It is the purpose of this post to report on how we’re doing, to address a fundamental misconception pertaining the service, and to give a sneak peak at the exciting things ahead.
Looking back: Prior relationships
In the comments of a recent Catalog Choice blog post, some people have critically argued that Catalog Choice did not have relationships with merchants prior to launching our service, and therefore misled our consumer members. We’d like to set the record straight.
It is most certainly a fact that Catalog Choice did not have a relationship with the majority of merchants when we launched. The misconception, however, is that the existence of such relationships at the time of launch was intended or even necessary. It was neither. Catalog Choice was designed to work *regardless* of the existence of a relationship with any particular merchant.
1. It works with a relationship. For merchants who want to establish a relationship with Catalog Choice, by signing up for a free account, we offer the ability to download their customer opt-out data in a computer-friendly CSV format. In addition, such merchants can look forward to a roadmap of additional services planned to add value and enhance the consumer/merchant relationship.
2. And it works without a relationship. Some merchants, for any number of reasons, will chose not to have a relationship with Catalog Choice. That is fine. For these merchants, we forward our member’s opt-out requests to them by email or by delivering a password protected file on a CD. In that way, Catalog Choice simply acts as a delivery agent.
We would never criticize a merchant for choosing not to work with Catalog Choice in the sense of signing up for a merchant account. That’s completely up to them.
On the other hand, we do expect all merchants to honor opt-out requests made by our members. Merchants may not refuse opt-out requests delivered by the United States Postal Service (a delivery agent), or called/faxed in via the phone company (a delivery agent), and therefore they should not refuse opt-out requests delivered by Catalog Choice on behalf of consumers.
(As a side note, the DMA argue that, by not requiring a credit card number like them, we’re not sufficiently validating the identity of our members. Well, we use industry standard security measures and email validation; the same used by the US Do Not Call service.)
Where we stand today: It’s working (despite the best efforts of the
DMA)!
We can assuredly report to you that CATALOG CHOICE IS WORKING. Over 160 merchants have signed up, and that number is growing daily. Presently, over 675,000 consumers have confirmed the need for a service like Catalog Choice, as well as their frustration with existing services. We have received thousands of emails from members reporting that after years of ineffective attempts to use the DMA and other services, their mailboxes are finally becoming uncluttered.
At the same time, there are strong forces at work against Catalog Choice, namely the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). Shortly after launch, the DMA sent a vicious letter, full of false accusations, to all member merchants urging them to, “Just Say No!” to Catalog Choice. Our organization, along with an entire nation of consumers, was
shocked and left wondering why the DMA, who proclaim to be “committed to the advancement of consumer choice”, would take such a stance.
On reflection, however, it’s not really a surprise. The DMA sits squarely in the center of an industrial operational model that has ineffectively serviced both merchants and consumers for the past 35 years; a model which Catalog Choice is now positioned to change.
(It must be said, however, that Catalog Choice has even had a positive effect on the DMA. They’ve recently launched a service with a name coincidentally fashioned after our own, and have found a way to live without that dollar they’ve been charging you all these years. But they do still want your credit card number.)
Looking forward: A better world for consumers, merchants and the
environment.
We have a vision of eliminating waste by fundamentally improving the way an industry works, by:
* Putting choice and control in the hands of the consumer.
* Facilitating a merchant/consumer relationship that was never before possible.
We’ve accomplished the first step: Over 675,000 consumers are enjoying the ease-of-use and convenience of centralized mail preference management, having registered over eight million requests.
And now we begin the second step. Consumers have said they want more choice, and a finer level of control. They have made it clear that catalogs and commerce are not the problem; waste is. Merchants have just as much desire to eliminate waste as consumers. But they don’t want to be excluded from the relationship and conversation with the
consumer, as that relationship has often been earned over the years through good faith and delivered value.
In support of these compatible interests, here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store:
1. Just last week, we launched the first of a series of relationship- enhancing features, by allowing merchants to upload a photo of their catalogs, and customize some text that is shown on the opt-out screen, thereby allowing them to participate in the “conversation” during the opt-out process. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
2. Very soon, consumers will be able to manage what they *do* receive, in addition to what they *don’t* receive, as we introduce the ability to opt-in to catalogs, and ultimately manage the frequency with which you receive catalogs. Since launch, this has been the number one requested feature from both consumers and merchants, and we’re excited to let you know it’s going to happen!
3. In the famous last words of Steve Jobs, there’s “Just one more thing!”. That service, however, is just a little too important to risk unveiling at this time.
And all of these future enhancements will be delivered in a way that supports the fundamental objectives of our service; improving our lives, while eliminating waste.
So, there really is a win-win-win scenario — for the consumer, merchant and the environment — and Catalog Choice is dedicated and committed to delivering it. Thanks for your participation, and, as always, please keep the feedback coming.
DOROTHY,
I AGREE I AM NOW GETTING TWICE AS MANY CATALOGS. WHENEVER I DID ORDER FROM ONE, I SPECIFICALLY SAID “DO NOT GIVE OUT MY NAME, SELL IT, OR RENT IT OUT.” NOW I HAVE NOTICED 3 CATALOGS BEING SENT WITH MY NAMED SPELLED WRONG.
A CO-INCIDENCE? NOT LIKELY.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ON THIS SITE. PERHAPS SOMEDAY THE GOVERNMENT WILL PASS A LAW MAKING THIS AND OTHER SITES A LEGAL WAY FOR MERCHANTS TO STAND UP AND NOTICE WE HAVE RIGHTS TOO.
THANK YOU.
I am pleased to report that I have now received responses from both of the Cornerstone/IAC companies I mentioned above. I am generally satisfied with the progress that is being made toward resolving my complaints.
I am a little disappointed. Not one of the catalogs I requested to be removed has complied. My mailbox is still filled. Does this really work?
Hurray! Tracy! Did you get Cornerstone/IAC to join catalogchoice since many of my opt outs are from them as Refused? (just kidding) Do you have their mail address?
I am really hesitant to join DMA as they are not the only mailing resources giving catalog companies mailing info. Recently, I found others…..
To Anon: Why should DMA continue to rent/sell/share ones name after numerous times of writing directly to them? Once and for all, they expect the consumer to provide credit card info to join online or send them money by mail to be told it takes time to get off their listings? They were quick to make money off our mailing info. Do you work for them?
In Feb 08, I contacted DMA, Wash, DC by phone about a catalog Mail Preference clause that kept printing a former address they had, DMA did not have a clue and there are other catalog companies still printing this old DMA address. Also, DMA member catalog companies that provide the DMA address to contact in writing don’t disclose that it costs the consumer $ “X” amount to get a certaing amount of our names off their listings, in essence to clean up the mess they helped to create. Did you know that? By the way, where are Companies Y and Z that company X forgets to mention and their suppression listings? Consumers really need to feel that DMA and other informational agencies that make a profit with our mailing info to companies; will strongly oversee that the preferance codes they print are abided and not ignored when someone opts out of companies X,Y & Z group of catalogs. (it should not take 1-2 mailings) their marketing department is wasting money projecting consumer spending by “preprinting way in advance”.
Suppression or opt out capabilities from all sources needs to be by address and not by name to avoid the changing in variation of names and if by request - permanently.
The archives of catalogchoice show that the underdog is going out and actually talking to the catalog companies and being quite pleasant about it.
After six months of the 1-2 mailing excuse for each name/address variation or even six months or longer to get off every request, I’m glad they are there to help.
Still keep in mind the clause that catalogs print that they “occasionally exchange your mailing info with others” is a bother and worrisome issue…….. a privacy stance that I thought consumers have a right to upon request. Please take the time to think about that because catalog companies are not honoring this and continue to blatantly ignore consumer requests.
Hi, Yvonne. I simply e-mailed the companies’ customer services departments, using the information provided in their own catalogs. I wanted to test what the process would be like for any random catalog recipient. I worded my messages rather aggressively, though, because I think it’s fair to let them know I’m not foolin’ around here.
And yes, I do have the e-mail address and phone extension number of the president of the brand that was concerning me the most. That’s assuming the info hasn’t changed, since I had to dig around until I found a 2004 executive forum document. He’s not exactly public about it, so I won’t share it here. My plan, though, was to directly contact the president first before complaining to the DMA. I might still do that in a few months if the company somehow don’t succeed in stopping the mailings. For now, I’m satisfied that my message climbed the tree far enough that they’re making a good faith effort to address it.
It will be a miracle if the vendors stop just changing the customer numbers once they receive an opt-out notice. This has been a source of irritation for me. I recently moved and left absolutely no forwarding info for any catalogs. I then made a couple of purchases on-line and the merchants shared my address with the world apparently, because I now receive catalogs I had never gotten in the past. I checked with the DMA website and don’t feel I should have to pay to have my name removed from a list. Further I received a catalog with an optout website to go to printed on it. Try using that website and you get directed to a blank page. There is simply no getting around these people. I don’t think I should have to pay DMA to get off these lists.
I’ll try to keep my comments short. My journey in getting off catalogs is not only for me. My husband and I have been receiving several catalogs for both his mother and his stepfather who passed away years ago and never lived at either address we are receiving catalogs in their names.
I have close family that do not have the energy to deal with the gross cross linking of sharing mailing that mail suppliers and catalog companies are doing. One close to me did go in to catalogchoice blogs and was in awe about what is going on and what is being said about this runaway mail train. He said he was proud what I have said and the goal of catalogchoice to help the environment.
So please, get others to join catalogchoice and if you independently go to the catalogs or mail suppliers do it for you and others that either have no internet access or are unable to do the opting out themselves. There are those that simply do not have the info to do something about their catalog dilema. Somewhere there will be a happy medium. Those at catalogchoice do need our support but consumers need to do their own homework too (and share it) to help themselves and provide input to catalogchoice.
I have mobility problems with the stairs and my neighbor very kindly brings my mail to me. The catalog volume I was getting when I found catalog choice last Nov made this difficult, by January, there was a noticeable decrease in catalogs, although only 3 out of 23 have been confirmed (one was Refused, but I called the 800 # catalog choice found and gave customer # info to a “cancel catalog” voice mail). The decrease in catalogs was so dramatic that my neighbor (who is not good with computers) brought me one of HER catalogs and said, “can you do whatever you did to stop your catalogs to stop this one?”
I write again. As of today I have opted out of 275 catalogue/name combinations.
I have 51 confirmed, 162 unconfirmed, 13 refused, and 6 processing. I opted out of Land’s End in November, got a confirmation, reported still getting in February and received their catalog today. I called them on the phone and requested to be taken off their list. Apparently I was still on it.
Since November, I have suggested 68 catalogues ( I admit that there are some duplicates) but have still not had a single email that one was added. I’m beginning to think that it might be more fruitful to just call each catalog and ask to be off their list. I also have noticed that we are getting some catalogues that we have opted out of, but addressed to different names. We are still getting a flood of catalogues.
Why is this system not working?
We have done all the DMA opt outs, etc., but still get catalogs because I do order things online.
This is great to be able to decline, as hopefully I won’t get back on lists just by ordering.
Those who are trying to opt out of catalogs should also do the DMA decline (there is info online on where to send your request). I did not think there was a fee, or that you have to “join” (see above comments). We received a mailing from our county on that among other places to just mail your address to and refuse all direct marketing. I don’t recall having to provide a fee (although I see online it was $1 — I probably would have paid that), and I know I have not “joined” anything.
I’ve had most of my catalog declines confirmed, so not sure why others having problems. We were only getting pretty mainstream catalogs however.
We have not received any new catalogs since doing the opt out.
In the past before Catalogchoice I would spend three dollars or so and send order forms back taking us off mailing lists. I felt 41c or whatever was cheaper than several phone calls.
Dave,
Looks like you just got your first Tshirt and it has a hole in it! (See my last blog on “Approving…”) I look back on how naive I was in September 2007 thinking, wow, it will take me just a phone call and my husband and I are off their catalogs but there are some things in my prior blogs that you need to read and tell catalog companies when you call or write & some of them came from customer service reps that were quite genuine in heart. One was so bold to admit some interesting opinions about catalogs.
Here’s the advice that if I had known, I would have taken this stance when I made hundred plus toll free and long distance calls. The 300 plus letters written since late December 2007 clearly include much of the below concerning the “exchanging” but also state please contact the supplier of our mailing info of this request.
-Call them after you have read their Mail Preference Policy (as mentioned before, in the center part of the catalog.)
-Ask them if they have other companies they “exchange your mailing info” and tell them that you wish for them not to Share, Rent or Sell your mailing info and if possible advise the supplier of your info to do the same. If they say they don’t do that, document it on your mail label in the back of the catalog.
-Suggest that they should delete by address and not by name until they devise an opt out system that lets the consumer decide what catalogs they really want. Ask them to pass that on to the appropriate office.
Most importantly, do not yell at the reps, they just take orders, and do what they are told. They are not the decision makers.
Since I discovered “blog”, it’s been a reality check for me. I think Tracy has been on the same track as me to find out the suppliers and the “parent companies” that have several catalogs under them. Instead of calling individual catalog companies, now I go looking for the core just to really find out -it’s a nightmare and…here I go again, catalogchoice is doing it I believe they will do it in the long run. One catalog I received yesterday took me on what seemed like a raft ride on the white river rapids until I finally found one source.
Bottom line, I don’t really see how paying a third party to get one’s name off mailings is going to help with the many veins flowing through from the major routes.
Catalogchoice: you’re doing good because you are free and have a environmental reason to pursue this growing paper waste. You know my email address, can you contact me? I normally would never ask but really would like to email a real body about something. This catalogchoice to person. Thanks!
First of all, thank you Catalog Choice for giving us a vehicle for addressing the issue of unsolicited catalog overload.
Unfortunately, I guess that many of us are still receiving catalogues and I have to agree with a previous blogger, some catalog companies are quite clever about relisting someone under current resident,household etc. So I’ve gotten “sneaky” in return. I put on a “happy” telephone voice and “innocently” ask if my name and address appears on the mailing list. Of course the unsuspecting customer service rep is ALL too happy to report that “Yes, it certainly IS!”, at which point I convert to b…. mode and read them the riot act! This has worked, but it has necessitated an actual telephone call to the company. For some like Lord & Taylor, it’s even required several calls to the corporate offices…OMG, don’t ever get on THAT list! However, in spite of daily vigilance on catalogchoice.org site and some phone calls to the worst offenders, I have to say that the level of unsolicited mail IS decreasing. It’s been 4 months; I’m hoping that it will work before a new cycle of catalogues crops up six months from now.
Mark me down as one more frustrated user. After several months, only 9 confirmations out of 34 requests — a success rate of just over 1/4. “Unconfirmed” seems like refusal by inaction — one might even say passive aggressive — and the result is the same as outright refusal. Disappointing to say the least.
Tell DMA that if they don’t stop. I will sell my house without a forwarding address and never buy online or from a catalog again.
What meaningless work they are causing.
Good luck, my friend. If only it was that easy!
While you’re busy planning your escape, it’s fun to Google the term “pre-mover.” There’s a little foretaste of what you might expect. Bwahaha.
Please read your mailing labels that says **Your Name** or “CURRENT RESIDENT” - you really don’t know who’s buying your house even if it’s a relative. Our other residence has a bunch of next door neighbors that remind me of National Lampooners! No I do not want to leave any prisoners (catalogs) when we sell the house I want all of the demons(mailings) OUT! Then we will kindly forward our mailing address without the evil ones (direct mailings) following us to our new residence.
I will be nice.. DMA is not the only mail supplier out there. Catalogs do a great job within themselves of exchanging our info. If you have read my previous blogs, (I know mine are long winded but true) there are many informational systems sharing mailing info and making a tidy profit too. I’ve looked at the mailing labels, pulled up the catalog on GOOGLE, and guess what? It’s more than I expected.
Read all of the previous blogs before asking for the Quick Fix that is not there. You, as a consumer has the right to say different.
Here are some of your choices:
Contact catalog companies call or write.
Join third party companies and pay them, give your credit card # and hope.
Wait for catalogchoice to gain a very strong momemtum. (I’m doing this and contacting catalog companies.) (my gut feeling to do this for me)
Go SAG/Congressiional (and let them really know you want change in third party mailings) It’s election year.
I got ziltch in the mail yesterday. I asked my husband to feel my forehead for a fever. I’m normal……. No catalogs in the mail is not natural for me but I’m doing what I have to do.
Catalog companies that continue to exchange my mailing info will now know my next step for SAG/Congressional =my letters are being printed in advance since their catalogs of 30-100 plus pages are being printed in advance. Really think about this one.
For catalogchoice, I would like to see much more #s of members (like a million) This will give catalogchoice a lot more bite with schmoozing merchants on board.
Think about this one when you fall asleep at night and dream of catalogs jumping over the fence vs sheep. It bugs me too but I’ve decided not to lose sleep. One more catalog being confirmed is happiness in itself! Goodnight!
Yvonne, you are so funny!
I have been opting out using Catalog Choice since December 2007. I have not noticed any reduction. Many of these catalogs now have new customer numbers. I am going to follow your suggestion and keep a log of catalogs names, dates received, customer number, and opt-out tracking information. I will call the worst offenders personally. I want to continue using Catalog Choice and hope they start having more clout.
Thank you so much JMM! You made my day. Call and mention that you do not want them to share, sell or rent your name. Doc it as well and they need to omit the “Or Current Resident” part of the mailing label.
Saturday’s mail yielded my fourth catalog from The Lakeside Collection since December 2007, I reported the infraction and they will be hearing from me for the 4th time. This month is still showing a decline in mailings. I’m more concerned about the up and coming holiday season junk that starts getting crammed in my mailbox in September.
Tracy, Have you heard of 41pound.org? They are another junk mail remover at $8.20 per year - 5 yrs= $41. We just heard about it. They claim the average consumer gets over 41 pounds of junk mail. If that’s the case, I’m not average, because it’s more than 100 pounds for me.
I’ll stick to catalogchoice and my bag that catalog companies delete by address vs names.
Yvonne, Your comment about wanting a million Catalog Choice members sent me to my calculator. Very roughly, since October 2007, about 233,000 people a month have joined. (That’s very rough calculating.) So, give it another couple of months, and Catalog Choice should be very close to a million. Imagine! That’s huge!
Another hint if you go the route of contacting direct mailers directly, on top of registering with Catalog Choice… ask each merchant who they got your personal information from.
Yup, Yvonne, I’ve heard of 41pounds.org, or as I like to call ‘em, 18.6 kgs. (Sorry, that’s geek humor!) It’s a bummer that your unwanted mail has been so overwhelming, and I applaud the progress you’ve made.
Today is a landmark day at the Glom Shelter. One cataloger has just sent a conciliatory e-mail disclosing the source of my name for their most recent mailing. I had just about given up hope that this would ever happen. The response came from a prospecting Cornerstone Brand who is not currently accepting Catalog Choice opt-outs. I hope they eventually change their minds about that, but I’ve personally forgiven ‘em now that they’ve given me the information I needed.
Here’s a bit o’ trivia: I reviewed my credit card statements for the past 12 months and discovered that I’d shopped seven times altogether with five different multichannel merchants. The average size of my orders, including shipping, was $65.77. The company who provided my name to the aforementioned Cornerstone merchant is not among the places I’ve patronized within the past year. That company has been sharing relatively old data with a cataloger who sells marginally similar but more upscale goods. The DMA considers their lists to be highly correlated—they both appeal mainly to women in their early 40s (sounds almost like me) who spend an average of $170-$185 per order (not typical of me at all).
Whoops, not only was that rough calculating, that was wrong calculating! Sheesh… should have said roughly 133,000 a month.
Mary, When I got the hint via a very nice catalog customer service rep or “CSR” I asked several catalog companies of their sour source (I meant that) and got a lot of head scratching. They are not always willing to let that bread and butter go and in actuality, they may have no clue who the big sour source is. But, I’m betting the numbers of growing members will really soar when pre holiday season hits.
Tracy, you’re doing good too. (I’m a geekette and still learning) the recent crowd I am hangin’ with - two little ladies that are 10 months old- act their age! I discuss mailing issues with them when I feed them and they just glare at me. I hope they will understand to not let things become a run away train! And loudly speak their minds. By the way, I like your “Whack A Mole” phrase. Somehow I feel like the mole but I’m learning to duck flying toys and catalogs. (that’s in preparing for the 24 month old booger wanting to pitch his toys and whatever at me)- wait till he gets my pitch on cataloging. And I’m not funning….Education at that young age about cataloging should be a prerequiset if only to teach his parents and grandparents!
My favorite subject in colleges was economincs so I guess catalogomics is going to be my minor.
The service provided by CatalogChoice is fantastic and definitely works even before all the companies confirm with this site. I have seen a drastic difference in my mail and the number of catalogs that I receive under the 14 different versions of our names.
Had nice talk with an 8 yr old about companies A-Z with multiple sister companies that continue to “exchange mailing info”. Boy what a remark.. “They’re killing trees!” (Yepper). I suggested she ask her school to look into catalogchoice.
The other little ladies are still glaring at me atleast they’re not throwing catalogs at me-or their food!. Got another Stauer and Charles Keith - after my 4th written request. Charles Keith CSR was very apologetic. Stauer had a wait of 5 mins that went into 10+ and I could not wait. They really do not want to see or hear the wrath of those little ladies it’s not something I wish my enemies to experience. I’m teaching them catalogomic skills for later and they are learning fast. Delete by address not by name!
“It does appear that at least one company has even removed me from their 12-month house list, successfully honoring my opt-out through Catalog Choice without any further prodding from me. Bless you for understanding, VivaTerra. I’ll be back to shop with you again. I’ll click through the Bravo Merchants page the next time I visit your website, so your marketing team can attribute my purchase with ease and clarity.”
That was me, commenting on March 23.
I spoke too soon. VivaTerra just sent me another catalog. So that deal is off.
Title Nine just sent me another catalog, too. I tried to opt out directly on February 3 via e-mail, which is that company’s preferred method.
I assume the good folks here at Catalog Choice have seen the recent “Debunking Do-Not-Mail Myths” report at MultichannelMerchant.com. Pat Kachura of the DMA accuses Catalog Choice and several others of deceptive marketing. She also claims:
(1) Mailers would be happy to remove “insignificant” recipients from their lists. (Quotes are mine—I’m indicating the exact phrasing used in the article.)
(2) Only 3 to 4 percent of identity theft arises from direct mailing.
(3) Catalogs are recycled, and trees that are used to produce paper are grown as a crop.
To which I say:
(1) I’ve seen little evidence that mailers are happy to honor my opt-outs. I don’t know what it takes for me to be “insignificant.” I haven’t ordered from Title Nine for years. I’ve ordered exactly once from VivaTerra. I suppose that makes me “significant” in those two cases, but I’ve also had to invest considerable time and energy to rid myself of prospecting catalogs from a number of companies whose merchandise interests me not one whit. It’s been a struggle. I still have hope only because of Catalog Choice’s help.
(2) I don’t know where the 3 to 4 percent figure comes from. Even if it’s true, that’s cold comfort to the people in the 3 to 4 percent group. But of course, the DMA would never be careless with our data, noooo…. well, except for that one teensy li’l breach this past January, huh? Nothing remotely like that could ever happen again, right?
(3) Tree farms are not anything like the beautiful, biodiverse, old-growth forests that have been clearcut for the benefit of the industry. Equating the two is an insult to the consumer’s intelligence. Further, the recycling service in my town wouldn’t take catalogs until relatively recently. Only matte office paper was accepted, not glossy items like magazines or catalogs. I’m happy to say that’s improved, but I still have to pay for the service. I hate paying for this trash that continues to be dumped at my door against my express wishes.
I recognize disingenuous pap when I smell it. Don’t even try to feed it to me anymore. I’m done. I’m off the hedonic treadmill, way off. Give it up, DMA. You can no longer sell me crap, either figuratively or literally.
Tracy:
We read the “Debunking Do-Not-Mail Myths” report at MultichannelMerchant.com article. We sent a note to DMA CEO, John Greco, requesting that his staff refrain from misrepresenting Catalog Choice.
I am truly disappointed that some of the Bravo Merchants continue to mail you. Thanks for reporting those infractions here.
It is has been almost 7 months since our launch. Some progress has been made. But much more is needed. With your help, we will prevail.
Tracy, Good to hear you’re still here. I did write to a couple of Dem Senators last week about some of the ongoing catalogs in their state that sound like a battery commercial 30 catalogs in 6 months. Also went SAG on another state that keeps on ticking they sell mainly watches.
No word on Senator Collins from ME. Funny, her state sends one of the least catalogs. She can have my Linens and Things coupons mainly they come from the newspaper anyway.
My state senators are next to request a support for a better consumer protection law that says we are allowed to say no to unwanted mailings. That forestethics.org (hope I got the correct title)sounds good to me.
A blog I did this past weekend resulted in my neighbor USPS guy, (by the way a nice guy) bringing over DMA info that I already had. The “Consumer pamphlet” USPS is outdated - 1998 and posts the Farmington NY address a waste of postage because DMA has not had that address for a long time. Hello DMA, MPS does that give me a lot of faith in you as a consumer to pay or subscribe for a 3 yr membership? Especially when you participated in the catalog mess. As one blogger mentioned before, it’s a shell game of name.
DMA: delete by address. Please.
Chuck, (DMA) is my biggest soapbox, why invite the fox into the henhouse of consumers to help us? They are not the only mail suppliers - catalogs do it among themselves too. DMA has one individual in DC that can send out the forms and they have never, never responded directly to me with my requests when I have written the Carmel address because I will not pay their “handling costs” (for what 3 years) when I wrote their Carmel NY address. Why join them? Lack of public faith and blatant irresponsibility .
I miss many catalogs as well but the “we occasionally exchange” and “Or Current Resident” has to go. Catalog companies got too greedy and guess what, we’re paying the cost in increased postage to give catalogs a better postage rate and continue to pay with wasted paper, and recyling it to boot and the best, to pay companies that do the exchanging, sharing or renting to get us off mailings.
Chuck, I believe they’re testing. It’s working. I feel tested. And testy, for that matter.
It’s good to see you, too, Yvonne. If I sound even more peeved than usual this evening, it’s because I’ve just returned from vacation to find these catalogs in the mailbox, when the situation had been going pretty well. In April, we went a record nine days here without receiving a single one. If the most recent catalogs are Mother’s Day mailings, they really needn’t bother. I’m not a mom, and my own mom passed nearly two decades ago. It was a sad process asking that her name be removed. Geesh, I hope no one ever has to do that for me.
I had been gradually gearing up to file complaints at DMA regarding their members who are clearly ignoring their own guidelines. I’m now reexamining that decision once again. What’d be the point, really? If I understand correctly, Pat Kachura is ultimately in charge of resolving those. But her “myth #1″ pretty strongly implies that in this milieu, I’m worth only what I spend. If I spend nothing, I’m surely insignificant. Although it seems logical that merchants would be “happy” to cease their mailings to me, in actual practice, I’m often too insignificant for my insignificant little preferences to shake them out of their inertia. But if I spend even once, that makes me magically significant, maybe “too significant” to risk dropping my name. What kind of Catch-22 is that?
News flash: catalogs are different from, say, a letter from a friend, someone who knows my real significance and genuinely appreciates it. Receiving catalogs does not make me feel special. My personal sense of worth is not based on mailings I receive from people I don’t know, people who only want me to buy something. My personal sense of worth, in fact, rests largely on my efforts to make my little corner of the world a better place. And it rests on my relationships with others who are similarly engaged. People who continue sending catalogs when I’ve asked otherwise are not my friends. They are contributing to the problem, not the solution. I will continue to treat the situation accordingly.
Tracy, and all who have been there:
From April 2005 til April 2007 to do 5 trips @ 2 weeks & fly cross country when my mother in law passed. Boy, is was a journey. When we got back, I cringed at the “Towers” of catalogs left in our living room by my son who took care of our house. Hundreds of catalogs and junk mailings. Had some that there was no tie to our interests or hobbies.
This past Christmas, we received not only catalogs with mother’s name but her husband’s name and he passed over a decade before that and they had never resided at our address. How responsible is that?
Wow Tracy, you got a vacation! I retired last fall (was very lucky) hoping for that deserved 3 weeks of fun, but I have this “job” of catagomics and the two ladies that are 11 mos and sometimes the “Terrible Two Tot” he’s ok. They are probably the only ones that really listen to my ramblings of catalogs. Food is the only thing that gets thrown at me now.
Tracy, you are a spearhead, the corner must be a big corner and growing significantly. Sorry about your losses and the unfeeling that catalogs have shown you. Still believe our laws need to be changed so catalogchoice can make a difference.
DMA ignored me and maybe a couple of others out there that are deserving of an official reply and apology. I will not pay to clean up the mess or support a bill that allows you to continue to blatantly hurt the consumer. Laws need to be changed to protect us from this as Tracy puts it, “whack a mole”-the consumers.
By the way, talk to your postal service most of the catalogs and mailings you receive have to be delivered whether you refuse them or not and you do not want them to fall into unknown hands.
Chuck: The hype I get from catalog companies and USPS (yes, I know a few postal workers) is that we as consumers will have to put up with recycling unwanted mailings and not get a choice. I’m on your side. Mail Preference Services (suppliers of mail info) do not work.