Comments on: The new kid in school is making friends fast http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/ Reduce the number of catalogs you receive in the mail and go paperless. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:03:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Chuck http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-8575 Chuck Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:03:01 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-8575 Hi Lisa: It will definitely help if you ask them to activate their Catalog Choice account. The more consumer encouragement, the better. Thanks Hi Lisa:
It will definitely help if you ask them to activate their Catalog Choice account. The more consumer encouragement, the better.

Thanks

]]> By: Lisa Pedicini http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-8574 Lisa Pedicini Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:49:40 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-8574 What can we do to encourage retailers to work with Catalog Choice? I've just had a frustrating experience with White Flower Farm, whom I have never asked to send me a catalog, wherein they said that they have no relationship with Catalog Choice and so want me to send them an e-mail telling them that I don't want their catalog. Would it help if many people were to write telling them that they wish they'd participate with Catalog Choice? What can we do to encourage retailers to work with Catalog Choice? I’ve just had a frustrating experience with White Flower Farm, whom I have never asked to send me a catalog, wherein they said that they have no relationship with Catalog Choice and so want me to send them an e-mail telling them that I don’t want their catalog.

Would it help if many people were to write telling them that they wish they’d participate with Catalog Choice?

]]> By: roberta copeland http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-808 roberta copeland Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:08:33 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-808 Kudos for all the publicity this site is getting. I noticed you didn't give the name of the company who flat out refused to even think about using your services. Not to mention being rude and very unproffesional. I know this is a negative way of doing things, but have you thought of shaming them into it? Make a list of the largest know companies for the next time you get attention and a interview with any media. Then mention these names in that interview. Also making a list of these companies on this web site might be help too. I know more work for you. But if you weren't allowed on the interview to name names, you could always mention they listed at Catalog Choice.com. LOL, that might up the traffice and participation for the site too. Many people will go to the site just to see who are the bad guys. And just like the companies, the more visitors the higher your return of investment! Kudos for all the publicity this site is getting. I noticed you didn’t give the name of the company who flat out refused to even think about using your services. Not to mention being rude and very unproffesional. I know this is a negative way of doing things, but have you thought of shaming them into it? Make a list of the largest know companies for the next time you get attention and a interview with any media. Then mention these names in that interview. Also making a list of these companies on this web site might be help too. I know more work for you. But if you weren’t allowed on the interview to name names, you could always mention they listed at Catalog Choice.com. LOL, that might up the traffice and participation for the site too. Many people will go to the site just to see who are the bad guys. And just like the companies, the more visitors the higher your return of investment!

]]> By: Jacquie Betz http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-688 Jacquie Betz Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:59:36 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-688 I suspect that the companies who have difficulty reducing their catalog lists are not cognizant of the pull of online shopping. It's much easier to point and click, shipping is the same, and one saves the cost of stamps, envelopes, and, most important, time. There's also an interactive element which snail mail lacks. Telephoning? Long waits for an 'associate' to pick up and record your wishes. Nope, dear merchants, we've deserted the malls in large numbers and now we've found a handier way to shop. We still use your products but now we order online. By the way, clean up your websites to make it easier for us to participate, huh? Thanks. I suspect that the companies who have difficulty reducing their catalog lists are not cognizant of the pull of online shopping. It’s much easier to point and click, shipping is the same, and one saves the cost of stamps, envelopes, and, most important, time. There’s also an interactive element which snail mail lacks. Telephoning? Long waits for an ‘associate’ to pick up and record your wishes. Nope, dear merchants, we’ve deserted the malls in large numbers and now we’ve found a handier way to shop. We still use your products but now we order online. By the way, clean up your websites to make it easier for us to participate, huh? Thanks.

]]> By: Laura Hickey http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-564 Laura Hickey Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:13:40 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-564 Dave, great idea to ask catalog merchants what information would be really useful for them to receive. Our research shows that knowing what customers really want and what they think is terribly important to merchants as they evaluate their business and the "channels" they use to communicate with them about their products and services. Thanks for the suggestion! Dave, great idea to ask catalog merchants what information would be really useful for them to receive. Our research shows that knowing what customers really want and what they think is terribly important to merchants as they evaluate their business and the “channels” they use to communicate with them about their products and services. Thanks for the suggestion!

]]> By: Connie http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-562 Connie Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:26:15 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-562 I found this site in November and am up to 55 catalogs. I was VERY disturbed when I heard the Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) was advising companies to "just say no". So...I decided to do my part to help get this site off it's feet (besides telling my friends about the site). I am slowly emailing or calling each company that I am a member of catalogchoice.org and am very disturbed that some merchants are ignoring the requests of hundreds of thousands of people. I ALWAYS make sure I am friendly and let them know if I am customer and plan on staying one and that I just never look at any paper catalogs. Then I ask them to remove me from their lists and to take me off their rent/sell/share lists with ALL partners. My thought is if they get hundreds of thousands of emails (hey, I can dream can't I?), maybe they will know that people want OFF. By the way...how long should I wait until I notify Catalog Choice that I am still receiving? I'm thinking three months since I joined right around the holidays? I sure hope all this works. I really am tired of all this mail... I found this site in November and am up to 55 catalogs. I was VERY disturbed when I heard the Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) was advising companies to “just say no”. So…I decided to do my part to help get this site off it’s feet (besides telling my friends about the site). I am slowly emailing or calling each company that I am a member of catalogchoice.org and am very disturbed that some merchants are ignoring the requests of hundreds of thousands of people. I ALWAYS make sure I am friendly and let them know if I am customer and plan on staying one and that I just never look at any paper catalogs. Then I ask them to remove me from their lists and to take me off their rent/sell/share lists with ALL partners. My thought is if they get hundreds of thousands of emails (hey, I can dream can’t I?), maybe they will know that people want OFF.

By the way…how long should I wait until I notify Catalog Choice that I am still receiving? I’m thinking three months since I joined right around the holidays?

I sure hope all this works. I really am tired of all this mail…

]]> By: Mrs. Eck http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-561 Mrs. Eck Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:23:22 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-561 I have been a customer of The Potpourri Group for many years. As a result of your recent posting, I e-mailed them. Citing your posting, I asked that they reconsider their decision or remove my name from all of their lists as I would not do business with a company that takes their corporate stewardship so lightly. Not a surprise that I have not received a reply, but you can bet that all my needlecraft friends will know not to do businss with The Stitchery (one of their companies). I vote for Eugene's suggestions. There is very little that can't be purchased at more then one place, and I would prefer to support those merchants that support this cause. I have been a customer of The Potpourri Group for many years. As a result of your recent posting, I e-mailed them. Citing your posting, I asked that they reconsider their decision or remove my name from all of their lists as I would not do business with a company that takes their corporate stewardship so lightly. Not a surprise that I have not received a reply, but you can bet that all my needlecraft friends will know not to do businss with The Stitchery (one of their companies).

I vote for Eugene’s suggestions. There is very little that can’t be purchased at more then one place, and I would prefer to support those merchants that support this cause.

]]> By: Eugene Zelenko http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-558 Eugene Zelenko Sun, 20 Jan 2008 04:21:03 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-558 I think will be good idea to introduce merchants rating based on their degree of cooperation. Simplest criteria is "cooperate/not cooperate", more complex can include frequency of opt-out list downloads, number of "still receiving flags", etc. Rating could be displayed withing merchant name and link and also in form of "best X/worst Y" lists. As result members of Catalog Choice community will be able to make well informed choices. I think will be good idea to introduce merchants rating based on their degree of cooperation. Simplest criteria is “cooperate/not cooperate”, more complex can include frequency of opt-out list downloads, number of “still receiving flags”, etc.

Rating could be displayed withing merchant name and link and also in form of “best X/worst Y” lists.

As result members of Catalog Choice community will be able to make well informed choices.

]]> By: Margot http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-557 Margot Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:59:50 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-557 Gidday Geoff, I understand your frustration but these companies ARE in the business of statistics. If they remove 25,000 prospects from their mailing list that might equate to 1-5% of their list or more. For every catalog they send out they get a Return on Investment. They don't look at the individuals, it's a bulk business. You want statistics? Take a look at this blog by Kevin Hillstrom and it will give you some insight into the business: www.minethatdata.blogspot.com, Kevin used to work in the industry. I co-own a business called stopthejunkmail.com and we have been helping consumers since 2001 to do the same as catalogchoice.org so I am totally on the side of the consumer. I agree with you, we shouldn't have to get catalogs if we don't shop from them, what's the point but these companies rely on the 6th or 7th time they mail it out, you might buy something, you may change your mind, life changes. That is why 3rd parties like ourselves are doing our best to help consumers. I am only trying to point out what we are up against and why it is a difficult task to convince the catalogers to accept opt outs in bulk. Margot Gidday Geoff,
I understand your frustration but these companies ARE in the business of statistics. If they remove 25,000 prospects from their mailing list that might equate to 1-5% of their list or more. For every catalog they send out they get a Return on Investment. They don’t look at the individuals, it’s a bulk business.
You want statistics? Take a look at this blog by Kevin Hillstrom and it will give you some insight into the business: http://www.minethatdata.blogspot.com, Kevin used to work in the industry.
I co-own a business called stopthejunkmail.com and we have been helping consumers since 2001 to do the same as catalogchoice.org so I am totally on the side of the consumer. I agree with you, we shouldn’t have to get catalogs if we don’t shop from them, what’s the point but these companies rely on the 6th or 7th time they mail it out, you might buy something, you may change your mind, life changes. That is why 3rd parties like ourselves are doing our best to help consumers.
I am only trying to point out what we are up against and why it is a difficult task to convince the catalogers to accept opt outs in bulk.
Margot

]]> By: Dave Brown http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-554 Dave Brown Sat, 19 Jan 2008 23:07:49 +0000 http://blog.catalogchoice.org/2008/01/18/the-new-kid-in-school-is-making-friends-fast/#comment-554 Chuck, glad you liked the idea. But before you implement it, I would suggest that you ask several catalog retailers with whom you've had good conversations -- marketers who "get it" -- and ask them what they'd like to know about our reasons. Asking us to pick the responses might not get something useful for the mailers. (We can mark our reasons down as notes if we really want to.) Chuck, glad you liked the idea. But before you implement it, I would suggest that you ask several catalog retailers with whom you’ve had good conversations — marketers who “get it” — and ask them what they’d like to know about our reasons. Asking us to pick the responses might not get something useful for the mailers. (We can mark our reasons down as notes if we really want to.)

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