National Geographic MagazineReviews of nationalgeographic.com

I like the magazines and think the subscription is good value. However they are completely unable to handle changing addresses. 2020 being what it was I moved multiple times and despite my updates they continued sending magazines to old addresses. I cancelled my subscription because I can’t trust that my magazine will actually reach me. I’m still missing one of the issues that I paid for and they are taking their time resolving this.

I'm so disapointed in National Geographic magazine. I've subscribed for over 40 years. I use to read it cover to cover. I can't anymore. The 8 point type in narrow columns is a strain on my eyes. I read a newspaper every day, so I'm not blind. The 6 point type used for cutlines...overprinted on photos or in reverse type is impossible to read. It's obvious the NatGeo is more interested in graphic design than readership. I'm a journalist, photographer and an editor. I appreciate creative design and amazing photos, but never at the expense of readership. I won't be renewing again, which is very sad. Jeff Veesenmeyer Sun Prairie, WI

Disappointed. I received my issue today with unsolicited marketing mail inside my parcel. I never opted for that. Let's save the environment and say no to necessary pieces of paper! I paid for my subscription, it was not free!

I want to comment on National Geographic 2019 Almanac. I cannot find a thread, specifically, for that so I am commenting under the magazine heading. First, the layout is real good. They don't get too deep with each of their subjects and provide a quick contents page every so many pages in the book. But they are liberal and it shows. I down loaded 14 pages of Trumps accomplishments in his first 2 years 6 months ago. This almanac did not even mention his name nor the first lady's. They mention Kim Jon Un but not a word about what has been accomplished with him and Trump at the summits they had. We got the remains of some of the missing in action back from the Korean war and north and south citizens were allowed to meet, etc. But Natgeo did find the space to mention it was Trump's doing. They did find space on page 313 to show a nice picture of the most unaccomplished first lady we have ever had, Michelle Obama. Under her photo it talked about her past in terms of meeting Obama, her education, jobs and what she did as first lady. They never mentioned how wildly unpopular her school nutrition program was. They did quote her as saying: "I wake up every morning in the White House that was built by slaves!" Nice remark that servers only to divide us.

I have been a subscriber to National Geographic magazine since 2015. I got uninterrupted print magazine for 12 months. I stopped getting new NG magazines from December 2016. I spoke to a representative and he said the magazine stopped as I did not make a payment. Thinking that I did not, I again subscribed to NG Magazine in March 2017. But again when I was going through my statements for December 2016, I noticed that I did make a payment to NG. I called up National Geographic customer representative , she was first of all rude and asked me to get the bank to fax the payment details to NG. I asked her if I could send the Dec-2016 statement which has the payment details to NG, she said "No" and accused me of repeatedly asking the same question. I talked to the bank and after initial rejection they accepted to send the statement faxed to National Geographic. After couple of days, I quoted the incident number and wrote an e-mail to the customer representative and he said I need to e-mail the Dec 2016 statement with the NG payment detail as an attachment and promised me that this would be taken care. Now each time I ask about the status of the e-mail stating the incident number a new system generated incident number is created. Each incident number promising to address the issue at earliest but never hearing back from any one. Today I again received another e-mail from the customer representative asking the bank to fax the payment details made to NG. My money is lost and the attitude of National Geographic customer service is bad.

I have ordered the genographic DNA kit via the Website, adressing the shipping option outside of the Americas. Everything went well, I have received the DNA kit and have also returned it by now for analyses. Suddenly UPS sends me an invoice that the postage paid by National Geograhy (NGP) was too little. UPS Memphis weighted the package 1.8kg and UPS Copenhagen weighted the package 2.3kg. I called the NGP customer service and I explained them that they paid for little postage for the package to their carrier (UPS) and asked why the customer is being charged for that? The customer service was "helpful" in saying that I, as the customer, have to talk to UPS and solve the problem myself. How can that be the customers fault when NGP pays for little postage for their packages towards UPS? I will amend the outcome when it have talked to UPS Copenhagen next week during opening hours. To be continued..... ----------------------- As promised hereby the outcome after the call with UPS Copenhagen. In order to make a long story short could UPS Copenhagen tell me that the invoice isn't solely about insufficient postage but also because customs hasn't been paid for the package. This should have happened by the sender as I also declared the destination during the checkout process on NGPs homepage. After a final call to NGP customer service who has stated that there has not happened a wrongdoing from there side will I not use a single more minute on this issue but only want to highlight to those customer who intends to order something from NGP to be send outside the USA that you better be careful.

Although there are some interesting articles, it seems to have fallen in standard with less and less geographic content instead talking more about sociological topics that frankly are not what the point of my subscription was. Not to mention the shed load of junk mail you get with it!

I did subscribe 10 issues of Nat-Geo Kids to children of some friends. Googling it brought me to a English - most likely American - page. I choose the gift subscription. Price $ 10 and additional $ 5 because the receiver of the mag was resident in Denmark. The first surprise was, that after entering my VISA number and other info and paid. No receipt. Now, I am European and used to be treated properly when using my CC on net and therefore I thought of being hustled on a copy-page. No, I was not: After some days I can see on my bank account that I have been charged for the double, $ 29.95. No problem ( I thought ). A big serious magazine, they will correct this "error". Since I never received an receipt, I did not have an idea whom I should mail. Nat-Geo has quite some offices, both in Europe and US. Contacting the representation in Denmark I got some mail addies, "try this in Holland, if you have paid with your VISA it is them". No, it was not. "You got to contact the relevant department" was the message (+ a mile of promotional material to scroll in the mail). The next was the UK dept. With the same result. When re-contacting them and asking WHERE the "relevant department" was placed in I just received repeated "You got to contact the relevant department". Reading the promotional spam attached in the mail told me though that Nat-Geo´s superior customer service was focusing in the slightest complaints of the clients. (LOL...) I was corresponding in vain with a department or two who eitther refused me or told they could not find my data, but finally: I was there! A office dealing with the gift subscriptions of National Geographic Kids was placed in US, Texas if I remember correct (and if it has any relevance). This war against the windmills had become a principal one and I was feeling I won... They could both identify me and had the goodness of asking what my problem was (it was naturally explained in my mail, but what.. ;-) even a superior customer service can forget such details ;-) The final reply was though a refusion: "10 paper issues of Nat-Geo Kids costs $ 29.95 when delivered outside US". Well, I was originally charged $ 5 extra because the magazine should be delivered to a Danish address. The site never ever told about the additional doubling up the price. Naturally, I can not approve this because the I have no idea of the exact page, I subscribed the magazine, in US the firms survive obviously not informing a paying customer who exactly received the payment, how much it was and why the price was doubled up without asking me. I was clicking the "PAY NOW" for $ 15. Ergo, I was refused the return of $ 14.95 I never ever agreed ! Now, I could have used the charge-back of the whole amount but since I had promised the kids of my friends the magazine, I did not cancel the payment. After all, question of $ 14.95 extra payment is for the most of us a principal matter, no one gets ruined of it. I buy practically everything trough the net and I am used to be treated with honestly and when having problems, with serious and respectful maner. This could Nat-Geo not manage, they did not even bother to explain why, forget all of returning the extra fee (?) I paid. The magazine, both Kids and adults version is great . Their customer service is lousy. The marketing (in this case) was IMHO fraud like and I warn folk not to subscribe - at least not trough the (obviously) American web-site. Disappointed customer - # 4424679605 from Denmark