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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to chuck out the Betterware booklet?

57 replies

Changebagsandgladrags · 26/04/2011 18:23

I have a NO JUNK MAIL notice on my letterbox so I get no junk mail - right? Nope I get the same amount as I did without it on.

Today one of them was the Betterware booklet. I know this is someone's livelihood but FFS I said no junk mail! Added to this, I told this very same person last time to stop delivering it.

I'm a grumpy old bag aren't I?

OP posts:
SmethwickBelle · 26/04/2011 22:19

I leave it out when I remember but I'm busy and distracted and it sometimes ends up in the bin. I never answer the door unless its someone I know or the postman so haven't ever had to explain myself. Yes I am antisocial.

BeerTricksPotter · 26/04/2011 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Goblinchild · 26/04/2011 22:24

I tried the warning note about not wanting it, and it worked for a while, but the turnover of reps is very high round here. I recycle them now.
I don't like having the catalogue flapping around on my doorstep for a couple of days, or having to remember which day they are coming.
I also hate the endless charity bags that come. Just how much stuff are they thinking I'm going to donate? I get around 3 a week.

noraa · 26/04/2011 22:29

Can't you add 'they will be binned' to your 'no junk mail' note on your door?

Goblinchild · 26/04/2011 22:31

But that's what it means surely? No junk mail or it will be dealt with severely.
What is it about No that is hard to understand?

yousankmybattleship · 26/04/2011 22:34

Blimey - you lot are harsh. It is only someone trying to make a few extra quid - probably because they have a young family or they are retired. Is it really such an imposition to have a booklet land on your doormat and have to put it back outside for them to collect?

Goblinchild · 26/04/2011 22:35

Yes, it's bad for my karma and bad for the planet and I don't want it.

yousankmybattleship · 26/04/2011 22:39

It is worse for the planet if you bin it. Put it back outside and they will pass it on to someone else. Can't help with the karma - you may have a point there!

MoonGirl1981 · 26/04/2011 22:42

I never got the Avon/Kleeneze door thing. Don't they have websites?

I have a 'No Junk Mail' sign which gets ignored and I can't just leave it littering the street. I stick them in my recycling box (lid blew away so it's easily seen) so they have the option of retrieving them.

Is not unreasonable to chuck it out. No different to Dominos leaflets and similar

RubberDuck · 26/04/2011 22:49

I found an old blog post of life as a catalogue distributor (as I say, I didn't stick it out long Grin)

"My shoulder aches. Catalogues are bloody heavy ? I can manage to carry about 25 at a time before my shoulder drops off and I have packed, delivered and collected about 130 catalogues this week. I did try a trolley-type thingy for one evening, but I felt such a prat (because carrying a logo-emblazoned bag is so much better for the self-image) that I stopped that.

I also have a very bruised and sore finger on my left hand where a letterbox bit me.

Some people have made the most pathetic excuses why they can?t return the catalogue (just tell me you?ve lost it ? that?s fine, just don?t waste 10 minutes of my time giving me an elaborate story about how your husband took it into work when he declares no knowledge).

The most depressing sound in the world is hearing snarling dogs ripping something up on the other side of the door just as you?ve dropped a catalogue through.

Out of 50 catalogues I have definitely lost around 3, another 15 are proving ?difficult? to reobtain. Some are looking decidedly tacky, although I have discovered that a quick swish over with a baby wipe gets rid of even the most stubborn coffee stain.

The 3-4 hour a week job took me around 8-10 hours all in, i.e. practically all my spare time. I?ve been left feeling absolutely drained most evenings and losing that precious ?me? time is impacting on the rest of the day too. For that I earned a grand total of eighteen pounds and twenty six pence. That?s before I replace the catalogues I?ve lost. Being a MacDonalds droid is suddenly appearing quite lucrative."

RubberDuck · 26/04/2011 22:51

And another (funnily enough the day before I quit)

"Some ignorant little prick decides to ball me out on the doorstep for daring to leave a catalogue through the door. Apparently I am meant to be psychic and automatically know which houses take delight in browsing through the contents of said catalogue and those which loathe the sight of them.

Apparently he has told other distributors not to distribute there ? great, but catalogue distribution doesn?t work like that I?m afraid ? we?re working blind (and for a pittance so give us a fucking break).

In addition, he thinks that the catalogue being posted through was an advert that he was away for a few days. What? He can?t do what every other person does who goes away on holiday ? ask a neighbour to look after his post? What?s he going to do with the mountains of free papers that are going to accumulate?! Why doesn?t he put up a sign saying ?no free papers, catalogues or salespeople? that some houses have ? I know not everyone honours them, but I always do.

Instead, it probably made his day to have someone lowlier than him to be obnoxious to. In case you?re wondering, I was unfailingly polite to his face and apologised profusely, crossing him off my delivery list. Mouthing off is what blogs are for.

Wanker.

Oh, and (different house now) Mr Slimy Creep I will NOT be going into your house while you search high and low for what you did with the catalogue. Thanks all the same.

The things we do for money. Or no money as the case may be."

northerngirl41 · 26/04/2011 23:08

I throw them out - I reckon it discourages people from this stupid custom as if they are losing money, they won't do it any more. Ditto charity bags, ditto leaflets, ditto buying anything over the phone or from junk email. Fair enough if I've ASKED for the information - but definitely not if it arrives without being requested.

annsmum · 26/04/2011 23:08

Bin it. I used to get it through my door all the time then they would chap the door and ask for it if I forgot to leave it out. I politely asked them to stop posting me a copy but they continued to do so until I just binned it. When they came knocking for it they were annoyed I'd chucked it out but finally stopped posting it.

maighdlin · 26/04/2011 23:54

I don't mind catalogues as they are just people trying to earn some money and do order occasionally but the amount of shite i get through my door is unreal. i get at least 4 menus through my door a day plus charity bags and other adverts. I have no problem with local workmen as they are just trying to earn some money, times are tough, but the rest of it pisses me off.

MadderHat · 27/04/2011 07:25

I had a cataloguer try to threaten me with the police for theft when we recycled her catalogue, after having put a note in the previous one. Given she posted it through my door, technically it's a gift (not exact terminology). The loss of catalogues is also a business expense she should have figured into her costs, and if she can't afford to lose them she shouldn't post them into strangers' houses. Apparently I should be psychic that the round changed hands between cataloguings. At the time I was getting about 4 catalogues of different sorts a week. (She was also swearing at me in front of her approx aged 4 daughter, and my 18month son and upsetting him, and rang the bell incessantly when I said I didn't have to put up with this, that she should leave my property and shut the door and went to do a nappy change, only leaving when I said I'd call the police on her for this behaviour.)

I put up a note, and that fixed it, but I dislike it on my door. I did ask on AIBU, but apparently IABU to not want to disfigure my door with a note, IABU to not want to leave ugly catalogues outside my house where they get wet despite the plastic bag and get blown around by the wind, IABU to not want to have them cluttering up my house for days and then have to remember to put them out on the required day and IABU to have recycled it because she had to pay for it. Maybe I just got people on a bad day.

YANBU to get rid of it. If you are in England and Wales, under the 1971 provision of goods and services act... if they demand payment they can be fined. My husband has wondered about the legalities of charging for storage of said catalogues.

Finallyspring · 27/04/2011 07:37

Why don't you all read rubberducks post ? There's no need to be snobby about these catalogues. Some people don't have other ways to earn money. Now you know the person loses money if you throw the catalogue away. Have some empathy and put it on the doorstep if you don't want to order.

Goblinchild · 27/04/2011 07:52

How is not wanting junk mail snobby?
How is being irritated by the rudeness and persistence of the catalogue deliverers snobby?
How is not wanting to be pressurised by the constant flow of inessential items for sale snobby?
'I'm trying to make an effin living here?' Aren't we all.

notgoingback · 27/04/2011 08:10

I had 2 Betterware reps round 5 times in two days demanding their catalogue back - then walked past house a number of times on the third day. I had never seen it but they didn't believe me. I really felt quite threatened by the guy, he would lean right in to the house and insisted that it had been put through the letterbox. Hopefully they won't bother again.

StealthyKissBeartrayal · 27/04/2011 08:20

Well I assume the blog is for an Argos-type catalogue - if you can barely manage 25 betterware catalogues then you're a wimp :o

OK so the blog proves it's not worth it for the deliverers. Few people seem to want them, so why does it go on?

I need a sticker for my door "No unsolicited mail, other than local leaflets" but I'm not sure if that would be clear. I love getting the leaflet from the local village hall, I don't mind getting ads from local businesses but I don't want the "To the occupier" junk

RubberDuck · 27/04/2011 08:30

Stealthy - I think you underestimate the weight of paper carried long distances in a crap bag. Especially when each catalogue has special extra inserts, sale catalogues etc easily doubling the weight of each one.

It goes on because you don't expect it to be quite that bad, because many people need flexible working around very idiosyncratic hours and like the idea of doing something that hasn't got a boss breathing down your neck every five minutes. It's certainly billed as something that doesn't need a huge time or money investment and the sales pitch implies much greater returns.

In my case, I'd also had (in the area I'd previously lived in) a great catalogue delivery guy who was always unfailingly nice, gave great customer service and seemed to really enjoy his job. It had seemed like a reasonable business to get into.

I'm not sure you can get rid of the "To the occupier" junk - Royal Mail are obliged by law to deliver anything that's addressed, even if it only says "to the occupier". You can ask them to stop delivering the non-addressed junk though if you hunt around on their website.

RubberDuck · 27/04/2011 08:36

And as for distributors getting nasty on the doorstep - that's where my sympathy ends. I did try to get my catalogues back, but I'd much rather a quick "sorry I recycled it" than a big long discussion and rigmarole. And getting angry with a potential customer or threatening to call the police would hardly have been good for business, let alone wasting police time!

Didn't stop some really nasty experiences from 'customers' though and there was quite a few times I felt threatened - and I only did it for a few weeks!

Lucyinthepie · 27/04/2011 09:24

Pyramid selling is illegal in the UK. Kleeneze isn't a pyramid scheme. In a pyramid the products would be sold down the line of recruitment, with each level adding to the cost. Then the person at the bottom has an expensive item they can't sell.
I leave the books on the doorstep with a note inside saying no more please. If it arrives again I do the same, because the agents change.

RubberDuck · 27/04/2011 09:40

No, you're quite right that it's not a pyramid scheme but you're wrong about the definition. A pyramid scheme doesn't have a product. They call it multi level marketing instead. Which does have a product, but is still pretty bad - just technically legal.

Difference between multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes

RubberDuck · 27/04/2011 09:42

(And you do make more money on each product the higher you are in the chain, btw)

Lucyinthepie · 27/04/2011 10:22

You get commission Rubberduck, the people up the line get paid a commisson based on the sales in their group. But everyone buys the product they sell at the same cost price.

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