The Direct Marketing Association has modified its DMAChoice program, dropping the $1 online verification fee and allowing consumers to opt out of receiving catalogs on a brand-by-brand basis without cost.
Additionally, through the program’s Web site, www.dmachoice.org, consumers will have the option of electing to receive catalogs.
“DMA’s Mail Preference Service, part of DMAChoice, is now the most effective and secure way for consumers to only receive the mail they want and to express their preferences for mailings they do not want — it’s all about relevance,” said DMA president and CEO John A. Greco, Jr., in a statement. “DMAChoice is the portal for consumer choice. It is where consumers can go to modify their mail and email preferences. Our long-term vision is to build a community where consumers can interact with marketers — learn about opportunities, offers, coupons, and special events marketers develop for consumers.”
The move comes as independent “stop junk mail” programs, such as GreenDimes and Catalog Choice, have recently garnered significant amounts of media notice. Like DMAChoice, Catalog Choice is free. GreenDimes charges a $20 fee for its service.
“The elimination of the $1 verification fee online is a positive next step by DMA to support its commitment to consume choice and ensure privacy on behalf of consumers,” said Staven K. Berry, the DMA’s executive vice president of government affairs
The DMA’s actions earned praise from Steve Cole, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “Elimination of the ‘all or nothing’ opt-out procedure demonstrates DMA’s readiness to take action on issues that matter to consumers; in this case, the reality that many of us want some catalogs and not others,” Cole said in a statement.
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