I used to get all my mags from eBay, but I guess they got rid of that category years ago. I had multiple year subs for $10+ depending on the mag, is there a new auction site that the sellers went to? Or a reputable site that doesn't want $15/year for a subscription?

I have found ValueMags.com to be reliable, but it is rare that their prices are any better than Amazon, around the $15/year you are seeing.

I've had good luck with Magazine Price Search. They continually monitor prices from about 25 stores and keep track of coupons. When you specify a magazine, they give you a list of all the sellers, sorted by price. They also warn about the sites that auto-renew your subscriptions.

I ended up using http://www.cheapmagazinesite.com/ and found MagazinesUSA.com to be the best price on a few. During checkout, there was a $4.95/1 year offer for a few decent mags plus a '$5 off your next order' code. With all that, they were the best deal.

It's seems that eBay is constantly making their service harder for everyone, especially the sellers. Since I joined eBay years ago, they have introduced volumes of rules and regulations. So much so, I just assume I can't sell anything without getting some kind of warning that I didn't describe it correctly, used the wrong picture, etc.

accipters2 said:eBay simply made them harder to find -- sellers no longer can sell subscriptions, so now sellers use the euphemism "certificate." So search for the title of your choice and you'll find that certificates or gift cards are readily available for however many years you wish!
I wish I'd waited until tonight, but thanks for the help. Glad to see the cheap subs haven't completely vanished.

This, for once, isn't eBay's fault. The sellers (I used to be one) are all contractors for a "Clearinghouse" and were required a while back to quit selling on eBay and quit selling for less than the publisher's suggested list. The magazine publishers association is cracking down on these "Discount" sellers and requiring them to provide "proof" that subscriptions were sold at the required rates. Hard to do if you're discounting subscriptions.

What happens is that a new seller signs up with a clearinghouse, sells on eBay for a time and gets caught by the publishers association and cut off with unfilled subscriptions hanging. The publishers association complains to eBay that sellers are violating their contracts with publishers and gets the auctions yanked. Thus eBay makes a new rule to avoid being sued for allowing the practice and we all pay more for our magazines...

Never thought I'd find myself defending eBay, but that's the facts guys.

diplomastore said:This, for once, isn't eBay's fault. The sellers (I used to be one) are all contractors for a "Clearinghouse" and were required a while back to quit selling on eBay and quit selling for less than the publisher's suggested list. The magazine publishers association is cracking down on these "Discount" sellers and requiring them to provide "proof" that subscriptions were sold at the required rates. Hard to do if you're discounting subscriptions.

Never thought I'd find myself defending eBay, but that's the facts guys.

I that's the case, I do blame eBay a little for not taking a stand. How many other countless manufacturers would love to have eBay pull auctions because things are being sold for less than retail? Isn't that the whole point of an eBay store? Less overhead, lower prices, etc. It's one thing if it's a fake designer purse, but why would eBay care if a third party has a contract with an eBay seller? It should fall on the clearinghouse to enforce their rules.

jolma said:There is another reason eBay removed magazines - eBay protects buyers if they file a claim within 45 days. Magazine subscriptions often take 8 weeks or more to fulfill, so if the buyer waits 8 weeks before filing a claim they lose their protection. If buyers consistently file the claims before the 45 days, magazine sellers would usually lose their money. Either way, often someone is unsatisfied and will be complaining to eBay, costing eBay money.
That's what I remember them saying when they shut down that category, which makes more sense than caving to clearinghouses. Thanks for jogging my memory.

bluechalk, thanks for the link to Magazine Price search. They actually found a subscription to Consumer Reports at a very reduced rate....I am so happy.