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The long-run plan

While many of you are frustrated that the holiday catalogs you opted-out of last year are back, please recognize that changing the practices of a $68 billion dollar industry takes time. We are on the front line working with VP’s of Marketing and CEO’s of multi-channel merchants (web, catalog, brick and mortar). We are signing agreements with the country’s largest catalog mailers and hundreds of others that guarantees the following

  1. they will honor your request entered at Catalog Choice within 90 days.
  2. they will not rent or sell your name.
  3. they will not get your email address.
  4. they will honor the request for two years and extend it if you update your request at Catalog Choice.
  5. Catalog Choice will not rent or sell your name (never have, never will)

We are the only company in the United States that has negotiated a do not mail agreement with companies on behalf of its members.  It has taken hundreds of hours of meetings, legal review and negotiations to strike these agreements.  Our license agreement sets the foundation for the success of our service for years to come.

So, when you get an unwanted catalog in the mail yet again - don’t shoot the messenger, join our movement and help us get all the companies to honor your requests.  The business agreement is in place and the technology is in place.  It just takes willingness on the part of the merchant to honor your request.

In the long-run, connecting companies and consumers to communicate mail preferences will stop unwanted catalogs.  Thanks for your continued support.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 22nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm and is filed under Catalog Choice, Featured. 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.

20 Responses to “The long-run plan”

  1. Is there anything we can do about Land’s End? I like their products and buy from them often, but I don’t need to receive 40 or 50 catalogs a year from them. Many of them we don’t even read but put right into the recycling bin. The “Land’s End Home” and “Land’s End Men” ones are totally useless to us. We usually shop right from the web site anyway. Has anyone had any luck convincing them customers don’t need to be sent a catalog a week?

    Anne on November 25th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

  2. Anne: We worked very hard to get Land’s End to participate in Catalog Choice. They recently decided that they want consumers to contact them directly to opt-out. They did agree to honor all of the current requests that have been entered at Catalog Choice. We have heard from other customers that feel the same way that you do. If customers, like you, let them know how you feel, perhaps they will change their mind.

    Chuck on November 25th, 2008 at 3:39 pm

  3. Do you keep track of the “worst offenders” amongst companies that play the “switch the customer number” game? I’ve noticed two in particular, on my list, are egregious: Eddie Bauer switches my customer number and sends me a new catalog about once a month–I have a total of 10 numbers for which I’ve had to decline so far since early March. Footsmart is second with 5.

    Perhaps it would help to publish a “Dirty Dozen” list, to shame these companies into changing their practices?

    Julie on November 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pm

  4. Julie:

    Yes, there are a number of companies that continue to mail you despite your opt-out request. So far, we have found that if we shame companies into activating their account by publishing a list of worst offenders, it can make it more difficult to get them to work with us. Our focus has been on making executive level contacts and providing services, like Mail Frequency and Cool Catalogs that make Catalog Choice a compelling choice for companies.

    It is effective when members call or email a company to let them know that you want the company to work with Catalog Choice. I know this is more work on your part, but it helps all the other members present and future when your phone call encourages the company to work with us. Also, we keep our blog open to all comments so that members can call out good and not so good companies.

    Regarding Eddie Bauer - we received correspondence from them the other day confirming that they are accepting requests entered at our site. While they are not formally participating in Catalog Choice, we send then an email on your behalf every time you make an opt-out request. Let us know if their catalogs slow down.

    Thanks for your continued support.

    Chuck on November 25th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

  5. This is my final time on Catalog Choice. I really appreciate what you’re doing, and I know it takes time to change direct-mailers’ habits. However, I have been using CC for exactly a year now with no appreciable difference in the catalog volume coming to me. I especially appreciate the fact that Catalog Choice has provided direct links to vendors. I have been writing directly to (1) vendors who have not confirmed participation in CC, (2) vendors not participating in CC, (3) vendors who keep changing customer #s, and (4) vendors who claim to be participating but keep sending me catalogs. Those vendors seem very responsive; will just have to wait to see if the catalogs really stop. Anyway, I’ve spent an hour a week for a year entering catalogs in Catalog Choice, and it’s enough. I hope eventually your effort will prove more effective, and I do really appreciate it.

    Katharine Hansen on November 26th, 2008 at 3:37 pm

  6. Thank you for the new agreement to remove our names from catalog mailing lists AND not sell our names/addresses to other companies (and hopefully affiliate companies) AND to honor the agreement for 2 years.

    I am very THANKFUL for all of the hard work and dedication of Catalog Choice. You have made it easier to decrease the number of catalogs I receive. It used to be much more difficult enterprise (especially before email!). You are a great friend and advocate for the everyday consumer.

    MANY THANKS!!!!

    Keiko Ishida on November 27th, 2008 at 7:26 am

  7. You should promote that you also decrease additional direct mail by the agreement to not rent/sell our names/addresses. This is another key component to decreasing unwanted direct mail (aka junk mail).

    Now, if these companies would move to an opt-in policy instead of an opt-out, non-transparent policy.

    Keiko Ishida on November 27th, 2008 at 7:36 am

  8. In addition to Eddie Bauer and Footsmart there are worse offenders out there that claim to be working with Catalog Choice! The Vermont Country Store group of catalogs is one such (10 catalogs with different customer numbers starting 3 months after 1st opt out). The worst is currently Orchard Brands (Norm Thompson, Sahalie, Winter Silks, ?) who have sent to twelve NormThompson catalogs to the same name/address with only the first three digits of the customer number changing on each. To add insult to injury, they then started to send Sahalie catalogs (3 in the last 6 weeks) and a Winter Silks catalog. The truly sad thing about these two companies is that we have been customers of both enterprises in the past, but are seriously considering dropping them from consideration due to their duplicitous behavior.

    Ted Barrow on November 30th, 2008 at 12:03 pm

  9. When I first joined Catalog Choice back in May, 2008; I was pleasantly surprised that my catalog pile dwindled. As the holidays approach, it’s back to pounds of catalogs again. You do a great job, but these companies are not honoring their agreements. Many have been duplicates and my name somehow keeps getting sold. I agree with Ted B that Sahalie has arrived at least 3 times in the last 6 weeks - and I never heard of them until now! I’ve started all over again entering more catalogs hoping to save some trees; and my mail carriers back!

    Cheryl Smith on November 30th, 2008 at 7:21 pm

  10. I have been tracking my catalogs since last March. I received 80 catalogs in November, 3 from some companies! I think they just waited until the holiday season. I’m not sure it makes any difference to opt out here. The ones that have stopped coming may have been ‘one time’ teasers with purchased mailing lists to see if I’d buy. Many who ‘confirm’ just send me one with a new number (yup - all those above) or have bought my name. I have started calling and e-mailing every one in addition to the opt out here. It seems like that is the only thing that is working. But some, such as Frontgate, claim that they can’t find me in their system and request customer number on the catalog, etc. (which I already gave them in my e-mail). Winter Silks claims that ‘all reputable mailers screen against the DMA mail preference list’ and gave me the link to their website which seems to have setup a competing site to Catalog Choice. http://www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html. I’ve setup an account there and maybe if they stop selling my address, things will slow down. I do make sure to get to every offending merchant website through Google and clicking on their ’sponsored links’ - it costs them money that way. It is depressing that we can’t make more progress.

    Ginger on November 30th, 2008 at 10:10 pm

  11. We lost over 23 pounds on the Catalog Choice weight management program!

    Glomski Household Waste: November 2007
    • 34.6 lbs. to recycling
    • 9.8 lbs. to landfill

    Glomski Household Waste: November 2008
    • 11.0 lbs. to recycling
    • 8.4 lbs. to landfill

    We got seven catalogs (3.6 pounds) for the entire month of November 2008, as compared to an average of about five pounds *per week* in November 2007. Thank you, Catalog Choice!

    Tracy Glomski on December 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 am

  12. Tracy: Priceless!
    I had over 15 catalogs for Nov. Now Blair and Haband (part of Orchard Brands) are sending me Buyers Advantage offers as well as Sweepstakes offers and their catalogs to boot. Sneaky little buggers. Also, a new variation of my name was done to not protect us innocent. I’ve quit buying since early spring from Blair and called them in late September08. Fall’s new wardrobe consisted of four $6 tops from a local dept store. (we won’t give that out)
    This morning we received a new one, Levenger, a taa taa pooh pooh catalog. It’s been added to CC.org.

    Yvonne Camesi on December 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm

  13. Yeah, I’ll add my voice to the crowd complaining about Orchard Brands. In November, they sent two of the three catalogs for which I’d already entered opt-outs. Norm Thompson ignored the Catalog Choice opt-out that I submitted a full year ago, and Sahalie has ignored my DMA opt-outs multiple times over the years. (I once had a customer relationship with the former, but not with the latter, who is wasting their time and money prospecting at my house.)

    On the whole, however, I am incredibly satisfied with the progress made last month. Most merchants have indeed honored our preferences without any further pestering from me. My husband and I have submitted 78 Catalog Choice opt-outs altogether, and I’ve been obliged to personally contact only ten companies so far.

    Tracy Glomski on December 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 pm

  14. I spoke with Orchard Brands’ executive yesterday. He informed me that the Catalog Choice opt-out requests will be suppressed from future mailings. They are a big organization (18 brands) and it has taken some time to get the CC list into their process. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

    Chuck on December 2nd, 2008 at 2:25 pm

  15. Thanks Chuck! Really really appreciate it and all of CC.org’s work. Hope I can thank Orchard Brands soon too.

    Yvonne Camesi on December 2nd, 2008 at 4:29 pm

  16. That is good news, Chuck. Thanks for the update.

    Tracy Glomski on December 2nd, 2008 at 6:20 pm

  17. Very nice! Found you in Mother Earth News my most favorite eco magazine on the planet. Keep up the great work, I will certainly tell everyone I know about your service!!

    Leslie on December 4th, 2008 at 12:42 pm

  18. Hi, Chuck! You asked me to keep you informed about Eddie Bauer. Well, I just received another one (with yet another customer number) today, I sent them an email, but thought I’d tell you, as well. I’m quite skeptical about their process (or their intentions?)

    Julie on December 4th, 2008 at 3:57 pm

  19. Thanks you guys for continuing to mention the “families” of catalogs. I am opting out for my elderly mom as well as for my family, and she gets random catalogs that I’m not familiar with… one of which was Orchard Brands. Now I know why that ended up in her mailbox (she had placed an order at one of the other catalogs in the “family”). I’ve started emailing companies, in addition to using CC. I give them every single customer and name variation, tell them not to share or sell my information and mention CC. That’s strangely satisfying in some perverse way : ) CC is extremely useful in that I can keep track of everything I do here. Thanks!

    Aimee on December 14th, 2008 at 5:37 pm

  20. CC.org: I’m almost ready to hit a milestone! Today, I have 199 confirmed out of over 500 catalogs logged in. Some of those unconfirmed as I said before may have their own suppression methods, or have gone out of business. Thanks.
    P.S. Donation will have to wait until the first of the year.

    Yvonne Camesi on December 16th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
 

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