Anyone's Take on Blue Dolphin Magazines? (2024)

I have received a special offer (supposedly not available to the general public) from Blue Dolphin Magazines (bluedolphin.com), allowing me to subscribe to any five magazines at an annual rate of $2.00 per magazine. Has anyone heard of Blue Dolphin Magazines? Is this firm legit?

stargazer

I don't really know the company, but I've seen a lot of complaints about the kind of operation. You know the old saying:

"If it sounds too good to be true ... it is".

Have you tried a web search with words like "bluedolphin" and "magazines" and "subscriptions" ? There doesn't seem to be much information that wasn't put out there by the company itself. It appears that it really exists --possibly under several different business names. The sketchy information suggests that it may be a very small operation with little or no customer service and not even a phone number or address where you can reach a real person.

If you add the word "rip-off" or "scam" to the web search it brings up some more feedback. From some of those it appears that if you ever get the subscriptions at all, they will then be automatically renewed at full price and be virtually impossible to stop. Among other complaints, it appears that because of the time frame they promise between the time they get your money and promise delivery, if you never get the magazine at all, it's too late to dispute the charge on your credit card.

So ... can't say for sure whether it's good or bad, but I am convinced that it's not anyplace I'll be sending any of my money.

jimb

stargazer wrote:I have received a special offer (supposedly not available to the general public) from Blue Dolphin Magazines (bluedolphin.com), allowing me to subscribe to any five magazines at an annual rate of $2.00 per magazine. Has anyone heard of Blue Dolphin Magazines? Is this firm legit?

stargazer

If it's "not available to the general public", what special category/membership are you in such that you are awarded this special opportunity?

(Yes, there is a bit of a sarcastic tone, but the question is a genuine one to consider.)

RM

Hi Stargazer

I too am offered these exclusive deals from Bluedolphin and have taken them up on it.

Most magazine print is dead, so I think part of the appeal is a hook from the publishers for the initial $2 to get you as a customer. You need to look at the # of copies you will be receiving. In some instances, i.e. TIME mag the subscription includes only 12 weeks and is not a full year.

I subscribed to a few, Kiplinger's and Running are my favorites. However, the other part of the hook is that you are signing up for automatic renewal. The renewal cost, of course, is not $2 but several times that.

Make an account with bluedophin.com, and I put a notation in my Daytimer to go onto the website to cancel my automatic renewal. I have to sign up for Running at $2, cancel my auto renewal at 11 months, then wait for the offer again.

I don't know, I like to read magazines at work during my lunch hour so relatively speaking I think it's cheap entertainment.

My advice is to make sure you write down your account info from bluedolphin and password. I have never had any issues cancelling.

Addendum post--

Also, I seem to think bluedolphin might be a clearinghouse for old magazines not sold in stores. The mailing of issues is usually during the month the issue came out instead of being a month in advance. This doesn't really bother me, and quite honestly for $2 if I miss an issue it isn't a big deal.

I order Kiplinger's, Running, Cooking Light, Real Simple and Oprah's magazine all for $10/year. Like I mentioned above: cheap entertainment.

I haven't paid for a magazine in years.

https://www.rewardsurvey.com/

If you spend 5 minutes answering some (20?) dumb repetitive multiple choice questions you get a $20 to $30 credit you use for listed magazines. The latest survey was about gift wrap. Do you wrap, where do you buy, etc. There is no fact checking, no credit card, etc. You can add value to your account by answering later surveys for higher "cost" subscriptions. It might take a month to qualify for a year of the WSJ (new subscribers only).

I just completed the survey on gift wrap and received an annual subscription to Fortune magazine. They send me a few surveys a month. Most go to Trash unopened. I've done it for years. I see no spam associated with it. It also shows the $2 offer referred to above but after you arrange for your free magazine. I never use that when I can get Wired, Forbes, Better Homes & Gardens, etc. for free.

Not all magazines are available at a given time. The list changes from time to time. They do ask if you're employed and the general specifics for your employer. Again, no fact check, magazines go to my home.

What's so ironic about this thread and Rewardsurvey is that after you redeem your points, a screen appears offering $2 magazine subscriptions from Blue Dolphin !!

heartwood wrote:I haven't paid for a magazine in years.

https://www.rewardsurvey.com/

If you spend 5 minutes answering some (20?) dumb repetitive multiple choice questions you get a $20 to $30 credit you use for listed magazines. The latest survey was about gift wrap. Do you wrap, where do you buy, etc. There is no fact checking, no credit card, etc. You can add value to your account by answering later surveys for higher "cost" subscriptions. It might take a month to qualify for a year of the WSJ (new subscribers only).

I just completed the survey on gift wrap and received an annual subscription to Fortune magazine. They send me a few surveys a month. Most go to Trash unopened. I've done it for years. I see no spam associated with it. It also shows the $2 offer referred to above but after you arrange for your free magazine. I never use that when I can get Wired, Forbes, Better Homes & Gardens, etc. for free.

Not all magazines are available at a given time. The list changes from time to time. They do ask if you're employed and the general specifics for your employer. Again, no fact check, magazines go to my home.

So, I fell for the cheap come on. Plan to remove the auto renew function.

Used this thread as a trigger to go into my account and do so.

Can't find it....Not surprised about that fact. Looks like the only option is to send them an e-mail and request non-renewal.

Buyer beware...looks like I'm in for a battle at some point in the next year.