Guns & Ammo Magazine: Reaching A New Low To Get Subscribers

[Clipper]

Maybe '1911s, Black Rifles & Ammo' have alienated enough subscribers with their narrow coverage, they're hurting for new subscribers enough to go along with this kind of marketing scam...I swear, doggone near every gun rag I see is nothing but 1911 this and black rifle that. I know I'm sick of it and don't buy 'em anymore...

 

[Aguila Blanca]

A while back they had a Showtime "free preview" weekend, which I knew nothing about. Til I got the bill next month for the Showtime package! I called and told them I didn't ORDER those channels! They CLAIMED that you had to call and "opt out" after the free preview weekend...

Some days I think marketing people actually sit around and THINK of ways to tick people off. There oughta be a Dilbert character or something (if there isn't already) - like "Possum-bert, evil marketing director!"

A lot of companies use the "opt out" approach, but this is the first time I've heard of anyone trying to make it stick without your having done anything to "opt in" up front.

The usual ploy is to send an offer for a "free" trial of [fill in the blank]. They make it sound too good to be true. Then you read the fine print and find that if you want to NOT continue to receive ___ after the free trial period, you have to notify them to cancel. I ALWAYS throw those in the trash. If they want to send me a free sample to try, fine ... send me a free sample and I'll be happy to try it. If I like it, I'll buy it. I won't take their terms, though, because they are counting on the fact that 95% of the people who sign up for the free trial won't remember to cancel after the trial period, even if they don't want to keep receiving the ___. It's nothing more or less than a trap.

 

[aka108]

Took it for a couple of years. Just one big advertising magazine. Never learned anything from it except that if you had last years fad gun you really needed to dump it for this years fad gun.

 

[Shotgunner60]

Kinda sucks but some non profits are the same.. I annually pledge to special olympics. I usually get about four bills for the same pledge after I've paid it. Seems like a waste of postage to me. But some people must keep sending in money. I'd love to help more but once a year is enough for me. R

 

[g56]

These companies usually aren't connected to the publishers or editors of the magazines, they are scam artists, just throw that junk away.

I get these things from time to time, half the time it's for magazines I don't even subscribe to, and never have had a subscription.

These things are almost always a scam, unscrupulous companies buy subscription lists, often from third parties, they send out these things wanting you to renew at an exorbitant price, often 2 or 3 times the normal subscription price, if you are sucker enough to send them the money, you might, or might not get your subscription renewed, some will just keep the money.

 

[M110]

Those marketing people are certified nuts! You should see some of the crap they want us to fit in a envelope, or wrap in plastic. * shakes head *


Yep, I work in a letter shop. I'm a mechanic that sets up, fixes, and maintains those evil machines that stuff all that crap into envelopes, wrap in plastic, self mailers ect ect...




*Runs and hides*

 

[GRB]

It's quite obvious that this "Magazine Subscription Invoice" is nothing more than a deceptive marketing ploy to net unsuspecting subscribers.

Is it obvious? I have known of some folks who send in subscriptions in others people's names to be a pain in the butt. Very childish, very poor tatse, but people do it.