CL-related, but not about food

[L.Rose]

Thank you, Sneezles. I think that is *so* annoying! I don't want to discontinue my subscription to the magazine, but I really think stunts like this are comparable to an invasion of privacy. So I'm going to have to weigh how much I like the magazine vs. how mad I actually am (my subscription doesn't actually run out until next February, so I'll have ample time for introspection, heh heh).

[lindrusso]

L.Rose,

You are not alone. There have been many discussions about Oxmoor House on this board - if you'd like to see us rant and rave, just click on search and enter "oxmoor". You'll see that you are not alone.

Chances are that they are sending you these books because you ordered the Complete book. When you order from them, there is often tiny writing somewhere telling you that you will receive future cookbooks to preview.

I will not order from them again because of these practices. Perhaps if we'd all write a letter to CL complaining, they'd stop using Oxmoor. One of those things I always mean to do, but never get around to.

[L.Rose]

Based on crazycook's post, I did a search on the US Postal Service site and found this:

***
Unsolicited Merchandise

Federal law prohibits the shipment of unordered merchandise. Such a practice may constitute an unfair trade practice. Merchandise mailed in violation of United States Code may be treated as a gift by the recipient without any obligation to the sender. The laws governing this practice are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. If you believe that you have received unordered merchandise in violation of federal law, contact the Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection at:

Bureau of Consumer Protection
Federal Trade Commission
Washington DC 20580-0001
***

If we all decided to keep our unsolicited books without paying, that would certainly stop the practice faster than any letters would! Unfortunately, there is some ambiguity to the above language; for example, I'm wondering if the "tiny writing" Linda mentioned absolves Oxmoor House of unfair trade practice charges.

Linda, are you saying that Oxmoor House has nothing to do with CL magazine (in other words, I won't have to give up my subscription to boycott Oxmoor)?

[clairea]

Originally posted by L.Rose:

If we all decided to keep our unsolicited books without paying, that would certainly stop the practice faster than any letters would! Unfortunately, there is some ambiguity to the above language; for example, I'm wondering if the "tiny writing" Linda mentioned absolves Oxmoor House of unfair trade practice charges.

I'm pretty sure this is the catch -- by ordering previous books from Oxmoor, you have "agreed" to receive additional books. Also, the letters they send tell you that if you do not want to receive the book you have to notify them, so, by not notifying them you have "agreed" to receive that specific book." Ergo, the book is not "unsolicited."

I agree this is not a great business practice, but I would think twice before keeping any books. If you do not open the box, you can simply write "refused" on it and put it back in the mail so you don't have to make a trip to the post office or pay shipping.

[NydiaC]

I just received my unsolicited copy in the mail as well. Oxmore House does this with many of the books they publish, not just CL. I have received Leisure Arts books, among other arts and crafts books, from them unsolicited. Last year they actually called me to find out if I wanted to preview a book rather than just sending it. (I can't remember which book it was.) When I complained that I'd have to pay postage to return the book if I didn't like it, they gave me a phone number to call to get a return postage label. I still have that number at home. If anyone wants it, I'll be happy to post it later today. I also found out from the post office that you can return the book without having to pay postage if the book has not been opened. Knowing that, what I did this time was to open the bill to see if it was a book I already had. When I discovered that it was, I just taped the bill back onto the unopened box. I haven't been to the post office yet to return it, so I'm not 100% sure if it'll work, but if it doesn't, I'll just call to get a return mail label. I'll try to do this tomorrow and let ya'll know what happens.

Although this practice of sending unsolicited books does not please me, I personally wouldn't punish the magazine for what Oxmore House is doing. I don't think that the magazine has anything to do with it, I'm not sure, though. Why don't we ask them?

[Wendy w]

The same thing happened to me last week. I just wrote "refused" on it and sent it on its merry way. I gather that it was the CL 2001-which I had bought back in January at Costco for a much better price.

I had written a feisty email about an incident (I was charged for a "free gift") and had received a response from them the day after I received the unsolicited book letting me know that the matter was resolved.

I only had to make 2 requests and when I had to make a 2nd one, I used large letters and said attn: supervisor. I got results with that and was told to allow another billing cycle and then I won't be charged.

Since I finally had their attention, I seized the moment to let them know that I did not appreciate this. They contacted me and let me know that it will not happen again.

There are so many other sources where CL books can be purchased so much more reasonably and without a hassle. "Free gift", big deal.

Btw: Nydia, I just put the book outside in my mailbox and it was taken as I was not about to waste my time going to the post office.

[This message has been edited by Wendy w (edited 04-16-2001).]

[lindrusso]

L. Rose - I'm not sure how CL and Oxmoor work together. However, I do know that you can CL cookbooks at regular bookstores and often at places like Sam's Club. So, in effect, you can boycott Oxmoor without having to boycott CL. But, if you really feel strongly about CL not using Oxmoor as their main publishing house, then boycotting CL would be a way to get that message across. Personally, I'd rather keep my subscription and first complain in writing to CL to give them a chance to respond. I know that Martha Stewart also uses Oxmoor - I got a "surprise" book from her as well! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/mad.gif

[heidibowman]

NydiaC,

I tried returning an unopened package once, but I had already opened the bill. The post office returned it as an opened package and requested postage. You're better off just contacting Oxmoor House for the return postage.

Come to think of it, last July when I had ordered the Complete CL Cookbook, I received a second copy a few weeks later. I just figured they'd accidentally sent another copy. Hmmm...wonder if it was an unsolicited copy? They were very obliging to sending return postage, however.

Originally posted by NydiaC:
I just received my unsolicited copy in the mail as well. Oxmore House does this with many of the books they publish, not just CL. I have received Leisure Arts books, among other arts and crafts books, from them unsolicited. Last year they actually called me to find out if I wanted to preview a book rather than just sending it. (I can't remember which book it was.) When I complained that I'd have to pay postage to return the book if I didn't like it, they gave me a phone number to call to get a return postage label. I still have that number at home. If anyone wants it, I'll be happy to post it later today. I also found out from the post office that you can return the book without having to pay postage if the book has not been opened. Knowing that, what I did this time was to open the bill to see if it was a book I already had. When I discovered that it was, I just taped the bill back onto the unopened box. I haven't been to the post office yet to return it, so I'm not 100% sure if it'll work, but if it doesn't, I'll just call to get a return mail label. I'll try to do this tomorrow and let ya'll know what happens.

Although this practice of sending unsolicited books does not please me, I personally wouldn't punish the magazine for what Oxmore House is doing. I don't think that the magazine has anything to do with it, I'm not sure, though. Why don't we ask them?

[NydiaC]

Thanks, Heidi. I guess I'll just save some time and trouble and call them and ask for the postage.

[L.Rose]

Over the weekend, I received a copy of the CL Annual Recipes 2001 edition in the mail, complete with a bill-- all fine and good if I had actually ordered it, but I never came close to even initiating that process. Oxmoor House (CL's book publishing unit?) sent it to me.

I'm annoyed that I now have to take time out of my schedule to go to the post office and return this book that I never ordered in the first place, especially if this indicates the beginning of a trend. I did receive an offer for Annual Recipes a month ago that I just threw away without reading closely-- if there was something about how the book would be automatically be sent to me unless I indicated that I wasn't interested, that is one more setup I don't appreciate.

I want to write Oxmoor House a nasty letter about their exploiting the information I've given them in the past (in addition to a CL magazine subscription, I also bought the Complete CL through them) in such a disingenuous manner, and resolving to do no future business with them; however, I'm wondering if it was an honest mistake. Has something similar happened to anyone else through Oxmoor House? (I seem to recall posts here and there of people saying that they'd received CL books in the mail without having ordered them, though the person had been meaning to order the book anyway.) If I'm the only one, I will take into serious consideration that it was just an innocent oversight....

Thanks!

[sneezles]

L.Rose
You're not the Lone Ranger! I rec'd an unsolicited copy last week and I had already purchased mine at Sam's for a whole lot less! Since I hadn't ordered any books I just refused it.

[crazycook]

Check with your local postoffice re: unsolicited mail. If I'm not wrong you may be entitled to keep the book free of charge. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif You should not have to be responsible for paying for return postage to send the book back. Good Luck!

[Trish K]

CHS53
I, too, received an unsolicited copy of the book. Since I hadn't ordered anything from Oxmoor and didn't know what it was, I carefully opened just the bill envelope to find out what was in the box. I reinserted the bill, taped the envelope shut, wrote "Unordered item. Return to sender" on the box, and took it to the post office. There I found I had to pay the return postage because I had opened the envelope. The clerk said that one must open nothing and write "Refused" on the package, then the P.O. will return it at no cost to the recipient. I paid the fee to send it back and, needless to say, I, too, was quite unhappy with Oxmoor House's shabby tactic.

[Mbart]

Hmmmm...I'm just wondering, I received a bill to tenew my subscription in the mail today, and it stated that if I do so, I will get a copy of "The Best of Cooking Light: Make It Ahead" free. Is this the same trick? I was planning on doing this, but I don't want to be hooked into receiving unsolicited books. What do you think?

[Laura B]

Mbart, no that is not the same thing. CL is just trying to get rid of all those copies of the Make Ahead magazine. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif It was a special addition CL magazine. I renewed with that same offer (except my offer was for the Best of Cooking Light 1 - they must have run out because I was sent Make Ahead instead which I had already bought - I was very sad not to get the other issue because I missed out on when it was on sale). Anyway, this is a long way of telling you that that offer is not the same as the Oxmoor house situation.

[JanetB]

If you go to the oxmoor website and e-mail them re: the return postage - they give you a link to print out a mailing label. (I have to send mine back tomorrow.) I also asked that they stop sending me books that I do not order. They have acknowledged my e-mail - - but we will see where I land.

I think they make a lot of funds from folks that are just way too busy.

[Susan]

Just wanted to thank you all for making me aware of this situation with Oxmoor House. When the postal carrier knocked at my door today with a POSTAGE DUE (!) package from them that I had not ordered, I savvily refused it! Thank you all for saving me a lot of trouble. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

~~Susan~~

[This message has been edited by Susan (edited 05-02-2001).]

[Tiger]

Does anyone remember that comercial years ago with the man receiving a fan at the North Pole? It stated if you didn't order it consider it a gift.
You can't be tricked into buying a book. Eather you ordered it or you didn't. And if you didn't you just got a gift!

[Laura B]

Actually Tiger, it isn't that easy with Oxmoor House. You only get the books you didn't order if you have somehow gotten on their list by buying something in the past or agreeing to preview books, etc. The fine print states that you agree to preview future books. So, technically all of us having this problem "authorized" it even if we did not realize that we did. It is sneaky and frustrating and I will NEVER buy from Oxmoor House again. But, unfortunately, I would not treat it as a gift. Refuse them before opening, return them, or just pay for them if you want the books. THEN call Oxmoor House and make them take you off the list of people who receive preview books. When I sent the payment for the last book I "didn't order" I wrote on the statement that I did not wish to receive more books. Hopefully that will do the trick!

[jms0310]

The same thing happened to me. I ordered one or two books and then kept getting more! All of them were CL and they are actually great cookbooks but finally I realized it would never stop so I wrote them a letter and emailed them to tell them not to send any more. I haven't recieved anything since so the letter & email must have worked!
Jessica