Frequently Asked Questions:

How quickly will the first issue go out for a new subscriber?

• Depending on when you submitted your subscription, your magazine will go out with the next shipment. We ship issues to new/renewing subscribers once a week.
• If the current issue has been on sale for longer than four weeks, we will start a new subscription with the next issue to be released unless it is otherwise indicated on the order.

Where do I find my account number?

• Whenever we mail something to you, your account number is printed just above your name on the label.

I renewed my subscription a while ago, where is my copy of the current issue?

• Since we publish every other month we ship “supplemental” copies once a week to our renewing/new subscribers. We haven’t forgotten about you, but because our magazine weighs over a pound, sometimes it takes just a bit longer to arrive in your mail box.
• Also, since we stamp "Do Not Bend" on our envelopes, if you have a post office box, you might want to check with your post office.

How come the newest issue is sometimes delivered at different times to the same area?

• The only thing we can say to that is they all go out of our warehouse at the same time. It’s up to the individual postal worker to deliver them at the same time, and once in a while that just doesn’t happen.
• If you renewed late you may have missed the first shipment of the new issue. Your copy will go out in the next shipment.

How do I know when it’s time to renew?

• We send out renewal notices just before the second to last issue is about to be shipped. Another notice is mailed after the last issue in your subscription has been shipped, and then we periodically notify you once your subscription has expired.
• If you are a gift subscriber, the first notice is sent out to the donor, and all subsequent notices go to the recipient.

When should I expect to receive the merchandise I ordered?

• We process merchandise orders once a week during the regular year (more frequently near the holidays). We ship all merchandise on Thursdays and Fridays. If your order came in before noon on Wednesday it will ship out by the end of that week.
• Most everything we ship in the US goes out UPS. If you have a PO Box or are out of the continental US it will ship via USPS or Global Mail.

I had a subscription but someone just gave me a gift, will I get two issues now?

• If the gift subscription was given to you with your name as we have it, and the address is the same, then our system will find your account and add the new subscription onto your existing account.
• If the gift was given to you with a nickname or to a different address, a new account will have started for you and your two subscriptions may overlap. To correct this, call our office and ask for customer service. (800) 666-2122.

I gave someone a gift subscription, how will they know it’s from me?

• As soon as a gift subscription is received by our circulation department we fill out a gift card with the occasion you indicated on your order. If you did not fill out your order as a gift, but as a straight-ahead order, no card will go out.

I’m looking for a specific issue that you published a while ago. How can I find it?

• We have a very detailed listing of every article in every issue that we’ve published online. Go to “back issues” and type in a keyword for the subject you want and a list of the back issues will pop up. You can also order back issues from this page.

I moved and changed my address with the post office, but my magazines aren’t arriving, what should I do?

• Please change your address with us directly. The post office does not always notify our office when you move. Your magazines may be forwarded to you for up to 60 days, but after that the will be returned to us with your new address stamped on the envelope. When that happens we add one more issue to your subscription to make up for the one you missed.

Do you offer discounts or do you run promotions?

• Because we are primarily reader-supported we do not offer discounts, nor do we run promotions. We value our loyal, long-time subscribers and would love to treat them to some savings, but as our supportive readers know, to keep the quality as high as our standards allow, we need to charge the same rate to everyone.

Are you affiliated with Surfer Magazine or any other publication?

• We only publish The Surfer’s Journal, and a variety of hard cover books on surfing.

How do I submit a story/photo to you? What format do you like?

• For photos, please send no more than 5 jpgs to jeff@surfersjournal.com.
• For stories, please query christian@surfersjournal.com.

My magazine arrived damaged, can I get a new one?

• We take extra measures to ensure that the magazines arrive in the best possible quality to your house. If you received a damaged copy, contact our customer service department and we’ll send you a new one. If it happens often we may need to take other tactics to get your mags to you.

I’m a subscriber, but the new issues sometimes get to the bookstores first, why is that?

• We fully understand that as a subscriber, it’s nice to get your magazine before any one else can get their hands on it. When a new issue arrives we wait at least a week to send surfshop and bookstore copies out so there is enough time for delivery. The only exception is in December, when we ship issues to subscribers, surfshops and bookstores at the same time. We do this to maximize the visability of The Surfer's Journal through out the holiday season.

I want to renew online but I don’t want tons of junk mail/email. Can I trust you guys?

• One thing that we value most is the trust of our subscribers. We will never sell your personal information to another company. We also promise not to abuse your trust by emailing or advertising to you flagrantly. Currently, we are working on a way to email you when your subscription is about to expire to save paper with our renewals. We also send emails and/or postcards when we publish a new book, assuming you want to hear about these first.
• Every so often there will be a TSJ supported event or bit of news that we think you want to know about. When that comes up we will send you an email or postcard. It will always come from our office, no one will ever see your information except us. Please understand that this is a rare occurrence, and we always take you into consideration when we are thinking of promoting our products to you.

Who do I contact about advertising opportunities?

• Please contact Debbee at (800) 666-2122.