Publishers Clearing House Cancel Guide

• Publishers Clearing House

Publisher’s Clearing House, also known as PCH, is a marketing company. It was formed to sell magazines by mail, and eventually by their website, to possibly relieve the door to door salespeople. The founder believed people would be more interested and willing to buy magazines and other products by mailings from a single vendor instead of door to door salespeople. Publisher’s Clearing House was in 1953 in Port Washington, New York by Harold Mertz. He eventually moved the business to his house in Long Island, New York. He ran it from his basement with the help of his wife LuEsther and their daughter Joyce. The first few years of operation Harold mailed out around 10,000 envelopes, which contained 20 different magazine subscription choices. He received approximately 100 magazine orders to fill each year at the beginning. In 1967 Publisher’s Clearing House added sweepstakes to the mailings. The company hoped by adding sweepstakes the magazine subscription sales would increase. The sweepstakes had the odds of 1 in 10 winners the first year the company added the sweepstakes. In the first year of the sweepstakes, a person who won would win anywhere from 25 cents to $10. In 1974 Publisher’s Clearing House began advertising on television. The television ads would talk about the magazine subscriptions and sweepstakes. Until 1977 Publisher’s Clearing House was the only business of its type. Several of the magazine subscriptions PCH offered had parent companies who wanted a bigger revenue cut from PCH. In 1977 a few magazine publishing companies formed a company called American Family Publishers (AFP). AFP was formed to give PCH some competition in the field of direct marketing for magazines. In 1985 PCH began selling products and started their online development. Selling products, besides offering magazines and sweepstakes, helped PCH grow its revenue. In 2011 PCH introduced the sweepstakes where a person could win $5,000 a week for life. Every time PCH advertises their sweepstakes, they always let entrants know they do not have to buy anything in order to enter or win the sweepstakes. The odds of winning any of the PCH sweepstakes will always depend upon how many people enter a particular sweepstakes the company offers.

Get together the following account information:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Address 1
• Address 2
• City
• State/Province/Region
• ZIP/Postal Code
• Email address on the account
• Name of Magazine(s)
• Phone Number

Follow these steps:

1. Using your device, go to this website: http://pch.custhelp.com/app/ask
2. Put in your information where requested
3. Let the rep know that you’re calling to cancel
4. Request proof of your transaction in the form of an email or confirmation number
5. Click on the link or button that says the orange “Continue” button at the bottom of the page
6. Be sure to retain your cancellation proof for your records

Follow these steps:

1. Using your phone, call 1-800-566-4724
2. Let the rep know that you’re calling to cancel
3. Give the rep your account info when they ask
4. Make sure that you won’t be charged again by asking the rep explicitly
5. Request to be refunded
6. Request proof of your transaction in the form of an email or confirmation number
7. Be sure to retain your cancellation proof for your records