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AIBU?

To boycott any charity sending out unsolicited Christmas card packs

62 replies

DyslexicScientist · 22/11/2015 08:07

I seem to be getting one almost everyday at the moment. What a waste of paper and three of the companies doing it I have supported for many years (British legion, Isis and shelter).

I just hate waste and worry that my money has gone into this waste rather than something useful.

OP posts:
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DyslexicScientist · 22/11/2015 08:08

Crisis!

OP posts:
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Sirzy · 22/11/2015 08:13

That was an unfortunate typo Grin

I have never been sent Christmas card packs by a charity but yes that would frustrate me. Although I assume they feel it is worth the outlay for what they will get back.

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notquitehuman · 22/11/2015 08:20

I get regular envelopes full of shit from the Red Cross. Notebooks, pens, cards etc. There's no way to return it to sender, and it annoys me that money has been spent sending me junk rather than on people who really need it. Puts me right off donating to them.

However, I suppose they must make a lot of money from people feeling guilty enough to donate. So maybe it is a good business model.

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arethereanyleftatall · 22/11/2015 08:23

Yabu.
I find it strange when grown ups don't understand this.
It's called marketing.
They will get more back in revenue than it cost them.
That's why they do it.

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coffeetasteslikeshit · 22/11/2015 08:25

This annoys the shit out of me too. I can't remember which one it was but it had horrible cheap coasters in which went straight in the bin (I would have recycled them but doubt even the charity shop would have wanted them). The next day another pack arrived addressed to DH this time. I hate the waste.

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DyslexicScientist · 22/11/2015 08:26

Thanks for being patronizing. I'm talking about a boycott.

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SquareStarfish · 22/11/2015 08:29

That typo has me proper chuckling Grin

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PetShopGirl · 22/11/2015 08:33

Me too! My first proper LOL in ages. Thank you, OP Smile

On a more constructive note, I agree with you it is annoying. Perhaps a shame to boycott if you otherwise appreciate what these charities do though. Maybe you could write to them to say you feel this way and that it makes you consider withdrawing your support? They might be able to offer a justification that satisfies you.

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Oysterbabe · 22/11/2015 08:34

LMAO @ the Isis Christmas card packs. Grin

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Samcro · 22/11/2015 08:37

i usually hate this stuff, but so glad I got one the other day , I had to wrap a christmas present yesterday and had no labels so use one of thr freebies

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kerbs · 22/11/2015 08:43

It works with my DH, his charity coaster is on the coffee table right now and he loves random pens, in fact he loves crappy stuff in general.

So if you want to know why they do it, blame people like him.

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NoArmaniNoPunani · 22/11/2015 08:44

YANBU. I've stopped giving money to the Red Cross because of the amount of useless crap they send me.

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coffeetasteslikeshit · 22/11/2015 08:52

Kerb, shall I just send your DH my packs then, it'd keep us both happy Grin

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Whoknewitcouldbeso · 22/11/2015 08:55

I chuckled too. Apparently they have trillions in the bank do they don't need any charitable donations currently. I've heard their membership is pretty high though! Confused

I quite like getting the coasters each year as we use them Blush

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OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 22/11/2015 08:56

Why are you moaning about free stuff?!

DS stole the coasters for his bedside table and I love me a free pen.

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saraht84 · 22/11/2015 08:57

When they're sent as junk mail each postie has around 600 to deliver in a week. I'm guessing not many people receive them and make a donation, possibly older generations do. Household contracts line that aren't cheap (the thicker the envelope, the higher the cost to the company) so I've always thought it was pretty counterintuitive.
Plus I bloody hate delivering them.

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StrawberryTeaLeaf · 22/11/2015 08:59

Yabu.
I find it strange when grown ups don't understand this.
It's called marketing.
They will get more back in revenue than it cost them.
That's why they do it.

It's donors money that they are spending on this 'speculate to accumulate' merry-go-round, though.

Besides, waste is still waste, whether the financial cost is covered or not.

If one is looking at it from a purely Marketing perspective, the brand IS cheapened by becoming known as 'the envelope full of unsolicited gubbins' charity, just as it is by becoming known as a 'chugger chasing £2 direct debits' charity.

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coffeetasteslikeshit · 22/11/2015 09:05

Ok, well I'm going to have to give the coasters to a charity shop now that I know people like and use them.

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gingerdad · 22/11/2015 09:18

I tend to send anything with a free post envelope back.

I avoid supporting any large charity with paid staff. They are big businesses.

I only buy cards from a couple of local charities that 100% of the profit goes to them not 1 or 2 p

So YANBU

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arethereanyleftatall · 22/11/2015 09:18

Strawberry, if I donate £5 to a charity, and they choose to spend that £5 on marketing which they know will result in £30 for the charity, that's fine with me.

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StrawberryTeaLeaf · 22/11/2015 09:21

But it's not fine with everyone. Pointless to tell us all that we're thick for not 'getting it'. It's a PR issue; A matter of perception.

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StrawberryTeaLeaf · 22/11/2015 09:22

But it's not fine with everyone. Pointless to tell us all that we're thick for not 'getting it'. It's a PR issue; A matter of perception.

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Tangfastics · 22/11/2015 09:23

YABU

I'm not a fan either but I do find it faintly ridiculous that some people base their charitable giving decisions on a few recycled paper coasters and a 1p pen.

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StrawberryTeaLeaf · 22/11/2015 09:23

(And not 'just' perception, in fact; Opinion)

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arethereanyleftatall · 22/11/2015 09:24

But it should be fine with everyone. Because it makes more money for the charity. Which is a good thing, isn't it?

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