Consumer Reports Magazine iPad App Reviews

After subscribing for a years worth of consumer magazines, I have not been able to download a single issue. it logs me in, but does not show me any new issues. The same user name/password combination that works on the website is the same I am using on my iPad. I feel ripped off. I therefore cancelled my subscription to this magazine.

Im a print subscriber but its impossible to get this app to recognize that fact. Ive entered my 10 digit ID and postal code repeatedly and it will not accept it. However after reading all the poor reviews this app has it appears Im not missing much. Expected much more from Consumer Reports.

Totally useless app. I had an older version that worked on my old iPad. But, since getting my new iPad Air, it just wont recognize my subscription; even though I have paid for it. iTunes support pass you onto CR and vice versa. Frustrating !!! I am in the process of asking for a refund.

Lost all my copies and then keep saying "restore previous purchases failed" when I had a paid subscription. I am canceling it right now.

Lost all of my previous issues even though I have paid my subscription, and keep receiving notices new issues are available for me to download. Also a print subscriber. Contacted tech support with zero response for 3 days. Consumer reports needs to do a review of their app, and work on their customer services as I am cancelling my subscriptions based on this alone and the reliability of this app. The same issue seems to have happened to others...

I lost all my issues since March 2014 with the same problem of it not restoring. Also doesnt recognize my email address although I get my notices from them. Cant get any help with this issue because they dont accept my email address.

I am having the same problem as previous users. It won’t let me access any content. I am an iPad only subscriber, so CR sends me to Apple. Then Apple sends me back to CR. Everything worked fine for my first few months of subscription (through iTunes) and now I can’t get bast the “restore previous purchases failed” message.

I have a subscription purchased through iTunes but the app does not recognize it. I cant download the magazines or restore purchased ones. If this doesnt get resolved, Ill have to cancel my subscription.

Does not recognize active subscriptions to allow you to download new/past issues. Trying to Restore All Purchases fails with an error. Only thing you can do is use the purchase button to purchase magazines already covered with the subscription. Stay away as far as you. Use at own risk

I have a paid paper subscription but cant open the I Pad edition. Why is it so complicated ? And why does it take that long to correct the problem ?

I tried to restore purchases but was not able to. I called CS but I was pass on to Apple and apple cannot solve the problem either.

Unable to download issues. Cannot restore purchases. Customer service via email is non existent. Our consumer watchdog is screwing its subscribers by not providing what we paid for. BAD SOFTWARE. UPDATE: I received an email from customer service August 14 stating all is back to normal now. It isnt. CR would be the first to complain if other companies treated customers this way.

When it works, it works well. Unfortunately the few times this app actually works are few and far between. It constantly removes my issues without my permission (and yes I did check the settings). Even removes the issues I am currently reading. Tried to re-download them again and I get a message saying it "cannot restore purchases". The only workaround I have found is to completely uninstall the app and reinstall it after. Then go through each issue one by one and re-download them again. Ironically, if Consumer Reports found a shoddy product like this, it would be the first to report it. Not recommended.

Yesterday it was working but since I downloaded the new ISO 8 it is not working.

Ever since i installed IOS 8, this app is totally useless. I have to download again and again, and when I succeed in opening it, it crashes everytime. When are you going to do something about it. I am pretty sure i am not the only one complaining!

NOTE: Read my 2014-09-27 update below. 2014-08-07: When this app works, it’s pretty decent. It’s not just a magazine issue ported, but is configured specifically to make use of the iPad. Scrolling text boxes, nested content, and videos. BUT, and it’s a huge ‘but,’ is that I have not been able to download any of my issues from January 2013 to now. I called Consumer Reports and the automated system insisted I give them my print subscription number. I don’t have one, duh! Eventually it put me through to an agent who said I need to call Apple because CR doesn’t have any subscription info since I don’t buy the paper magazine. So I called Apple and they said it’s an app like any other app and CR is responsible for it and the content. They verified my subscription was active and said they just provide that authorization to CR and it’s up to CR to provide the content. Well they aren’t. So I called CR back and got a more knowledgeable agent who said — wait for it — this is a known problem with the September 2014 issue. I replied that I couldn’t download the last 18 months and the agent checked and said it’s part of the problem and to wait 24-48 hours. I’ve already been waiting 5 days and it’s still not fixed. This is the second time this has happened. Consumer Reports is more than happy to lambaste other companies for poor products and poor customer service so let me use Consumer Reports’ own lingo when I say, “Not Recommended.” Stability and customer service is “Much Worse Than Average." UPDATE 2014-09-27: Well, well, here we are a month later, iOS 8 is out and CR is once again blocking access to all issues. Last time it took 3 weeks(!) to fix. Call their support number and discover their agent is STILL trying to tell me its an Apple problem. CR knows thats not true so theyre not passing that on to their support agents or the agents are … well, you know. As before, there is no mention of this on the CR website and their Twitter account refuses to reply or mention to their followers there is another problem. Seriously, CR ranks right down there with the worst customer service. Who knows how long theyll take before they bless us with a fix. CR never offered any compensation for their incompetence. I cannot recommend strongly enough to stay away from this app. If you want to read CR, buy the print issue. Lousy app, lousy service. I will not be renewing my subscription after 19 years. No cookie for you, Consumer Reports.

As per other reviews, app crashes constantly and you cant download new editions of the magazine. Consumer Reports needs to get this app fixed ASAP. Dont download or subscribe until they release an update that works.

This app worked well for the last 18 months, until I installed iOS 8.0 - now I just get a message that any new download I try, has failed to download, and I should reinstall the app and try again - all to no avail. CR needs to address the problem with their app.

This app is appalling. I dont get the electronic mag until ten days after the paper mag arrives on my doorstep. Surely it should be delivered first. Can you imagine if on-line New York Times arrived 10 days later? Next months edition requires ludicrous re-login - the only magazine subscription that requires current annual subscribers to log in again every month. Get it together CU! My next sep is to delete app then reload. Frankly losing patience with this app.

Still not working. Who is to blame, Consummer Report, Newsstand, Apple? I (or apparently We) want our magazines back. Waiting for many weeks now. Consummer irony.