Concerned about catalogs?
Have you been doing some online holiday shopping recently? I have. Just last weekend I sat in front of the computer with my sons’ Christmas lists and started shopping. Walkie-talkies, monster trucks, and a chess set — my kids will be pleased. And since I was feeling generous, I also bought myself a subscription to a new gourmet cooking magazine.
This is not only the time of year when we pull out our credit cards and spread holiday cheer, but it’s also the time when many of us tend to spread our name and address around…and around. That toy company I just purchased walkie-talkies from, they have my name and address now. And that cooking magazine I just subscribed to, well they have my name and address too. I’ve just been listed, again. Both the toy company and the magazine publisher are going to rent or sell their list to others and then suddenly I will start to get catalogs in the mail from all kinds of companies — trying to sell me more toys, kitchen utensils and dried fruit.
The best way to avoid the catalog deluge is to make one simple request each time you buy something — whether online or by phone or in the store. Tell the company not to send you any of their catalogs AND not to rent, sell, or trade my name and address.
And remember, if you’re a 41pounds.org customer, anytime you get a catalog in the mail that you don’t want, simply contact 41pounds.org and tell them to get you off that company’s list.
~ Margie
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i completely agree with these tips to deal with this problem. as a 41 pounds customer i have cut my catalogs received down to almost 0, but as someone who likes to order products online instead of heading to the mall, i have to keep ahead of the catalog curve.
i have had great luck lately with heading to the homepage of the site directly after receiving my package (or after i receive a catalog from a company) and via their privacy policy i have been able to get an email to the right department and get my name removed before they have a chance to rent or sell it. i contacted 3 companies yesterday (the only 3 catalogs i have received in 09) and got responses from 2 of the 3 before the end of the day saying i had been removed.
thank you so much, 41 pounds, for educating me and everyone else on how to deal with the horrible resource eating problem that is junk mail.
best,
kristi
Hello! Because of a genetic problem, I’ve had 15 spine surgeries plus about 10 other types the past 30 years. You can imagine the pile of junk mail I receive each week. Catalogs were my salvation as early on there WAS no ” world-wide web!” Once the 90’s came, I began to use a computer but companies from which I ordered still didn’t have websites! So the “paper chase ” grew! We live in an area where there is no recycling unless one wishes to drive TWENTY miles (one way) to do it. Both my spouse and I had spine surgeries the past year and are still in physical therapy!
Two weeks ago, I “had it” as far as catalogs which came and began to call the various companies to have them “cease and desist.” While some companies made it fairly easy to do cancel, others were impossible with one company putting me through 5 “non person”menus, and two “real people” to cancel (The company was Dell.)! I spent a day getting 13 catalogs removed from my mailing list and gave up to “recharge my batteries.” I was SO grateful to hear about a better way to delete all those catalogs and also give something to a non-profit. Today I made out my list to have rescinded. Then, after a 2 week hiatus, I took the catalogs I had NOT rescinded yet, weighed them, and they weighed EIGHT pounds! So, I’m
“in league” with the artist, who made a “statement” about all her junk mail she received! Believe me, it’s a great thing to get this “monkey off my back” and save trees, do something worthwhile for a non-profit and have the peace of mind that I’m not putting all of those articles in landfill. What a GREAT organization! My hat goes off to them!