b.cognosco

I can understand spam for porno, multi-level marketing, and Viagra, but this? I wonder if there is any connection to having given my business card to several Asian companies at Comdex a month or so ago?

Dear Manager:
It may interest you to learn that our company, CMEC Suzhou Co., Inc. is possibly the largest SCAFFOLD & ACCESSORIES exporter from China. Our product can be found in the U.S.A., all European countries, as well as other countries around the world. Our product quality is excellent, and because of volume, we are able to offer all of our products at very competitive prices.

Hello Audible

12:50:51 PM

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I'll be darned.

I logged into my Audible account and sent a message to customer service requesting that my subscription be cancelled. I got back an auto-response that I couldn't cancel my subscription via e-mail -- I had to call. This did not improve my antagonistic mood, but I called. Understand, I didn't complain to Audible. I said basically what's in my previous post -- it's my fault, my responsibility. But I'm not going to pay for a service I lose 25% of the time.

The customer service rep checked my account and saw that I had indeed lost six books over the past year. He explained that Audible used to send out e-mail reminders but users complained so they stopped (we can argue about the veracity of this solution.) Then he asked if I would remain a subscriber if he could get the books added back to my account.

After consideration I said I would -- for some indeterminate period -- and he added the missing books to my account. Now that does improve my attitude. I think Audible should do more to prevent these situation and assist users, but I have to commend them on handling the situation after-the-fact. How long will I continue to subscribe? I don't know, but I know I have more time for listening than for outright reading so we'll see how it goes. I've been happy with the service for the past year. I just have to learn to manage the account better.

Goodbye Audible

9:02:36 AM

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Speaking of audio books, I've had an Audible.com subscription for a year and it is highly annoying when I forget to D/L my two books during the month. I know I should remember -- I even set a reminder in my PalmPilot -- but sometimes I get busy and forget.

Why doesn't Audible send out monthly e-mail reminders about your subscription rollovers? I got so mad this last time that I'm cancelling my account. My rollover date is the 24th of the month. I realized I needed to go grab two books off my wish list on the 23rd. But I got busy -- time got away from me -- and I didn't do it. I awoke on the 24th realizing I'd just made another $15 donation to Audible. For the third time in a year. $45 thrown away.

What I don't get is why Audible refuses to help in the slightest. I've never gotten a single e-mail reminder from them. If they just sent out a note five days before the rollover reminding me to get my books I would feel so much better about the whole deal. As it is, I have the suspicion it's an intentional oversight -- a profit center.

So Audible makes a great profit at my expense. After all, it's my fault. But I know how to solve my problem. I'll be damned if I'm going to keep paying for something I don't get, regardless of who's at fault.

Goodbye Audible. Maybe you should think about helping your customers use your service more efficiently.

Halloweenie Orange

8:47:44 AM

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I thought it would be nice to change the quoted type to orange in honor of Halloween. But I forgot what color it was before and I don't want to go look it up.

Mark Pilgrim is working on an all-new theme for me anyway. It will be released when the weblog moves over to www.terryfrazier.com (any day now, really.)