hmmm Betty, I must have missed that last line. There were free patterns it said were available for download, so I did - nothing that stirs me much, but what the heck, then I sent it back - didn't want them to keep sending me stuff.

I've been getting those quilty magazine "bills" too - very irritating.

ritzy wrote:

I realize I am responding to this several months after it was posted, Ritzy. When you receive those bills for magazines you haven't had in years, take a look at the sender. It is not the publisher, it's some company trying to make money off you. I've received those several times and their "subscription" amounts are always much more that you would pay from the magazine publisher. There is so much fraud out there, we must pay attention. DH and I regularly receive notices from publishers reminding us to not respond to offers that do not come from the magazine publisher. We have also received phone calls asking how we are enjoying our subscription to "whatever magazine they say". We know right away that it's a scam because it's always magazines we haven't taken for years. I just hang up and it's interesting ... they don't call back.

JoAnne in southern California

Betty D
Which company were you talking about F&P or McCalls.

Because the cost of producing DVDs have come down many companies feel it is an effective way to spread the word. That is why we get DVDs inside of plastic enclosed magazines packages. Sending out DVDs would be particularrly effective for F&P because they own such a wealth of shows. The thing is they should not expect money for it... it should be marked FREE GIFT AND THEY SHOULD TAKE A NO RESPONCE as a sign we are not interested.



I do like F&P magazine because I usually find interesting patterns that make a great jumping off for some of my projects. MC Calls is kind of iffy.... the patterns tend to be more fabric showcases and not something I have not seen or done before. B&G magazine I rarely trust ... they recycle their patterns and articles from one magazine to another. YOu are likely to see it in a recent issue then a year later inspecial releases such as SCRAP QUILTS then in American Favorite , etc. If you buy all of them you get rooked with old recycle material. I myself find very little that is new in the magazines. Besides I ran out of shelf space.


I also think many companies are facing a big $$$$$$ crunch since the economic downturn. I think there was a massive number of people who dropped their subscriptions. We quilters go on the Internet to find our patterns ideas and inspiration. We should be careful we quilters do not CUT OUR NOSES OFF TO SPITE ARE FACE. IF too many companies go out of business the internet portion of the magazines will also probably disappear or become a pay for view type industry.


These are my theories and I am sticking to it.
Lady Rags

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I received the DVD yesterday. The last line of their info states "Because you didn't ask for this special DVD, you don't have to participate or send it back and can consider it a free gift". Betty D in Delaware, OH

Maybe we should contact CUSTOMER SERVICE at F&P and McCalls and let them know what we think of their products.



.

I put everything I get and didn't ask for in the bin (trash can for all of you in the US). If I send it back it would still cost me in terms of time.

What I do like is a reduction in price if I subscribe for two or three years, rather than one.

I also received got one from McCalls. When I complained to them about their marketing scheme, they canceled my subscription (to the magazine!) and refunded my money.

I got the same type thing from McCalls Quilting a while back and didn't respond. Then I recently got a follow-up letter reminding me to send the DVD back if I didn't want it. I didn't ask for it, I'm not responding, and I'm not sending it back.

I didn't receive a DVD, but I do subscribe to their magazine. It's my understanding, too, that you can keep anything sent to you in the mail that you didn't order. It's not a good way to do business. I think most of the magazines are now owned by these huge corporations, but still keep the celebrity quilters names.

There were a few where I really needed to think about if I really owed them $$$ or not. So confusing. like quite a few people, I am letting a lot expire just because....
It's not just quilting. My Dh's biking and brewing magazines are also the same way.

ritzy wrote:
Me too. Aren't they tricky?!

In the last week I have received bills for magazines I have not had in years. I guess they figure we don't know what we have ordered and will just pay it. Same thing with renewal notices when you just renewed. No more!

Bluesbroad wrote:

Brita, that was what I was thinking... How can they bill me when I never requested it?

I don't want to get in the zillion bills thing tho either. There is an 800 number I can call. I'll do that on a day I have the gumption!

Joyce

I got one in the mail, too, and I must say that it really irritated me. Their magazine has always been one of my favorites and is the only subscription I kept for a long time (until Alex and Ricky's magazine). But this method of marketing irritates me so much that I may not renew my subscription. I returned the DVD without watching it.