Today, Catalog Choice celebrates its second anniversary. We thought it would be fun and informative to reflect back on our beginnings in 2007 and compare things to how they look now.
Then: Before Catalog Choice, there was no free, title-specific service that let you reduce unwanted mail.
Now: With Catalog Choice on the scene, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) dropped its fee and dramatically improved its service DMAChoice. More convenient choices for the consumer.
Then: We didn’t have a lot of friends in the direct marketing world.
Now: We’ve gained the trust of not only the consumer, but also the industry. We have strong supporters, including some of the biggest mailers around (L.L. Bean, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma). We are endorsed by the American Catalog Mailers Association.
Then: We had two ways to deliver mail preference requests (email and file).
Now: Today, we have five secure methods to ensure that each and every request we receive from you is delivered.
Then: It was all opt-out.
Now: Our service provides a way for consumers to request a catalog or decrease frequency of a mailing, if offered by the company. Consumers can also sign up for a company’s email newsletter through a subscription service we offer to mailers.
Then: It was just catalogs.
Now: We’re adding other forms of mail, including coupons, credit card offers, and phone books. Look for upcoming changes to the service to help you opt-out of these forms of mail easily.
Then: When we launched we had 600 catalogs in our service.
Now: Today, we have nearly 1,056 titles in our system.
Then: By the end of 2007, we had about 350,000 individuals using Catalog Choice, requesting to stop the mailing of 4 million unwanted catalogs.
Now: Today, we’re a community of nearly 1.2 million members strong! On your behalf we have delivered more than 16 million opt-out requests. Thank you for your continued support and participation! We could not have done it without you.
Congratulations to the Catalog Choice team!
Best regards,
Laura, NWF
What a wonderful service and it just keeps getting better and better.
Wow! Time flies when you’re having fun. Best Wishes! Y’all done good and keep on.
Some time had passed since I last used this site, so I was very surprised to see the unfortunate direction it has taken. It is now a front and an advocate for the catalog merchants. Before, it was easy to enter a title to drop. Now that option isn’t even a choice at the first screen. It’s really a shame to lose this independent voice for the consumer.
Lynda: Catalog Choice remains a voice for consumer choice with all the companies we list on our service. We partner with catalog merchants so that we can ensure that they honor your mail preference request. Setting your mail preference is front and center in our service. We are introducing new services related to how consumers and retailers connect. Collaboration does not mean that we have lost our voice for the consumer. It is as strong as ever.
Best,
Chuck
I stand by my original statement. Anyone wanting to opt-out of receiving catalogs by snail mail has to really search to find out that this was the original purpose of the Catalog Choice website. By contrast, I can sign up to receive email news from catalog merchants, I can browse “Cool Catalogs” or “Favorite iCatalogs” or “Featured iCatalogs.” There’s a tab that will quickly get me to “iCatalogs” but not one that leads to a page where I simply type in the name of the catalog I don’t want (as used to be possible). And — the most offensive — this site actually has multiple advertisements from catalog merchants. Sounds like free publicity to me. The catalog companies must be ecstatic.
I am still inundated with Vermont Country Store catalogs even though you said they had complied with my request. What does it take to get off their mailing list?
Marilyn, I’m surprised that Vermont Country Stores would continue to send you mailings. It does take a few…maybe 3-4. Many catalogs print mailings way in advance, especially during holiday season. Please be patient. CC.org helped me a lot! I’m down to two catalogs per month that I want and order from regularly. The rest of my shopping is online.
Hi Chuck, it’s been a while. Now I’m tangling with a long time charity that shared my mailing info to one too many. Best Wishes again to CC.org and their success.