A new twist on mailing back the return envelopes from unsolicited credit offers

[ZenBeam]

t-bonham@scc.net, you are mistaken. From the Customer Support Ruling on Business Reply Mail Cards, Envelopes, and Labels, (bolding mine)

The Postal Service is unable to assure that a Business Reply Mail piece will only be used in a manner and for the purpose intended by the distributor; this is a risk assumed by the distributor. If the piece receives postal handling, the legal rate of postage and appropriate fee should be collected for the service given the piece upon delivery to the distributor. The fact that a returned BRM envelope may be empty or a BRM card may not have been completed has no bearing on the distributor’s obligation to pay postage and fees on all returned BRM pieces.

They won’t charge the BRM customer if you try to mail bricks or packages, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

[Hometownboy]

For a couple of years now 20 years ago, I tried insurance sales (a long, slow way to go broke if you start out undercaptialized). I faithfully hand-addressed mailers to people in the phone book and the company would mail them.

i got a few nasty replies, but the best was the anonymous person who emptied their hole punch into the business reply envelope. When I opened that one up, small punched holes went EVERYWHERE. It took forever to clean up.

Not that I’d suggest anything like that…

[guizot]

@WhyNot

Is this a woosh?

Of course you can opt out of pre-screened credit card offers.

You can also get off of major direct advertising lists. I don’t think this will stop your local bar owner from mailing you a flyer about his hot wings special on Tuesday, but it will stop the big guys.

I had no idea. Thanks for the info.

And how much are the hot wings going for on Tuesday?

[mhendo]

@t-bonham@scc.net

Basically, yes.

When a company pays into its Advance Deposit Account at their local Post Office, they can claim credit for “Improper use of Business Reply Mail”. I believe there is the usual disclaimer on the bottom of that receipt ‘By signing this form, I certify that the information herein is accurate …’.

Are you deliberately giving incorrect information in this thread, or are you just hoping that your obvious ignorance about the matter won’t be noticed?

Either way, you should probably stop.

[UltraVires]

@Freddy the Pig

What is the company supposed to do, collect the empty envelopes, take them back to the Post Office, and say, “These were empty when we opened them–cross our hearts and hope to die!”?

No, according to Postal Regulations, they must also complete the statement with “…stick a needle in our eyes” for the credit to be applicable…

[11811]

I got a credit card app from Wal-Mart. I wrote “Wal-Mart sucks major amounts of huge stinky ass” on the blank part, tore out my personal info, and mailed it on in. Yeah, I’m immature. But it was Wal-Mart.

[R.P.McMurphy]

Last year I knew I was going to be away from home for over 7 weeks. I couldn’t stand to think of the volume of junk mail that would be awaiting me upon my return. It would have literally been over 7 feet tall.

I started to call every catalog company to ask to be removed from their mailing list. I did the same for any NGO that was mailing me. I called over 80 companies and organizations. I put myself on the list of the credit bureaus to not be solicited. I contacted the Direct Marketing Institute to put myself on their “do not solicit list”.

While my junk mail hasn’t entirely dried up it is much, much less. The impact has been dramatic. Yes, the process is a PITA but I found it was worth it. Take the time and do it. If you don’t have an unlimited LD call plan, call their 800 numbers.