marketing scams...

don't you just hate them! This all started a couple of weeks ago when I received a Simple Scrapbooks DVD that was the first in a series. It also included a free gift in the box. I was instructed that I either needed to pay for it or to send it back. That really struck me as odd because I never requested or ordered this product. In fact, I had recently let my Simple Scrapbooks subscription run out (or did I renew it? I should keep copies of these things!)Did anyone else out there receive this DVD and the offer?

This week, I received a kindly worded, threatening reminder letter that I needed to do either pay them or send it back. Well, I'm sorry, but I am NOT wasting my time standing in line at the post office to return a piece of unsolicited mail. Kyle told me to send it back but to do a cost calculation on the amount of MY money I was "spending" through the cost of my time per my salary and to send them a bill. Yes, he is an economist and he did quick calculation and derived a number for me. I, however, felt that that was too passive aggressive, so I have been sitting on this waiting to figure out what to do.

I kept hearing in my head "It was unsolicited mail. It was unsolicited." Then it struck me that I didn't need to do anything because it was unsolicited! I called the post office and confirmed that if it was unsolicited, then I owed them nothing. Yes, yes, by now I could have returned the darn thing, but it is the principle of the matter that counts!

I just got off the phone with the customer service rep from Simple Scrapbooks and explained that because it was unsolicited that I didn't need to do anything. The customer service rep said, "Yes, ma'am, we do realize that. I will remove your name from receiving future promotional offers such as this." First of all, I hate being called "Ma'am", isn't there a better word out there? Second of all, WHAT A SCAM!! I hate marketing tactics like this. I am going to re-read my letter from them and see if at any point they mention that I am legally not responsible for that piece of unsolicited mail. I feel sorry for the people who do not realize that they do not need to waste their time on junk like this! grrrrrr..........

I think what frustrates me the most is that this is coming from Simple Scrapbooks. Yes, it might be a little Utopian of me, but most scrapbookers I know are honest people. To me, this mailing was a blatant marketing scam tactic. I wonder if the editors know that this is going on. Maybe I should return to my utopian bubble and assume that they knew nothing about it.