FAQ about the Merced Sun-Star+ Subscription

November 13, 2012 

Q: What is Merced Sun-Star+?

A: Merced Sun-Star+ provides immediate and unlimited access to all content on our newspaper’s website (www.mercedsunstar.com), our mobile site (m.mercedsunstar.com) and to our iPhone and Android smartphone apps, and our electronic replica edition (e-Edition), in addition to your printed newspaper subscription. The Merced Sun-Star+ bundles all the ways you can read the Merced Sun-Star’s content into one price.

(CLICK HERE TO ORDER)


Q: How does the digital subscription work?

A: Some portions of mercedsunstar.com will remain free; your access to other portions will be limited without a digital bundle subscription.

Each time your computer or smartphone visits our site, your use of the site’s pages are counted. Some portions of our site, like our Homepage (the first page you come to on the site), our Section Fronts (the “front” page of the Local News, Sports, Lifesyles, and Central Valley sections of the site), dealsaver, and all advertising will remain fully accessible, which means you’ll continue to have unlimited access to those pages. But the story-level pages, photo and video galleries, commenting and opinions, breaking news, obituaries and other content will have limited access.

So when, for example, you click on a headline on the homepage, that page counts toward a limit of 15 free pages per 30-day period. Once you reach your 15-page limit, if you don’t have a digital subscription, you’ll be required to subscribe or wait until the next 30-day period to access them.

With a digital subscription, you will have unlimited access to all of the website and your use will not be limited. You'll also have access to The Modesto Bee's website, modbee.com, and both newspapers' digital offerings, including the e-editions on the iPad.


Q: What are my digital subscription options?

A: There are several. The Merced Sun-Star print newspaper subscribers can add the digital bundle to their newspaper subscription for as low as $2.25 per month. Whether their newspaper subscription is 6-days, 5-days, weekends or some other frequency, they have access to our digital products 24/7. Adding the digital bundle to your newspaper subscription is our best deal. In addition, you'll also have free access to the Modesto Bee's digital products, including modbee.com.

(CLICK HERE TO ORDER)

For readers who do not have a Merced Sun-Star newspaper subscription and want only digital access, they can purchase the digital bundle alone for for under $6 per month ( $69.95 per year annually). That also includes all digital access to Modbee.com and its digital products.

(CLICK HERE TO ORDER)

For those occasional readers from around the world who need access to our web site for just a day, a 1-day pass is available for $0.99.


Q: What if I already renewed my newspaper subscription? Do I have to pay extra now?

A: The digital bundle charges will begin with your next renewal. If you’ve already renewed your Merced Sun-Star newspaper subscription for 13, 26 or 52 weeks, you’ll have access to the digital package without charge until your current subscription is due for renewal.


Q: How do I sign up for a digital subscription?

A: Visit http://mercedsunstar.com/plus or (CLICK HERE TO ORDER) for the online order form.

Or, when you’ve viewed your 15 free page views, a pop-up online order form will appear and invite you to subscribe. You’ll have the choice of a digital bundle if you want access to the digital package only, or you can sign up for a print and digital bundle, our best deal because it also includes delivery of the daily newspaper.

Q: What if I'm already a print subscriber?

A: Visit http://mercedsunstar.com/plus and sign up for a Press Plus account. You must be registered with Press Plus for digital access, including our e-Edition. You'll also have the ability to sign up with Press Plus after you've reached your 15 stories.

Q: How do I access my digital subscription?

A: Once you purchase your digital subscription, you will be logged in to your account from the device you used to purchase the subscription. You don’t have to do anything else to access the content on the website.

However, if you switch to another device (iPad, smartphone or other desktop/laptop) or clear your saved login data, you may see the message asking you to subscribe. If that happens, simply click the “Sign In” button on the top right corner of that screen and enter your e-mail address and the password you selected.


Q: Can I comment or read the comments without paying for a digital subscription?

A: You will need a digital subscription to comment or read comments (once your 15 “free” page views are used each 30-day period).


Q: Will I be able to use my free Merced Sun-Star iPhone or Android app without paying for a digital subscription?

A: Yes, but you will need a digital subscription to read stories once your 60 allocated iPhone pages are used each 30-day period. Without the digital subscription, your smartphone app will be limited to the unlimited access pages (homepage, section fronts, dealsaver, etc.) and 60 free iPhone pages each month. A digital subscription will give you unlimited access to modee through your mobile app and to our E-edition.

(CLICK HERE TO ORDER)


Q: What if I don’t want digital access?

A: Most of our readers have access to the Internet and use our web site or mobile applications, so bundling them together makes sense. But if you never use the website, don’t have a smartphone or tablet, you can opt-out of the digital portion and select a print only option. To opt-out, just call us at 209-385-2403.


Q: How come the web site isn’t free anymore?

A: Readers will continue to have unlimited access to some portions of our web site, including the homepage, section fronts, dealsaver, Find’nSave and advertising. But for story content, breaking news, photo galleries, video, commenting, opinions and the rest of the site, readers will receive 15 free pages in a 30-day period. After that, access will be limited only to those who have a digital subscription. Casual readers get 15 pages for free every 30 days; more avid online readers are asked to pay a modest fee to continue reading, and print subscribers, who are some of our most loyal customers, are entitled to discounted access to a digital subscription.

The world of news and information keeps changing, and the newspaper industry continues to be at the forefront of that change. For more than one hundred years, this newspaper provided our communities with local and world news in printed format that was conveniently delivered to your door once every day. Technological advances of the last decade provide us all with the convenience of mobile phones, tablets, and an array of social media channels, and our readers want that same instant access to their newspaper. So we have transformed our business, restructured and retrained our staffs, developed new skill sets to deliver breaking news in a through a variety of platforms and become 24/7 information specialists.

The changes also require a change in our business model. We can no longer expect advertising to support all these platforms and options, so our readers will now share the support more equitably. But the Merced Sun-Star+ option allows readers unlimited access to all our platforms at a minimal cost.


Q: What happens if I’ve only use a few of my “free” pages when the month runs out?

A: Our system works on a 30-day basis, not on a monthly calendar. So if your first “free” pages was in the middle of the month, you’re page allotment starts running again the middle of the following month. In other words, without paid digital access, visitors get 15 free subscription pages within any 30-day period. They still have unlimited access to our homepage, section fronts, dealsaver, Find’nSave, advertising and a few other selected pages.


Q: We have one newspaper subscription and I want to add the digital bundle. But my spouse and my child use your free Merced Sun-Star mobile apps. Do I need three digital subscriptions?

A: No. Your digital subscription can be shared with up to five mobile app users.


Q: Is access to the e-Edition included in my digital subscription?

A: Yes. If you enter the account information for your digital subscription when prompted, you will gain access to our e-edition.


Q: I have a subscription to the Merced Sun-Star but not for all 7 days. Do I still receive the home delivery discount for a digital subscription?

A: Yes, regardless of the frequency of your home delivered subscription; you can add the digital bundle. And remember, even if your newspaper delivery is only weekdays or weekends or some other combination, your digital access (online, or via mobile or tablet devices) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


Q: What is Press+?

A: Press+ is our e-commerce system for digital subscriptions. When you subscribe to Merced Sun-Star, you will create a Press+ account (which is separate from your log-in information to the mercedsunstar.com website), and Press+ will charge your credit card for the subscription amount. The charge will appear on your credit card statement as “Press Plus” in the amount you have selected for your subscription.


Q: If I have a computer at home and a computer at my office, do I need to purchase two digital subscriptions?

A: No. You can log in using your account username and password from wherever you access the Internet.


Q: Can everyone in my household use the same account?

A: Yes, you can use the same account for all your family members.


Q: I am an administrator at a business, university, library, or nonprofit organization. Am I eligible for a bulk discount?

A: Yes. If you are interested in site-level licensing, please call 800 776-4233


Q: Is the popup “subscribe” window a secure URL?

A: Yes. If you right-click on the window and “view frame info” or “frame source,” you'll see it's an https URL.


Q: How will digital subscriptions be billed?

A: We accept major credit cards. You select to have subscription billed every 5 weeks or every 360 days for annual subscriptions. Your subscription renews automatically, and you are charged in advance of each billing cycle unless you cancel.

Note: Because Press+ is managing the billing for your digital subscription, the charge on your credit card statement will say “Press Plus” rather than the Merced Sun-Star


Q: Can I pay by check, invoice, or PayPal?

A: No. All payments are via credit card.


Q: What is the cancellation policy?

A: You may cancel your subscription at any time. When you cancel, we will stop charging your account the following billing cycle. Your unlimited access will continue for the remainder of the current 30-day period. Afterward, you will still be able to view 15 pages per 30-day period on mercedsunstar.com at no charge, just like any other visitor.


Q: How do I sign in to my account once I’ve subscribed?

A: You are automatically signed in as soon as you subscribe; there isn’t anything further you need to do. If you are prompted with a message to subscribe at a later time, you can log in with the account you created. If you subscribed at one computer and would like to sign in at a different computer (e.g. home and work computers), go to www.mercedsuntar.com/plus and click “Sign In.”


Q: How do I access my digital subscription account?

A: To access your account, follow these steps:

1. Click “My Account” at http://www.mypressplus.com.

2. Log in with your email address and password


Q: What do I do if I forgot my password?

A: To reset your password, follow these steps:

1. Go to https://accounts.mypressplus.com

2. Click “Forgot password”

3. Enter your email address and click “Submit.” This will send you an email with a link to reset your password.

4. After clicking the link, you will be prompted to enter and reconfirm your new password.

5. Click “Submit” and your password will be updated


Q: How do I modify my payment information?

A: To modify your payment information, follow these steps:

1. Click “My Account” at http://www.mypressplus.com

2. On the “Account Summary” page, select “Modify Payment Information”

3. Confirm that the cardholder name and billing zip code of your credit/debit card are correct

4. Enter your card number and expiration date

5. Click “Submit” and your payment information will be updated


Q: How do NIE teachers access the E-Edition?

A: Registered NIE teachers should contact us at 209 578-2226 to be given unlimited access to the web site and the E-edition for use in the classroom.


Q: What if I have further questions?

A: For questions about your print subscription, or for more information about why we are charging for digital access, please contact our customer service department at: 800 776-4233.

For help accessing your digital subscription, please contact Press+ customer service at http://www.mypressplus.com/contact. To sign up for a digital subscription, visit www.mercedsunstar.com/plus.


Q: How do I make mercedsunstar.com my home page?

A: If you already have mercedsunstar.com as your home page, you won’t have to do a thing.

If not, to make mercedsunstar.com your home page, follow these instructions depending upon the web browser you use:

Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 7 (or higher)

Select the small black arrow beside the “house” icon.

Select “Add or Change Home Page”

Select “Use this webpage as your home page” (if you are on mercedsunstar.com)

Click “Yes”

Mozilla Firefox 3 (or higher)

Click on Tools, then Options

Select the General icon

Where it says “Home Page”, manually type the URL http://mercedsuntar.com in the text box or, if you’re already on mercedsunstar.com, select the “Use Current Page” button.

Google Chrome 7 (or higher)

Select the wrench icon in the upper right hand corner.

Click on the “Basics” tab (select Settings for older versions of Chrome)

Under “Home Page” either type the URL http://www.mercedsunstar.com in the text box of, if you’re on mercedsuntar.com, click on the “Use Current Page” button. Click and close.

Safari Browser 4 (or higher)

Click on “General Safari Settings” on the status bar in the far right.

Choose “Preferences”

Choose the “General” icon

In the “Home Page” box, manually type the URL http://www.mercedsunstar.com .

Click the red X in the upper right corner to close the window.

Merced Sun-Star is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

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