Disgusted With This Type of Advertising

[george wilson]

Those PITA book clubs can be the same. I still have a book I didn't order,or pay for.

Those "free" offers on television for non FDA approved drugs will also result in them automatically sending you an expensive bottle of pills you did not ask for,after the free sample runs out. They get your credit card number to pay postage,then they've got you.

[Billy Chambless]

I'd heard tell of a friend of someone's second cousin who used to collect the unsolicited items from "company A" until the stack was about an inch thick and then use one of their prepaid envelopes to send it all back to them. I would never do such a thing.

My brother's brother used to do a variation on this where the ACLU would get all the NRA's begging letters and vice versa.

[Billy Chambless]

Guys, just got the same thing....

Quick did a google search and found 39 USC 3009 (Federal Statute)

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-...ite:+39USC3009

It reads ....

"Sec. 3009. Mailing of unordered merchandise

That's worth printing out and sending as "payment".

[Mark Valsi]

Good on ya !!

I hate that bull crap too !!

[Thomas Pender]

This is one of those threads that is worth reading and is a real service. It warns us of a practice that is arguably illegal (thank you Justin) and that is, unethical. I also can imagine my wife paying for it under the mistaken impression I had ordered it - I mean I am always getting woodworking stuff from LV, Grizzly, Rockler, McFeelys's, Woodcraft, Woodworker's Supply, etc., so this could slip on by.

I think it is important that we react in a matter stronger than just throwing the unwanted stuff in the trash. Unfair trade practices are serious business and deserve serious replies. I too will be firing a shot across their bow on this one.

[Brian Tymchak]

[QUOTE=Bruce Page;1171954]I received the CD today. Was it Woodworker's Journal that sent out the unsolicited hardcover book a few years ago, under this exact same guise?QUOTE]

Yep. I had to make a trip to the post office to send that back. (Wouldn't fit in the mail box.) I agree that WWJ is crossing a line here, besides just being a PITA. But at least with the CDs they provide a mailer I can stuff back in my mail box.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I get invoices for expensive industry journals I've never subscribed to.

I think they are hoping some dopey office administrator will just put in the pile to be paid.

[Bruce Page]

Yep. I had to make a trip to the post office to send that back. (Wouldn't fit in the mail box.) I agree that WWJ is crossing a line here, besides just being a PITA. But at least with the CDs they provide a mailer I can stuff back in my mail box.

As I recall, mine went into the trash.

[Don Selke]

Well. it is a tough world out there for business in this economy. I am sure that a lot of magazines are strugling to keep up there subscriptions to stay in business. I like others, do not agree with the concept of sending something out to promote business or a product. A local woodworking and lumber outlet in my area stated that the equipment sales for stationary equipment is completly down the drain to the point that they are loosing money from year old inventory. I am sure that the various publications are having the same problem. I have personally cut my publications in half and only receive the one or two that I really enjoy reading. I will not be surprised to see a lot of the publications fold in the near future. I have had several publications that I canceled turn my account over to a telimarketing company who continue to harass me to death. I will never renue there publications again. I have received annoying phone calls all hours of the day and evening. Nothing worse then sitting down to a great dinner and haveing it interrupted with a telimarketing call.
Oh well, off the soap box. To me, telimarketing calls are the same as internet spamers.

By the way, I would not mention specific companies by name, the management here at Saw Mill Creek has asked that we not do that.

[Justin McCarthy]

Well. it is a tough world out there for business in this economy. I am sure that a lot of magazines are strugling to keep up there subscriptions to stay in business. I like others, do not agree with the concept of sending something out to promote business or a product. A local woodworking and lumber outlet in my area stated that the equipment sales for stationary equipment is completly down the drain to the point that they are loosing money from year old inventory. I am sure that the various publications are having the same problem. I have personally cut my publications in half and only receive the one or two that I really enjoy reading. I will not be surprised to see a lot of the publications fold in the near future. I have had several publications that I canceled turn my account over to a telimarketing company who continue to harass me to death. I will never renue there publications again. I have received annoying phone calls all hours of the day and evening. Nothing worse then sitting down to a great dinner and haveing it interrupted with a telimarketing call.
Oh well, off the soap box. To me, telimarketing calls are the same as internet spamers.

Don, you might want to get yourself on the Do Not Call List -
https://www.donotcall.gov/

It takes about a month, but the telemarketing calls go down substantially - I saw a reduction by almost 90%

If they call you and you are on the do not call list, make sure to point that out - they can be liable for big fines for calling you.

[Don Selke]

Thanks Justin:

I have done that.

[Steve Clardy]

I get invoices for expensive industry journals I've never subscribed to.

I think they are hoping some dopey office administrator will just put in the pile to be paid.

Ditto. I also get the Yellow Page directory bills.
Fine print on the bill, this is not a bill

[Brian Kent]

However, when (name removed for courtesy) refused to stop sending me faxes after repeated kind requests (they had my number down as branch office), I taped an endless loop of dark blue paper through a fax machine and sent it to them . . . in the middle of the night . . . for hours. Not sure if they ran out of toner or paper first but, the calls stopped ;-)

Glenn, that's one of the best ideas I've ever heard of!

[Matt Meiser]

Don, you might want to get yourself on the Do Not Call List -
https://www.donotcall.gov/

It takes about a month, but the telemarketing calls go down substantially - I saw a reduction by almost 90%

If they call you and you are on the do not call list, make sure to point that out - they can be liable for big fines for calling you.

Not if you have a business relationship with them.

What does work is emailing every single person on the publication's web site a strongly worded email that by 9AM the next business day the WILL remove you from their and any agents' calling lists. I tried this with a magazine my wife subscribed to who was calling my work line. I got a nasty threatening email back from one of their sales people wanting to know where I got her email and how dare I bother her at home on a Saturday. I responded (copying all her co-workers) asking her exactly the same and reiterating. The reply was a little nicer and copied someone in circulation. Never heard from them again.

Or ask Don Peschke (or maybe it was Terry Strohman) of Woodsmith who got a voicemail from me the third or so time his telemarketers hung up before I could tell them not to call back--apparently a trick they use to skirt the law, since they didn't actually hear you say not to call back. His assistant called back an hour later and I haven't heard or seen a thing since. Cracks me up every time I watch his show.

As mentioned Rockler owns WWJ. Call or write CEO Ann Jackson-Rockler at (763) 478-8201 or 4365 Willow Drive, Medina, MN 55340.

[David Parker]

Maybe I'm thicker skinned, but the DVD mailing didn't bother me in the slightest. I get junk mail every day. I already knew that anything sent to me without my request was free for me to keep. Their accompanying letter even says you may keep it for free if you desire. You only need to pay for it if you want to enroll in their "series" of DVD's.

What I did not like about the offer is the fact that nowhere do they tell you how much each future DVD will cost if you sign up for the series. The first one is about $9 if you sign up, but they don't tell you how much future DVD's will be. I called them to find out. It's $28 for future DVDs. To me this is extremely deceiving, because one would assume that future DVD's would be in the ballpark of $9. I told them so when I called.

So bottom line - Thumbs down to WWJ for misleading us on the price.

Thanks for the free DVD. I still haven't watched it though.

Dave