Halloween...

Well, it's either early or late, depending upon how you look at it. Late because these pics are over 20 years old and because I feel like I should have finished this album months ago - or early because I made this layout with materials from a kit I put together for my scrapbook club and am months early on finishing my project for October's kit.

I am cheating a little by posting it, but here's what I figure: I like to be inspired by what I see and improve upon it. Plus, I never scraplift anything exactly. Plus, isn't the point of the club to get ideas from each other. Alright, alright, that's just a justification. I felt like posting to my blog and this is what I wanted to post most as it's my most recent project.

How to Annoy Your Customers

This is a lesson brought to you by Creating Keepsakes and Scrapbooks etc.

So how does a desperate company irritate its few remaining customers? Well, Creating Keepsakes (who filed for a reorg about a year ago due to financial difficulty) has decided the following would be a cute scam to pull over on their mailing list: Send out unsolicited DVDs charging those who do not mail them back $7.00 and enroll them in a club to get more for $7 a pop. I was appalled. I mean, really? Really? This is how you want to treat your mailing list and client base? Tragic.



While, Creating Keepsakes tactic is obnoxious and offensive, Scrapbooks etc.'s merely reeks of desperation. It's as if the executives sat around and said, "Hey, we need money. I have a brilliant idea. Let's send out renewal slips to those customers who have just received their second issue in a year long subscription." And another says, "Yes! That's a great idea!" And really, it isn't. I opened the thing and started thinking, "Oh, man. Did they mess up somewhere and think my subscription is ending soon?" Nope. It shows near my mailing address (highlighted in yellow) that, indeed, my subscription runs through to April of 2011. So why am I receiving a renewal notice telling me my subscription "is now up for renewal" in June of 2010? SO annoying.



Alright, rant over. Back to scrapping. So much more pleasant than opening the mail.

P.S. I just had to add that I love that Scrapbooks etc. thinks my name is Marlene. Awesome.