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From: nstar!watcher@ndmath.math.nd.edu (watcher)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: SPRINT Appointment Book
Message-ID: <13126@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 7 Oct 90 10:33:35 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 719, Message 2 of 8


I got my Sprint Plus bill today. Inside, along with the usual issue of
SprintLine ("news and information" form of advertising), there is an
order form for a 1991 Appointment Book and/or Pocket Diary, handsomely
bound in faux leather, valued at $21.95/$12.95 respectively, available
for ONLY (emphasis theirs) $2.00 EACH plus $2.97 shipping and handling
(plus applicable sales tax on these amounts).

There is a place for me to give them my Mastercard/Visa/Discover
number and expiration date ... great ... I could use an appointment
book.  They'll even put my initials on it at no extra charge. The
problem? I DON'T HAVE A CREDIT CARD! So what am I supposed to do with
this wonderful LIMITED TIME offer that they have offered to me, their
esteemed customer? Probably not very much.

This seems like a rather useless direct-marketing program which reeks
of a scam to get more credit information on their customers.  My other
(smaller) concern is the wording "applicable sales tax on these
amounts". 'Applicable' is obviously (?) determined by the state I live
in. but 'these amounts' undoubtedly refers to BOTH (i.e. the sum total
of) the sales price and the shipping/handling. Can they charge sales
tax on shipping/handling?  I've never heard of this before.  Closer
examination of their offer shows that I can order as many additional
appointment books as I want, at the full price of $21.95/$12.95 (plus
$2.97 shipping/handling).  This whole thing is almost as sleazy as
most 900 numbers.


[Moderator's Note: I think you have a major misunderstanding of the
promotion. First, this promotion is being offered by several
organizations to their customers including American Express, various
VISA/MC agents, and others. It is not peculiar to Sprint. I've
received three identical offers (including Sprint's) in the past
month. The company which manufactures the diary (and fills ALL the
orders!) lets each seller refer to it as their own product. My diary
from First National Bank will look exactly like yours from Sprint. The
three ads I have received thus far, as bill inserts, all allowed
payment by credit card only, however what makes you think VISA would
need to get 'credit card information on its customers'? 

The form you read went out millions of times this month, and Sprint
stamped their name on a few hundred thousand, and will get a few cents
commission on each order going in which keys back to them. So what?
Finally, the tax on 'both amounts' refers to the original diary at the
introductory price and the additional diaries you order at the regular
price. It does *not* refer to tax on shipping and handling. This
promotion has been around for years. In the middle seventies at Amoco
they were offered by the 'Amoco Merchandise Center' in bill inserts
every October. If you don't have a credit card, that's your problem.
Your sense of sleaze is greatly misplaced, I think.  PAT]