Direct marketers and their customers usually enjoy mutually rewarding relationships. Occasionally, however, a darker side emerges:
Irritation:
Many people find the increasing number of hard-sell direct-marketing solicitations to be a nuisance.
They dislike direct-response TV commercials that are too loud, too long and too insistent. Especially, bothersome are dinnertime or late-night phone calls, poorly trained callers and computerized calls placed by an auto-dial recorded-message player.
Unfairness:
Some direct marketers take advantage of impulsive or less sophisticated buyers. TV shopping shows and infomercials may be the worst culprits.
They feature smooth-talking hosts, elaborately staged demonstrations, claims of drastic price reductions, “while they last” time limitations, and unexcelled ease of purchase to capture buyers who have low sales resistance.
Deception and fraud:
Some direct marketers’ design mailers and write copy intended to mislead buyers. They may exaggerate product size, performance claims, or the “retail price.” Political fundraisers sometimes use gimmicks such as “look-alike” envelopes that resemble official documents, simulated newspaper clippings, and fake honors and awards.
Some nonprofit organizations pretend to be conducting research surveys when they are actually asking leading questions to identify donors.
The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of complaints each year about fraudulent investment scams or phony charities. By the time the buyers realize they have been biked and alert the authorities, the thieves have fled to another location.
Invasion of privacy:
It seems that almost every time consumers order products by mail or telephone, enter a sweepstakes, apply for a credit card, or take out a magazine subscription, their names, addresses, and purchasing behavior may be added to several company databases.
Critics worry that marketers may know too much about consumer’s lives, and that they may use this knowledge to take unfair advantage. Should AT&T be allowed to sell marketers the names of consumers who frequently call catalog companies 800 numbers?
Is it right for credit bureaus to compile and sell lists of people who have recently applied for credit cards? Is it right for states to sell the names and addresses of driver’s license holders, along with height, weight, and gender information, allowing apparel retailers to target people with special clothing offers?
People in the direct-marketing industry are attempting to address these issues. They know that, left untended, such problems will lead to increasingly negative consumer attitudes, lower response rates, and calls for greater state and federal regulation.
In the final analysis, most direct marketers want the same thing that consumers want: honest and well-designed marketing offers targeted only to those consumers who appreciate hearing about the offer.
Irritation:
Many people find the increasing number of hard-sell direct-marketing solicitations to be a nuisance.
They dislike direct-response TV commercials that are too loud, too long and too insistent. Especially, bothersome are dinnertime or late-night phone calls, poorly trained callers and computerized calls placed by an auto-dial recorded-message player.
Unfairness:
Some direct marketers take advantage of impulsive or less sophisticated buyers. TV shopping shows and infomercials may be the worst culprits.
They feature smooth-talking hosts, elaborately staged demonstrations, claims of drastic price reductions, “while they last” time limitations, and unexcelled ease of purchase to capture buyers who have low sales resistance.
Deception and fraud:
Some direct marketers’ design mailers and write copy intended to mislead buyers. They may exaggerate product size, performance claims, or the “retail price.” Political fundraisers sometimes use gimmicks such as “look-alike” envelopes that resemble official documents, simulated newspaper clippings, and fake honors and awards.
Some nonprofit organizations pretend to be conducting research surveys when they are actually asking leading questions to identify donors.
The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of complaints each year about fraudulent investment scams or phony charities. By the time the buyers realize they have been biked and alert the authorities, the thieves have fled to another location.
Invasion of privacy:
It seems that almost every time consumers order products by mail or telephone, enter a sweepstakes, apply for a credit card, or take out a magazine subscription, their names, addresses, and purchasing behavior may be added to several company databases.
Critics worry that marketers may know too much about consumer’s lives, and that they may use this knowledge to take unfair advantage. Should AT&T be allowed to sell marketers the names of consumers who frequently call catalog companies 800 numbers?
Is it right for credit bureaus to compile and sell lists of people who have recently applied for credit cards? Is it right for states to sell the names and addresses of driver’s license holders, along with height, weight, and gender information, allowing apparel retailers to target people with special clothing offers?
People in the direct-marketing industry are attempting to address these issues. They know that, left untended, such problems will lead to increasingly negative consumer attitudes, lower response rates, and calls for greater state and federal regulation.
In the final analysis, most direct marketers want the same thing that consumers want: honest and well-designed marketing offers targeted only to those consumers who appreciate hearing about the offer.