Some years ago my darling wife was in the mood to buy some household bling - you know, a picture a basket, a fancy candle - that sort of thing. I don't remember if it was over the phone or by an early internet purchase, but since then our life has changed.
Every year at this time our mailbox is stuffed to the flag with catalogs from similar companies that sell the same sort of trash. Over this past weekend the pile measured two inches high. There will be more today guaranteed. The usual rule of thumb is to give them a one second glance and put 'em in the recycling bin.
There are so many companies selling the exact same things! Most of the merchants we have never heard of before. Where did they get our names? It seems odd that a business would sell customer names and addresses to competitors. Why sell a customer name for a few cents only to potentially lose dollars of sales to others?
There are apparently different rules for the vendors that I deal with. When I buy the latest electronic frammis for myself, the only catalog that comes to me is from that particular store - and that will arrive a year later. Go figure.
So, in the words of Tom Lehrer: "God rest ye merry merchants may you make the Yuletide pay."
