Comments on: Choice is our common future

By: Barbara K, Los Angeles

Barbara K, Los Angeles — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:38:26 +0000

The frequency with which the same company mails catalogs has become intolerable. Opting out is NOT being respected even when shown as such on Catalog Choice. I now also send letters vowing not only NOT to buy but also to urge all my friends away from companies that will neither honor our requests for Opt Outs from Catalog Choice or from our own urgent letters. Shame on these merchants who are filling up our landfills in unconscionable ways.

By: L Fisher

L Fisher — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:37:03 +0000

I just received a “refused” from “The Territory Ahead” even after I used my cust. # but I picked up the phone and called the 800 number on the catalog and they very nicely remove me. Why couldn’t they have just honored my CC request?
Thanks cc for trying to help me get the piles of catalog under control without having to call each one.

By: Deborah Smith

Deborah Smith — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:26:32 +0000

I think the concept of Catalog Choices is wonderful and is a step in the right direction. However, I am very disappointed in the responses from the merchants to refuse my requests to decline receiving their catalogs. Any that are declining I will discontinue to do business with, it’s just that simple

By: Anita Hotchkiss

Anita Hotchkiss — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:01:26 +0000

Interesting, since I just called Garnet Hill and was told that they would be happy to remove my name from their mailing list but they are “not accepting removal requests from third parties” (i.e. Catalog Choice). I guess the excuse they give depends upon the person you speak with.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:19:11 +0000

I just called Garnet Hill. They say that they are NOT refusing but there is a software compatibility glitch. I wrote to CC to find out if this is true. My point is that this is all new and it is possible that the “refused” is not an accurate description of what is going on.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:42:21 +0000

I just wanted to share an e-mail I sent to Ross Simons via their “catalog unsubscribe” form. I’m getting a little sick of contacting all these “Refused” catalogs only to find out they have “unsubscribe” services ANYWAY. Why can’t they just honor Catalog Choice and make life easier for everyone?? Ugh.

Anyway, here’s what I sent to Ross Simons:

“I requested to be removed from your catalog mailing list via CatalogChoice.Com. You refused that request. Now I find that I need to come to your website to unsubcribe. I currently receive over 180 catalogs and have found CatalogChoice extremely helpful in cutting down on unwanted catalog mail and environmental waste. However, companies such as yours that do not honor CatalogChoice requests — yet provide an unsubscribe service on their website — are causing thousands of CatalogChoice patrons to do twice the work (not to mention waste their valuable time). Why not honor CatalogChoice in the first place? Your refusal to honor my request through CatalogChoice shows that marketing is your number one concern, not the customer, and I will not be purchasing from your company in the future.”

By: Debra

Debra — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:57:26 +0000

I too am going to adopt Liz’s and Kate’s decision to consult the Bravo Merchants page first before doing any online shopping. Also when I see a “confirmed” squib next to a request, I’m going to send a brief e-mail thanking that merchant - including a note NOT to add me to their e-mail list, of course. I’ll point out I’ve bookmarked their web site for easy shopping when I’m in the market for one of their quality products.

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:31:46 +0000

Although I risk “preaching to the choir”, the fact that some companies have the audacity to refuse requests to remove a person from their catalog databases is not a good business move on their part. If someone takes the time via Catalog Choice or any other means to tell them they no longer wish to receive their catalogs, they obviously are mean it. Therefore, when those specific catalogs continue to arrive, there is no doubt that they will go immediately to the recycling bin in these households. Additionally, these companies have spent unnecessary money sending catalogs to people who will absolutely no longer purchase from them due to their unwillingness to cooperate along with their arrogant attitude. To me, it should be an absolute a “no-brainer” to the companies on how to handle this. It offends me that a company would be so rude and shameless to refuse to cooperate with something that is obviously a win-win situation with everyone concerned. I do almost all my shopping online, and now I will go straight to the list of merchants who have complied with these removal requests on Catalog Choice and continue to support only those businesses in the future. If I do NOT see a catalog’s name on the complied list, and I DO see a flagrant, red “refused” beside their name, that merchant may rest assured that they have lost my business until that changes, and there is no way that I am the only person who feels that way. No one likes to be challenged. My father was in successful small-business retail sales for over 50 years, and knew that “the customer is always right”. Consumers want to shop at businesses with excellent customer service along with excellent products, so a word to the “refusers”: There are plenty of your competitors who are willing to supply both to their customers when you, at best, are only willing to supply one. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which one of the two that customers will want to patronize!

By: Roseanna

Roseanna — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:43:46 +0000

I had seen a red Refused by Pier I so I called them the next day and spoke to a very nice customer service rep who said there was a problem with marketing. They had been receiving many calls from other customers who had signed up on Catalogchoice and were working to resolve the problem. She also said that they do not ask any questions if you want your name removed, no explanation necessary. In my case, it was a deceased brother who never lived at my address but his name was added when I had mail forwarded to my house. Now I see online that the Refused has been changed to unconfirmed, a step in the right direction.

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:35:09 +0000

I have to say I have a real visceral reaction when I look at the bright red REFUSED next to a catalog name on my list of (152) opt-outs. I am buy just about everything but groceries online, and that bright red REFUSED is like a slap in the face from these companies — some of which I have purchased from for years. Starting now, I will no longer purchase items from any company that refuses my request because (in my opinion) their refusal shows in bright red letters what their true “customer service” philosophy is…that being “ignore the customer.” Bravo to the Bravo Merchants! When I’m looking to buy something online now, I’ll be checking the Bravo Merchants page FIRST, and Google second.

Thanks CatalogChoice, for all you do!