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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think British Red Cross sending me coasters is a waste of money?

48 replies

SodaStreamy · 28/03/2013 13:08

Just received their latest direct mail asking for donations and the envelope contains a bookmark, two notelets, 2 plain white envelopes, 2 wooden coasters and a pen.

Surely this is a complete waste of money? Would anyone be influenced and make a decision to now donate when they previously didn't?

It goes nicely with the wooden poppy on a cross and other stuff they sent last year

OP posts:

AngelWreakinHavoc · 28/03/2013 13:10

I had the same coversation with my dp last week when we recieved ours.

Although the coasters are recycled cardboard surley it has cost a fair whack to have them made.

I just dont understand why they are spending donated money on such stuff.

My coasters went on the fire

CocacolaMum · 28/03/2013 13:10

YADNBU this along with TV advertising by charities really grates on me.

Awks · 28/03/2013 13:11

believe me it will be costsd to the nth degree and their response rates will be higher when they use bribes enclosures.

Original poster

SodaStreamy · 28/03/2013 13:14

How do they judge that Awks , are they sending some out with enclosures and some without to measure the difference in response rates because all mine have always had enclosures?

OP posts:

IShallWearMidnight · 28/03/2013 13:16

plus it's very likely they have funding specifically for this particular mailshot, and it's not coming out of your general donations pot.

I got some last year, they sit on my desk at work, but haven't made me donate anything to them. So not very effective sending them to me.

bonzoed · 28/03/2013 13:19

We received the same mailshot and sent in 20 pounds. I guess they need a minimum conversion rate.

Original poster

SodaStreamy · 28/03/2013 13:29

bonzoed, would you have ignored the appeal if it hadn't contained the enclosures?

OP posts:

Xmasbaby11 · 28/03/2013 13:30

We had the same .. send £5. I wouldn't keep them without sending money. We do give money to charity and I thought the coasters and cards were pretty - we will use them.

Awks · 28/03/2013 13:31

direct mail is a very scientific process believe it or not. It's all measured against whether you have given before, if so when and how much, if you are already on their database but havent given. Simply put they raise more money when they include a gift (plus they hope you keep the coasters on your table and this raises awareness) from when they dont.

they will segment their database (and if you arent on it, segment the lists they buy in that have your address etc) and they will send some segments gifts and some not. they might segment possible upgrades, lapsed, prospectives, renewals and may or may not send a gift to all or some of them depending on the likelihood of success.

What i'd be cross about though at being on the list where a coaster was felt to be something that would tempt you to give. I think they are generally the gifts for ahem our older donors

Awks · 28/03/2013 13:32

see above posters. It works! You feel obliged to reciprocate.

Original poster

SodaStreamy · 28/03/2013 13:49

So they have not only left me thinking they are wasting money they have insulted me too by implying I'm OLD

OP posts:

Original poster

SodaStreamy · 28/03/2013 13:53

@Xmasbaby re not wanting to keep them without giving anything, I feel that to but don't want to donate so they nearly went straight in the bin.

Seems daft to hand them into a charity shop, can't think of anyone who would want them either.

perhaps they should include an envelope to send them back in to save them being binned?

OP posts:

LayMizzRarb · 28/03/2013 13:55

At least the whole amount will go to the charity. Much better than 'just giving' website who charge a 5% transaction fee from each donation. The company made over £1 million profit last year.

Startail · 28/03/2013 14:00

YANBU they get a direct debit off us already. I don't need any more rubbish. Nor do I need them ringing up.

ArseAche · 28/03/2013 14:05

And you can't really use the cards, because everyone knows you got them for free really. Even if you did send a donation, you haven't chosen the card as such so people will think there is not alot of thought behind them!

Trills · 28/03/2013 14:24

YABU

The one sent to you may be a waste of money but they are a large organisation and they will have done an analysis of the likely return.

If the stuff they send out costs £2, but one person in every hundred chooses to donate £500 because of it, then they've made a profit of £300.

TheBigJessie · 28/03/2013 14:25

I got sent some Christmas cards, notelets, wrapping paper, and sticky labels a few years ago. I felt so guilty, that I donated ten pounds. But I did it anonymously, so they wouldn't know it had worked, and so wouldn't send me any more stuff!

bonzoed · 28/03/2013 14:35

The freebies didn't make me feel obliged. When they arrived I had literally just been watching a news item on Syrian refugees and I felt I wanted to contribute. I left it on the side and DH saw it and said he wanted to contribute too so he sent it in.

Sunnywithshowers · 28/03/2013 15:10

YANBU. I used to work in charity direct mail, and even I think it's a waste of sodding money. Using that many enclosures goes against good direct mail practice, whether or not the pack is profitable.

I don't feel obligated to give, just irked that I have to pick out all the damn enclosures before I could recycle the pack.

Awks · 28/03/2013 15:50

the use of enclosures in this way doesnt go against good practice guidelines though.

Though I agree with you about their overall use and don't use them myself

Sunnywithshowers · 28/03/2013 16:07

Awks my mistake, I was under the impression that the sheer number of enclosures was - my pack had a pen, two coasters and greetings cards.

I expect they'll make a mint from the pack, but I think it's poor marketing . Or perhaps I'm jealous I never had their budget to play with. :)

zlist · 28/03/2013 16:08

YANBU
I loathe this - I guess it must work for them overall though. We give to about ten charities by DD - not masses but £5-£20 a month each. In total it is what we can afford to give at the moment. Almost all of them have tried to guilt us into giving more and sent us a load of junk mail/items that we do not want. I contact them and make it clear that the only way I can be contacted is via email (some phone, which I find intrusive). It makes my blood boil when I get like this sent from a charity that I regularly donate to. I have stopped giving to at least two charities because they didn't respect that wish. If I give a one-off donation now I try to do it anonymously.

MansView · 28/03/2013 16:15

if anyone can send me a couple - means I'll have a full set, just it's my mums birthday soon

MyDarlingClementine · 28/03/2013 16:17

I made a donation to NSPCC but got so much crap through after my small donation I thought what is the point?

I did email and ask them not to send me more stuff and they still did.

ParadiseChick · 28/03/2013 16:34

mansview

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