The holidays are approaching, and that means catalog season on steroids. Every day, my mailman drops a stack of catalogs into my mailbox, and every day, I drop them into my recycling bin without ever opening them. And now, just in time to save my sanity, a new opt-out service called MailStop has launched.
Catalog Choice, the popular online service that enables you to opt out of unsolicited mail, has unveiled the new MailStop Envelope to help you stop junk mail for good — and for the good of the environment.
The MailStop Envelope simplifies the opt-out process for people who still want to keep certain catalogs coming, but don't have the time to wade through long lists online to opt out of unwanted mail.
For $6.95, Catalog Choice will send you a postage-paid MailStop Envelope. Every time you receive junk mail, simply tear off the mailing label and stuff it in the envelope. MailStop accepts up to 15 labels per envelope and once you mail it back, the company will scan the labels, fulfill the opt-out requests on your behalf, and record the transactions in your customer account. If your opt-out requests are not honored within 90 days, Catalog Choice will file complaints against the advertisers and submit them to the FTC.
MailStop will process opt-out requests for catalogs, coupon circulars, donation solicitations, credit card offers, phone books, and other junk mail. MailStop Mobile, an iPhone app offering even greater convenience, will be launching soon.
Read more: MailStop at Catalog Choice
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I just have a little hand written note on the inside (where the mail-person can see it) of my mail box that says "no junk mail please" and I haven't gotten a bit since.
eliciamelanie, i considered same thing, but while it keeps you from having to deal with the junk mail, it doesn't prevent the magazine being printed for you in the future.
And most mail carriers won't honor such a request. Mine refuses and says he has to deliver EVERY PIECE or risk getting fired. Why not stop that garbage from being printed in the first place?
After handing over 41 bucks to 41 Pounds, I am not crazy about these organizations. At least the one I paid is actively anti-waste, and they were great at reducing my junk mail *temporarily*. But then other companies get their sleezy hands on your info and it starts all over again. Better idea, and free: CALL the catalogue companies yourself. Harass them like they have harassed you. It worked for me. Also this mail should be opt-in. We should be able to sign up for a Do Not Mail registry just like the Do Not Call list. Did you know that now, if we get a sales call, the offendor can be fined $5,000 or even go to jail? Trust me, it's worth calling your representatives on this one.
Don't get me wrong - if you can afford it, I love the idea of stopping junk mail. But I worry that some of these companies are going to pop up everywhere and take advantage of people for something that should not be happening in the first place.
When we receive catalogs we pile them near the phone and then spend some time calling each company and asking to be removed from their mailing list, saying that we usually shop online and don't care for paper catalogs. It was time consuming the first year but now we get only a few catalogs, primarily during the holiday season.