I was reading something on here about mailing bricks to junk mailers and it was concluded that the post office would throw it out. What would happen if it were disguised, say as a box of papers? Would they look at you funny or question the contents just from having an envelope taped to a box of papers? I really want to send some stuff back to junk mailers, but I need to know what I can do before I do it.
I suspect that the return mail contract with the post office (referenced by the number in the “postage paid” notice replacing the stamp) doesn’t cover anything other than a standard letter-size item and allows the post office to discard any other type of mail rather than send it to the company.
I work with a lot of direct mailers, and I know that this has indeed succeeded in the past, but I cannot vouch for the past five years or so. I’ll check with our receiving and get back to you.
Lol yeah thats always an option… I wonder if they would still send it if the envelope was stuffed soo much it looked more like a ball XD. I need to find something small and heavy.
You’d better check that return envelope carefully. A few years ago, many folks were sending metal plates and other heavy items back in the return envelopes, costing the mailer a ton of money. Because of this, most “consumer-reply” envelopes now have a unique numerical identifier. If you send them something like that, they know from whom it came because of the unique identifier number, and I believe can come after you for costs incurred, at the very least (I could be a little off on some of the details).
Idk about numbers, i dont see any but theres stuff that looks like a barcode, though im not sure about it…
The front looks like this, with 3 sets of lines, one under the postage spot, some at the top, and that strip of stripes at the bottom:
On the other side it says
“Rev 3Q09, BA C1.4
U456d, O-4Q07”
Though i dont think any of this points to my location or anything like that.
Just toss the junk mail and forget about the revenge. It isn’t going to lessen the amount of junk mail you get. Your junk mail probably comes from innumerable sources, and they’re not going to contact each other and say “Hey, don’t send stuff to Stephen!”. Even if one company learns their lesson and vows never to send you another piece of junk, others will rise and take its place.
Contact the Direct Marketing Association’s Consumer Choice program at https://www.dmachoice.org. They’ll let you put your name on a Do Not Mail list and most of the major players in this business will honor your request. If you’re really serious, put your name on their Diseased, Do Not Mail list and I guarantee you won’t be getting any mail from them.
This is for DMA members, so the smaller shops won’t pay any attention. But, it’ll reduce your junk mail by a considerable amount.
By the way, if your mail is too heavy and it has a pre-paid postage envelope glued to it, the post office won’t take it. Anything over a pound has to be taken to the post office to be mailed.
Recall though that any item over 13 ounces can’t just be dropped in a post box: it must be presented to a USPS employee. I imagine this could lead to some awkward conversations. Thank the Unabomber.
I meant I can’t spell worth a crap and rely way too much on a spell checker. Yes, it is deceased. That’ll quickly remove you off of all the various marketing lists.
If you’re merely diseased, you’ll find yourself on new and rather more interesting lists.
In his article Cecil was surprised that anyone would want more junk mail.
Did you ever see the Dilbert cartoon where he brings home lots of heavy reports, files and so on from the office. They thinks he is working hard at home. Turns out he has a wood burning stove, and it keeps the fire going nicely.
I’m with Dilbert. I have an eco-briquette maker. You tear up a lot of junk mail newspapers overdue bills and soak them for a few days. Then you make them into a brick which burns pretty good after it dries.
I like junk mail, and the more I get the better my fire burns. The brick stops here
