After a number of years I have said goodbye to my FindMyPast subscription. I still like the product and love the access it gives me to British newspapers but a girl has to look after her pennies.I had a been a FindMyPast UK subscriber since 2008 until July 2012 when I took up the bargain basement introductory offer for a World Subscription from FindMyPast.com. When I tried to log on last week I discovered my subscription had lapsed (I had been travelling overseas and missed their resubscription reminder email) and discovered that it would cost me $US199.95 to renew.
If I wouldn't have missed that reminder email "Your subscription will expire in 5 days and we're offering you the chance to renew it at the great price of just $59.99!" and resubscribed by my due date a couple of days earlier I could have had the sub for a significantly reduced rate and I would have resubscribed. DRAT.
I checked the Australian site, findmypast.com.au, and found a World sub there would cost me $AU249.95 (on today's exchange rates that's $US231.70). Next stop was findmypast.co.uk, a world sub there is £GB159.95 (that's $246.11 on today's exchange rates) so I guess that when and if I renew it will be with findmypast.com.
In the interim I might buy some pay as you go credits and see how far they go.
I have always been a pay as you go customer, as I opted for the world ancestry sub for my one name study. That said, like you I paid the fabulously reduced price for the findmypast.com price last year & might renew with that in Sep when it expires, depending on price. During the last year I have kept my PAYG credits active. I did find the dot com site not as user friendly as the UK site.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the results Julie. Much better through UK which makes little sense but there it is!
DeleteThe same is true for Ancestry Jill... i.e. the Australian subscriptioon is twice the price of the "bells & whistles" product from the UK. i.e. access to world wide data...
ReplyDeleteAdded to that... as I've been advising folks here in Oz for the past 6 months, beware of ordering an Australian edition of Ancestry's "Family Tree Maker"!!! If you accept their "free" 3 or 6 month subscription this will automatically sign you up to the more expensive Australian site.
Furthermore if, like me, you already have a subscription to the UK site it will automatically be switched to an Australian subscription at DOUBLE the price without any consultation.
Trying to get it changed back to the UK subscription was an absolute nightmare!!!
Regards, Catherine.
Jill, it's cheaper through the UK site, although I don't know how the weak Aussie dollar will hurt you. I always subscribe through the UK site although I'm in the US.
ReplyDeleteAs an addendum for Catherine. When the AU site was first announced I went for a world subscription, LOATHED the interface which would not let me search by address in the UK and got them to cancel my sub, refund the money, and then re-subscribed to the UK site only. When the AU one is more fully featured I'll look into going back.
ReplyDeleteWhich AU site Rosemary... Ancestry or Find My Past? I have subscriptions to both.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Catherine.
Like you Jill, I took up the bargain basement introductory offer for a World Subscription. I also found last week my sub had run out but there was no email reminding me it was due to run out in 5 days. In fact no reminder at all and no mention of renewing at the same great price. I would definitely have taken it again at that price, not at $AU249.95. Very disappointing.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, FindMyPast since that is what Jill was talking about.
ReplyDeleteI still have a full Ancestry sub and like Catherine it is through the UK site.
ReplyDeleteI've got Ancestry World through the UK site and FIndMyPast UK only.
ReplyDeleteI saw my email offering the reduced rate but I really didn't like it's search or the results. When I renew it will be with the UK world subs as at least then I feel I'll get better results and hence better value despite the extra cost.
ReplyDeleteCustomer Service is Number One with me! If I get treated unfairly or badly I write a letter and never go back. Since you were a customer for 5 years , a very popular genealogist and have a large audience ONE would think that someone would have contacted you and given you a year free. That would be good customer service. Hopefully someone from the company reads this and all will be resolved. Very upsetting that any company would treat their customers like this. Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteI got another offer for a bargain basement renewal last week. I subscribed immediately.
ReplyDelete