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-   -   Junk Mail (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=17054)

xoxoxoBruce 04-17-2008 07:17 PM

Junk Mail
 
What do you do with junk mail? Stick it in the postage paid reply envelope and mail it back?
Here's how to go one better.
Quote:

You know those obnoxious "refinance your home" or credit card scams offers that you get in the mail? This is called direct marketing, where marketers use a reduced bulk postal rate to send entire forests of paper mail to you.

Plenty of people think its cute to put the postage-paid envelopes back into the mail as revenge. But really, that's a real pussy way of dealing with it. I decided to take it to the next level.

Find a shoebox, or a storage bin, or any cardboard box you have laying around. Fill it up with bricks, big blocks of iron, or maybe cement. Tape the box up with everyday packaging tape. Use a junkmail's postage-paid envelope and tape it neatly to the top cover of the box. NEATLY. And mail it off. Envelope revenge!

A few days later, your package shows up at the junk mailer's location, and they have to pay for every cent of delivery. Once the cost outweighs the benefit, they will stop sending out direct mail marketing material. And that is my goal.


xiphos 04-17-2008 07:39 PM

Hmmm... I'm getting an idea...

monster 04-17-2008 07:41 PM

If direct marketing via mail stops, will the prce of regular postage go up even more, though?

I'd prefer to mail them fish scraps and the like if I were to go to the effort of preparing a package.

xoxoxoBruce 04-17-2008 07:45 PM

That's illegal.

monster 04-17-2008 07:49 PM

and.....?

most envelopes don't have identifying codes on them :D

SteveDallas 04-17-2008 10:04 PM

It won't get delivered.

lumberjim 04-17-2008 11:49 PM

so, using an envelope as a label doesn't fly..... you could fill the envelope with a sheet of glass, or roof tile? or just rip it in half and chuck it in the recyle bin.

I have a po box, and my post office has 3 bins for that shit. i get a ton though. moslty catalogues and mortgage companies
New Day Mortgage mails shit to both of us weekly. wtf.

that's not to mention all the offers from GQ for me to pose on the cover. sheesh.

Undertoad 04-18-2008 06:50 AM

It's actually illegal to mail a brick or other large weighty item with a postage-prepaid mailer, and the target company is not charged the postage for it. In fact they don't even get it, it's treated as waste by the post office.

Source: The Straight Dope

I am happy to help you all comply with the law.

HungLikeJesus 04-18-2008 07:37 AM

But that was 1984. I'm surprised it's not been updated.

glatt 04-18-2008 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim (Post 446606)
so, using an envelope as a label doesn't fly..... you could fill the envelope with a sheet of glass, or roof tile?

I know of a roofer who used to save small scraps of lead flashing (thin sheet metal) to slip into those envelopes. They fit perfectly, and would add some heft.

xoxoxoBruce 04-18-2008 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas (Post 446592)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad (Post 446612)
It's actually illegal to mail a brick or other large weighty item with a postage-prepaid mailer, and the target company is not charged the postage for it. In fact they don't even get it, it's treated as waste by the post office.

Source: The Straight Dope

I am happy to help you all comply with the law.

But, but, but, it was on the intarweb.

monster 04-18-2008 10:51 PM

xob, you are suffering from anitsnopivitis. Take two lolcats and call me in the morning.

Undertoad 04-19-2008 06:46 AM

Sorry SD, didn't see yours before I posted mine! I suck!

xoxoxoBruce 04-19-2008 05:25 PM

Balderdash, you were just ganging up on me.:p

SteveDallas 04-19-2008 09:48 PM

Now, would we do that?


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