Unethical Direct Marketing Practices

C
Posted By
cr8tivguy
Nov 9, 2005
Views
535
Replies
3
Status
Closed
Here’s my recent experience with Element K Journals. I would love to hear from others who may be experiencing the same problems. I just submitted this to their feedback section on their web site. I AM STEAMING MAD!

First, I want to let you know that your aggressive, misleading direct mail campaigns have spoiled any chance of me ever using your publications again. I received on the average 10 soliciations a week from you AFTER I had re-subscribed for 2006. This went on for several weeks. I was receiving invoices for renewals; past-due renewals AND "Last chance to Sign Up for 2005 rates" communications. I called on August 8 (I believe this was the date)to cancel my 2006 subscription and to be removed from your mailing list. I explained that I was turned off by the amount of advertising I received. The customer service rep said he would take care of this for me.

Then on October 31, I got a call from a collection person! I explained what had happened earlier and he explained I needed to fill out an Account Research Form which he faxed to me. I filled it out and sent it back at 9:27 am on 10/31.

Today, I received a call from a lady who said I had a past due account and asked what credit card I was going to use to pay for it. I explained my situation and the history of what had happened and she informed me that I needed to cancel the subscription within 30 days in order to not be held accountable for the bill. I told her she needed to do more research and that I wasn’t going to pay the bill.

Is this the type of business you are running these days? I am terribly upset about how this whole business interaction has taken place and am strongly wondering about your company’s ethical practices. This is THE WORST MARKETING SCAM I’VE EVER SEEN!

I sit on several advertising, marketing and design associations and plan on sharing my experience with EVERYONE who will listen.

I am disgusted with this type of guerrilla salesmenship and direct marketing. In fact, I have half a notion to report you to the Direct Marketing Association.

I would be happy to discuss this with anyone who can resolve this situation. I will not talk to another collection telemarketer, or their supervisor. I will also not entertain any more conversations with customer support people.
Sincerly,

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Joseph Meehan
Nov 9, 2005
cr8tivguy wrote:
Here’s my recent experience with Element K Journals. I would love to hear from others who may be experiencing the same problems. I just submitted this to their feedback section on their web site. I AM STEAMING MAD!

Well since it appears your message has nothing to do with the subject of this newsgroup, I would have to question the accuracy of your report if you can’t even find proper newsgroups to post your complaint.


Joseph Meehan

Dia duit
L
longuriata
Nov 9, 2005
asswipe
M
mudpod
Nov 13, 2005
On 9-Nov-2005, "cr8tivguy" wrote:

Here’s my recent experience with Element K Journals. I would love to hear from others who may be experiencing the same problems. I just submitted this to their feedback section on their web site. I AM STEAMING MAD!

The rest snipped for brevity.

Before I start, I think that reply by "Joseph Meehan," may very well be from the group within Adobe that you speak of and that I will also speak of.

If you wish to get more background on my issue, it can be found above on the 19th of October about registering.

I too had a problem with this same group. While trying to resolve my own situation on the phone (unsuccessfully), I couldn’t help but notice that there was a real time struggle going on between the customer service people (including the manager) and this dirty little profit center that infests Adobe, i.e., those who provide after market training materials, videos, journals and etc. My take on the situation is that they are a seperate division of Adobe with their own VP and a history of adding to Adobe’s bottom line while requiring very little assets to perform. They are protecting their turf like pit bulls. I think this group is rogue and out of step with the generally friendly and helpful people in the other areas of the company. Everyone knows that good customer service can build sales but when customer service cannot even get cooperation from other parts of the company, unhappy customers are created. One group cares and one group could care less. I think someone at Adobe needs to be reassigned.

And Meehan, I could care less about your opinion of whether my post is on topic or not.

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