« Back to blog home page

What’s New at Catalog Choice

Many catalog mailers and consumers have told us that they would love to have the option to receive fewer mailings of a specific catalog rather than opt-out entirely. 

That makes perfect sense - we all love our dimmer switch rather than the old fashioned on-off switch.  So, we talked to as many merchants as possible in an effort to figure out a process for offering “frequency” choices to consumers.  We concluded that, unlike that handy dimmer switch that works everywhere,  there was not a one-size fits all program for mail frequency.  As a result, we developed a system that allows the participating company to define the frequency choices that makes sense for their catalog.  So don’t be surprised when you go to set you mail preference and you get the following choices:

Now when you go to My Choices, we created a way to separate the catalogs you do not want in the mail from those that you do want.  You can toggle back and forth between your selections with ease.  If you want to change your selection, simply select View Details for a Confirmed catalog and update your mail preference.  While over 300 catalogs are confirmed participants right now, many have not set their mail frequency options yet.

We think it is really cool when catalog merchants participate in our service and support American’s desire for a centralized site to manage catalog mailings.  So, we have also made it easier to filter through the list of 300+ catalogs that are honoring mail preferences so that you can show your support by visiting their online store.  We call this area of our site “Cool Catalogs“.  So head on over to that page this holiday season and start your shopping with a company that puts the consumer’s choice first.

We hope that our members like the new features and that many more companies will activate their free account to honor requests being entered at Catalog Choice now that your company can offer mail frequency choices to consumers.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 9:59 pm and is filed under Catalog Choice, Featured, Merchants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

30 Responses to “What’s New at Catalog Choice”

  1. Let’s face it: this website and this program, although well intentioned, is simply not reducing the number of catalogs that I’m receiving. I now see that many of the entries that I made months ago, now show a nessage indicating that the catlog vendor is not honoring requests. This will probably be the last time that I visit this website. I will simply call all of them myself as catalogs arrive. It was a nice idea. It’s too bad that it didnt work.

    Kathryn Hughes on October 11th, 2008 at 9:54 am

  2. Thank you for this option. The more information I can see at a glance, the better. I can’t remember all the details! : ) Also, I appreciate when you list the catalog “families”. When I make calls to the companies, I can then ask them to stop multiple catalog titles in addition to the multiple names at my address.

    In response to Kathryn above, it takes time. It has become more than just stopping catalogs - it’s an increased awareness of this huge problem that will take more than just Catalog Choice to solve, an awareness of the demands upon our environment, our time and our resources as well as a bit of satisfaction when we successfully stop unwanted mail.

    If nothing else, CC is like a nice little log where I can keep track of all the catalogs and the actions I’ve taken and when. Keep up the good work guys… progress may be slow but it’s still progress!!

    Aimee on October 11th, 2008 at 2:24 pm

  3. I do declare! When I took a peek at my “Confirmed” last night, CC.org, you took my breath away. 180+ from 124 in a day? Your purpose is a great purpose in our lives and environment! Yes, it does take time. Big Hugs to you!!! I’m letting it ride…for now.

    Yvonne Camesi on October 11th, 2008 at 7:59 pm

  4. We who sign up are the pioneers. I have contacted each merchant who comes up with another customer number or who says they won’t participate. My cut and paste email to them will be sent over and over again if I have to and it says: Respecting catalog choice is respecting my choice and if you can’t do that, I promise you I will never enter your web site or store again. Nough said. We all need to stay the course!

    Kathryn Madsen on October 12th, 2008 at 6:50 am

  5. while some of the catalog companies are not participating, and some not honoring requests, my husband and I have noticed a decrease in the amount of catalogs, thank heavens. I am thrilled that this website is available. Thanks.

    Christine Valdes on October 12th, 2008 at 9:07 am

  6. To the one Kathryn who has given up - I am sorry that the service is not working for you. We are not giving up and we welcome you back any time.

    To all the others who are seeing progress and sticking with us - thanks for the on-going support. Our little non-profit with a small and scrappy staff is plugging away day after day to get more merchants signed up and more requests honored.

    I know first hand that the service is working and getting better every day. Millions of requests have been confirmed and millions more will be added to the Confirmed list as we are gaining the confidence and support of more and more merchants. Some companies have turned a blind eye to the request entered on our site, but this is a very small percentage. Many companies are reconsidering their initial decision to not participate now that they are seeing their colleagues join in.

    It is a process … a long process … but a worthwhile one.

    Chuck on October 13th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

  7. Just an aside… I recently went through one of my email accounts and “unsubcribed” to many department store/catalog type emails that I receive regularly. It only took seconds to get off the mailing list! Why can’t it be that easy for catalogs which are far more expensive than email???

    Aimee on October 13th, 2008 at 6:34 pm

  8. Chuck, while you think ya’ll are scrappy, you are all big at heart. You remind me of my former past when I had to work more for less. (ran into a work buddy that is still doing that and demand is ever more and that person has to wait for a buyout after 35 years). You are a bit “scruffy” but guess what, you are doing something that Other guy, DMA won’t do… talk directly to the consumer.
    For me, a Not Participating entry is either they have a reliable “Suppression” policy, gone out of business, or they got our mailing info from a “source” and don’t care because they fear nothing -not your fault.
    By the way, hubby gave me a toolkit last year when I retired last year and I do know how to install a dimmer switch! I hope CC.orgs work too!

    Yvonne Camesi on October 13th, 2008 at 9:30 pm

  9. Aimee - our aim is to make it as easy as email opt-out. We are getting there. The reason email is easy is you are already online and there is no need to match the name & address.

    Yvonne- not only do we talk to and listen to the customer but we also talk to ALL the merchants. With your continued support, we are making great progress.

    Chuck

    Chuck on October 13th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

  10. Keep working at it guys!

    Niall O Broin on October 13th, 2008 at 11:57 pm

  11. I spent hours last winter and spring trying to stop the deluge of unwanted catalogs. It is fall, we get all the same ones this new season.

    You failed us!!!

    Donald Penfield on October 14th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

  12. Donald:

    I am sorry that you feel this way. This is a voluntary model that depends on the cooperation of the companies. We spend thousands of hours speaking directly to CEOs, VPs of Marketing and Circulation managers on our members’ behalf. We have built an array of sophisticated tools to deliver your requests to merchants. As it stands, the voluntary model is not perfect. But that is no reason to abandon the effort. Because of our efforts and the support of our members, we have been able to get millions of requests honored.

    In this blog and throughout our site, we have documented the process that we follow, the array of roadblocks that we encountered as well as the success we have obtained. We work diligently to communicate your request to every merchant.

    In your My Choices view, you will see that many of your requests have been confirmed by the merchant and they will be honored. Many of your unconfirmed requests are from merchants who were resistant to honor requests from us due in large part to guidance from the DMA to not work with us.

    We have worked diligently over the past several months to overcome the issues raised by the DMA and gain the confidence of the ACMA and the merchant community. Many of the unconfirmed merchants are now signing up since we spent months negotiating an agreement with leading catalog companies.

    While it may appear as though we failed you when you find an unwanted catalog in your mailbox, we are confident that we are making significant progress to make this service work.

    As I stated above, we are not giving up and we will continue to work on your behalf to get all of your requests honored. Change takes time. Thanks for your patience.

    Sincerely,

    Chuck

    Chuck on October 14th, 2008 at 5:19 pm

  13. To Donald (and others who are frustrated):

    Please don’t give up on Catalog Choice, or blame them. Once again, it is the mismanagement of corporations that is failing us. They should not be sending catalogs month after month, year after year to people who are not ordering from them. I worked in the graphic arts industry, I know how costly it is to print and mail these catalogs. I also know that they have to print the catalogs and prepare the mailing lists many months in advance, so it may take some time for cancellations to take effect.

    Catalog Choice, you have saved me alot of time, before I found you I was calling catalogs to cancel them. I would have to wait on hold to speak to someone, logging on to your site and cancelling is much quicker! Even though I am still getting too much mail, it has greatly reduced since I signed on to your service. I am a busy Mom and greatly appreciate anyone who helps me save time!! The dimmer switch is a great idea, there are catalogs I do order from, but they send me too many. Thanks so much for giving us choices!!

    Barbara B on October 15th, 2008 at 9:16 am

  14. My biggest gripe: That so many of the outdoorsy, environmental-type clothing companies aren’t participating. How hypocritical of them! Yes, some companies I’ve had to contact myself after they’ve refused to respond to Catalog Choice. But its something I could have done along time ago and never bothered to do. So if nothing else this website has helped me become more responsible overall.

    Danielle B-B on October 15th, 2008 at 10:35 am

  15. Love the work you are doing, but since approx. October 11th, when you changed the My choices option pages, I have approximately 46% of confirmed not agreeing with the individual page vs. the My Choice list. (Confirmed/Unconfirmed)etc. Help? or are these updates not finished yet? P. S. keep up your efforts you are starting to make a real difference.

    Janice M King on October 16th, 2008 at 2:15 am

  16. I suspect that your counting the number of “Confirmed” as successes is misleading. Since June, I have opted out of Norm Thompson 7 times. Each time the site registered “Confirmed,” but I just received my 8th catalog. Eight catalogs with 8 different customer numbers can hardly be called a success.

    Judith BENTLEY on October 16th, 2008 at 9:42 am

  17. Janice: We will look into this - thanks for bringing it to our attention.

    Judith: Norm Thompson recently activated their account. We are adding the date that they activate their membership. This will clarify the issue. I fully expect that your requests will now be honored.

    Chuck on October 16th, 2008 at 5:12 pm

  18. In last year’s Christmas letter, I indicated to family, friends and foes that I was going to use my time after retirement to write two books and take care of my twin granddaughters. One book was to be written on getting off mailing listings, titled “Do Not Share, Rent or Sell” the other was a family recipe cookbook. I first wrote to CC.org’s blog starting in late Feb08 and from there on is my book (CC.org not on purpose), my journey. CC.org says it all and have done a fine job for us and now I don’t need to publish a book. They have helped us get down to….four this month. With not having to take time to personnally contact catalog companies, I have time to spend with my adorable little ladies and getting around to wriiting that cookbook. The somethings I have to advise “doubters” of CC.org, are: Are you ordering from catalogs that share mailing info, do you go to big chain retailers and ask if they share your info and if you contact merchants, do you indicate that you do not want your mail info shared. (My hubby loudly asks this and You’d be suprised of the way mailings disappear) Last, check the cust # on catalogs as they may change due to the merchant purchasing several listings and do not cross reference with suppression listings.

    Yvonne Camesi on October 16th, 2008 at 5:13 pm

  19. I have subscribed for 5 months and have submitted over 150 catalogs. of these perhaps 1/3 are confirmed, for some addresses. But many that I have submitted, 25-30, have never appeared in my list. What does it take to get them included?

    CCC on October 17th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

  20. I’d like to share a suggestion for those who are frustrated with merchants not participating. I send the following email to all merchants listed as “not participating”, and I’m thinking of sending a similar one to all merchants who don’t respond after 2 months:

    “I am disappointed to see that (Lands End) is not participating in Catalog Choice. While I realize I can contact you to request you to stop sending catalogs, it is a hassle for me to have to contact each merchant individually to cancel the catalogs.

    Because of this hassle, it is my policy to order only from merchants who honor Catalog Choice requests.

    This is to request you remove my name from your mailing list. (insert relevant customer information here).”

    It doesn’t reduce my workload, but if those of us who care do it, eventually the merchants will come around, and we and others will save time in the future.

    I order only from catalogs which are listed in Catalog Choice’s “Cool Catalogs” section, or who are listed in my choices as honoring my choice. It means I have to give up using some catalogs I’m used to using, but I feel strongly about this.

    I’ve been at it about a year, now, and, while I’ve not reduced the catalogs to 0, I’ve not been deluged this season as I was last fall.

    Julie on October 17th, 2008 at 4:16 pm

  21. Julie:

    You rock! This is the kind of member support that really helps. I wish all of the merchants would honor our members’ choices, but unfortunately many have taken the position that they want you to contact them directly. The facts are by entering your request in YOUR Catalog Choice Account, you are authorizing us to contact the merchant on your behalf. This is what we do every day, on behalf of our one million members.

    If more Catalog Choice members would adopt your approach, I am confident that more and more merchants would activate their account. And ultimately, we would have a very effective system. As it stands, it is working but adoption is slower than we all wish.

    To make the customer search down the contact information for each and every company and then call customer service, wait on hold, just to request that they no longer mail you a catalog is not a customer friendly, efficient system. Working with a mission-based non-profit, who is providing a free, online, secure service for consumers AND merchants makes the most sense to us.

    I am pleased to let you and others who read this blog know that over 300 merchants agree with Julie and our approach. And more are joining every day.

    Your comment is so right-on that I am going to use it as the topic of the next blog post.

    Thanks,

    Chuck

    Chuck on October 17th, 2008 at 10:20 pm

  22. CCC- I know that there are alot of unlisted catalogs that have been submitted that we have not added to the system. Please understand that our small staff is doing everything in our power to get the current set of merchants listed on the site to honor requests. Since this effort has proven to be slower than we had hoped, we have not added many of the requested catalogs to the system at this time.

    We have a record of the titles you have suggested and we will get to them in time.

    Thanks for your patience and support.

    Chuck

    Chuck on October 17th, 2008 at 10:23 pm

  23. Why not make a list of companies who choose not to participate and make the list available on your site so the search engines can pick it up. Do it in a way where the search engines would result in listing the company name and the fact that they have refused to, or will not participate in CC and how this goes against rational corporate policy and is not in the best interests of the stockholders of the company, and is not going green and resulting in more CO2 in the world. This would be a way to give those companies some unwanted bad publicity that they are better off without. And if they decide to participate, they come off the list. When companies experience bad publicity in the public domain, often the decision makers will do the right thing just to stop it.

    Mike on October 18th, 2008 at 11:14 am

  24. At the risk of repeating myself, I’m going to include my comments on more than one thread. First, can we be sure that no one is actually mining your site for contact info?? I seem to have gotten MANY MORE catalogs since I started using this site - from places I had never heard of or received catalogs before! Secondly, many places that confirmed my opt-out are continuing to send catalogs, only now they include “or current resident”. So now I have to report that catalog, then endure 10-12 weeks of that same catalog before I can complain again.. When does it end? Is anyone having better luck with contacting companies directly? Because this way isn’t actually saving as much time as I thought it would.

    Gail on October 18th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

  25. I don’t know if it’s the start of the Christmas rush, data-mining the site, the endless invention of new catalog titles and sending to new customer numbers, or what. I’m receiving a LOT of catalogs I never saw before (and why they think I want stuff about horses, or jewelry, or a “Mr. Santa” free gift, I can’t imagine). A lot of catalogs seem to come once and go away — whether because of an opt-out through Catalog Choice or not, I can’t tell. I’m staying the course, though. Now I have a clear record of which catalogs I’ve tried to cancel, and when, and I only call those that refuse to stop. The “families” of catalogs that trace an unfamiliar name to a single source is valuable, too.

    This problem won’t go away until society adopts an “opt-in” policy. Say, a single source can send a single catalog from their family once a year, maybe giving a list of other catalogs they publish, and they may not send more unless the recipient opts IN to their “service”. And then probably we’ll have to find jobs for all the post office employees who will be out of a job. But until that day comes, Catalog Choice is working to improve the way mail marketing works, and it’s a great place to record which catalogs I’ve received and know exactly what the facts are when I call the ones who won’t quit sending them.

    Sandra Brow on October 18th, 2008 at 7:14 pm

  26. Sandra: Thanks for the support.

    By no means are the additional catalogs you or anyone else is receiving a result of our service. We have gone to extensive efforts to insure that the merchants we deliver your requests to are obligated to not rent or sell your name.

    Our team works tirelessly on your behalf to let you choose the catalogs you do not want.

    Chuck

    Chuck on October 18th, 2008 at 8:58 pm

  27. [...] example of fellow Catalog Choice members like Julie who only shops with Participating Merchants, or Yvonne and Tracy who have both been long-time supporters of our service and work continuously to stop [...]

    Catalog Choice - Paperless Blog » Blog Archive » Frustrated? on October 19th, 2008 at 12:34 am

  28. Let’s not get upset with CC folks. As one person implied, we are all in this together and must persevere. Frustration will be a given. Place that energy into the repeated requests to opt out via CC, email, phone or whatever socially responsible route it takes to end this paper waste.
    And, it isn’t only paper waste. Think of the delivery process and gasoline consmption required to get this unwanted paper to our mailboxes. Don’t give up and don’t blame a group who is trying to help us.

    Marlene on October 20th, 2008 at 8:43 am

  29. Honestly, I find it puzzling that people get mad at CC.org, or use language like “you failed me.” Maybe I’m special, but I didn’t pay for this service. What I’m seeing here is a grassroots effort of people to make a difference–and even if it’s imperfect, it’s hard to be disappointed in people who are obviously trying.

    The fact is that, like any grassroots effort, CC.org will only be as powerful as the size of its customer base. If they have 50,000 people sign up (out of a population of 300 million in the U.S.), that’s something the catalog companies can ignore. When they have 30 million people sign up, well, suddenly these merchants will HAVE to listen. That’s just how commerce works. If enough customers take the time to complain, things change.

    If you’re disappointed with your CC.org results so far, it seems to me that the best thing you can do is to get everyone you know to sign up. There’s always strength in numbers.

    Kerry on October 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 am

  30. Kerry and Marlene:
    Perfectly stated! This is exactly what we need to do. We have one million members and if we all dedicate ourselves to only shop with participating merchants at http://catalogchoice.org/cool_catalogs , then our money will support our values.

    We can also help by telling those who are not participating that you want them to honor your request entered here.

    Together we can make a difference. Alone nothing will change.

    Chuck

    Chuck on October 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 am
 

(required)

(required) Will not be published