off the list

a practical guide to getting off (mailing lists)

off the list header image 1

A Christmas Miracle

December 11th, 2009 · No Comments

Guess what truly terrific present I just received from Taylor Gifts!

gift_guesses-copy.jpg

Nope.  Something even better. [Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Bad guys · Catalog Overkill · Follow-up · General Frustration · Success Story

Out of Retirement

November 3rd, 2009 · No Comments

daddy_comehome.jpg

Not for personal glory.  Not for vast riches.  And hopefully, not for long.

But after 6 joyous months of As Seen On TV™ silence, Taylor Gifts once again favored me with 72 full-color pages of worthless crap.

O cruel wind — why does thou blow anew?

[Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Bad guys · Catalog Overkill · Follow-up

One L (L Bean) of a problem

October 29th, 2008 · No Comments

 bean.jpg

My mother sent us a gift from LL Bean and — you guessed it — her kind gesture put us back on their mailing list.

Thanks, Mom.

[Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Bad guys · Catalog Overkill · Emotional Spyware · General Frustration · Tips

Taylor Made for Insanity

October 27th, 2008 · 2 Comments

 taylor.jpg

To paraphrase Al Pacino in Godfather III:  Just when I thought I was out, Taylor Gifts sends me another @#!% catalog.

[Read more →]

→ 2 CommentsTags: Bad guys · Catalog Overkill · General Frustration · Name Serializer

A Holiday Gift for You

October 22nd, 2008 · 1 Comment

 present.jpg

Do something nice for yourself this year — stop all those stupid holiday catalogs with CatalogChoice.org.

[Read more →]

→ 1 CommentTags: Follow-up · General Frustration · Good guys

One Year Today!

June 6th, 2008 · No Comments

birthday.jpg

Loose the trumpets! Sound the confetti! Off The List is 1 year’s old.

How’s it feel?

As empty as my mailbox.

[Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Follow-up

Sick Junk Mail

April 29th, 2008 · No Comments

brokers1.jpg

To long waits and huge expenses, add the insult of junk mail to your list of injuries if you need to visit the Emergency Room.

[Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Hostage Marketing

An Offer You Can Refuse (maybe)

April 15th, 2008 · No Comments

brokers.jpg

Quick quiz: after the apolcalypse, which creatures will still scurry about the wasteland?

A) Cockroaches; B) Real Estate Agents; C) Mortgage Brokers; D) All of the above

Based on the amount of mailings I’m still receiving — despite the sub-prime mortgage meltdown — I’m betting D.

[Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Bad guys · General Frustration

(un)American Express

April 7th, 2008 · No Comments

open.jpg

After receiving my 4th piece of direct mail from American Express OPEN for Business in 5 days, I have no other choice.

I have declared war on American Express.

[Read more →]

→ No CommentsTags: Follow-up · General Frustration · Hostage Marketing · Name Serializer

The Smart Money’s on me?

March 25th, 2008 · No Comments

smartmoney.jpg

Credit market in crisis. Stock market tanking. Consumer confidence in the toilet.

So who does Smart Money feature? Yours truly, of course.

Now, let’s just see how much crap I get for this — in the mail, I mean.

→ No CommentsTags: Good guys · Success Story