who didn't seem to be aware of this offer - I had to read it all out to him. Eventually he found it, and I asked if he could change my gift to that one. To be fair, he did this, but why did he not offer this in the first place instead of offering to take more money off me, seemingly on a repeat basis? There was a lot of noise in the background - chattering and laughing. It sounded like a Christmas party. I was a bit disappointed with my experience because I would not have paid £99 for digital only access - I don't think this is good value. I'm sure there was a mistake with my purchase. The lesson I have learned is not to be so trusting and not to let emails go unread!