I was rather disappointed today when the mail came. I recieved a "Tip and Techniques" DVD from Bassmaster University without me requesting it and I either keep it and they automatically charge me for $12.95 or return the disc in a pre-paid postage envelope and they won't charge me. I feel this is a pretty inappropriate way to get members to buy their merchandise and it actually makes me want to cancel my membership with them if this contiues. Has this happened to anyone else and does it get worse?

It has happened to me yet. It's pretty sad how desperate some companies are now getting  :-/

They were doing that with the daily planners.  I refused to send it back and marked cancelled, I didn't order on the bill they'd send.  They eventually quit sending them to me.

Haven't been a member of BASS for about 3 years now and don't miss it.

I'm pretty sure there are laws that state in effect, "If you did not order it, you don't have to pay for it and it is up to you what you do with it."  They might learn someting if you keep it and do not pay for it.  When they complain or get nasty, report them to the BBB and threaten to take them to court.

I know, big PITA for a small dollar amount but think how many times this works for them and how much money they make with the sorry way of business.

X2!

If sent via U.S Postal Service it is clearly written - You didn't ask you don't pay!

Direct from the U.S Postal Inspector's website:

Quote

Receipt of Unsolicited Merchandise

A company sends you a gift in the mail--a ball point pen, a key chain, a tie. But you didn't order it. What do you do? If you are the type of person this company is looking for, you may feel guilty about accepting the item without paying for it. Don't feel guilty! It's yours, and you are under no obligation to pay anything.

You, the consumer, may only legally be sent two types of merchandise through the mail without your consent or agreement:

* Free samples which are clearly and conspicuously marked as such.

* Merchandise mailed by a charitable organization that is soliciting contributions.

And in these two cases, you can consider the merchandise a gift if you wish. In all other situations, it is illegal to send merchandise to someone, unless that person has previously ordered or requested it.

These rules are codified in Title 39, United States Code, Section 3009. That section of the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 incorporates these protections for American consumers and makes the mailing of unordered merchandise unfair methods of competition and unfair trade practices under the law.

If you do not wish to pay for unsolicited merchandise or make a donation to a charity sending such an item, you may do one of three things (in each case, by law, you have no obligation to the sender):

* If you have not opened the package, you may mark it "Return to Sender," and the Postal Service will return it with no additional postage charged to you.

* If you open the package and don't like what you find, you may throw it away.

* If you open the package and like what you find, you may keep it for free. In this instance, "finders-keepers" applies unconditionally.

Furthermore, it is illegal for a company that sends you unordered merchandise to follow the mailing with a bill or dunning communication.

EDIT - Missed the bolded sentence in the quote from the site which is probably the most important .

ya they did it to me, i just kept it considering i didnt order it.. whatever, anyways it is sad how desperate companies are getting.

Maybe someone can enlighten me. What does being a member of B.A.S.S. actually do for you? you get a sticker, and????? Whats the point? What exactly do you pay for? Do you get free lures once a year? Are there any benefits?

The reason I became a member is for the magazine subscription and the tournament eligibility.

By becoming a member of both the national and regional B.A.S.S. chapters Triton is gonna give me some free clothes and $500. Well worth it as far as I am concerned. But other than that... I am not so sure about any other benefits.

Oh, and I got neither a sticker nor a free lure. But I got these really cool looking membership cards... that it took them three months to get to me (I needed them for the deal with Triton).

A lot of organizations do this mail first - pay later gimmick. Many of the hunting orgs do this as well and it is annoying but I have purchased a few books this way. The ones that get me, and this happened through BASS, was when I recieved a bill for a DVD I did not order nor one that I recieved. We got into a back and forth p***ing contest over it and I am no longer a member.

Once in California I had one hunting org threaten my credit rating over books I never recieved but was billed for. Once I sent them a letter stating that I forwarded their threat to the state attorney general and to the post master general they relented and that was the end of that.

I got tired of it several years ago and called the circulation department about it. The lady was very nice, told me to keep it as a gift, and I have not received any other promotion item like it since.

I got caught up with Buckmasters pulling this same stuff.  I got a random phone call with a guy asking if I would be interested in joining Buckmasters.  I told him no thanks but they sent me the magazine subscription anyway.  A month later when I never paid for it, they called twice a day for a week threatening to send me to collections.  I told them my lawyer would be contacting them shortly and they dropped it.