Fons & Porter DVD scam, sort of

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Nann 15 years ago

Months ago I got a DVD from Fons and Porter. It has quilt patterns, I guess (I never watched it). Since then I have gotten several notices from the F&P people (not Marianne and Liz personally ) asking, "Did you get it? If you like it, send us $12.95." I have ignored the notices.

Today I got another letter. "I am writing to confirm that you received the DVD that was sent to you a few months ago.....we are not sure if you received it because several of the reminders mailed to you regarding the DVD have gone unanswered.....If you have decided to keep it and participate in the collection, please send your payment along with your reply form. Because you didn't order it, you don't have to participate or send it back and you can consider it a free gift....If you do not wish to participate and wish to return the DVD, you can simply return the DVD (at our expense) using the postage-paid return envelope you received with your DVD. You may keep, recycle, or discard the plastic case....Regardless of the decision, we would appreciate a response from you soon....please call us at....or email us at...."

Now, REALLY. What a ploy! No, there is no obligation to pay for or return an unsolicited item. Of course I no longer have the return envelope. If they get it back what are they going to do with it? (Pitch it, I am sure. They're not going to mail it out to another sucker--er, potential customer.) I am not interested in "previewing the newest selections in the collection at the regular subscriber price plus shipping and handling." And I sure as heck am not going to contact them to say, "Yes, I received it....nyah, nyah, nyah, I ain't returning it." Nor will I contact them to point out that it would be cheaper if they'd offer the patterns as pay-per-digital downloads.

Nann ....feeling no guilt (about this at any rate) in snowy northeasternmost Illinois

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Polly Esther 15 years ago

OUCH! That hurts. I've enjoyed and benefitted from Fons & Porter magazines and patterns for years. How terrible that they've had a marketing cuckoo invade their territory. Mr Esther's cherished quilt "Noel" is a F & P; so is the Hunter's Star on its way to the hospital in Germany. What can we do? Polly

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Taria 15 years ago

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Rita L. in MA 15 years ago

My husband got something similar from a Bass Fishing magazine or something a couple of years ago. After the second "reminder", I sent them a thank you note (still had the original return envelope) for the gift they had sent. Never heard from them again.

Rita

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Susan Laity Price 15 years ago

I believe the Fons and Porter magazine was sold to a conglomerate a few years ago although Marianne and Liz still have control of the magazine content. Someone please verify this information.

I received a similar DVD from some company (can't remember who) at least six months ago and likewise didn't even open the package. They continued to send me notices for several months which I also ignored. Can't remember if I sent back one of their no postage response cards or if they just gave up trying to charge me but I no longer receive anything from them.

Acti>Months ago I got a DVD from Fons and Porter. It has quilt patterns, I

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Sunny 15 years ago

Same story here. Exactly. I don't subscribe to F&P -- never have. This came out of the blue and I checked it out, decided it wasn't worth paying for, and tossed it. End of story so far as I was concerned. I hope that organization learns from what had to be a total flop.

Sunny

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ME-Judy 15 years ago

Same here! ...except I returned the card/envelope with the "No Thanks" box checked. ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT on these things. DH once ordered a book, and after it arrived and was paid for, we got a notice that, (in TINY print) we'd continue to receive the books as they were published UNLESS we returned the notice with the "no thanks" box checked.... These companies must be trying to make money off of people by "sliding by" instead of offering good buying habits. Just my 2 cents vent! ME-Judy

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Alice in PA 15 years ago

I received that too. BUT, I watched it, passed it around to my friends, and then tossed it. I sent the "order form" back marked "NOT INTERESTED" in their postage-paid envelope. I've never heard another word!

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Sherry 15 years ago

I got one too, and I didn't find it particularly useful either. I'm sure I'll never look at it again. I did intend to send it back, but the way things have been going around here, Lord knows where it is. They'll just have to put me on their deadbeat list I guess. Maybe that's a good thing.

Sherry

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Fons & Porter DVD scam, sort of

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