Oxmoore and cookbooks

[JanetB]

Just wondering if anyone else had rec'd a cookbook they didn't order from Oxmoore? I have ordered from them in the past - but I don't want or need the yearly cooking light cookbook! They say "Preview" for 30 days - and you can send it back!
This always annoys me - then I get to pay for the shipping! They don't mention it on the packaging - but after some searching on the web - I found that under customer service- they will send you the postage to mail it back! Thought I would share the info!

[Jewel]

Janet, we had a whole topic devoted to Oxmoor a few weeks back! Quite a few customers were not satisfied with the service. I am one that received a Weight Watchers cookbook when I ordered a CL book, and I ended up paying for shipping AND getting into quite a snit when the Invoicing Department kept sending me past due notices on something I didn't order and sent back! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/mad.gif

You should never have received the Annual if you didn't order it. Towards the end of the year you get a notice saying it's available for that 30 day preview thing, but I've never heard of anyone getting the book without sending that little notice back. Of course, that's just me! I actually sent them a letter saying that I would never again accept any mail from Oxmoor House if I hadn't ordered something. Since I've vowed never to order from them again, I guess that means I'm never going to accept any mail! I'll get my Annuals from alternate sources.

Is there a Cookbook Black Market? I'm becoming a junkie... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif

[kwormann]

FYI

If you ever get a package like that that you know you didn't order, if you can get past your curiosity and not open the box, just send it back "return to sender". They will do that IF its not opened.

Kim

[ellielk]

You can also just write REFUSED on the package - unopened, of course.

[Karen from VA]

I really resent intrusions. If I received a book, or anything else, in the mail that I was ABSOLUTELY sure I did not order--or allowed them to send, I would just keep it and consider it a gift. But then, I'm the scrooge that is always tempted, when I begin looking at a magazine,to tear out all those postage free post cards and mail them back to the addressee (without filling them out). I also hang up on telemarketers. Other than that, I'm a very sweet person--really! BTW, Oxmoor finally quit sending me their "special" offers.

Karen

[Laura B]

I have gotten two books from Oxmoor that I did NOT order. Of course, I kept them because I am a sucker. It was the CL Complete and the 2001 Annual. When I sent payment for the last one, I wrote on the bill that I do not want to receive any more unsolicited books. Hope that stops the problem. If not, I will reject any future shipments if I haven't ordered. What a hassle!

[funnybone]

If you read "the fine print" on those order cards, it tells you that they will send you future books as well. That is what stops me from ordering in the first place. Truthfully, I have seen the books for less at amazon.com (not sure if I should be saying this or not).

[SusanD]

We received a CL cookbook from Oxmoor last year - the weirdest thing was that it came addressed to my husband, but my CL subscription is in MY name! So we can't figure out how he got on their list. Unfortunately he opened the package, so I had to stand in line at the post office & pay to ship it back. I was not happy! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/mad.gif

[heeter]

I, too, have gotten these books without ordering them. I've opened them, perused them and put them pack in their package and taped it up and wrote "return to sender" on the package. I've never had a problem with the post office or Oxmoor house!

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by funnybone:
Truthfully, I have seen the books for less at amazon.com (not sure if I should be saying this or not).


funnybone - Absolutely you should share this info! Many subscribers may not realize that you can order them from places other than Oxmoor House. Not only can you get them for less elsewhere, but you don't have to worry about getting future mailings.

I really wish that places would stop using Oxmoor House. As informed consumers, it is up to us to read the fine print and choose not to order, but when a deal sounds good and you're in a rush, even the most careful consumer can get caught by these tactics! Oxmoor House also makes it more difficult to contact them by not providing a phone number - only email and written address.

These are just cheap attempts to stick customers with products they don't really want and I wish reputable magazines like Cooking Light and Martha Stewart would leave Oxmoor House.

[catharine]

Just wanted to put in my two cents. Did you know that if you receive a package in the mail that you did not order, legally it is yours and you are not liable for payment?

Of course, from what funnybone says, technically you have authoized this shipment (by crossing out the portion of the card) - So then you would be liable. [The tricky buggers!]

Just a law student's point of view.

[SusanT]

You can e-mail CL to take you off the mailing list. I own the Complete Cooking Light only because I never got around to sending the darn thing back!

[Jewel]

Regarding the sending it back marked 'Refused' thing, I tried that. We discussed this before on another thread, but because I was expecting a CL book, I did open the package. When I noticed a Weight Watchers book inside, I taped it up and went into the post office, fully prepared to pay to send it back. When I told Post Office Lady what had happened, she wrote 'refused' on it and tossed it in her 'out' pile and gave me a smile. Said not to worry about it, it would get back to them! They sent it back to me saying that it had been opened, and I was unable to 'refuse' it that way. Had to take it back to the PO again and pay for shipping. Learned the hard way!

I was also one that didn't know that I could buy CL books anywhere else until just a month or so ago. I was paying $35 each through Oxmoor because the books are published BY them, and I read that they were the 'exclusive' distributor of the books. Once I found out I'd been missing them at Costco and Amazon I felt so stupid! Never again will I deal with that company. I really hope the powers that be at CL think twice about renewing the contracts! Granted, they put out a doozy of a book, but I think we can do without the 'hard sell' tactics and the underhanded way of distributing their product. Bottom line, if I want it, I'll order it. If I wanted an automatic shipment, I'd join Columbia House Music Club. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif