I got a DVD in the mail on Friday

[Cornboy]

Its from Model Railroader, and is full of good stuff--especially for a newbie like me.  I think they want me to subscribe and receive one of these periodically.  I would consider doing this, however there was no information with the DVD.  No instructions on how to take advantage of this offer, no prices, no nothing.  Just the DVD.  Has anyone else recieved this?  Do you guys that have been in the hobby for a while think these are worth investing in for a newbie?  Any information is appreciated.

Thanks,

Doug

[mikesmowers]

  If this is one of the Dream, Plan, Build DVDs then yes, they do want you to pay for them. (About $20.00  I think) I have not gotten any but have heard of them on this forum and they will send you one every month or two.

  Some of the others will chime in here to give you more in depth answers.      Mike 

[Midnight Railroader]

From the USPS website:

"A company sends you a gift in the mail--a ball point pen, a key chain, a tie. But you didn't order it. What do you do? If you are the type of person this company is looking for, you may feel guilty about accepting the item without paying for it. Don't feel guilty! It's yours, and you are under no obligation to pay anything."

More info: http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/merch.htm

[CNJ831]

Doug - Odds are that, if you've received one, you have been added to their DVD promotions list and are likely to receive additional ones automatically every 6-8 weeks...so long as you keep paying for them. It might help to identify the DVD by title so that we know where you've come in on the series.

There should be some sort of accompanying letter or note in the shipping box indicating the fee they wish you to pay for the first DVD ($20-$25). If there wasn't and you are definitely interested in further examples, give Model Railroader's customer service a phone call and get the info.

These DVD are indeed useful for beginners and you'll probably enjoy the content of most of them.

CNJ831  

[Anonymous]

There are a few things. The first DVD should be 9.99 or something like that and each DVD you keep should be 24.90.

I bought all of them, sold most on ebay and kept two good ones. The one I remember best is Volume three (I think) that had Andy operating the Turtle Creek Local and David Popp's Realistic Layout Operations.

Occasionally other DVDs arrived which I already had or when the spouse felt put off by the increasing frequency of arrivals I would return them. I prefer my DVD's to arrive every 2 months or so. Anything faster is wearing out welcome.

Regarding the unsolictated mailings to keep for free, I would visit the postmaster and talk it over first. Then again here where I am it is very easy to do in a small town post office. Big urban offices may be hard to get to people.

[Midnight Railroader]

egarding the unsolictated mailings to keep for free, I would visit the postmaster and talk it over first. Then again here where I am it is very easy to do in a small town post office. Big urban offices may be hard to get to people.

Or you could just read the applicable federal law: Title 39, United States Code, Section 3009.

[Cornboy]

  If this is one of the Dream, Plan, Build DVDs then yes, they do want you to pay for them. (About $20.00  I think) I have not gotten any but have heard of them on this forum and they will send you one every month or two.

  Some of the others will chime in here to give you more in depth answers.      Mike 

 Yep, it was the Dream, Plan, Build DVD.  I'm at work now, so I don't have the full title.  I did really enjoy it, and it really got my juices going to try my first layout.  My wife dug it too and I think she wants to join me on this adventure.

It's funny, because the DVD was in a box with no other papers or anything.  Not even a phone number.  I guess I'll call customer service.  Thanks for y'alls feedback!

[West Penn Nscale]

Doug,

 I did recieve one of these last fall... I mailed it back with a no thanks note .....

 I did not recieve any more after that ,,,,,

 I think it's up to you .....If it will help then keep it ,,,

I like the book products .....because you can carry it around and keep it handly ,,,,,

I am not the laptop guy with the computer next to the layout......

Pat

[loathar]

So how do I get on this promotional list?? I'd like a free one to "evaluate"

[BlueHillsCPR]

 

And in reagrds to keeping unsolicited items in the mail.  "Huh?"  "You say you sent me something?"  "Did you insure it?"  "Sometimes things get lost in the mail ya know?" 

[frisco1519]

I also received one in the mail over a year ago. They asked me to pay for it and then subscribe to the complete series. I did neither. They sent it to me without my asking for it so I kept it and did not feel guilty about it at all. You are under no obligation to pay when you are just mailed something you did not ask for.

[Cornboy]

I also received one in the mail over a year ago. They asked me to pay for it and then subscribe to the complete series. I did neither. They sent it to me without my asking for it so I kept it and did not feel guilty about it at all. You are under no obligation to pay when you are just mailed something you did not ask for.

Hi Frisco,

Yeah, I agree with you completely.  Its just that this DVD had a lot of very good stuff on it for me as a complete newbie--I learned a ton watching it.  So in this rare instance, unsolicited marketing may have worked on me.  I'm still trying to decide if I should get some more.

[fsm1000]

Once they started to enforce the laws about these things they started to stop here [Canada]. But before then if someone sent me stuff I simply said " thank you for your free stuff. I will consider anything else you send me that I did not ask for to be free as well. "

 

I don't know how that works in the USA though but it works greathere for stopping stuff sent.

However if you WANT these things that's of course a different matter :) 

[bearman]

I am a subscriber to MR and got the DVD in the mail a couple of weeks go, unsolicited.  I sent it back unwatched with a no thank you and I won't go into my attitude towards an unsolicited item in the mail.  I started a thread on it in this forum and there are varying attitudes, including varying positions regarding the utility of the information in the DVD series.  If I were you, I would subscribe to the mag, invest in a couple of decent "how to" books for the beginner, and scour the web for any number of sites put up by model railroaders who are very very good about sharing their knowledge with the rest of the world.  This is how I got started in the hobby, and it will probably be cheaper in the long run, than spending 20$ or so every 6-8 weeks.

[Phoebe Vet]

So how do I get on this promotional list?? I'd like a free one to "evaluate"

If you ASK for it, you are obligated to pay for it.

I got one.  It was nice.  My granddaughter liked it so I gave it to her.  I did not pay for it, and I do not want anymore at their prices.

They would be nice if they were webcast to magazine subscribers only.

[johncolley]

It is a scam! Anytime someone wants you to sign up for something without telling you up front how much it will cost for each succeeding one...Say NO! How stupid do they think their audience is? And if they sent the first one without you ordering it, you are under no obligation to return or pay for it, it is "unsolicited mail". jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA

[Phoebe Vet]

I think "scam" is a little harsh.

They are well aware that you are under no obligation to pay for or return the DVD.

It's called a "loss leader promotion".  It is a valid advertizing concept.  It is not any different from that guy on TV who says he will send you the first computer lesson free.  Have you never tasted a free sample in the grocery store?  They hope that you will like the sample and want to buy others like it.  They do not expect to get 100% response.  They will never send you another one unless you pay for the first one.  If I understand the paperwork that came with it, even if you do subscribe, you can return any disk they send you if you decide you don't want it.

Keep it, return it, or throw it away.  They will bother you no more.  If you like it and want more but have questions first, call customer service.

[ham99]

My first DVD came with instructions about the series, the cost, the content, etc.  It also explained that I was under no obligation to pay for it since it was unsolicited.  I enjoyed it and subscribed.  Each one has been helpful.  However, they have also sent a few other trial DVDs on prototype railroads that I returned.  The last one was a tour of a single layout, and I really liked it.  I assume there will be more layout tours in the future.  This is an entirely legitimate marketing device.  No need to be paranoid about it.  Keep it or send it back -- your choice.  But I like the content.  It gave me the boost I needed to paint my backdrop for one thing.