Anybody get the book?

[Maverick]

Popular Woodworking, it appears, has mailed all of their subscribers a book. They tell you that if you like the book, send them 9 bucks. Otherwise, repackage the book and mail it back.

I live quite a ways from the post office, in a very rural area. So, I get this little notice to go to the post office, which we seldom ever do. But, as we hardly ever get these notices, we drop what we're doing, go to the post office, get our package, bring it home and open it up and there's this book. I am not happy with this book. And I am not happy with the interruption of my day. I know that according to the law, I do not have to return the book, nor send them any money. But, being in a friendly frame of mind, I repackage the book, and include a nice letter outlining my displeasure with the action Popular Woodworking has taken. I had just renewed my subscription and sent them the money. Now, they get to repackage that money and send it back.

Maybe I'm just an old grouch in my old age but I believe this was a very sleazy method of marketing.

Maverick

[Dave]

Maverick (akmaverick by any chance?), I agree with you. I think you were definitely being nice to them by returning the book especially considering the travel and time involved on your part.

A few years ago I received a book from Reader's Digest. Same sort of thing--unsolicited--they just sent it. Knowing the postal regulations I decided to keep the free gift. RD sent a request for payment. I sent it back with a note telling them that I wasn't paying for it since I hadn't requested it. Then I started getting notices from some collection agency and eventually a law firm.

I sent the RD, the collection agency and the law firm (the last two I suspect don't actually exist but are a figment of Reader's Digest's imagination) a letter telling them that I didn't appreciate the harrassment and that I would be turning the matter over to my state's attorney general and the Better Business Bureau. I also informed RD that if I ever got another piece of mail or a phone call from them that I would consider it further harrassment and would contact a lawyer. That seemed to work and I've never been bothered by them again.

Dave

[Lawrence L'Hote]

Sleazy and illegal in my state. The same thing happened to me with a 'partner' of Wachovia when it issued credit cards. Seems Leisure Advantage a branch of AT& T(IIRC) ordered me a discount 'travel plan' without my approval. I contacted the state attorney general in my state , the attorney general in the state that Leisure Advantage was based and the postal inspector. I filed a complaint with each and each agency followed through. In the end, Leisure Advantage removed the charge it had made and gave me an additional $70 credit. You don't have to just sit and take it. Call your state attorney general and get a complaint form. They will bring a lot more to bear on PW than an individual. Larry

[Joe C.]

Definitely sleazy, but I wouldn't consider it beneath most magazine publishers. None of them get real high marks in my book for customer-oriented behavior. When I canceled my american woodworker subscription due to it getting too readers-digest-like (yes, I know who publishes it), I spent 10 phone calls arguing with them over their supposed

*policy* that they _couldn't_ cancel it, even upon my request due to the fact that I purchased the subscription through a third party *agent*. In this case, the agent was a neighborhood high school kid I was helping out with a fundraiser. Not only this, but they don't keep records on who the agents are so I have to go track the kid down if I want to cancel. Utter bullshit says I, and they better get their stuff together or calls will be placed to attorneys, bbb etc....(ok, this was a bluff, but it worked). A week later they call back saying that they found out the agent organization and they're canceling my subscription. Odd, says I, you said you didn't keep those records for anyone. What, was *MY* account mysteriously tagged with the agent information that you were able to call me with, or were you just flat out lying to me trying to make me go away? No, nevermind, that was rhetorical. So, 2 weeks later, I get a check for the balance of my subscription. This was nine months ago.

AND NOW, the kicker,

I'm still receiving the magazine.

[Swingman]

Naaaah, you're right in feeling that way, IMO ... and by sending the book back, you definitely keep them busy handling the results of their dubious marketing schemes. If everyone took the time to send the books back, they would soon quit.

That said, there is a recent "marketing scheme" that I DO like.

Got a CD in the mail from TurboTax. Stick it in the CD drive, access their website, pay for your desired version with a credit card and bingo, you've got a full fledged copy of TT, no fuss, no muss, no travel, no standing in line.

That, I like.

[Leon]

I agree with you. They went to the trouble to send it to you, if it is truly valuable and they want it back they can come and get it also. Imagine a local store delivering to you instead of to the correct address and wanting you to complete the delivery or go to the trouble to return their mistake.

It is Popular Woodworking's mistake in assuming that you wanted to buy the book. It is their responsibility to come and get it if they want it back.

[Leon]

This is a good idea and I have gotten those also but I always get the CD about 3 weeks after buying the copy from the store. They need to send them out first. Additionally I have found the store price to be cheaper.

[rhubbar164]

[Mike Patterson]

I have to wonder how many of these stories may actually be the result of some jerk filling out trial book club memberships in someone else's name, and not sleazy business practices.

Just a thought. Mike Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

[John]

I just call them up and tell that ANY unsolicited packages arriving by mail ARE considered as gifts. If THEY want it back, they can pay me for my time and effort, otherwise, Thank you very much for the nice FREE book

NRA did this with a video a while back, and other than the person I was talking to on the phone NOT really understanding what the big deal was, gave no hassles over this approach

John

[Mark and Kim Smith]

I think with the CD in the mail / online purchase, you get the state version for free. So it works out even / slightly better deal than walking into the store. IIRC, last year I got an email in conjunction with the CD, this year just the CD came in the mail. Been using TT for the last 5 years, don't know why I paid someone before that!

[WD]

Becareful with Intuit's TurboTax. Don't ever sign up for next year. It took me two years to get my name and credit card number off their mail list. Each time I called I end up in India and spending hours each time... Just DON'T do it if you understand me, it's just not worth it!

[steve.shanesy]

Otherwise,

there's this

[Maverick]

You could be very correct. The package had the names of Woodworkers Journal, Popular Woodworking and Fine Woodworking on it. As I only subscribe to Popular Woodworking, I doubt this would have come from any other source. But, if it did not come from your publication, please accept my sincere apology. But, I'm not going to keep the subscription anyhow. I just don't trust magazine folks anymore.

Maverick

[Leon]

Well no, Texas has not State Income Tax. I have been using TurboTax for about 15 years.

[steve.shanesy]

sincere

subscribers

[Vic Baron]

No, it's not sleazy at all. If you take the time to READ the "offer", they state that you do NOT have to return it, according to USPS law. You didn't order it so it's yours. They would LIKE you to return it but not required.

A very common marketing tactic. I get LOTS of free books that way .

But, in fairness to PW - it's all explained in their literature that came with the book - which is an OK book BTW.

HTH,

Vic

[Rob Mills]

[John Emmons]

What's a "ruder dunes"?

John Emmons

[Mark and Kim Smith]

Yeah, that might be a deal breaker. Must be nice! ( No wonder all them folks from California are moving to your state!)