 » Online Users: 26 | | 0 members and 26 guests | | No Members online | | Most users ever online was 180, 04-22-2008 at 12:18 AM. |  | | 
10-07-2008, 09:59 AM
|
#1 |
Name: Dan City: Asheville State: NC County: Buncombe Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 62 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.73 over 180 days |
Has anyone heard of the "Woodworkers Guild of America" (WWGOA.com)?
I received an unsolicited DVD from them yesterday in the mail. After reading the insert, it appears to be a revival of the old unsolicited record/tape scam. You get something in the mail and you have to return it via a mailer to decline the offer...if you don't you are AUTOMATICALLY entered into their DVD of the month club.
I don't know about anyone else, but I like to make my choices upfront, that is, if I want something I either subscribe to the deal or ask for a trial.
Sorry for the rant...but I just don't like being put in the position to do work to turn down something I never asked for in the first place.
Dan C.
__________________  -------------------------- And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.-- Abraham Lincoln |  
| | |
10-07-2008, 10:05 AM
|
#2 |
Name: Norm City: Ocala State: FL County: Marion Join Date: Feb 2007 Age: 59 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.11 over 180 days |
Yep, got mine it's going back. I share your feeling about unsolicited stuff. I did watch some of the DVD and it was well made, but nothing I couldn't pick up from a mag or this forum.
__________________
Norm
You only live once. If you do it right that’s all you need.
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 10:06 AM
|
#3 |
Name: Steve City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: May 2007 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.11 over 180 days |
I doubt they would have any legal right to collect money from you. I would just toss it and everything subsequent in the trash if I got something like that.
- Steve
__________________
- Steve | |
| | |
10-07-2008, 10:20 AM
|
#4 | | Moderator
Name: Mike Hall City: Indian Trail State: NC County: Union Join Date: Feb 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.69 over 180 days |
Maybe Doug can pipe in on this. I would think if you didn't ask for it and they keep sending DVD's then in my opinion they are gifts! 
__________________
Mike
__________________________________________
Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new. Og Mandino | |
| | |
10-07-2008, 10:25 AM
|
#5 |
Name: Andy City: Cary State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Mar 2008 Age: 50 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.03 over 180 days |
You have to be sure you didn't "ask" before just ignoring it. It could be fine print on a contest you entered or some other offer you did take advantage of. | |
| | |
10-07-2008, 10:48 AM
|
#6 | | Secretary
Moderator
Name: Doug Robinson City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Jul 2006 Age: 47 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.92 over 180 days |
Thanks for the vote of conficence Mike.  However, I am a patent lawyer not a general lawyer and I am only licensed in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Therefore I cannot give any advice as to the legality or repercussions in NC.  Sorry.
Doug
__________________
Doug
Undergoing yet ANOTHER shop reorganization!
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 10:55 AM
|
#7 |
Name: Keye City: Lancaster State: SC County: Lancaster Join Date: Mar 2007 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.64 over 180 days |
Might be they could hurt your credit rating someway. I think the comment about "fine print" is probably correct.
My opinion and 35 cents might get you a senior cup of coffee somewhere. | |
| | |
10-07-2008, 11:23 AM
|
#8 |
Name: Rick City: Cary State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Aug 2005 Age: 52 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.09 over 180 days |
I got one as well some time ago. Somewhere in all of there papers is a reference that you don't have to join, and could keep the DVD if you wished - but gave you a little dose of guilt if you did so. Wasn't worth my time to either view it or send it back. No repercussions, just a follow up letter pointing out they had sent the DVD, hadn't heard from me and wanted to give me another chance. Didn't even ask for the DVD back! Don't worry.
Besides - take a step back and consider that they got our names from some type of mailing list. The addresses on those lists could be inaccurate. I can't even imagine how fast a class action lawsuit would form if they started dinging every person from whom they never had a reply! 
...and that was the ONLY one I ever got!
__________________
I would be unstoppable -if only I could get started!
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 11:32 AM
|
#9 | | Senior Moderator
Name: Scott City: Cary State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Jul 2007 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.53 over 180 days |
I also rec'd one. As Rick said the letter stated you did not have to respond. They tried to put a guilt trip on you. My letter went into the trash. I kept the DVD.
__________________
Making Saw Dust With a Scroll Saw
Scott
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 11:34 AM
|
#10 |
Name: Geoff City: Lillington State: NC County: Harnett Join Date: Jan 2008 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 7.00 over 180 days |
I receive stuff from Bass Pro Shop all the time. Day planners, calenders, etc. I don't ask for them and I don't pay for them. I received a book from, I think, Woodworkers Journal. Same kind of deal, "we have sent this for your approval". I kept it and told them not to solicit me anymore.
Let them try to prove that you asked for it!! | |
| | |
10-07-2008, 11:41 AM
|
#11 |
Name: Brian City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Jun 2008 Age: 40 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.99 over 180 days |
I've gotten 2 similar promotions in the past 2 years or so. One was "Railroad Engine Coins" and the other was a Model train layout building DVD. I gave the large coin to my daughter to play with and it's presently in her piggy bank I believe. I think I got one "reminder" for that one which went in the trash and never got anything else from them. The DVD kept as well and never watched it, in fact i see it sitting on top of a pile of train magazines next to me in our "office" right now. They did send a couple of "reminders" with mailers trying to guilt me into sending it back if I wasn't joining. Then a letter a month for about 5 months that all went in the recycling. In the first paragraph of each insert it plainly said to consider them a free gift if I decided not to join as they couldn't demand payment for something I hadn't ordered. So I did just that and haven't heard a peep in probably 8 months or so! .gif "Drogar BigGrin(DBG)")
So keep it if you want, trash it, or donate it to a library after watching it! 
BTW, anyone remember those, I think 70's era, TV commercials from the USPS informing everyone that if they received something in the mail that they didn't order they could keep it. At the end it showed an Eskimo in front of an iglo in a blizzard opening a box with an oscillating fan in it!!! So I believe "postal" law is probably still on your side. 
Brian.
__________________
If there's a New way, I'll be the first in line.
BUT, it BETTER work this time. Dave Mustaine.  www.housecreekcreations.com
Games, Art, and More.
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 11:45 AM
|
#12 | | Asst. Webmaster
Name: Bas City: Cary State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Aug 2007 Age: 35 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.96 over 180 days |
IANAL (I Am Not A Lawyer). Nobody can 'force' a contract on you this way. Even if you signed up for something else ("May we send you a free sample DVD?"), unless the agreement clearly spelled out how and what. Yes, there could be some fine print somewhere. Judges don't like fine print. And companies generally don't want to take you to court either. What kind of damages can they claim, a few unsold DVDs?
When I get an offer like this, I usually call the company and tell them I'm not interested. And that I'd be happy to mail the DVD/ book/ magazine back but that I'll have to charge them $5.95 administrative fees. They usually tell me to keep it. If I'm bored, I'll complain that they should have told me up front that I didn't have to send it back, that they wasted my time because I had to make a phone call.  I even got a letter of apology for that once. Marketing and Customer Relations are always two separate departments....
Some WW magazine sent me a very nice book a couple of months ago. If I liked it, I could sign up and get additional books for $9.95. If I wasn't interested, please mail the book back. If that was a problem, I could keep the book, and I should ignore future bills being sent. Gotta love that one.
I kept the book BTW.
__________________
Bas.
I don't need it. I just want it.
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 12:00 PM
|
#13 |
Name: Jimmy Coull City: Clayton State: NC County: Johnston Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 49 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.34 over 180 days |
,....
__________________
Jimmy  "There are no strangers here, only friends that haven't met " I only buy what I need now, not what I want..... except for lumber ! Remember: Support your local Sawyers and Kiln Operators.
Last edited by Jon; 10-07-2008 at 04:06 PM.
| |
| | |
10-07-2008, 12:33 PM
|
#14 |
Name: Ray City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Dec 2007 Age: 70 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.38 over 180 days |
Like Bas, I'm not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV). I'm also apparently not even a woodworker/tool collector as I have not getten the DVD.
I do believe that I remember from back in the book/record of the month club days that the post office said at that time that you have no responsibility to return unsolicited materials received in the mail.
Of course, at my age how much do you trust my memory
Ray | |
| | |
10-07-2008, 08:01 PM
|
#15 |
Name: dick cunningham City: Apex State: NC County: Chatham Join Date: Jul 2006 Age: 68 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.11 over 180 days |
Any and all the crap I get in the mail I send back at their expence. I put on the front that I do not want and to take me off their list and right above the address I put "retuun to sender". Put it back in the mail and next day it is gone. Some I have told them if I get it again I will sue.
dick
__________________
Hold on tight to your dreams. "ELO"
| |
| | | |
| Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | |
|  | » Stats |
Members: 2,315
Threads: 17,273
Posts: 187,636
2nd Top Poster: jeff... (6,592)
| | Welcome to our newest member, kenger22 | |
.gif "Drogar Cry(DBG)")
