Friday, December 7, 2012

I Want Out of Modern Marketing

Sears credit card accused me of being late on two months payment when I paid off the card. They got payment of the almost the whole balance a day after the due date. That left a small balance – and I thought I had a zero balance. They charged me late fees for both months. I protested. They fixed it and ended up giving me money back.

I tried to close the account, but it was such a hassle I just decided to let it go. But I haven’t shopped at either Sears or Kmart since, and I don’t intend to. It’s the only way I can protest what I see as unjust financial policies that only benefit the company, never the consumer.

Somehow, and I confess I don’t remember how, I ended up in a situation where I had to sign up for a trial copy of Cooks magazine in order to get something I wanted on the web. I was already subscribing to one of the publications, but thought, what the heck, a one copy trial, no big deal. Ever since then I’ve been getting demands for payment for a year’s subscription. Today I got the third notice. Probably going to turn me over to a collection agency next.

I’m tired of companies assuming that I’m a patsy. I’m tired of companies assuming that I will pay bills I haven’t made for products I don’t want. I’m tired of companies making it difficult for me to close accounts, drop out, drop them off my screens – both mental and computer.

I want out of modern marketing!