Approvals - Stamp Co. Sent Me Stamps That I Didn't Order!

I requested a FREE catalogue from this company- Kenmore. They sent me the catalogue and several small glasine envelopes of stamps--saying"if you decide to keep these it will only cost you $7." I did not want the stamps--just the catalogue. The sad part about it is I had to fork out postage to send back these stamps that I did not ask for! Ticks me off!

Gussyboy1
Besides--all their stuff is sky high! Sorry if there are Kenmore lovers out there, but I'm not one of them.

In my experience if a company sends me something I didn't order without telling me about it first, it belongs to me. I keep unsolicited stamps sent to me on approval. I don't pay for them, and I don't pay for stamps to send letters. Some people don't feel comfortable doing that, but I do, because I don't play the unsolicited approval game. If I want stamps on approval I initiate contact with the seller and ask for them.

Gussy, keep em...you are under no obligation..i doubt they will even ask for them back..especially if there is no postpaid envelope included !!

Yeh gussy those stamps were sent on approval and most companys that send free stuff usually a a catch that's why I'm always skeptical about sending away for free stuff now. I do deal with one company that sends me approvals but I let them know how much I want to spend and how often I want them and they have been pretty good so far.

Dianne

Well, you're all right, but I already sent them back with a big "NO" written across their form. All I sent off for was their catalogue. Next time I'll keep their stamps.


Thanks for your inout guys and gals!
Gussyboy1

At one time it was OK to send unsolicited approvals so long as a postage paid return envelope (SASE) was provided. Then somewhere around the 1980's, I'd guess, the laws on things sent through the mail unsolicited changed (U.S.) saying that if you didn't ask for it, it was yours. That's why I believe that companies that include stamps with their catalogs don't even supply the SASE any more.

From a business standpoint, these companies know what they are doing. The stamps have a high mark-up; you have their catalog and if you are going to do business with them, you will at least return the stamps. Whether you buy them, return them, or keep them, you will qualify (or disqualify) yourself as a customer, and whether or not you stay on their mailing list for future catalogs.

I had the same experience, I thought that if I approved the sending of stamps they would send them. Would I be able to keep them even if the catalog form said we will also send some stamps on approval?



Jser

If the form said they will send stamps on approval, you did agree to them sending the stamps so you cannot keep them. It sounds that in gussy's case, she just requested a catalog and they included the approvals without prior notice.

Hello......

If you request them you are obligated to buy all or any portion of them or return them.

If they just send you something without your prior knowledge you are under no obligation to do anything.

I'll echo what some of the others are saying. The law says that you are under no obligation to return or pay for the stamps. They know that and also know that if only two or three people out of ten pay the $7 for their 50 cent approvals they still come out ahead.

You might want to think about the prospects of doing business with a company that takes this approach to retailing.