Viking Direct Spam

Michael Collins

I think I've probably made 2 orders from them ever, yet they insist on sending me literally hundred of magazines. It's extremely irratating, half them have my name printed on the top just to really annoy me! Apart from the nuisance of having to get rid of them every week - it's such a waste of paper, some of them are around 500 pages.

Is there anyway I can stop them sending these? There's no option on their website to opt-out of it as far as I can see. At least with email there are laws on spam, is there nothing similar for snail mail?

Thanks...

Karoma

Ring them (1890 818 130) or use their LiveChat facility and tell them to stop?

Michael Collins

I have sent them an email requesting them to stop. I'll see what happens with that. I'm just wondering if there's any consumer law stopping them from sending unsolicited mail?

Karoma

It was 'solicited'...
Yes; there are laws. Section 2(7) of the Data Protection Act provides for this. However, your first step is to write to the company and tell them it's unwanted. They must reply and confirm that your details have been removed, within 40 days.
I reckon VikingDirect will be okay to deal with as their livelihood depends on it.

Michael Collins

Good stuff. Thanks, hopefully this will work with other places too.

I never asked them to send the catalogues, nor did they ask me. That's unsoliticed no?

parsi

You're in a customer relationship with them and they are legally entitled to send you catalogues. However you are also legally entitled to write to them and ask them to stop.

Michael Collins

Good to know, thanks.

dahamsta

I wouldn't mind getting just the quarterly ones but the number of smaller ones they send is ridiculous, and I'd guess you have to cancel some or all. On a green level, the amount of paper they generate that I'd imagine gets tossed straight in the bin by most people is just crazy.

adam

killbillvol2

I phoned them and asked them to stop. They stopped. Not exactly rocket science.

Hagar

parsi wrote: »

You're in a customer relationship with them and they are legally entitled to send you catalogues.

Horseshyte, utter, utter horseshyte. I've spent a small fortune in my local Chinese, does that that give them them the right to fill my postbox with unwanted rubbish? No it doesn't. Viking Direct have no legal right to spam you with their catalogues. Mark them as "unknown at this address" and give them back to the postman/drop the in the nearest postbox. It will cost them money. They will catch on soon enough.

eth0_

arrrggghhh take away menu's, my pet peeve...literally every day we get them through the door! Thankfully the green bin is right outside the door so they go straight in there.

ejmaztec

I stopped using Viking a couple of years ago, when I realised that it was cheaper to use local suppliers. The locals don't give your postman a hernia every two days by getting him to deliver a wad of catalogues and pamphlets. I'm all for competition, but I don't think that Viking provides any. e.g. Their prices for office equipment are sky-high compared with anyone else. :mad:

parsi

Hagar wrote: »

Horseshyte, utter, utter horseshyte.......Viking Direct have no legal right to spam you with their catalogues. .

As I said they have a right to send marketing rubbish and the recipient has the right to ask them to stop. The offence is caused if the marketer refuses to stop (which is the common problem) after being asked.

See http://www.dataprotection.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/guidance/unwanted_marketing_consumer_guide.htm&CatID=18&m=r

To save you the hassle here's the relevant bit:

"If you do not want to receive direct marketing, you have a right to notify the sender that you object to receiving such material. This request must be made in writing and an organisation that fails to respect your stated preference shall be in contravention of the Acts. If you continue to receive marketing after you have objected, you can Make a Complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner."

Hagar

My right to refuse direct marketing after the event does not in any way confer rights on them to send it in the first place.

parsi

You're correct.

They have the implicit right (granted/earned through normal life, natural way of doing things etc) to send direct marketing to you as part of normal day to day business. You have the explicit right (granted by law) to ask them to stop and then if they refuse they are committing an offence.