Thinking about advertising in the Michigan City News-Dispatch?

Read on...

Here is my recent experience with advertising a straightforward three-line ad in this so-called "newspaper".

An uncomplicated ad that just read:

Wanted: 14' or shorter canoe. 219-561-1427
Apparently this simple ad was just too much for these simpletons to handle. My email that I sent to them on March 13th explains the situation in a nutshell:

Your classified advertising department is abysmal.

1) On Sunday, March 7, 2010, I placed an order for a classified ad online via your website. No information was provided on how to pay; I assumed a bill would show up in the mail. Only an emailed receipt was sent to me.

2) On Tuesday afternoon, March 9, still having neither receiving no bill nor seeing the ad published, I called the News-Dispatch. It took them some time to find the ad order, but they did find it, and said it would make it into Thursday's paper.

3) On Thursday morning, March 11, I noticed the ad was still not in the paper. I called again. They apologized, and said it would make it into Friday's paper.

4) On Friday morning, March 12, the ad was in the paper, but WITH THE WRONG PHONE NUMBER printed in the ad! I immediately printed out the original classified ad receipt to prove that I entered my phone number correctly for the original order, and drove the the News-Dispatch office.

I told them I wanted my money back; I do not have time to keep calling and driving to the News-Dispatch to get a simple three line ad printed!

I still await a credit on my credit card.

I WANT MY MONEY BACK.

James R. Schwartz

I sent this email to the so-called "Publisher", Advertising "Manager" and even to the "Editor". No response so far.

AND THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT THEIR ADVERTISERS, THEIR "BREAD AND BUTTER". You are visitor #

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