• National Geographic

National Geographic

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Overview

National Geographic has a rating of 1.9 stars from 51 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about National Geographic most frequently mention customer service problems. National Geographic ranks 232nd among Magazines sites.

  • Service
    12
  • Value
    12
  • Shipping
    6
  • Returns
    7
  • Quality
    9
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 0%
Positive
0
Neutral
0
Negative
5
3
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How would you rate National Geographic?
Top Positive Review

“I love NatGeo”

Dennis W.
6/24/18

National Geographic has always been a part of my life and will continue to be one. If you're looking for stunning photos or information about the world that is relatively unbiased, this is the site that will not disappoint. National Geographic's magazines are also a must-read. They're very informative and interesting. Every photo of theirs will make you feel awed.

Top Critical Review

“National Geographic violates the UN Charter”

Uliana I.
3/14/24

National Geographic violates the UN Charter in its maps. It produces false content that appears to be an attempt to normalize illegal occupation and annexation. In this day and age, it is utterly unacceptable to abuse the influence of a once reputable establishment for spreading false maps. International borders cannot be changed by force, and humanity has proven this in the second world war at an astronomical cost of life loss. Yet, here we are again!

Reviews (51)

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Thumbnail of user uliana.nkiruka
1 review
0 helpful votes
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March 14th, 2024

National Geographic violates the UN Charter in its maps. It produces false content that appears to be an attempt to normalize illegal occupation and annexation. In this day and age, it is utterly unacceptable to abuse the influence of a once reputable establishment for spreading false maps. International borders cannot be changed by force, and humanity has proven this in the second world war at an astronomical cost of life loss. Yet, here we are again!

Thumbnail of user denisg78
2 reviews
6 helpful votes
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May 3rd, 2024

Unfactual sensatioal documentaries,
Documentaries are only made to make you wow with visuals while distorting the truth and presenting lies as facts

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Thumbnail of user mistert7
1 review
0 helpful votes
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January 3rd, 2024

There is nobody in canada to speak to to voice concerns. Service people have all the personal information necessary to help me renew a subscription but refuse. They make it sound like i am requesting nuclear launch codes. I can see why so many people hate americans. People like me pay your wages by buying your products. Lost sale forever

Tip for consumers:
this site does not care that customers want to protect personal information

Products used:
none

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Thumbnail of user olhadanylova79
1 review
1 helpful vote
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April 17th, 2023

Trying to make annual subscription I was rejected 2 times with my credit card but at the end was charged 2 times without any confirmation letter, nothing, and with amount which is not right in all ways. Web application full of bugs, such a big shame for such kind of division of Disney. And customer service works weirdly, they cannot take and process information correctly, hanging phone calls.

Service
Quality
Thumbnail of user allanm225
1 review
4 helpful votes
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November 25th, 2021

I got into a discussion with a friend and we were uncertain if Mantis Shrimp had compound eyes or not. I typed a simple query into my preferred search engine and was referred to National Geographic's web page which would not let me read the article until I provided an email address and signed-up for... whatever.
Now, I get it. They are providing a service and providing an email address is hardly a burden. I'm just sick of feeling that I can't sneeze, at a time where internet security experts are reminding us to be more discriminate while online, with having to provide anybody and everybody that asks with all the details.

Incidentally, Mantis Shrimp have compound eyes.

Thumbnail of user cing1
3 reviews
15 helpful votes
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January 13th, 2022

Be careful about getting a NG membership and magazine. They will harass you forever. I tried to cancel my father's membership when his Alzheimers progressed to a point where he could no longer read. Every other subscription promptly cancelled and refunded. Not NG, I had to let the whole subscription run out. And meanwhile they sent demand after demand for renewal. I politely asked at least a dozen times over 4 years for them to leave us alone. Now my Dad is DEAD and they are still sending renewal notices. They are heartless monsters.

Thumbnail of user dennisw70
16 reviews
121 helpful votes
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June 24th, 2018

National Geographic has always been a part of my life and will continue to be one. If you're looking for stunning photos or information about the world that is relatively unbiased, this is the site that will not disappoint. National Geographic's magazines are also a must-read. They're very informative and interesting. Every photo of theirs will make you feel awed.

Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user laurag617
1 review
8 helpful votes
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June 1st, 2020

The National Geographic of old is gone for good. I recently signed up for a $12 digital subscription and they charged me 3 times. $36 gone from my bank account. Multiple calls and emails to their foreign Customer Service department (not based in America, shame on you) have not resulted in a refund. I found multiple complaints and reviews across the internet from people who had similar experiences. This same thing happened to me a few years ago from National Geographic. All I can do is warn other people. It pains me to say, National Geographic is now a scam. Save your money and your bank account information.

Thumbnail of user faizkanaan
1 review
0 helpful votes
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March 11th, 2024

Articles from this site that appear on search results on engines such as Google are blocked to read unless site visitors sign up for an account. This sort of teasing of content and forcing users to register goes against the fundamental nature of open content which makes the internet, search engines, and the world wide web function. If all sites did this, the internet would not be an accessible place for information, and every person would have to register with dozens or even many hundreds of companies, all forcing users to terms of use that would be impossible for any person to fully read and accept (despite clicking I agree button, which starts to feel meaningless after a hundred times), while all these entities recieve the ability to easily track users and collect information. I can never in good faith share a link or suggest a site like this, knowing that anybody who follows it will be forced to enter into a service agreement and identify themselves before even being allowed to read publicly searchable articles. If National Geographic wants to wall off their content from readers, that should include web search engines instead of using them in a way that feels like click-bait. I'm disappointed in National Geographic as a source of information and media and will look to other resources with less draconian web publishing policies the next time any subject is mentioned referencing any article on this site.

My first choice was to send the company feedback, but their site doesn't seem to have any way to do so. Searching for "national geographic feedback" finds me only links for feedback with the television channel, and a supposed web survey for the actual site which does not load for me. So I wrote this review instead.

Tip for consumers:
I have no usual bias against forced registration, and was quite happy to register for sitejabber just to post this review, despite my attitude towards nationalgeographic.com, as it is a service I wanted to use and think is appropriate to ask users to register in order to post reviews.

Products used:
None, read article

Service
Thumbnail of user harjitg2
3 reviews
13 helpful votes
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October 23rd, 2020

I have been a NG subscriber for ever. My favorite magazine by far. Recently I wanted to gift a NG Kids subscription to my grand kid, so had a question about payment method. I sent several emails regarding that. All you get is an email back saying that your email has been received and customer service will respond to it soon. That doesn't happen ever. Another comment I have is the NG subscription rate has gone up tremendously. I am not sure if I will renew my subscription anymore.
H. G

Thumbnail of user lb667
1 review
6 helpful votes
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December 14th, 2020

I used to really enjoy National Geographic and gave my daughter a subscription in 2018. Unknown to me they automatically enrolled me for renewal and I didn't find out until 2020 that I already paid for a subscription for 2019. She had moved half way through 2018 so I've paid for for an extra year. Called customer service and they did nothing for me. I feel like it is very underhanded to automatically renew with a gift subscription. Very disappointed in this company!

Thumbnail of user janed1057
1 review
5 helpful votes
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June 10th, 2022

The content of the NatGeo digital is wonderful, but once they (i. E. Disney) get your email, you'll never get rid of them. I've opted out multiple times. Most times I get the message below and have to contact Guest Services. So I email and also communicated via online chat. Had to screenshot the chat because the request to email was never processed. The chat rep confirmed it was done, and yet the very next day more marketing emails. Even after cancelling the subscription, I still can't get them off my back.

Thumbnail of user realtalkomaki
1 review
1 helpful vote
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July 20th, 2023

All they want is for you to give them your email to look at literally ANYTHING on the stupid site. Pretty pathetic, considering there's a lot more ways to make money than just begging for everyone's email to see any shred of content; when I can see the exact same one somewhere else most likely. (If not then I still don't care, good luck changing my mind).

Tip for consumers:
baller

Products used:
Subscription (real)

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Thumbnail of user alt95
1 review
6 helpful votes
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October 22nd, 2021

I have never before been a subscriber, but has always been interested in traveling, nature, animal kingdom and cultured, so I finally decided to subscribe thinking I will be getting a magazine about all those. Boy, was I wrong. The first issue I received in the mail had absolutely nothing in it that interested me. It was mostly political nonsense that we've been bombarded by on social media and news. I was so disappointed, but thought it might get better in the next issue. The second issue I got was a bit better. Or at least I thought so looking at the cover. When I opened it, I had to turn many pages dedicated to political propaganda to get to the good stuff. And while there was some good stuff, there wasn't enough good stuff. In two issues, there was 90% political propaganda and 10% good stuff. I will absolutely not be renewing the subscription. This magazine is complete garbage. If I wanted to waste my time with politics, I'd be watching the news.

Thumbnail of user mingc7
13 reviews
27 helpful votes
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October 2nd, 2021

I have been receiving spam emails from National Geographic for years.

National Geographic does not verify email addresses. Anyone can sign up with email addresses that do not belong to them.

Once they have your email, they send you 3 emails a day.

Their unsubscribe function does not work, the spam simply continues.

You can contact NG to have your email removed manually but as soon as someone else plugs in your email the flood of spam resumes.

Service
Thumbnail of user frankc1
114 reviews
844 helpful votes
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February 24th, 2010

If you've never been to NationalGeographic.com, you really must spend a little time there. It's a fascinating website, with all sorts of interesting products and video collections... far too many to list in this review.

The site is very well organized and just beautiful to tool around on. Their non-profit mission is to keep the planet in order. Keeping their left-leaning politics aside (they are huge propogandists for the climate change argument), they have been doing a great job for over a century. The site is a terrific tour of all sorts of exotic and interesting artifacts. It is also a terrific gift -purchase resource, especially if you're looking for something really unique. It's a must visit!

Thumbnail of user michellef1963
1 review
3 helpful votes
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May 12th, 2022

So to start with I ordered this for my daughter, she never even got half the magazines. So they extended it. Still didn't get them! So I get the email for the renewal, I cancel it right away. Well some not so smart people reactivated it and took the $29.99 out of my account. Leaving it negative. Got hit with$35 over draft charge thank you I have so much money I can afford that jerks. So I call they *re cancel * it and say they'll refund the $29.99... im like well ok not that, that will bring my account current. Got a f*cking refund of $4, not the full amount so will have to call them yet again. Worst ever magazine to cancel. Will never subscribe to them again

Thumbnail of user joellenk13
1 review
4 helpful votes
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January 1st, 2022
Verified purchase

I am very upset about the two National Geographic junior metal detector I purchased for my grandsons! They did not work at all and my grandsons were very upset and frustrated. I assumed by purchasing a toy by National Geographic that it would of been higher quality! I JoEllen Kelly *******@hotmail.com

Thumbnail of user patrickj238
4 reviews
18 helpful votes
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March 29th, 2021

Been a NatGeo subscriber for many years. However since Covid epidemic and George Floyd incident NatGeo and many other iconic, non-socio biased US publications have focused almost exclusively on social and political events. I fear the editorial management staff have gone off reservation. Its a shame but I'm not renewing my subscription

Thumbnail of user shannond329
1 review
8 helpful votes
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June 28th, 2021

The left wing political spin on Ever topic, has gotten almost cult like in its Ideological fervor for Globalist, left wing Politics. National Geographic, is meant to be Geography, Archaeology, and Anthropology. Not another platform ruined by biased politics.

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Thumbnail of user charlenem139
1 review
5 helpful votes
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August 6th, 2020

We have been a valued member since 1965 according to our last notice in July of this year. We no longer have a subscription to ourselves but send it to our son. The notice says the price is 27.00. I called and charged the amt to our credit card as I have always done for years and years. Our acct came in and we were charged in USD not Canadian funds. We have never paid in US funds. They tell me that I am charged because I used a credit card but if I send in a cheque it would be Canadian funds as written on the notice. No where does it state this on their notice. They even provide a section where one is to write the credit card numbers.
We have cancelled our subscription and they tell me I will receive a refund.
Shame on the National Geographic for the underhanded way of treating a long term client.

Thumbnail of user jamess5631
1 review
8 helpful votes
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December 10th, 2021
Verified purchase

If I could give a zero star, I would. I have traveled with Abercrombie and Kent, Micato, UCLA Travel, and others and by far, this was the worst trip I have ever been on. Maybe it was due to the recent sale of Nat Geo to Disney. Maybe they were good before they sold out. I traveled with another couple who agreed. Cellophane wrapped cold sandwiches from gas stations for lunch, no bottled water, missed meals, rude tour guide, and forced masknig in private transportaion despite being fully vaccinated and only among other vaccinated friends. I thought maybe it was a one off, but the way Nat Geo treated me after the trip, I don't think so. This was a $6,250 per person trip and they offered me a $250 refund even after acknowledgeing the mistakes that were made. Don't use National Geographic. Use Abercrombie and Kent or any other high end guide service.

Thumbnail of user kateg329
1 review
2 helpful votes
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May 22nd, 2023

I love NatGeo but digital access to subscription is impossible I finally had to cancel today. After 2 years and multiple phone calls to customer service, I could never access my account. I tried to open a subscription on line for my grandson and had no success.

Thumbnail of user jn342
1 review
2 helpful votes
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May 26th, 2022
Verified purchase

Very bad consumer services. It doesn't arrive for three months now. They renew the subscription automatically you cannot reach them or access the account.

Thumbnail of user renaem43
1 review
3 helpful votes
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December 11th, 2021

Absolutely rubbish glass stones painted. Not one crystal or gen or even rock that was real. Extremely disappointed, don't waste your money

Products used:
None crystal Advent calendar national geographic

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