The Va. Pilot is a joke! Service is poor at best. I get billed mid cycle over and over and have to explain that I'm not due to pay. It's like they WANT you to cancel the paper. Today I called to say that I didn't receive my paper. I went out and returned home to half the newspaper strewn over my yard. I hardly think that paper jumped out of the bag on its own. Just the carrier being a smartass. read more

I have had an ongoing problem with numerous missed newspapers. I have requested THREE times to be contacted by a District Manager to discuss. Each time I was promised and each time I was ignored. When todays paper did not arrive. That was the last straw. I contacted customer service again, demanded to speak to a supervisor . Was refused until I continued to demand. Finally, a level 2 "Customer Advocate came on, verified all of my ignored requests and promised me a call today. You guessed it. Ignored again. I sent an email to Mark Quan, Circulation director and Shaun Fogerty, executive Director of Sales and also copied customer service. Still nothing. I now plan to take my concerns to social media, and also to my neighbor, who happens to work for the Pilot. We are an older couple, who enjoys a physical paper with our morning coffee. If there was some sort of alternative option that we could subscribe to, we would. Does anyone have any possible recourse for us? Customer service is non existent. They simply do not care Aa read more

Customer service is pretty much nonexistent. For 3 weeks, we have been calling to cancel subscription and sending e-mails. Only get "leave a message"and never a call back. Have sent e-mails to explain our problem, but only get a standard form letter back to call numbers which no one ever answers or that someone will call us, which no one ever does. Do not subscribe...there is no way to cancel. read more

This is in reference to their residential paper delivery system. There was a time when getting the paper delivered was mastered, but not anymore!! Routinely our morning paper does not get delivered. Sure we call in and request it to be delivered, but that NEVER happens, even when we do call in before 9am!! I have never gotten a missed paper re-delivered. This is not a once in a while thing either, earlier I said routinely, and I mean that, at least once a week we do not get one and every time I call it in. They say the route manager will be notified, pfft, whoever that person is must not give a hoot either, after six years you'd think they would make sure I got one so the complaints would stop...anyway, what a lousy state of affairs the paper delivery system is! Btw, they also pressure you to go online and get/read it, I don't want that, I want the paper in my hand, it's what I'm paying for!!! Also, I get up very early, no one is out there stealing my stupid paper, they just are not delivering it! read more

The trend of this paper for the last 20 years has been a downward spiral; from lack of content to horrible delivery issues. The only thing going for the paper is its crossword. read more

I considered not even leaving a review, given that it was going to be a repeat of what was already posted, but I need to vent, so here it is. I was a new subscriber in the Ocean View area of Norfolk, received a paper only 3 days the first week, 1 day the next week. Contacted customer service around a dozen times. Whatever they tell you they are doing, rest assured, they are not doing. Was told I would have a replacement paper sent - never happened. Was told I would be credited for the missing days - never happened. Was told my issue would be escalated and I would receive a call back from a manager - never happened. Finally, I was told I would be reimbursed what I paid for the service and my service would be halted - two weeks on, still hasn't happened. I receive no papers now, but I still get to pay full price for them. Be warned. read more

Customer service is, as others have reported, garbage. Besides delivery issues, customer service for subscription problems is by far the worse. Virginia-pilot added special inserts and additional material that you must "opt-out" every year. if you dont before do so be for renewal date you get charged the full amount (this year i called be before renewal date to opt out still got charged full Paper + BS material subscription total) and cant not get refund but only credit to your subscription. As with last year, called CS and got same canned response will not be charged and receive credit to future subscription. Should not have had to renew for another 4 months but renewal came 12 months on scheduled as if nothing happened. this year according to CS my subscription credited and now expires jun next year 2020. bet 1$ i get renewal notice Feb 2020 with same "opt-out" and same no refund/credit towards future. Pilots got good scam going there hoping people forget over time. Recommend not subscribing to Virginia Pilot... most is copy paste from AP reports anyways. I would terminate my subscription if not for the fact my mother likes reading the paper (all the non news info--comics ect.) read more

I was a loyal customer for years until 11/2020. I was receiving my paper twice a week until I placed a hold stop on the paper due to being out of town. Once back my paper never resumed. I called they said they would credit my account and the paper would come. Still no paper and I called daily. I finally called to get a refund and was told it will be mailed. I'm waiting for calls from the distribution for a week but this is unlikely. The Pilot is terrible. Would give a zero if it would allow me to. read more

0 stars if I could. I cancelled this service quite awhile ago after they kept missing my Sunday paper delivery multiple weeks in a row, the one I specifically wanted. I cancelled almost 6 months ago, then somehow I am getting charged $10.99 for a paper service I never signed up for AFTER I cancelled? What a freaking joke. read more

Extremely poor customer service. I just spoke with three different employees concerning a delivery issue. It seems they are reading from a script they had in an attemt to answer questions. No empathy on issues. I pay a lot for a paper that is getting smaller and smaller with less and less news. Pathetic! read more

HORRIBLE delivery service. If I do get the paper it's never on time and trust me it does no good to call and inquire on delivery times. I haven't been told the same time any of the times I've called. Customer Service is rude. What do they care if you cancel. One less person for them to have to listen to about horrible service. read more

I called the Virginian Pilot months ago to cancel our subscription. Have not received a paper since. Found out they've been charging me regardless. They've been calling me several times a day to get me to renew once the autopay subscription ends (the one I tried to cancel). I called yesterday to complain and forcefully demand my money be returned. This morning, there was a newspaper in my driveway. read more

Do a vacation hold, get a confirmation, and come home to piles of newspapers alerting everyone to the fact you are out of town. Be in town and miss papers like crazy. Try to reach a human and play the menu maze...All customer service has moved to the Philippines and you cannot reach a human in the VA area except the delivery distributor. And it only takes three or four calls to the Philippines to get customer service to actually leave that poor man a message. Cancel your subscription and when newspapers start showing up, have the customer service person tell you that it was not canceled. In fact, it is difficult to tell if anyone local still works there locally since I have only seen actual news that I had already heard on NPR or seen on the internet. Save yourself the aggravation and avoid the Virginian-Pilot newspaper. read more

Ditto to what everyone else is saying. They deserve 0 stars. I made the mistake of signing up for a subscription, mainly because they only allow you a couple of online articles a month before they force you to buy a subscription. After a few months of getting overcharged for what you can find free in other places online, I tried to cancel. That was 6 months ago. Their link to cancel/adjust your subscription online just links to their main page. If you call, good luck. You're not going to get ahold of anyone. But they will not hesitate to keep taking your money or send you to collections if you're late with a payment (only because I couldn't stop my subscription any other way). Horrible company. read more

Horrible customer service. I finally called and cancelled my subscription today because I'm sick of dealing with them. I've subscribed to the paper at the same address for 6 years now, so I don't understand why they can't seem to remember that I'm supposed to get a paper daily. (They sure don't forget to charge me for it!). Whenever the carrier doesn't deliver my paper, I never get a replacement paper, no matter how many times I call customer service. I'm always promised that I'll get a replacement, but it never happens. I've been told numerous times that my complaints are being forwarded to a manager, who they say will call me, but that never happens either. They are a joke! read more

Signed up to receive the paper and it never shows up. Was refused to be given a refund. I was offered credits for missing papers, but what good is that if you are cancelling the subscription? Had to sit on the phone for over half an hour after they kept offering me deals on newspapers that I did not want. I was fed up after calling and emailing customer service on over four occasions. Unreliable, untrustworthy, and undependable. read more

The Virginian Pilot newspaper has created a spinoff of the Groupon rage called Pilot Online Daily Deals. There are some deals, provided you can purchase the deal and use it quickly. If you do not use it by the expiration date, then they keep your money! If you contact them within a short period after the expiration, they will give you another voucher in place of the one you purchased, but they will not refund your money! If you miss this period of time, they keep your money! Some deal huh? It would be one thing if you are trying to return a shirt or something, but to keep money you paid towards the possible use of a service or merchandise? These are gift cards and this is a ripoff. This why I prefer more reputable companies like Groupon that really want you to be satified so you will buy more vouchers and then use them and then come back and buy more again. But not Virginia Pilot's Pilot Onnline Daily Deals. They will keep your money regardless. Be smart, don't buy a Pilot Online Daily Deal. Their refund policy is not customer friendly. read more

I subscribed to the Virginian-Pilot last spring and had no problem receiving it daily at our old address in Old Towne Portsmouth. However, after we moved this summer we have not received ONE paper. I called to let them know and was reassured that the issue would be fixed. 6 months later, we still have NOT received a single paper. They didn't forget to send me a notice that I would be auto-debited $20 for a new subscription, though! I called when I got the notice in early December to cut our subscription, but after 20 or so minutes on hold I just decided to call back later and promptly forgot. They deducted the renewal payment on 12/20, so I tried to call a few times in between the holidays with no success. It's now 1/9 and I've been calling every day since 1/2 to try and get a refund. Most of the time, it prompts me to "press 1" on their automated system after I've been on hold to get a call back in a few hours - surprise: nobody ever calls you back. But wait! They did call me back AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING. Obviously I was po'ed (because who makes business calls at 6:30 am?), so I asked if I could call back in an hour and the woman got an attitude with me. It's now almost 7:30 and I've been on hold for 14 minutes. read more

During the decline of newspapers is apparent, you would think that they would try to win back customers with good/great customer service. Apparently, that is not the case. I choice to restart my Wed/Sun delivery over a week ago. After waiting on the line for 15 minutes, I got a customer service rep on the line and shared I wanted to restart my service. They quoted me a much higher price than what was on the bill (which was only $20/yr.). When I explained that to them, they said they can't offer that anymore. I asked that they have my local carrier supervisor contact me because she can guarantee me the $20/yr. I never received the call. Yet, when I looked at the bill closer, hidden in a tiny was the online bill pay service for paying my bill. After taking time to set up my billing profile, it took me to my subscription price, which was $20/yr. That was over a week ago that I was billed the $20 on my CC. I haven't received a paper since. I didn't receive my Sunday paper today when I woke up at 11:20 a.m. I immediately tried to call the Virginian Pilot and guest what? Their customer service hours only go to 10 a.m. Urghhhhhhhhhhhh! Here's a thought. Probably their billing system, which is probably operated by an outside vendor, doesn't directly communicate with the Virginian Pilot system. That's is probably why I am getting a delay in starting my subscriptions. I only want the paper because my wife wants to read it and for the coupons. I have to leave a star because there is no option for 0 when rating. read more

I signed up to receive the Virginia pilot newspaper daily about 6 months ago. I have received the paper about 5 or 6 times. I called a few months ago to cancel my service since I don't receive any newspapers. They convinced me to keep my subscription and they would make sure I started receiving the paper. I only receive the paper once or twice monthly. Today I was debited another $30. I called to cancel and get a refund. I told the person on the phone the whole story and he proceeded to tell me that I receive the paper daily and that there is no record of me ever calling. In the end I got a refund of $11. This is part of the reason that newspapers are a thing of the past. I guess I'll read my news on my phone like everyone else. read more

Worst service. They don't place newspapers near house instead of driveways. Papers are wet. They need automated to report papers instead you got to wait near hours for representative. Bring back the automated service. This service sucks never again. They take money off checking account. Only use prepaid credit cards. They are getting too greedy on charges. read more

Just awful. Had the service and I was getting my papers just fine then I moved and transferred it to the new address and they speed delivering. I called and canceled my service and set it back up but the problem persisted no matter how much I complained and retorted the issue. I decided to cancel for good several months ago as since then I left the area and at least twice a month since then they call wanting me stated back up with them again even though I repeatedly say no I am not interested and do not want to pay for the online version. Got a call again today from them about the same thing and have told them not to call me again. Hopefully they will listen. If not they will be getting reported to better business bueru because this is harassment and completely uncalled for. read more

I have tried Friday and today to reach someone at the pilot. Friday I received a call back over 4 hours after I supposedly would be call in the order that i called 446-9000. I had left for the day. Today tried at 7:57 am with no results at 11:04. i called again and guess what, I have heard back. Someone called last Thursday (had my full name and new i was a subscriber) and told me I had to update my credit card information. That did not happen. What is the reason I cannot reach anyone. Now, I wonder if the Pilot actually was trying to get me to give my credit card information. I have subscribed to Virginia Pilot (7 days a week) since I moved to Virginia Beach in 1978. It doesn't mean that you have a chance to talk to anyone at the paper. read more

Worst delivery service in 20 years of receiving the paper! According to the comments, they must not care,although their prices keep rising as the paper gets thinner. read more

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, non-existent customer service. No one ever answers the phone, from the time they open to the time they close. The Virginian-Pilot took it upon themselves to take money out of my bank account without my permission when my subscription ended. I called numerous times, several days in a row and no one will answer the customer service line. It prompts you to "push 1 to have to have us call you back instead of waiting." When you push 1 absolutely nothing happens. I emailed the Pilot at the contact email address listed, explained the situation, and received a response that the subscription renewal (I never ordered) cannot be cancelled except for over the phone! Will never do business with the Pilot again. read more

I have been couponing for a couple months now and decided to get a subscription since I buy the paper for the same amount ever Sunday. I received my first paper but didn't receive the next three. I reported online that I didn't receive those papers each time and the third I decided to call and actually speak to somebody. I spoke to a very nice lady who credited my account like the times before and told me that she would send a message to management and to the carrier. I received the next paper but not the week after that. I just got off the phone with customer services. I was mad but professional. I don't see the need to take it out on the customer service lady. It's the carrier who needs addressed. She assured me that she would send out more messages and she wasn't sure why the carrier wasn't delivering them because she has had the same route for longer than my subscription. I asked the representative if I don't receive it again (because let's get real, they are going to fail to deliver it in two weeks like last time), can I get my money back for the weeks I have paid for and cancel my subscription. She told me that I have been paying for the weeks I haven't received the paper but they have been extending my subscription and that I would only get money back for the future weeks. I told her that didn't make sense. Why am I paying for a paper I'm not receiving? She didn't have much to say and assured me that I would get my paper from now on. We'll see about that. So I'm stuck each week having to report my paper not coming in until I FINALLY end my subscription which will be never since they can't seem to get my paper in the driveway one day a week. Oh, and it's not being stolen. I actually got up before the sun and watched for the carrier to make sure it wasn't my neighbor getting a free paper. This is not how you treat an unhappy customer. I will NEVER again get a subscription. I will continue to go to the store every Sunday and at least good customer service from the Dollar Tree employees. Good grief! read more

Absolutely horrible company and absurd business practices. I subscribed to a Sunday paper 5 weeks ago. Have yet to receive my paper. Call customer service every week and every week they guarantee to fix it. Called again today to cancel and Shane had an attitude. I have yet to receive my paper yet they can't refund my money? What kind of corrupt business practice is this? Will not ever subscribe again or recommend. Customer service reps are rude and make promises they can't keep. read more

I received the Virginia Pilot and Ledger Star for many years beginning in 1994. Very little problems back then but recently in the past five years it's been horrendous. The discounts for ordering instead of picking up at a store aren't worth it! Paper received on wrong days, no paper on correct days, wet newspapers, missing sections. I was a newspaper boy back in the days of putting together, delivering and collecting yourself. No wonder people are giving upon printed newspapers! read more

Horrible. Simply horrible. Buyer beware: major scam. If I could give negative stars, I would. I was tricked into a subscription after meeting 2 nice representatives in the NEX. I assumed if the NEX had cleared them to peddle there they must be legit, so I gave them a try. I signed up for a limited time deal, with the representative's word that after the trial period was over I wouldn't be charged any more. However, I noticed the papers kept coming. I was busy and didn't pay much attention to it until they called me back in March and told me I owed them $10.23 (I had cancelled the credit card that they had so they could no longer suck from it without my permission). I explained that I shouldn't owe them anything because I was assured I wouldn't be charged after my trial was over. However, I agreed to pay the $10.23 over the phone with their word that my subscription would be cancelled and I wouldn't owe another penny. Next week I get another call! This person said I owed $10.23 and had no record of my having paid over the phone the week before. I was furious, but just wanted to be done with these people so I sent in a check for the $10.23, assuming I was done once and for all. Next thing I know I start getting more bills! Then yesterday I get a notice that my account has been turned over to collections because I owe $18.99?? So I immediately called and told them why I owe nothing, but they had the nerve to tell me that, even though it was their billing department who had made the calls, the billing dept. had no authorization to cancel my account (even though they explicitly told me that they had, both times), and I therefore owed MORE MONEY! I am irate! Virginia Pilot is a SCAM! BEWARE and STAY AWAY! read more

The worst service of any kind I've ever received in my life! Save yourself a lot of time, stress, and money and do not subscribe to The Virginian-Pilot. My newspaper was either thrown in the gutter or often times, not delivered at all! My numerous calls, well over 20 during the course of my dealings with them, were either ignored or met with a, "what are you going to do about it" attitude. They also took unauthorized money out of my bank account after I told them I didn't want the paper anymore. They weren't delivering it anyway, but kept charging me. I wouldn't give them any stars at all. It's that bad. read more

I have called over a dozen times to complain about the paper not being on the porch. But the "paper person" can get it on other peoples porch right across the street from me!!! Everyone at customer service said to me "We will get this problem solved" not a thing has been done. I remember when the "paperboy" on his bicycle did a better job than the person doing it today. It seems like good customer service is a thing of the past with The Virginian-Pilot!! read more

Do not buy any services from this deal site. They take about seven weeks to grant you a date for your service. There will be one contractor and you get put in line with anyone else who bought the service. One contractor cannot handle a hundred or so sales at one time efficiently. The worse part is they will not refund your money. They don't care how long it takes the contractor to come out. Then if there is a problem the contractor is not responsible since pilotonline sold you the deal. They do not have a contractors license and should not even be allowed to sell contractor services. read more

I am writing to both complain and warn others about subscribing to the Virginian Pilot. I signed up, after a "hard sell," for a trial 13-week subscription while shopping. I voiced my concern at that time, that we probably wouldn't read the paper. At first they sent the paper to the wrong address (we have two homes). This was in April of this year. They finally got it right. When I tried to terminate service at the end of the trial period, I was told we would receive several extra issues "as a courtesy and in case I changed my mind." I responded that I probably wouldn't change my mind. The papers, and bills, continued to come as of last Sunday. I emailed the Pilot five times and had to call them three times, but the papers continued to come despite my repeated requests to terminate service. My last two emails to them were as follows: Sept. 9-To whom it may concern: This is my second email and I have spoken to your representatives on the phone twice. I have requested on every occasion that my service be discontinued. Continued delivery, in your mind, may be added service but we consider it a nuisance. Please cease delivery immediately! I signed up for a promotional offer only. And, as I expected, we have wound up throwing the paper away more often than not. Therefore, the paper has essentially turned into litter on our driveway. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. A. V. Bowman Their response, Sept. 10: Thank you for contacting The Virginian-Pilot. We are so sorry to hear that you're considering cancelling your subscription. Because we value the opinions of our subscribers, may we ask what has brought you to this decision? As a reminder, the benefits of being a subscriber include home delivery as well as access to our variety of digital products; PilotOnline.com and HamptonsRoads.com, ePilot, PilotVIP, access to contest and savings. We strive to provide premium service for home delivery and want to assure you that we can meet those expectations. We do apologize for the inconvenience but we are unable to cancel subscriptions through e-mail. A representative from customer service will reach out to you to discuss how to proceed with cancellation; you can also call us at your convenience at 446-9000 or 800-446-2005 if you would like to discuss how we can best meet your expectations as a customer of the Virginian-Pilot. Customer service representatives are available from 5:30 am to 5 pm Monday - Friday, Saturday 6:30 am to 10 am and Sunday 6:00 am to 10 am. Our online and automated service options are available 24 /7. Sincerely, Tammy Customer Service The Virginian-Pilot Sept. 10, my response: I am not considering it...I have decided and I clearly stated my reasons for cancellation. If this is not cancelled IMMEDIATELY, I will begin contacting the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and every other avenue to advertise this harassment by your company not to exclude legal action. Today I received a call from their customer service and they asked why I was discontinuing service. I reiterated my reasons. They asked if I wanted online service. I responded "no." They asked if I had friends or family members who would like to take over service. Again I responded "no." (I might consider some enemies, however!) The representative responded that my service would be cancelled. (We will see....) He then thanked me for calling the Virginian Pilot. (????) Not only is the paper laying on the driveway a nuisance, it is a security concern because the paper laying in the driveway is an alert to burglars. If they report news the way they listen to the written and spoken word, I understand why the newspaper industry is in trouble. A. V. Bowman read more

BUYER BEWARE!!! Their customer service representatives are not following through with complaints and the distribution managers are not getting their products out when a complaint is filed. Example: My Sunday paper was wet beyond use and I filed an online complaint around 0930 on that Sunday which is before their stated 1000 cutoff time. I received a phone call around 1020 asking if I had received my paper yet, to which I stated no, and they replied that I they would get one right out to me. Around 1:00 pm I hadn't received my paper yet so I sent an e-mail to customer service explaining what had transpired and that I still wanted my paper. I received a response at 1:20 pm from customer service that there had been a delay due to multiple papers getting wet, but that they would send another complaint to get my paper out to me. At 9:30 pm I still hadn't received my paper and sent another not so nice e-mail to customer service stating that I wanted my Sunday paper, the only reason I even subscribe, with my Monday paper and would like a phone call about the situation. On Monday I never received my Sunday paper or the common courtesy of a phone call. When I called customer service about this on Monday I was told that they couldn't refund my money and that it wasn't a customer service issue, but that it was a distribution managers issue and that his team and done everything right and the fault wasn't theirs. Needless to say, I canceled my subscription and I'm writing this review to ensure other patrons are fully aware of what lies ahead if you so chose to subscribe. read more