Two Minutes Hate

"Free Gifts" From Charities

Every year, I tend to donate to quite a few charities and causes.  Because of this, I tend to get placed on a lot of mailing lists...especially for charities.  I don't have a problem with them trying to solicit donations, but I really, really think they need to upgrade their business models and especially their enticements.  Maybe some people donate to charities when the receive random letters from the charity but I am not one of those people.

Even worse are the random letters the try to entice me into donating by including a "free gift."  I am not sure of their reasoning here but to me their "Thank You Gift" seems more like a way to guilt people into donating.  It just seems weird.  Also their gifts are total junk.  Decals, magnets, and worst of all address labels.  Really address labels?  Do you have any idea how many letters I send?  Next to zero.  I average maybe 1 or 2 letters a year, your one sheet of address labels will last me the next decade.  Maybe address labels impressed in the 1950s -1990s...but they seem so antiquated to me now.  It makes your charity seem antiquated too.

I know you are just trying to raise money and maybe these stupid little gifts help...personally, I would rather that you save your money and use it for your stated charitable purpose.  If you do have to include some cheap gift, use your shear numbers to get something decent but cheap from China.  If you are buying in large quantities, you could probably get a neat little giveaway for few pennies.  I would think the better the gift the more people would donate.  Please stop sending me address labels...I have enough to last several lifetimes.

End Hate.