Mythbusting Thread : The Truth about Freebizmags (& Mercury Mags too) and Sponsored Sub Giveaways!

[Nuala'sMom]

The Super Simple Guide to getting Freebizmags (And Mercury Mags) Subscriptions - the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Myths Busted! Ballons Burst! Check it out!

Introduction: Freebizmagazines is a great site that offers "free" subscriptions to both Trade Magazines and Consumer Magazines. Mercury Mags is another one just like it that was begun by former FreebizMag employees. They earn their money by increasing the circulation of Trade magazines also known in publishing as Controlled Circulation Titles. To do that, they offer you good magazines, hereafter referred to as 'Consumer magazines' such as Town & Country Magazine, Guitar Player, Outdoor Life, MAD, VIBE, American Angler, American Cowboy, Cucina Italiana, Log Cabin Living, Elle Decor, Old House Journal, Upscale, Horticulture, Radar, Tennis, Computer Games, etc., etc.

Their goal is to lure you in with the free Consumer Magazine offer and then, while you are signing up, get you to agree to receive one or more Trade Magazines during the application process. All of us have fallen for this at the beginning because there are many myths on freebie sites about Freebizmags. I have believed some of them myself and even perpetuated a few back when I was still gullible. (please forgive me for I am heartily sorry and do repent).

However, it is my goal today to save you, the Noob, from all such myths and to keep your mailbox free of Silly Trade Mags (unless of course you actually WANT to receive Spot-Welding Illustrated or Miniature Vegetables Monthly)



Here we go -- How to get started:

If you are new to Freebizmags, find an offer that seems valid - One where experienced Slick Dealers say "Thanks, got it." Then, click on link:

Type in the name you use for mag subs and an email addy you actually check every day, preferably one you have set aside just for Freebizmags. You want a real email addy cuz Freebizmags sends account holders fresh links to free Consumer magazine offers at least once or twice a week.

Then, you are faced with the first hurdle: what to write as your Business info. You should be honest and try and figure out what to select for your own profession (something I did) .

UPDATE: Another slick dealer, Nightvessel, has suggested that I am trying to coach other Slickdealers to lie about their profiles to, in effect, get something they don't qualify for otherwise. Nope - nothing doing! Telling the truth about what you do in your profile gets you just as many magazines as you would if you simply made up a profile for the sake of ease of application. Let me be clear - there is NO advantage to lying or making up a profile. Whatever you enter you will still get offered the same consumer magazines unless you choose a profile that doesn't mesh with their software enough to allow that software to sift thru possible biz mag offers and toss some in your general direction, kind of like a fart on Monty Python! The only thing that would change with the profile is the Trade magazine titles they offer you. Therefore, there's no advantage in choosing one profile over another. Any profiles offered in this thread are for the purpose of showing you an example only.


In the past, many slick dealers have advocated using a Student Profile such as this one:
Keep in mind, however, that both FBM and Mercury have begun refusing the offer to students using the student profile. if you have a part-time job, you might wish to use that as your profile instead.


Student profile:

Other
.....Student
..........Other
...............Student
....................Student



UPDATE 7/11/06: The Other/Student/Other profile no longer seems to work and for good reason. Why would a company that makes its money referring you to Business trade mags want students to get their lure offers of consumer mags? Please use some other profile and stick with it if you want to be sure of being offered magazines. Use your part time job or the last job you held if you are currently unemployed. Really, it makes little difference what you use so long as it permits their software to toss some trade mag choices in your general direction, kinda like a fart on Monty Python. N'sM

MYTH NUMBER ONE: "There are special combinations that qualify your for certain FBM offers" (However, for some specialized titles, some users swear on their parent's graves that a specific profile might matter but this is highly debatable and unlikely... read posts to this thread for examples.)

>>>>BUZZER NOISE<<<<

Wrong! In general, there are no magic combos, just a couple of DUD profiles as reported by dozens of other experienced slick dealers. DUD profiles could be student profiles or Retired profiles. if you are a student and don't know what to pick, you may want to choose a profile that matches your part-time job, the last job you held or, the job you are educating yourself for. if you are retired, you might try creating a profile for your former profession.

Any legitimate combo should get you any mag if indeed there are subscriptions to be had. (This may not be true for a very few special mags, but it is true for the vast and overwhelming of them) It's best to stick with one profile that you find works well for you.

Not sure how to describe what it is that you do? Need a sample profile to look at? Well, here's one …and is an actual profile from my next-door neighbor:

Communications/Utlility
.....Radio/Broadcasting
..........Advertising/Sales
...............Avdertising
....................Account Manager

If you are a teacher this is one way to do the profile:

Education
.....Education
..........School/Library
...............Education
....................Educator



Okay ... now if this is your first try opening a FBM account, you will get a page which at the top SHOULD ideally show the mag you were hoping to get at the top of the page highlighted in yellow with a check next to the box. EDIT 1/02/08 Lately due to a software change, you have to manually add the check yourself. If you see that, that's a good thing. That means you will get the magazine if you can make it through the next few hurdles.

If you are a returning client, you will have been prompted to put in your password before you get this screen. Again, if the mag you were hoping for is pictured at the top of the page - YOU WIN.. you get the sub. now proceed.


Next you will see all these other options and offers. SAY NO TO ALL OF THEM. Make sure you check "No Thanks, or NO or "None of The above' to any and all questions. DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO ACCEPT ANYTHING.. Not even the free sub to BabyTalk.. it will just side-track you with a bunch of qualifying questions. SAY NO NO NO To Everything!! Do not say "Okay send a letter to Washington on my behalf. Do not say YES to any sweeps entries or email newsletter subscriptions. KEEP SAYING NO! NO NO NO! Got it?? GOOD.

EDIT 2/07/06: Sometimes it is OK to say YES but only under very special circumstances. Please see the next post in this thread for the one time you can say YES. there isn't room here

You will also be asked to give the first letter of the State where you were born, the first letter of your dad's first name or some other piece of info which serves as an online signature that you are really you. Do it. You should not have to put the year of your birth if you followed my above instructions which were to SAY NO NO NO TO EVERYTHING! They only need that if you fell prey to the dumb offer for the Free career Kit. SAY NO and move on!

Say no no no, go to bottom of page click Submit.


If you are new, it will bring you to a page where you have to fill out your business addy and home addy. Fill them both out with the same address if you don't want to use your real business addy. You must put some business name and some phone number. I usually put my Area code plus all zeros. Then, under Alternate/Home address, I put my real address. It will ask you to enter a password too if this is your first time.

Remember, in the future, you will always be checking off 'SEND TO HOME ADDRESS" so it doesn't matter what business name you put. If you have no business just put in the word "Resident".

When you finish, check off 'Send to home address' and click submit.

You will get a confirming page showing where your mag sub is going and a button to click that says CONTINUE. Click it. That will bring you to a confirmation page that says THANK YOU... blah blah blah. Print that for your records. You are done.



Now, next time you see a FREEBIZMAGS offer, click on the link … fill out your name, email and profile (which you have made note of somewhere I hope), hit enter, then enter password. IF YOU DON'T SEE THE MAG YOU WANTED AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.... There are no more freaking subs - STOP THERE - DO NOT go on. If you go on, you risk accepting some dumb Trade Mags. Just because the link works and permits you to enter your info does not mean there are subs to be had. If you don't see the desired mag after you enter your password - No Mag Sub for you. Quit while you are ahead.

Class dismissed for now.

Next lesson:
What is that Akami Crap in front of the web address for FBM links?

[wikipost]

For the OTHER Mythbusting thread, go here:



Mythbusting MagCentral (now RewardsGold) plus all about free mag sub offers how they work and why
http://archive.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=111530

[Nuala'sMom]

Lesson Number TWO: Getting linkies in your email from FBM

Getting Links in your email from Freebizmags:

Myth Number one:

Well, they sent me the link a few minutes ago so the offer HAS to be valid! I'll go post it on SlickD and then argue with anyone who tells me there are no subs. In fact, I'll just tell them they need the 'Right Profile' to get it!

>>>BIG BUZZER SOUND<<<

Usually, the links FBM sends are valid. By "Valid" we mean, you clicky on da linky, it takey you to a pagey showing that therer is an offer for the magaziny. That's all. no guarantee that there will actually be any subs to be had. Sometimes Freebizmags sends links that have subscriptions to give and sometimes they don't.

Here's how to tell if there are actaully any subs to be had:

If you enter your name, email profile and password and you are brought to a page that shows the magazine you were trying for and allows you to put a checkmark in the box next to the magazine's name… GOOD FOR YOU! YOU WIN! Proceed as advised above by saying NO NO NO to every other offer until you get to the Confirmation page for the Consumer Mag which you should print for your records.

If you DON'T see the mag you were hoping for after you put in yourt profile - QUIT NOW. The only thing you will get by going on is Trade Magazines. Same goes for if they show you the magazine but don't allow you to check it off. If that's the case, that means no more subs to be had.

EDIT 2/07/06: New Info:
The only time you can say YES is if Freebizmags itself is offering you another free sub. For example, recently, they have offered add-on free subs to Esquire & SmartMoney. When they do this, it is always on the second survey page and at the top. You can tell they are from FBM becuase it will say something like " This sub has been purchased on your behlaf by verteran's Advantage (or some other company)" You can say YES to those, but you must say NO to thing like High on taste, those win $10 offers from Bizrate, offers for American Baby or BabyTalk subs and any other dumb thing they throw at ya. The reason for saying no is that if you say yes, it diverts you to yet more pages of BS questions and could trip you up. SO, in summary - if they offer you another free sub at the top of page 2 and it's clearly and FBM offer, Okay, say yes. Everything else - NO NO NO NO!.....back to original lesson....


Now, sometimes FBM will send out a new linky that has subs to offer, but just a few. In fact, it's always a good idea to jump on any offer you get in your email from FBM cuz … the good mags go fast. Also, FBM sends different links to different folks, so check Slick Deals every time you sign on and jump on any new FBM offer cuz.... The good mags go fast.

So.......

JUST BECAUSE THEY SEND THE LINK DOESN'T MEAN THERE ARE SUBS TO BE HAD.

Next topic:

That Akami stuff....

A typical Freebizmag link sent via email looks like this:

http//a388.g.akamai.net/7/388/ blah blah blah and so on until you see the actually address which is:

www.freebizmag.com/emailbe01welcome.htm

You can safely cut out ALL THE CRAP before the succinct FBM link before you post it to Slick Deals.

WHY?

Cuz the Akami junk identifies the person the link was sent to and is unnecessary. Another FBM Myth that some FBM Addicts believe is that the Akami junk affects whether or not they offer you more mags in the future. That's crap - total crap. The akami letters and numbers are part of a message to their servers to divert traffic. CUT THEM OUT - you don't need them. In fact, it's better to cut them out. So everything between the "Http//" & the "www" can be cut.


End of this lesson.

[bluesquares]

Once, you found a free sub to Art in America. Being an artist, I was dying to get this sub. Every combo I tried failed. I tried graphic design, advertising, marketing....nothing.

Then, you mentioned you used the Education...Teacher combo.

The offer finally appeared, I signed up and I'm currently receiving the sub. Thank you for that, by the way. :)

So please understand when I respectfully disagree about combinations not mattering. In that case, it did.

[xboxundone]

I have to agree that Combinations DO matter... but i do agree with everythign else you stated! :) thanks for the breakdown as this will help other people

[Nuala'sMom]

Art in America! I get it too. Great magazine! AFter I'm done with it, I donate it to my local Highschool Library. I got it with my regular profile which is Beverage/Food Sales. MY Neighbor got it with her Radio Profile and a friend of mine got it wither her Lingerie sales profile which is what she really does. Go figure! That's evidence that profiles don't really matter, right?

2-2-08: Experience has shown me that at least nowadays, it matters not one whit what you choose as your profile so why not just choose the one that reflects what it is you really do? If you don't work, open an account for your spouse and use their real info. Making up a profile is something a lot of people choose to do but it makes no difference in the end. Not one bit. Honest.



Anyone with anything to add, even if it's in disagreement, please feel free. Please base your comments on your own experiences though like Netade did so we can separate the wheat from the chaff.

[Nuala'sMom]

Lesson # 3 How I renew my Subs via FBM:

I keep a log of all the freebizmags subs I apply for and I print a copy of all the confirmation pages which I keep in a folder. When the first issue arrives, I note the date it came plus the date my sub expires. Then, I sign up for the mag again the next time the offer comes around using my Hubbies FBM account and I check off "Home Address" as where it should be sent. By the time HIS first issue arrives, my sub is getting ready to expire in a few months. I then call Customer service, have them combine his sub with mine and VIOLA … instant renewal.

Of course, you could just sign up your spouse up at their work addy as the same time you sign up and once you each get your first issue, then you can call and have them combined. Then you'll have a 23 month sub. I do that too if I don't think the mag offer will come up again. This borders on freebie bogarting so let your conscience be your guide. I prefer using the first method mentioned as being more honest.

update 7/11/06: NOTE - Several magazines have gotten hip to this and will not let you combine 2 subs you got on the same day from FBM but this seems to be limited to the same name. If you have your spouses account and sign them up via that account and then call saying "My hubby and I don't really need separate copies, can I combine them?" if they say no, just say "we'll keep our separate subs thanks.". Don't push it. Pushy freemag hounds often screw this up and get one sub canceled. Lesson, don't be greedy farkers.

New info 7/11/06: You should keep track of who sponsors your FBM subs such as:
Computer Associates
Veteran's Advantage
Mypoints
Spectra
Snapfish
Malaria No More
Fandango

If you got a free sub for VIBE from a Veteran's Advantage sponsored FBM offer and a Fandango sponsored VIBE offer pops up, do it!

Why?

If the two sponsors are not the same, FBM will often process that order no problem and you will get a year added on to your current sub. I've done this successfully many times.

Kiddies, this is why we should ALWAYS list the name of the sponosor when posting FBM offers. The links may get recycled but if the sponsor changes, it's like a new offer



I know FBM claims that they will let you know when your subs are gonna expire and that they will send you renewal offers but...

THEY DON'T!

So, don't believe 'em. It's another FBM Myth.

[JLater]

Nice post's Nuala'sMom, will be very helpful, especially to FBM newbies.

[HJM]

Once, you found a free sub to Art in America. Being an artist, I was dying to get this sub. Every combo I tried failed. I tried graphic design, advertising, marketing....nothing.

Then, you mentioned you used the Education...Teacher combo.

The offer finally appeared, I signed up and I'm currently receiving the sub. Thank you for that, by the way. :)

So please understand when I respectfully disagree about combinations not mattering. In that case, it did.

Good show on Art in America. I get it too. Great magazine. AFter I'm done with it, I donate it to my local Highschool Library. I got it with my regular profile which is Food Service. MY Neighbor got it with her Radio Profile and a friend of mine got it wither her Lingerie sales profile. Go figure!

It would seem that these example experiences with FBM would support the argument that combination does not matter. What common thread is there linking Education, Food Service, Radio, and Lingerie together with one another, and then linking them all to Art?! As for why the Education profile worked for one person after other profiles did not, there's always the possibility that they increased the number of subscriptions they decided to give away, so the very next profile tried worked. I believe another SDer told me once that "dead" FBM links (which may either still lead to a working webpage or to a deleted one) will occasionally become "live" again after a period of time--same URL, but now when you enter your information the consumer mag is available. It's been a while, but I think I actually witnessed this one time... a URL that I knew had previously been "dead" was reposted, but surprisingly worked again.


From my personal experience with FBM, the Student profile has been successful for anything I've wanted to get from them (while conveniently eliminating any offers of trade mags).

I would encourage anyone who finds the Student profile unsuccessful but then finds another profile to be succesful for the same URL to please post:
1) what consumer magazine was offered
2) what the successful combination was
3) the length of time between when Student was found to be unsuccessful and when the other combination was found to be successful (to rule out or support the possibility that FBM may increase its subscription limit)


Thanks for starting this thread, Nuala'sMom--you were quite thorough!

Hopefully together we can all figure out what goes on behind the curtain over at FBM!

[Nuala'sMom]

I believe another SDer told me once that "dead" FBM links (which may either still lead to a working webpage or to a deleted one) will occasionally become "live" again after a period of time--same URL, but now when you enter your information the consumer mag is available. It's been a while, but I think I actually witnessed this one time... a URL that I knew had previously been "dead" was reposted, but surprisingly worked again.

Hopefully together we can all figure out what goes on behind the curtain over at FBM!
HJM - I know of ONE time that this happened for me. maybe that's the time you are thinking of. A few months ago, back when I still believed a lot of FBM Myths.. Just fer laughs, I was trying ALL the old links with various profiles. I came across and old Link for Computer Games Magazine on another wesbite, tried it with my usual profile and BAM.. .it worked. Faster than you can say.. Huzzah...I listed it over hear and a bunch of us got in on it before it went dead again for the last time.


Some peeps might have better things to do with their time than analyze the mysterious ways of FBM.. but not me! I envision a future we all our mag subs are free and we can get whatever mags we want! I can dream, can't I?

In the meantime, lets all help as many Slick Dealers as we can get whatever mags FBM has to offer!

BIG THANKS to one and all who have ever helped a fellow Slick Dealer figure out the vagueries of FBM!

[HJM]

HJM - I know of ONE time that this happened for me. maybe that's the time you are thinking of. A few months ago, back when I still believed a lot of FBM Myths.. Just fer laughs, I was trying ALL the old links with various profiles. I came across and old Link for Computer Games Magazine on another wesbite, tried it with my usual profile and BAM.. .it worked. Faster than you can say.. Huzzah...I listed it over hear and a bunch of us got in on it before it went dead again for the last time.


Yes! That was it! One interesting thing about that occasion was that the URL was exactly the same, but they updated the covershot of the magazine displayed on the FBM page to a more recent issue of Computer Games. I used Student, which worked that time where it had not worked before for the same URL. I haven't received it yet... but FBM does seem to take forever, so maybe it will still show up. It's good to know I wasn't just imagining things! :)

[Nuala'sMom]

Nope you weren't imagining it! I've seen that happen to Psychology Today. Same link, same URL, new cover pops up and the offer is live again for subs. Ferreeekay!

And, just to give you a little more hope, allow me to regale you with THIS bizarro factoid regarding FBM.

Waaaaaay back in October of 2004, I signed up for American Heritage from them. I got the confirmation page and everything - printed it out even. Now, nobody I know ever got their Ameerican heritage subs and soon after I signed up, the Link wnet No Wokry. So, I figured I prolly wasn't ever gonna get my sub.

Whattaya think arrives in my mailbox last friday? Yep.. my very first issue of American Heritage! Bwahahaha.

It was the July 05 issue and I signed up in October 04. It says my Sub Ends in just 4 issues, so I'm gonna have to call 'em up.. but that was probably the longest I ever had to wait for a mag from a FBM offer. Gee maybe GOLF TIPS will actually show up next! I signed up for that in November 04.

Freebizmags - lord love 'em, they do keep us on our toes, don't they?

[daileyad]

^^bump^^ I really wish this were a sticky and people would read it. Ahhh...too much to hope I guess considering the posts people put in hot deals. Nobody even reads the sticky's so I guess we have no hope!

[casualbattery]

Spot-Welding Illustrated or Miniature Vegetables Monthly
:lmao: :lol: :lmao: :lol:

[Jantastic]

Fabulous thread, Mom! Thanks a million.
:woot:
How can we get thread this turned into a sticky?

This clears up a lot for me. I didn't get in on the Advocate subscription. Now, I know it's because they were out of them, not because my profile wasn't gay enough. lol
And, I'll quit wasting my time signing in under multiple profiles when I don't qualify for something.

[docref]

I just logged on for today and saw "Charisma" and "Golfweek." I have signed up for 5-6 magazines in the past few weeks with FBM. When I went to the site for each of those two mags, I used "education, education, other, student, student." Neither magazine came up as available.

I started thinking about this thread and so I went back to the site and tried both magazines with a different email address that I've never used to sign up for magazines. BOTH subscriptions went through instantly. This is within 5 minutes of it 'not working.' Thoughts?

[HJM]

I just logged on for today and saw "Charisma" and "Golfweek." I have signed up for 5-6 magazines in the past few weeks with FBM. When I went to the site for each of those two mags, I used "education, education, other, student, student." Neither magazine came up as available.

I started thinking about this thread and so I went back to the site and tried both magazines with a different email address that I've never used to sign up for magazines. BOTH subscriptions went through instantly. This is within 5 minutes of it 'not working.' Thoughts?

And I assume you used the same profile ("education, education, other, student, student") with the new email address? That's interesting... could be there is a limit on how many subs they'll give to one email address within a certain period of time. Have you ever signed up for "Charisma" or "Golfweek" from FBM before?

One time that worked for me, too.. someone posted a FBM link and everyone kept posting "thanks" as if it were working for them, but when I tried it the magazine I wanted was not offered to me. When I created a new account, I was able to get the mag that was previously unavailable. Maybe everyone needs a couple FBM accounts, a primary account that is always tried first, then a secondary one to try on the occassions when the primary one comes up empty.

[Nuala'sMom]

AAH.. sometimes that new email addy trick works. Don't know why..just know that it does.

So the rule should go like this:

If you see others saying 'Thanks got it!" and you can't get it with your regular FBM account .. it could mean two things:

1. They are out of subscriptions
or
2. The FBM Gods are being fickle on your Slick Dealing Butt today

If you try with a new Email Addy (which can cleverly be one letter off your real email addy BTW) and they offer you the Mag.. it means the answer is 2. The FBM Gods are being fickle on your Slick Dealing Butt today.

If you try with a new Email Addy and it still refuses you... it means NO FREAKING SUBS LEFT, Boohoohoo, nobody gets any - The FBM GODS are being fickle on all our Slick Dealing butts.

Hey, HJM.. the FBM Gods have created a new trap to try and get you to say yes to one of those things other than a consumer mag. Check this out.. I saw it this AM when signing up for another year of PODER:

AFter I said NO NO NO to all the typical stuff, I got the survey page which began with this:

1. Enter to Win BizRate's Daily Cash Giveaway - BizRate will award (19) $10 cash prizes and (1) $25 cash prize every day!
Yes. Enter me to win in the Daily Cash Giveaway and send me BizRate's Money Savings Newsletters!
No thanks.

I thought about it briefly and stuck to my guns and said NO NO NO and moved on. I figure I have to stand for seomthing and that somthing is saying NO NO NO to anything FBM throws in my path except free consumer mags.

[docref]

Yep...I used the education, etc.... that was suggested. I wonder if there is a limit on subs that can be posted by email. I've yet to be successful in the last week with the first email that I used over the course of the last few weeks to sign up for 5-6 of them through FBM.

On a side note, I've tried to get the Fredericks' calendar (http://www.freebizmag.com/fohcalendarvol203welcome.htm) with 2 different emails and tons of combos...this one must really be dead.

Anyway, I think the email trick may work, so I think you're right...try the second one before you give up.

[ptaker]

One additional comment to a great post. If you don't see the magazine you want, stop and go back to the start. Put in any email address other than one you have used before. Make one up (abcd123@aol.com). Proceed with the questions and answers. The web site is looking for new email addresses to send their junk mail. The answers to the other questions just determine what other trade magazines to offer you. You should see the desired magazine. Follow the NO THANKS answers to all the questions. Skip the birthday information. Make up a phone number. Give a real address.

[res820]

I never get emails from FBM with links or without links. Yet I get all of the magazines I have signed up for through SlickDeals. My profile is Admin in Wholesale Manufacturing in Glass & Stone. So who knows how it works. Just glad it does! Right now I get:

Saveur
Art In America
Antiques
TV Guide
Islands
Travel In America
Budget Living
etc.

[daileyad]

I wanted the budget living but when I went in with my usual email it said no more available. Everyone else seemed to be getting it so I immediately created a new account with different email address. And voila, I am now signed up for budget living. I had signed up for quite a few deals with the old email address lately so I guess I've been blacklisted by FBM for awhile with that one!

[Nuala'sMom]

yeah .. I found a while ago that if you cool it with that one email addy that seems to be blocked out.. you can try it again in a few weeks and it will be 'live for subs' again. For while I had myself convinced that I had invented my own FBM myth - the one of The Live for Subs or Dead for Subs email addresses, but others I've shared this with swear to me its true.

I found that two accounts was good enough to get everything I wanted. I used one for 5 or 9 subs and when it quit on me, I used my Hubby's work email addy and the account I set up using that one. So far I have gotten almost everthing I ever wanted. Once I made a third emergency account to get Budget Living once and I just used an email that was one letter off fromn my regular account so I wouldn't forget.

So there does seem to be some truth to the notion that you can max out an FBM Account. Therefore, always have a backup and you won't be denied! I just have an account for my hubby since he likes to get certain mags at his work address. Between his account & mine, we seem to get everything we want.

[Nuala'sMom]

I'm bumping this so folks who are reaading the Mythbusting MagCentral thread can catch this one too.

Mythbusting MagCentral
http://forums2.slickdeals.net/t111530.html?
(corrected)

[vodreaux]

Thank You!

[Doctor Deal]

Nuala's mom,
Thanks!!! This is so helpful! Shame on me - but, I had thought the profile mattered and that you needed to sign up for all those dumb magazines.

[tbonegrl]

These two need to be sticky. really.

[Nuala'sMom]

Kel be has added links to these two threads to the Magazine Forum Sticky at the Top of the Magazine forum. The links are titles:

The super Simple Guide to MagCentral
The super simple guide to Freebizmags

Now, anybody who takes the time to open the sticky at the top will see these two threads.

I might make my own thread with an Index of all this info under topic headsings, but not today. I'd like to merge the info in both threads into one easy to naviagte thread. I'll work on it. I'll try and include info on Start Sampling and other souces plus Trade Mag info.

When In have it all done, I'll ask Kel Be what she thinks. if she likes it, she can add it to the current sticky. I just think it might be useful to have a single Mythbusting thread which is indexed by topic so all you have to do is click on the topic to be brought to the post.

[tbonegrl]

You rock, lady.

Can I ask one more ? Is there any way to get the info on the mags w/o getting an e-mail link?

And, when I click a link, sometimes it forces me to a page with "yes, I want it" and "continue to recieve" as the only choices, no "no thanks" option. Does that mean it was all a big freebiz lie and they won't give it to me?

LOL!

[Nuala'sMom]

>>...And, when I click a link, sometimes it forces me to a page with "yes, I want it" and "continue to recieve" as the only choices, no "no thanks" option. Does that mean it was all a big freebiz lie and they won't give it to me?<<<

If you go through the link, sign onto your account with your password and you do NOT see the Consumer magazine Title you wanted at the top of the page in a yellow box with a little box and a check in it that says 'Yes'.. then.....

...no more subscriptions are available at that time.

Now, there is an exception to this rule which is as follows:

Sometimes, if you go through all that and all they offer you are Trade mags (not the consumer mag you were hoping for), it could be that your account is 'maxed out' temporarily, that you have gotten so many subs in x period of time and you have to cool it for a bit.

If you know you have been getting subs left and right and your account might be maxed out temporarily - then create a new one with a different email.

If you do that and go back to that same link and they STILL won't offer you the mag ..well then - there really are NO MORE SUBS AVAILABLE.

I don't suspect you will run into that too often. It's only happened to me a few times and I keep a secondary account with my spouses name for just such occasions. That's not cheating - he accepts a few trade mags cuz he likes them.

It's up to you to decide how many accounts you feel it is ethical to have. I encourage people to forget about all that profile crap because there rteally is no advanatge to lying about your business information. For myself, I have one for my husband. I do manage FBM accounts for friends and family cuz I can't expect them to go through the hassle I go through.



>>>Can I ask one more ? Is there any way to get the info on the mags w/o getting an e-mail link?<<<

Yes, check Slick Deals often and you will see what new FBM links there are. Also, use the search function for Slick Deals and do individual searches on the following:

FBM
Freebizmags

That should bring you up dozens of threads.

You can also click on the link in Xboxundone's signature that says 'Free Magazines' and it will take you to his homepage where he has indexed all the current free mag sub offers there are, including FBM.

[Nuala'sMom]

I just wanted to add another Factoid about Freebizmags for those of you who have enrolled in my Imaginary " Free Magazine technology PhD program":

Sponsored Subcriptions - Who is the Sponsor and Why this might matter to you:



Want to know who is sponsoring your Free sub via Freebizmags?

The best way to dtermine this is to look at the very first page, the one where you put in your name, email addy & profile. At the bottom of the page, in the colored section outisde of the form, you should see the words 'Sponsored by____________"

For example, in the case of the new Outdoor Photography offer, it happens to be Veteran's Advanatge, one of those Special membership Discount programs whereby you cough up $39.95 and you get to use your card to get negotiated discounts with Amtrak, Drugstores, ValueMags, catalogs, etc.

So, look at the entrance page, towrds the bottom, under the form and you should see it.

Why is this important?

Well, because..in theory, if the same mag comes up again with a DIFFERENT Sponsor, you might be able to renew using the newly Sponsored link. If it's the same sponsor, it's prolly the same offer. I have only recently started keeping track of who sponors my subs so I can try and take advantage of this. You might want to add the sponsor info to the printouts of your confirmation page that you keep in your subscription folder.


I've gotten a few Qs about MagCentral and Freebizmags via email and I will get to them. Fee; free to keep the Qs coming and I will do my best to answer them.

[Nuala'sMom]

I'm bumping this thread not to toot my own horn, but because the old 'Is freebizmags really legitimnate' question popped up again.

If after reading through this thread, you still have Freebizmags questions - please post them. There are a number of experienced Freebizmag users here on Slick Deals who can help.

I just counted up all the free subs on my own Freebizmags acount and it's now up to:
47 different consumer magazines (about 30 of which are pretty fabulous)


For your reference, here's a link to the OTHER mythbusting Thread:

Mythbusting MagCentral
http://forums.slickdeals.net/t111530.html?

[Nuala'sMom]

To answer your question in a slightly different way than you asked it:

It DOES seem to matter if you have ordered a bunch of magazines off one FBM account and then suddenly, they aren't showing you a mag sub as 'availalke' when others are saying 'got it'. What that means is:

Your account is temporarily 'dead for subs' which is the term we Slick Dealers have invented to describe when a FBM account is 'maxed out' for the moment. There's no crisis - just use another email address until that one too is 'dead for subs' By then, your other account should be 'live for subs' again.

There is no hard & fast rule for how many subs you can egt in a certain period of time before you max out and we don't really know how long you have to wait to use the account again.

My Advice is to have an account for yourself and one for your spouse and then Ping-pong back and forth between the two accounts. You should be able to get all the mags you want that way.

As for the profiles:

I personally don't like the Student/Other/other/Student combination and I'll tell you why:

This profile is undesirable to Freebizmags because they can't offer you any Trade magazines and offering you Trade mags is their entire reason for existing. You are not likely to be offered all the good consumer mags if you choose this profile. Also, why not simply tell the truth in your profile?

However, if you choose a normal profile, say a real one for what you do, you are likely to be offered almost all the magazines You are safer using a real world profile and putting Student/other/other away where it belongs.. into the bag of nonsensical strategies offer by The Obese Pocketbook members.

I really don't understand Users' aversion to using a real profile. Here's my neighbor's profile as a sample to see what a real profile looks like and she's NEVER been turned down for a mag. With this profile (her real one, mind you) she even got Art in America!

Communications/Utility
.....Radio/Braodcasting
..........General management
...............Administration
....................Account Manager

It's best if you write your profile down on the page where you keep track of your magazine subs. That way you won't forget which answer goes where and be struggling each time. Even though I use my own real profile, I have mine written down because of the weird way FBM has you describe what you do.


In summary:

Profiles don't matter unless you choose Student/Other/Other, in which case - find a new profile.



In all other cases, PROFILES DO NOT MATTER.

Next:

Have two FBM accounts, one for you and one for your spouse so that one account is always 'live for subs.'


Edit 2/3/08: Just to be clear: After several years of doing FBM offers, I casn honestly tell you that THE PROFILE DOESN'T MATTER. You get just as many using one profile as you would using any other profile. No need to turn yourself into an aerospace engineer to try and get Kit Planes mag, they'll give it to the sales clerk at Kinko's, Honest!

[Daverock]

Guys - soooo much about freebizmag.com. Funny, I came across this site. Ok - so here it is - I built freebizmag with 2 other people. That makes me a co-founder.

Bring on the questions!

[ShoppinManiac]

Thanks, Nuala'sMom, for the great info. I just signed up for my first sub. I went back to sign up for another one and the page initially came up "available", but then went to a generic "can't find page" and wouldn't come back up for me. Maybe my new acct is maxed out for now, like you said? Maybe if I wait a few days (or weeks) it will work?

[Nuala'sMom]

I just signed up for my first sub. I went back to sign up for another one and the page initially came up "available", but then went to a generic "can't find page" and wouldn't come back up for me. Maybe my new acct is maxed out for now, like you said? Maybe if I wait a few days (or weeks) it will work?

For freebizmags?

That shouldn't happen unless the offer you are trying to access isn't active any more. You don't usually max out your account until you've ordered like 6 to 10 subs within a couple of weeks. Then all you have to do is open another account for your spouse and you should get it.


Which one was it you were trying to get? PM me and I'll try and help.

[themasta]

thanks a lot Nuala'smom .. lots of useful info

[TidusAlmasty]

Nuala's Mom, I have a suggestion. Isn't it possible that if you try to match the industry to the magazine, that they might figure you are BSing it just to get the free sub, therefore rejecting it if they don't think it's the truth?

[Nuala'sMom]

Nuala's Mom, I have a suggestion. Isn't it possible that if you try to match the industry to the magazine, that they might figure you are BSing it just to get the free sub, therefore rejecting it if they don't think it's the truth?

That's a reasonable question and instinctively, you'd assume that "yes" this was this case. However, it's not that complicated.

Their database uses the profile info for only ONE purpose:

To determine which Trade magazines they offer you.

The consumer magazine they dangle in front of you as the incentive to go through the process has already been paid for by a sponsor such as Spectra or veteran's Advtantage. Freebizmags could care less what your profile is so long as it;s something that lets them toss a few Trade mags in your path which they are hoping you'll sign up for. They get paid for each trade mag sub they deliver.

The reason that Student/other/other/Student doesn't always work is because that combo doesn't compute well in terms of their database and offering you Trade mags. if that profile works for you - fine - use it. Just don't expect to get every mag they offer. Any of the sample profiles we have offered other than the student one work very well for every offer. Why not pick one of those and stick with it? it's just so much easier.

So no, FBm doesn't 'catch on' when you keep altering your profile in a futile attempt to 'psych out' their offers and try and 'match' the mag you are trying for. Pick one profile and use it.

[TidusAlmasty]

ok, thanks, i shall be doing that

[reb123]

Nuala'sMom... I have a question. Well first, thanks for the advice about trying for a magazine with my husband's name. I had tried for Outdoor Photographer with two or three different email addresses, all with my name and could never get it. I just tried with hubby's name and real profile and got it no problem. So, thanks!

Now for the question... when I started with freebizmags I used an education profile and still do. But for the business address I put the same as my home address. I did enter a job title and business name, but the two addresses are the same. I just started signing up a few weeks ago so I haven't gotten any subscriptions yet but I'm wondering if before I sign up for anything else I should change that work address? The reason why I put both as my home address is that I don't want anything delivered to my work, and it's easy to forget to check the home address...

Thanks again for all the information!!

[G-squared]

Thanks. If only this had been around before I grudgingly signed up to receive 73 different IT trade pubs... :lol:

Free winter fuel, I suppose.

[Nuala'sMom]

There is news on the ABC front Peeps:

ABC has voted to permit a new paid circulation category called VERFIED which covers subscriptions publishers dump in public places such as doctor's office and corporate wating rooms. Some of us have gotten free subs this way for our offices. Those subs will be counted apart from regulkar sponsored subs as of the June 06 audit.

And more important to us.. ABC has made a ruling that effects usin a postive manner:

Finally, the board modified its definition of eligible sponsors to be "any business or organization where the primary activity is to sell or provide service or products to consumers." The modification comes as publishers had expressed confusion over the previous definition which emphasizes that an organization must sell goods to be classified an eligible sponsor.

The new definition allows charities, Web sites, governments and tourism bureaus to become eligible sponsors.

This is great news and may lead to more sponsored sub offers via Freebizmags and MagCentral as well as other sources. I expect the Lousianna Tourist board may take advantage of this since they have in the past been generous with magazine giveaways.

Finally some good news!

Full article here:
ABC OKs Public Place Category
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/print/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001435375

[ray05]

will fbm cancel ur original one? or extend ur subscription accordingly?

[GeminiiGirl]

will fbm cancel ur original one? or extend ur subscription accordingly?

They add it on to your current subscription. That is only if you uised to same information (name & address).

[Nuala'sMom]

Actually, Freebizmags rarely extends the subscriptions if the offer is from the same sponsor. if the offer is from a different sponsor, they might extend it but only if you used the exact same account and email. if you used a different email, you will get double issues. No problem really, just wait til that happens, call up the magazine in question and ask for the subs to be combined

Freebizmags claims they will extend subs and they tell you they will even let you know when it's time to renew but they LIE LIE LIE like dogs.

If they permitted you to sign up for the same mag under the same account, you might get an extension. You need to look at who the sponsor of the offer is, for example:
Spectra
Snapfish
Veteran's Advatange
My Points

If there are two different sponsors, go ahead and try and sign up using the SAME account you used before. If they are the same, use one of your other accounts and then combine the two subs.

I hope that helps. if you let us know if you signed up twice under the same email or two different emails, we could answer you more directly.

[newbie29]

I actually signed up for the TENNIS magazine before I found this thread... I didnt click on any of the additional offers.. but just made up a business and still had the magazine sent to the "business" address which is actually my "home" address.. wondering if thats okay? Because on the first post, it said to check the box and fill out BOTH addys (business AND home) as my home address...?

[Nuala'sMom]

If you don't have a business addres, yes, put your home addy down as both. for your business title, you can put whatever you want and same for Business name although I would suggest ust putting your name again rather than making crap up.

I strongly reccomend always checking off the box to have the mag go to your 'Home address' because if you use your 'business address' they might try to include your 'title' and 'business name' on the label which could cause you not to get your mag if there's not enough room on the label.

[Nuala'sMom]

Bumping for the noobs - if you haven't yet read the first page of posts in this thread, you really should. it exxplains all you need to know in order to get every mag you ever wanted from freebizmags for free.

[McSlick]

.....................

[cozygirl]

Bumping for the noobs - if you haven't yet read the first page of posts in this thread, you really should. it exxplains all you need to know in order to get every mag you ever wanted from freebizmags for free.


Thanks for all the help!! I needed it (very noob):confused:

[xboxundone]

yea nuala gives great magazine info!

[EJonLam]

What does this mean?

Thank you for using freebizmag.com. Your questionnaire responses have been forwarded for publisher approval. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all trade subscriptions. Qualification is not determined by freebizmag.com. If you have subscribed to a particular title for the first time, please allow 6-8 weeks for processing before your issues begin arriving.

Does that mean we might not get the magazine even though our application went through?

[jeznnib]

What does this mean?

Thank you for using freebizmag.com. Your questionnaire responses have been forwarded for publisher approval. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all trade subscriptions. Qualification is not determined by freebizmag.com. If you have subscribed to a particular title for the first time, please allow 6-8 weeks for processing before your issues begin arriving.

Does that mean we might not get the magazine even though our application went through?
It's a standard response from freebiz. I get this message for every magazine that I sign up for but I've still received every magazine I wanted.

[Nuala'sMom]

Jeznib is correct - that standard reponse is to cover if you actually fell for their trap and filled out applications for any Trade Magazines.

Trade mag publishers have what is called 'controlled circulation' and their advertisers depend on them pre-screening thier subscription applicants to be sure that only people who genuinely qualfiy get the free subs.

For Example, they don't want to be advertising to a bunch of Slick Dealers who just wanted to get Food Arts for free but who aren't real professional chefs. Of course, that doesn't stop people from fudging the questionaires, but in general, they are good at wedding out the blatant fakers.

Also, Freebizmags gets PAID betwen 50 cents and $5 PER qualfied new subscriber to trade Magazines. That's how they make their money. if they get you to sign up for 4 trade mags off one offer for VIBE, they can make as much as $20 off you. They key is, not getting sucked into applying for those mags unless you really, really want them.

[Jalard123]

Good thing I didn't read this earleir, cuz then I would decided not to sign up for a free PS magazine subscription. I just got my 1st issue in the mail yesterday!:lol: Thanks for misleading people! :shake:

[just4kixx]

Good thing I didn't read this earleir, cuz then I would decided not to sign up for a free PS magazine subscription. I just got my 1st issue in the mail yesterday!:lol: Thanks for misleading people! :shake:

I think there is alot of great info provided here, and don't find it misleading... perhaps I missed a post? Can you point out what you saw as misleading?

BTW, I read this first and then knew how to go about getting the free subscriptions I was interested in. Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread!

[reb123]

Good thing I didn't read this earleir, cuz then I would decided not to sign up for a free PS magazine subscription. I just got my 1st issue in the mail yesterday!:lol: Thanks for misleading people! :shake:

What "misleading" are you talking about?! I think this thread contains a lot of useful information.

N's Mom, I have a question/comment if you read this... Do you think FBM compares addresses before they submit your application to publishers? I ask because when Star came around for free, I wanted to extend my paid subscription. So I signed up in several names (but all at my address). My original subscription did get extended by one year, but I never got the other subscriptions (I guess I still could but I haven't as of yet).

I also signed my sister up and apparently I used the same email address (I should keep better records) to sign up my BIL. I got the confirmation for BIL but not my sister at that email address. Funny thing is, sis got the magazine in her name for one year, with that email address listed with customer service. I can't figure quite figure out how that happened, but oh well! LOL

[Nuala'sMom]

Rachel - Freebizmags is not all that careful about screening names and addys but they DO keep track of account numbers by the Email addy you supply. You can only have ONE email addy PER Freebizmags account.

So, if you need to open a second FBM account for whatever reason, keep it simple and use the same exact email addy you used before except make it at Pookmail.com instead of say, AOl.com or Yahoo.com. let me show you:

Let's say I use as my primary email:

Nuala'smom@Aol.com (I don't, this is a fer example)

If I need to open a secondary account to get a mag offered to me, I might use:

Nuala'smom@Pookmail.com (Pookmail is a disposibal email service)

I then keep ALL my info the same:
Same password
Same Profile
Same Biz addy
Same Home Addy

But, because it's a different email - FBM considers it a seperate account.

If you are opening an account for a family member, I find it is best to use their real name, real work addy, and then put in the home addy. I then select that they send the mags to the HOME address. Both my husband and I get mags sent to us at home but from 2 different FBM accounts. I have successfully merged those two subs using customer service 800 numbers.

Keep a log of each FBM account you manage which has a record of the profile, the password and the addys if you don't know them by heart. Then draw a line under that info and in two columns like this, number the spaces:

Account holder name
Email
Password
Profile

1___________________________7_____________________ _
2___________________________8_____________________ _
3___________________________9_____________________ _
4___________________________10____________________ _
5___________________________11____________________ _
6___________________________12____________________ _
etc..

Then write down the titles of the subs you apply for and get to the confirmation page followed by the date. I can usually fit about 30 mag subs on the first log page and then 50 subs on each page after that. I leave 4 to 6 pages for each FBM account in my log book. I'm about halfway through those pages for my own account. In my name I have 104 different FBM subs. My husband has 76, my sister 43, my mom 29, my dad 31, my best friend 68, my next door neighbor 58 and so on.

I use as my logbook, a ringbound freebie notebook I got from Avid. I keep ALL my mag sub info in there. I have pages for MagCentral, for Mercury Magazines and for All-Freemagazines. I find handwriting the names and dates much easier than printing out all the confirmations but you can do that too. If you choose to print out all your confirmations, use a three hole punch and pu the in a 3 ring binder organized by the place making the offer as noted above.

Does that help?



New issue (Dang that automerge!)

Good thing I didn't read this earleir, cuz then I would decided not to sign up for a free PS magazine subscription. I just got my 1st issue in the mail yesterday!:lol: Thanks for misleading people! :shake:

Freebizmags has not, to my knowledge, offer PlayStation Magazine for over 2 years. If you know otherwise, please do share the link and details with the class. We're all ears. (some of us are panting with anticipation since our subs are running out)

Now, VU Games has offered it, but NOT Freebizmags. Again, we're all ears if you kno differently. Guaranteed rep for you if you can hook us up with a Freebizmags offer for PlayStation mag or describe how we can get it from another Freebizmags offer! VU games is just not working for me anymore. I've exhausted all the links.

[reb123]

Does that help?

Yes it does! Sorry it took me so long to respond, I've been sick. ACK! Anyway, thanks for all the information and everything. :)

I did end up getting one of the other subs for Star. It was for my grandmother and I can't remember which email address I used. But the two that were for hubby and me (that I planned to combine with the original, paid sub that was in DD's name) never showed up. DD's did get extended for a year though, so that's good. I shall keep better records in the future!

[Nuala'sMom]

I'm gonna bump this thread becuase it seems we have a bunch of new folks and I'd like them to get all they can from freebizmags. It looks like the admins cleaned up this thread and took out a lot of extranious stuff. So much the better.

With regard to my post about keeping Logs and how to keep a log - I highly recommend it. Logs help you keep track of what's coming in and also helps you see who doesn't deliver - you never have to wonder if you can look back and check off those that come in and circle the ones that haven't come in after 3 to 4 months. Then you can follow up with emails if it's some place like Teenfreeway which will look into missing subs. It took me 3 emails but I finally got my first issue of CosmoGirl yesterday from them.

Moral of the sotry = Mag Sub Log Books good

[Imerson]

You have 104 FBM subscriptions?! How do you read all those magazines? :confused: I love freebies too but that seems like overkill! lol

[beatfuldaes]

After one year, do the magazines automatically stop coming? Or do you have to cancel or pay instead?

[Imerson]

After one year, do the magazines automatically stop coming? Or do you have to cancel or pay instead?

Yes, after the subscription term they should stop, and there should be nothing for you to pay (no bills, no CC#, nothing!).

[lolu13]

I did everything the OP said to do in the original post, but got the following reply from them:


Based on the business profile you've provided, we are unable to locate any applicable free, business magazine(s).

Click here to check out any consumer or paid business titles that may be of interest to you.

We are always adding new publications to our site. We will regularly check our files for you and we will send you an email when new magazines that fit your business profile have been added.

Click here if you do not want us to notify you by email. (Be sure to keep checking back with us to see if any new titles have been added that fit your business profile.)


SO what do I do NOW??:confused:

[Nuala'sMom]

Here, try this profile - it will work.

Communication/Utility
.....Radio/Broadcast
..........gen Mgmt
...............Admin
....................Acct mgr

You prolly tried to do Student other student or somesuch. Sometimes depending on the config of those choices, it hiccups and won't let you get anything

[lolu13]

But now that I gave them my email address, do I have to give them a new one now?

Thanks

But now that I gave them my email address, do I have to give them a new one now?

Thanks


FOrget it!!! SWeet, I am in!!

[Nuala'sMom]

Glad you got in. You can always use a new email addy if you burned one with a dtsudent other other profile. Freebiz doesn't mind. A few posts up, I disucss this.

click here:
http://www.slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2575889&postcount=58

[bebegrl976]

Maybe it's just bad luck, but for the last couple of days I have been trying to subscribe to "Vibe Vixen," "New York Home," and "BlackBook" via freebizmag.com links and I haven't been able to get subscriptions to any of them. I've tried with four different e-mail accounts and on each one using the other-student etc. option and the comm/utility one. I don't know what I'm doing wrong that these ones won't work. I've received magazines from fbm before and I know that some of these e-mail accounts are not burned out because this is my first time using it there. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

[Eman3gt]

Maybe it's just bad luck, but for the last couple of days I have been trying to subscribe to "Vibe Vixen," "New York Home," and "BlackBook" via freebizmag.com links and I haven't been able to get subscriptions to any of them. I've tried with four different e-mail accounts and on each one using the other-student etc. option and the comm/utility one. I don't know what I'm doing wrong that these ones won't work. I've received magazines from fbm before and I know that some of these e-mail accounts are not burned out because this is my first time using it there. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks
It's possible they are expired links. :idontknow
You can click the link and see the page with the cover of the magazine, but that doesn't always mean it's still available.

[Nuala'sMom]

Maybe it's just bad luck, but for the last couple of days I have been trying to subscribe to "Vibe Vixen," "New York Home," and "BlackBook" via freebizmag.com links and I haven't been able to get subscriptions to any of them. .... Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks


You cannot get them to offer you the mag becuase those are old offers that are now dead. sometimes other sites keep posting old links long beyond the time that the offers have been identified as dead. Just becuase the link works and lets you sign into your FBM account doesn't mean the offer is still good.

The only way to tell is to see if they offer you the mag at the top of the first page after your Login, the one that says SELECT more magazines. If it's still valid, you will see the mag at the top of the page, a photo of the cover and a checkmark in a box next to it with a line highlighted in yellow.

If that ain't there, just get out of the page and move on to another offer. You gain nothing but dumb trade magazines by going further.

Does that answer your Q?

[bebegrl976]

Thanks to both of you for your help

[Whatatay]

Their goal is to lure you in with the free Consumer Magazine offer and then, while you are signing up, get you to agree to receive one or more Trade Magazines during the application process.

MYTH NUMBER ONE: "There are special combinations that qualify your for certain FBM offers" (However, for some specialized titles, it seems that profile might matter.. read posts to this thread for examples.)

>>>>BUZZER NOISE
Wrong! In general, there are no magic combos. Any combo should get you any mag if indeed there are subscriptions to be had. (This may not be true for some mags, but it is true for most of them) It's best to stick with one profile that you find works well for you. Don't like the "Other, Student, Other, Student, Student" option?? Well, try this one … it's easy to remember and looks fascinating and is an actual profile from my next-door neighbor:



This is a total lie. I myself have been rejected on one combination and then immediately tried a different one and qualified. Look at your first paragraph quoted above.

"Their goal is to lure you in with the free Consumer Magazine offer and then, while you are signing up, get you to agree to receive one or more Trade Magazines".

It makes sense that they would offer a magazine to target a specific profession and then offer trade magazines related to that profession.

How can you say any combo can get you any mag and then in the very next sentence say that "this may not be true of all mags"? The biggest myths are the ones you are posting.

[jeznnib]

How can you say any combo can get you any mag and then in the very next sentence say that "this may not be true of all mags"? The biggest myths are the ones you are posting.
Maybe because you are misquoting her? Reread what was actually said:
>>>>BUZZER NOISE
Wrong! In general, there are no magic combos. Any combo should get you any mag if indeed there are subscriptions to be had. (This may not be true for some mags, but it is true for most of them)
I'm not seeing any myth there because she never said it's a guarantee. Personally I've always used the same profile and I've never been denied a magazine that I know other people are getting.

[Nuala'sMom]

OK OK - Please go BACK and re-read the first few posts in this thread. I added NEW information on why the Student profile no longer works.

As far as my experience shows me and I have facilitated over 50 different people getting literally thousands of free subs via Freebizmags, there ARE NO MAGIC COMBOS but there are a couple of combos now that will not get you anything.

Both Mercury Mags and Freebizmags recently stopped offering consumer mags to people using the old standby Other-student-Other profile or any other permutation that revealed you did not in fact have a job. There is a good reason for that. They exist solely to qualify people for trade mags and then they get PAID for each QUALIFIED Trade mag applicant they snag. The free consumer mags are just a lure. They don't offer the "lure" anymore to students because.... (makes sense)..students aren't their target.

Let's just say they plugged up a loophole in their system and MOVE On.... Use any of the profiles I listed way earlier in this thread and you will get what you want. Once you have a working profile, Stick with it becuase it will not get you any more magazine if you change it.

This thread is meant to be read from front to back - if you have not done that, please do so now for a better understanding of Freebizmags. When new things happen, I update the original posts in front

Thanks

[Imerson]

NM have you ever put a profile in and had to deny trade magazines? I tried to use a profile for "webmaster" (I guess I am one) but all the trade magazines were for IT professionals. If there were actually mags related to web design I would want them, but there weren't. The problem is there was no way to say no to the magazines. There was either an option for receiving it or one for renewing it. When I hit the button to go to the next page it gave me an error for not selecting a magazine! So there may be no way to say no now :eek:

[Nuala'sMom]

NM have you ever put a profile in and had to deny trade magazines? ......There was either an option for receiving it or one for renewing it. When I hit the button to go to the next page it gave me an error for not selecting a magazine! So there may be no way to say no now :eek:


Hmmm.... I will go do a "live" offer and report back to the class. My first guess is that you tried to request a mag that had no subs left and thusly, you would have had to select a trade mag to continue. DID it OFFER you tthe consumer mag too? If it DID offer you the consumer mag (such as VIBE..etc) and then STILL required you to select a trade magm that would constitute a major change.

let me investigate

Update

I just tried with a live FBM offer and NO, you do NOT have to accept ANY trade mags to continue IF you are offered the consumer mag. You will know you are getting the consumer mag if you see it highlighted in yellow at the top of the page. if that consumer mag does NOT appear, then just STOP RIGHT THERE. Only way to continue is to accept Trade mags and we don't do that.

Please go BACK to the beginning of this thread and reread the first few lessons which will explain how you know you are getting the consumer mag you want.

[Imerson]

Hmmm.... I will go do a "live" offer and report back to the class. My first guess is that you tried to request a mag that had no subs left and thusly, you would have had to select a trade mag to continue. DID it OFFER you tthe consumer mag too? If it DID offer you the consumer mag (such as VIBE..etc) and then STILL required you to select a trade magm that would constitute a major change.

let me investigate

I believe it did but I can't remember. It was for the US News and World Report. I did that one at first with my student profile and it worked well, went all the way through showing the mag on all the right steps, but I never got it in my email, and after I tried again it told me there were no mags for my profile. So I tried it with the webmaster one...

[Nuala'sMom]

Imerson, I edited my previous post to reprt my results. Most likely you were NOT offered the consumer mag which is why you had to say yes to a trade mag to continue. The way you know for sure if you are offered the consumer mag (the lure) ios you will see it on the TOP of the first page highlighted in yellow ABOVE any trade mags. if you only see trade mags, you should just quit the process unless you really desperately need a sub to spot-welding monthly...

Please re-read the first few posts in thsi thread for a complete explanation of the process which appears NOT to have changed and stop using the student profile - it is no longer a sure-thing.

[Imerson]

Imerson, I edited my previous post to reprt my results. Most likely you were NOT offered the consumer mag which is why you had to say yes to a trade mag to continue. The way you know for sure if you are offered the consumer mag (the lure) ios you will see it on the TOP of the first page highlighted in yellow ABOVE any trade mags. if you only see trade mags, you should just quit the process unless you really desperately need a sub to spot-welding monthly...

Please re-read the first few posts in thsi thread for a complete explanation of the process which appears NOT to have changed and stop using the student profile - it is no longer a sure-thing.

OK thanks I thought it did offer the mag in yellow at first but maybe not. It's been about a week.

Oh and I have read through your thread too, including the student profile update. It's a really really helpful thread :)

[Nuala'sMom]

I am bumping this thread so that newer Users who have been asking about FBM can see this.

Anyone have any more questions about FBM AFTER reading through this thread from the first page, please post your questions here so we can have all the Q&A in one place.

[St. Aradia]

Thanks for all the information, everyone. This page is really helpful. And why ISN'T it a sticky? Hmm... Anyway...A question. Why do I not receive links for consumer mags in my email accounts for FBM? Is it just because nothing is available for my current business profile? er...but if that's the lure or whatever, what does that matter? I read that someone else said this was happening to them. I don't think it was ever really questioned, though. So...if you can answer, please, why don't I receive the emails? One account I have is fairly new, but another is at least a few months old, maybe...and no emails.

[Nuala'sMom]

.A question. Why do I not receive links for consumer mags in my email accounts for FBM? Is it just because nothing is available for my current business profile? er...but if that's the lure or whatever, what does that matter? I read that someone else said this was happening to them. I don't think it was ever really questioned, though. So...if you can answer, please, why don't I receive the emails? One account I have is fairly new, but another is at least a few months old, maybe...and no emails.

I wish I did have an answer for you but I don't. I can tell you what I've seen as a pattern and that is that the newer fbm accounts don't seem to be getting the same number of emails as those of us with older accounts. My best friend in OH opened an FBM account 5 months ago and she waits in vain every day for a great new link from FBM. Both my husband and I get links a couple times a week and our accounts are about 18 months to 2 and half years old. We also get the giveaway links and invites for trade magazines.

Maybe it just takes time or maybe they go by region. My sister gets different links than I do and she's in new England. I wouldn't worry too much about getting the links in your email because anything that DOES get sent to a slick Dealer winds up being posted within an hour.

[St. Aradia]

Okay. Thanks for the info.

[LBeagle]

I've been signed up with Freebiz for about 18 months, maybe a bit longer. I get tons of mags every month from them. It has worked for me for Pyschology Today and many of the ladies' magazines, and much more.

My two formulas are:

Media/Marketing
Publishing/Journalism
Research Development
Basic Research

OR

Media/Marketing
Publishing/Journalism
Publishing/Printing
Editorial

That gets me in 95 percent of the time (probably that is a conservative figure even). Usually the only trade magazine I am offered with those combos is "Wired" which I have always refused. I have worked in Journalism in the past, and do some work from home sort of related to that now so I feel comfortable putting those down anyway.

I rarely get any emails from them offering magazines but I usually find them posted in various places so that is not much a problem for me.

Good luck All and Happy Reading!:cool:

[Momto2pooches]

Great thread and yes, I've read every post from start to finish, lol! Thanks for putting so much time and energy into helping all of us out, Nuala's Mom! :worship:

[Nuala'sMom]

Bumping because the gospel of magic profiles is spreading again.

I repeat - while there are lousy profiles that are likely to get you denied (Student profiles of various combinations, retired etc), any legitimate business profile or education profile shoulkd get you the magazine if there are subs to be had. please go to the first post in this threafd and read from beginning for the asic primer on FBM profiles

[fraggie]

Bumping because the gospel of magic profiles is spreading again.

I repeat - while there are lousy profiles that are likely to get you denied (Student profiles of various combinations, retired etc), any legitimate business profile or education profile shoulkd get you the magazine if there are subs to be had. please go to the first post in this threafd and read from beginning for the asic primer on FBM profiles


i've used RETIRED exclusively for months on every offer for me and many family members and it continues to work like a charm (last ordered Horticulture with RETIRED for my mom a few days ago

[Imerson]

I still don't get what is wrong with putting in your real job (if you have one)! You don't have to turn down anything, instead you just don't check boxes (you may have one extra thing to click... but still that's not much!)

[KissThisFem]

The Super Simple Guide to getting Freebizmags Subscriptions - the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

it is my goal today to save you, the Noob, from all such myths and to keep your mailbox free of Silly Trade Mags (unless of course you actually WANT to receive Spot-Welding Illustrated or Miniature Vegetables Monthly)



Actually, I love to garden and would enjoy Miniature Vegetables Monthly. Do you have the link? ;)

Thank you for this excellent post. I am new here and would love to get free magazines. In fact, if I could get only one magazine in the world, it would definitely be National Geographic.

However, I would settle for Cuisine or Gourmet or Cooking Light.

One problem...I live in Australia. So any magazines I got would probably go to my daughter or her fiance who live in the States.

I do appreciate all your hard work. Wish me success!

[Imerson]

Actually, I love to garden and would enjoy Miniature Vegetables Monthly. Do you have the link? ;)

Thank you for this excellent post. I am new here and would love to get free magazines. In fact, if I could get only one magazine in the world, it would definitely be National Geographic.

However, I would settle for Cuisine or Gourmet or Cooking Light.

One problem...I live in Australia. So any magazines I got would probably go to my daughter or her fiance who live in the States.

I do appreciate all your hard work. Wish me success!
:welcome: good luck with the magazines!

[KissThisFem]

:welcome: good luck with the magazines!

Why thank you!

btw, I hit your link and left a message. So far they have surpassed their goal of 200,000 messages of hope and now have 243,662. That was a nice link.

[BaroqueHolly]

Just stumbled on this while experimenting with the Forum Search function - this is really great info!

Thanks Nuala's Mom!!

[Nuala'sMom]

I still don't get what is wrong with putting in your real job (if you have one)! You don't have to turn down anything, instead you just don't check boxes (you may have one extra thing to click... but still that's not much!)

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with putting your real job. The aversion to putting one's real job is the result of people believing that what job you put matters in whether or not you will be offered the free sub you want. It really doesn't matter unless you pick something so terribly vague that the FBM software cannot come up with some trade magazine offers to toss in your path.

FBM exists to make money by pre-qulifying people for controlled circulation magazines (trade mags). They use the free consumer mags as a lure. As explained elsewhere in this thread, FBM can snag anywhere from 50 cents to $5 per qualified subscriber they refer to a trade mag. They also get paid for referring people with kids to the babyTalk or American baby mags (those magazines then sell those names to photographers, dept stores, cord blood bankers etc).

So, if you pick a nonsensical combo or one that doesn't qualify you to be offered any trade mags, you won't be offered the free sub they are using as a carrot. That's why experienced users share successfully used profiles - it's for people who either don't know how to choose their own profile or whose profession isn't covered. Some evidence exists that certain student or reitree combos also are starting to get weeded out by FBM. There will always be people who say "but I used XX profile and I still got offered the mag..." and that's great. However, it pays to remember why FBM offers us these subs to begin with. if your profile cannot be useful to them, best to get another.

[vodreaux]

I ask the following question to our resident Magazine Subscription Expert, Nuala'sMom.


Why does it take a forever for a 3rd party or marketing firm to submit your subscription to the publisher?


Nuala'sMom Answer: Thanks for the Answer:

It's because they have to wait and bundle all the subs which are usually submitted once a quarter. So, if they sell you a 3 year sub on the last day of a financial quarter - it won't usually get sent in for processing for another 3 months.

I can't be sure about every discount broker, but that's the way it worked when I was in the business. We used to be able to buy the brokered subs thru our own accounting divisions and they would get submitted once a quarter via a central clearinghouse. This was before brokered subs were being sold on eBay but I'm sure it's still the same system.

Brokered subs are not the same as Sponsored subs. Sponosred subs are submitted differently and they usually go straight to the publisher and not thru a clearing house.

In a nutshell - the heavily discounted subs are brokered subs and part of the reason you get that steep discount is the delay in processing. They are processed en masse 4 times a year via a fulfillment house.

[Nuala'sMom]

It has been suggested by another user that in this thread I advocate lying in order to qualify for magazines you would not ordinarily be offered. That suggestion is wrong on many levels but let me just be clear and reiterate something I have been saying for nigh on 3 years now:

After several years of doing FBM offers, I can honestly tell you that THE PROFILE DOESN'T MATTER. You get just as many using one profile as you would using any other profile. No need to turn yourself into an aerospace engineer to try and get Kit Planes mag, they'll give it to the sales clerk at Kinko's, Honest!



In Summary:

1. There are no magic profiles.

2. One profile over another will not get you any more magazines than if you use a profile that actually describes what you do for a living

3. In the absence of any benefit to lying, why not just tell the truth?

......But I'm a student you say? Well, then fill out the profile for your part-time job or summer job. The Student Profile doesn't get you very far these days with either FBM or Mercury. You must remember why these two places even exist - to make money by pre-qualifying users for controlled circulation magazines (Trade Mags)

4. The longer I stay at this hobby of getting free things, the more it is apparant to me that lying to get something you wouldn't otherwise qualify for is more harmful to you than it is to others. It lowers the threshold of temptation to the point where where once someone has said one little lie to get a tbe of lisptick, they think nothing of making the big lie to say they had a kidney transplant to get a free CD player.

Just to make sure that any other users don't get the false impression that I believe lying in your profile is a good way to score more free mag subs, I have gone back and edited some of the posts on the first page to make it abundantly clear that fake profiles give a user no advantage whatsoever. If a user chooses yto use a profile other than their own, they aren't gonna get anything they wouldn't have gotten anyway.


So - happy free mag hunting and be honest! it pays off in ways I can't even begin to describe!

[Cynful]

Several times, I have seen an image of a jeweler's magazine, and wanted to get that one, since I actually do make jewelry, but no matter what I did, it was never offered. Does that mean it just wasn't available? Or is there something I'm missing?

[Nuala'sMom]

Several times, I have seen an image of a jeweler's magazine, and wanted to get that one, since I actually do make jewelry, but no matter what I did, it was never offered. Does that mean it just wasn't available? Or is there something I'm missing?


If you go thru to front offer page, fill out your profile, enter your password and get to the offer page there are only two possibities:

1. you will be offered the magazine - means there are still subs to be had

or

2. You cannot get the check off box to check off for you or, they only show you trade mags and not the mag you were looking for - means there are no more subs to be had for that title.

it's really that simple.


Look, years ago I used to believe alot of the crap about profiles mattering too but through experience and after talking with an ex-employee of Freebizmags, I came to understand that the only thing that matters when it comes to profiles is that your profile be of sufficient depth to permit them to offer you some type of trade magazine. If their software can't match you with any trade magazines, you will likely not be offered anything. There is no person looking through the profiles, just their software. That's why choosing a retired person's profile won't get you offered anything.

I know the profiles can be confusing.. a lot of folks who genuinely Wwant trade mags offered to them have a tough time trying to figure out what to choose on each successive screen. Just try and accurately represent the profession you're in. That is why I have given examples of successful profiles in the past - so folks can see their logic.


I'm not sure which Jewelry mag you were going for but keep trying with the other consumer titles and I'm sure you'll get in on some good ones!

[network]

ohhhh so this is how they work...great thread!

[jazhmiyne]

Please forgive me if I am repeating something someone else has already stated but I would like to add that I have gotten almost every subscription from Freebiz that I've applied for. My personal opinion is that what they are looking for in a profile for most of their magazines is a profile that suggests that the potential subscriber has contact with a large group of people of a certain profile...age, industry, ethnicity, etc...Word of mouth...If a subscriber likes the magazines they will share it with others. If they don't like the magazine they might still share it by leaving it in a break room or front lobby for others to read. Exposure produces recognition and possible increase in paid subscriptions. Thus, in your profile, if you are honest and maybe, simply exaggerate a bit how many people you have contact with in your industry/school you should get accepted for any magazine that applies/matches your profile.

[Nuala'sMom]

Please forgive me if I am repeating something someone else has already stated but I would like to add that I have gotten almost every subscription from Freebiz that I've applied for. My personal opinion is that what they are looking for in a profile for most of their magazines is a profile that suggests that the potential subscriber has contact with a large group of people of a certain profile...age, industry, ethnicity, etc...Word of mouth...If a subscriber likes the magazines they will share it with others. If they don't like the magazine they might still share it by leaving it in a break room or front lobby for others to read. Exposure produces recognition and possible increase in paid subscriptions. Thus, in your profile, if you are honest and maybe, simply exaggerate a bit how many people you have contact with in your industry/school you should get accepted for any magazine that applies/matches your profile.


Actually No. That is not the case at all.. as has been explained throughout this thread. All of the above is another one of the popular myths about FBM that people believe because they are cross-pollinating rumors about Product testing with magazine giveaways. The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

The one and ONLY purpose of the profile is to enable FBM softweare to match you with potential Trade magazines. That is all. FBM makes its money by pre-qualifying people for Trade magazines which are known inside the publishing industries as "Controlled Circulation" titles. Controlled Circ titles charge their advertiser rates based on the number of qualified readers they will reach. it is therefore imperative that the Controlled Circ magazines continue to find new QUALIFIED readers if they care to stay in business. This is where FBM comes in.

To repeat everything that has been stated before 7 or 8 times....

FBM makes its money by by charging a per head fee for referring prequalified readers to trade Mags. They get anywhere from 50 cents a head to as much as $5 a head. The consumer magazines are a lure. Those are bought in bulk at extreme discounted rates by sponsors such as Fandango, Computer Asssociates, SpaWish and so on. The sponsored subs are given away to hook you into the application process. Very few new uesers get away clean from the application process. By clean I mean, only taking the consumer mag and not getting rooked into accepting some of the controlled circ titles FBM tosses in their path. All that is gravy for FBM cuz FBM didn't pay for those discounted sponsored subs, SpaWish or Fandango did - all FBM is doing is providing the set-up to give them away.

So - once more with feeling - it doesn't mater WHAT profile you choose or how many people you appear to talk to in a given day or how popular you are etc etc. - So long as you choose a business profile that meshes as a real world profession with the FBM software (as in NOT retired and NOT a student and NOT unemployed), you will be offered the consumer magazine so long as there are subs available to be had.



The End

[fraggie]

That's why choosing a retired person's profile won't get you offered anything.

the "retired" profile is the only one i use... i use it for myself, my (retired) mother, my sisters, an incarcerated friend of a cousin, my office, some friends, other family and anyone else i know who either can't be bothered or can't navigate the application process... i have been successful in getting all of the magazines we've wanted using the retired profile... we are not offered trade magazines but we do get offers for additional consumer magazines

[Nuala'sMom]

Fraggie if it works for you, don't fix what ain't broke.

However, a significant number of slick dealers trying to use the retired profile and student profiles report being locked out of any and all mag offers. they always get the "were sorry but based on your profile we couldn't find aany magazines for you" message even as other slick dealers are getting in on the consumer mag.

I gave up trying to cover every contigency in this thread a while ago and instead, cover the broad strokes to benefit the largest number of users. I find that when I get bogged down with the "well, once this happened" and "But for Jeanie andher BFF this works even though 472 other people say it doesn't".. I lose the noobs who just get frustrated and can't follow.

My suggestion for the ladies coming over here from Prison Talk (Hi gals! Got your PMs!) is that they just choose a profile that fits what their man did before he became incarcerated. It's easier and less risky than flipping the retiree coin and hoping your one of the ones the software doesn't catch onto. It's also not being dishonest - that was his profession and remains his profession. He's just not working in that field at the moment.

As for filling out the addy section for the incarcerated fellas: Use the Company Name slot to put in either his DOC # or the name of his facility. If it's a choice between putting his facility and his DOC#, always choose the DOC#. So long as you use the facility's street address or PO Box on the first address line, yyour mail should get there. use the second address line for facility name if you must.

[Nuala'sMom]

Bumping becuase the myth of the magic profile is being offered as fact again.

I hate to keep bumping my own threads but with the new archiving system, if the threads don't get a new post every once in a while, they get flushed down the toilet to the archive system where they can never be resurrected.

Keep in mind too - as mentioned about there is a tiny bit of YMMV here and there with regard to the use of Student and Reitred profiles. Personally I just don't understand peopl's aversion to plugging in real business info for their own profession. When users are new to the system they did it to avoid being offered lots of trade magazines. But once you know to JUST SAY NO to all of those Trade mags, sweepstakes enticements, e-newsletters and other garbage, there really isn't any reason to avoid a real profile.

If you really are retired, I would suggest just using the profile that applied to you when you were working and if you really are a student, use a profile that applies to the last job you had, the part-time/fulltime job you hold now or.. the job you hope to hold based on your current course of study.

There's a good reason for doing this which is - FBM sells your name and info over and over and over again and sometimes this results in good things coming your way related to your industry. At my private P.O. Box I use for my business addy on FBM (and which is the addy for my part-time business), I have gotten invitations to local business events, posctards with significant discount codes on supplies related to my business, free tickets to Trade shows and a lot of weird little gifty chotchkies from office suppliers and business machine companies. I know they got my name from FBM becuase I use a unique abbrevation of my title on my FBM account. I did that just to see who they were selling my name to.

Now, I also list my home addy with them and have most of my mags sent ot my home address but still, I get tons of mail at my buisiness addy all addressed to me and my title from my FBM account. It hasn't netted me a whole lot of wonderful stuff but I have gone to a few local events I couldn't have afforded otherwise and scored a few free Giftcards for Starbucks, iTunes & Amazon based on offers I got in the mail from a company that bought my name from FBM. (They sent industry specific surveys and if you were one of the first X number to reply, you got the cards).

So, do the profiles! Good things may come your way.

[Pearls]

I have two separate FBM profiles. Sometimes one account doesn't show the magazine being offer, but the other account would. I would use the same profile for both accounts as well.

[Nuala'sMom]

I have two separate FBM profiles. Sometimes one account doesn't show the magazine being offer, but the other account would. I would use the same profile for both accounts as well.


This is most likely due to the sponsorship issue. It is crucial to keep track of who sponsored the offer you did under which FBM account. I keep a log book listing the name of the mag I ordered, the date I ordered it and the sponsor's name. If the mag comes up again with the same sponsor, FBM will NOT usually allow you to re-order that mag under that account but will let you order it under a new or different account that had not previosuly ordered it. If the same link and the same mag comes up with a DIFFERENT sponsor, you can usually order it under that same account.

For example:

If you ordered Horse Illustrated under an offer sponsored by Malaria No More and 10 months later, the same link gets posted again but you notice the sponsor is now Fandango, you almost always can order again without any difficulties because even though the link is the same, it is considered a new offer by FBM due to the different sponsor.


I have an account for myself and one for my husband and I usually ping-pong between the two and have never missed out on any mag that still had subs available.

Lesson to OP's all hot to post an offer: Please post the offer details including the sponsor in BOLD. It will get you more rep if that's what you're after. If you're just hoping to be helpful, you will be doing that too.

Personally, I refuse to rep anybody that just posts bare links to FBM offers becuase they are missing the point entirely - FBM recycles links - It's the sponsor info that matters.

[chugabud66]

:heart: Just read most of this thread. Very useful. Thanks everyone for sharing tips. Just got accepted for my first mag. Mad. Yippee. Thanks again. :hug:

[BDR529]

Nuala'sMom, thank you for the great info! I'm about to get re-addicted to SD and think i'll be an FBM regular!

Thanks again

[lilmissobsessiv]

Thank you for this post its awesome.To bad i didnt read it before i signed up:(
luckily i dont think i did it bad.i did not sign up for any of the trade magazines however i became very confused when it came to company address at first i was going to put a fake address for business and my real address then choose send to home address but then started to worry that it may not work like that so i just put my home address as my business and clicked on send to business.Hope i still receive it i really really want the mags i subscribed for.Thanks for the post in the future i will be better prepared:)
thanks you sd for all the awesome freebies i am addicted lol

[dennis06]

Hi All,

I'm kindda new here and I just wanted to ask how I can get my magazines for free without signing up for anything. I like FHM,Maxim,Stuff,ESPN the Magazine,Men's Health,Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. I would really appreciate it if someone can give me links or pointers. PLease.please,please!

thank you:woot: :woot: :woot:

[Nuala'sMom]

Hi All,

I'm kindda new here and I just wanted to ask how I can get my magazines for free without signing up for anything. I like FHM,Maxim,Stuff,ESPN the Magazine,Men's Health,Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. I would really appreciate it if someone can give me links or pointers. PLease.please,please!

thank you:woot: :woot: :woot:

Go to the beginning of this thread ad read the first few pages - it's all there.

By the way, FHM and STUFF have ceased publication. Sports Illustrated never gives away free subs
See beginning of this thread for why:

Mythbusting MagCentral (now RewardsGold) plus all about free mag sub offers how they work and why
http://forums.slickdeals.net/t111530.html?


and ESPN does so rarely and usuaolly only thru loyalty points.




.

[Nuala'sMom]

I am bumping this thread so that newer Users who have been asking about FBM can see this.

Anyone have any more questions about FBM AFTER reading through this thread from the first page, please post your questions here so we can have all the Q&A in one place




.

[vegasmommy]

I am bumping this thread so that newer Users who have been asking about FBM can see this.

Anyone have any more questions about FBM AFTER reading through this thread from the first page, please post your questions here so we can have all the Q&A in one place




.

I just want to give Nuala'sMom a very special BIG THANK YOU for providing us with such great information as far as when you sign up for free magazines. I have used her advice and have never had any problems with getting my free subscriptions:) I also follow the advice, if something seems too good to be true, it probably isn't worth your time.

[Nuala'sMom]

Thank you for this post its awesome.To bad i didnt read it before i signed up:(
luckily i dont think i did it bad.i did not sign up for any of the trade magazines however i became very confused when it came to company address at first i was going to put a fake address for business and my real address then choose send to home address but then started to worry that it may not work like that so i just put my home address as my business and clicked on send to business.Hope i still receive it i really really want the mags i subscribed for.Thanks for the post in the future i will be better prepared:)
thanks you sd for all the awesome freebies i am addicted lol


If you do not have a business address, do this:

Title: Current Resident
Company name: Current Resident
Address: Your Home Address

Then for home address, just list your home addy.

When it asks which addy to send to, choose HOME.

If you choose business, the name of the company will be printed on the addy label which is why I recommend using the term : Current Resident instead of making one up., Honesty is the best policy, right? It doesn't matter to the FBM computer, it only sees words words words.

[6geesealaying]

Thanks for this most informative post. I've gotten a couple of free mags but am interested in combining subs and getting some more. Your tips are fantastic and will be most helpful!!

[TheTeddyBear]

First of all thank you very much for your very helpful and comprehensive post! I wish I'd read it earlier!

And now I'm wondering is it possible to know a history of my subscriptions on this sites -- Freebizmags and Mercury? Do we have any accounts like on RewardsGold.com?

[Nuala'sMom]

First of all thank you very much for your very helpful and comprehensive post! I wish I'd read it earlier!

And now I'm wondering is it possible to know a history of my subscriptions on this sites -- Freebizmags and Mercury? Do we have any accounts like on RewardsGold.com?


In a word.. NO. RewardsGold (formerly MagCentral) is an entirely different operation from Freebizmags or Mercury. In the 2nd post in this thread back on page one, there is a link to the Mythbusting MagCentral/RewardsGold thread. Click on that and read through THAT thread for some info about how and why THEY give out sponosred subs to the likes of you and me. They operate primarily as a distribution method and they don't make money the way FBM & Mercury do by prescreening applicasnts for controlled circulation magazines.


Mercury & FBM do not allow you to access your order history but they do encourahe you to print out the final confirmation page for your records in the event there is a problem. it is your only record of having subscribed.

You might want to start doing that - printing the final confirmation page and then using a 3-hole punch to punch holes in the lefthand side of the page. When you have done that, you can store the pages in a 3-ring binder for quick and easy reference to your past orders. You can then arrange them by date and use index pages to separate your Freebizmags orderds from your Mercury orders.


If that is too much for yo to bother with, you can keep a log book - something I picked up from other slick dealers years ago. Just used lined paper and keep a sheet like this:


Name of magazine---------Date Ordered--------Source------term of subscription (1 yr, 2 yr etc)


I keep separate sheets for each source myself but you don't have to. I find its easier to have one page for StartSampling, one for Value Mags, one for Mercury, one for FBM, and one for misc soruces.


Hope that helps!




.

[hello.monkey]

:thanks: for the all info

[GammaPoint]

I didn't want to read the hundred of posts before me, but there's no threat about the trade magazines being automatically renewed is there? I signed up for a couple that I thought might be interesting (because I hadn't read this post yet).

[Nuala'sMom]

I didn't want to read the hundred of posts before me, but there's no threat about the trade magazines being automatically renewed is there? I signed up for a couple that I thought might be interesting (because I hadn't read this post yet).

You don't have top read ALL the posts but it would be to your benefit to read the first 2 to 3 pages of posts. that's where most of the info is.

Sorry to break this to ya, but most Trade mags DO auto-renew which is why we counsel people to avoid them. Even though they may send you a form once a year to fill out to stay on the list of qualified subscribers, they will usually keep sending it to you for a few years even if you ignore those forms. Getting rid of Trade mags is like trying to get rid of herpes.:lol:

For example: I stupidly sign up for Baseline back in 2004 and every6 months they send one of those forms attached saying "fill this out or risk losing your free sub" type deal. I ignore it every time and Dang if that stupid mag doesn't keep showing up! @#2&65!

Moral of the sotry - avoid the Trade Mags they toss in your path unless you want them forever.

[LuvFreebies]

I would like to say a big thanks to all the above posts.. I have successfully gotten subs from Mercury and FBM, but never realized it's important to keep track of the sponsors!

I too am not keen on providing false title/business etc,and appreciate Nualas Mom, about keeping it honest!

Now I know my next remark is off topic..but did anyone ever receive the Town and Country offered though Mercury or FBM a while back?

Again ..thanks for everything..

[greenhighlighte]

There's a good reason for doing this which is - FBM sells your name and info over and over and over again and sometimes this results in good things coming your way related to your industry. At my private P.O. Box I use for my business addy on FBM (and which is the addy for my part-time business), I have gotten invitations to local business events, posctards with significant discount codes on supplies related to my business, free tickets to Trade shows and a lot of weird little gifty chotchkies from office suppliers and business machine companies. I know they got my name from FBM becuase I use a unique abbrevation of my title on my FBM account. I did that just to see who they were selling my name to.

I'm new to the Free Magazine forum and just read through this thread but I have one question- how much mail (spam/junk in particular but useful stuff as well) do you generally receive as a result of your name/address/info being sold from signing up for a free magazine subscription? I'm all for free magazines but I'm wondering if it's worth having my info circulated.

[skyblacker]

I'm new to the Free Magazine forum and just read through this thread but I have one question- how much mail (spam/junk in particular but useful stuff as well) do you generally receive as a result of your name/address/info being sold from signing up for a free magazine subscription? I'm all for free magazines but I'm wondering if it's worth having my info circulated.

I have only signed up for free consumer magazines (trade mags bore me; I avoid Mercury, which requires you to sign up for one). I've been doing this for almost a year now and have only gotten the amount of junk mail that you would associate with a paid magazine subscription. Which is minimal -- a couple of offers to renew your subscription at a discounted rate, and maybe a small advertisement for a related magazine from the same publisher. But really, consumer magazines don't need to send out junk mail -- they're funded by advertisements in the magazine itself!

There's also minimal spam. The only email I get from freebizmag and RewardsGold (beyond confirmations of offers I've signed up for) is notifications of new offers those sites are posting. That amounts to maybe one email twice a month, mostly from freebizmag. Freebizmag and RewardsGold are the only free magazine sites that I trust, by the way, so I can't speak for other sites (though I haven't heard any complaints here about Mercury).

Another fact: 1% of a typical consumer magazine's income comes from selling its subscriber list. Those include paid subscribers and you.

[electropostie]

The Super Simple Guide to getting Freebizmags (And Mercury Mags) Subscriptions - the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Myths Busted! Ballons Burst! Check it out!

Introduction: Freebizmagazines is a great site that offers "free" subscriptions to both Trade Magazines and Consumer Magazines. Mercury Mags is another one just like it that was begun by former FreebizMag employees. They earn their money by increasing the circulation of Trade magazines also known in publishing as Controlled Circulation Titles.

Am I right in thinking that it's not possible to take up any of the Mercury offers nowadays without also taking one of the trade magazines as well? I couldn't get past that part of the the signup procedure last couple of times I tried their offers.

+++EP

[electropostie]

If that is too much for yo to bother with, you can keep a log book - something I picked up from other slick dealers years ago. Just used lined paper and keep a sheet like this:


Name of magazine---------Date Ordered--------Source------term of subscription (1 yr, 2 yr etc)


I keep separate sheets for each source myself but you don't have to. I find its easier to have one page for StartSampling, one for Value Mags, one for Mercury, one for FBM, and one for misc soruces.

Personally I'm now in the world of Google Documents for all this sort of thing!

It's just like the pieces of paper except you can Google for them when you lose them :-)

+++EP

[Nuala'sMom]

Am I right in thinking that it's not possible to take up any of the Mercury offers nowadays without also taking one of the trade magazines as well? I couldn't get past that part of the the signup procedure last couple of times I tried their offers.

+++EP
You know, it's been so long since I've bothered with Mercury that I hadn't noticed that at all. Let me go and see what I can disacover about that and get back to you.

Thank you VERY MUCH for bringing this up. it's an important change if it's valid.

[fraggie]

Am I right in thinking that it's not possible to take up any of the Mercury offers nowadays without also taking one of the trade magazines as well? I couldn't get past that part of the the signup procedure last couple of times I tried their offers.

+++EP

this is a big part of why i've always stuck with the "retired" profile... i never get offers for trade mags