help please- books direct?

**lilly**_2

Hi, I didn't know where put this, if anyone knows of a better board I'd be greatfull of a pointer, but hopefully someone here will know?

I've had a rather manic few months (not an excuse, but an explanation!), and I seem to have at some point signed up with a company called Books Direct.

I've been sent two packages (which I have not ordered) each containing two overpriced and frankly rather rubbish books, along with the invoices. I intended to post them back and explain I didn't want them but unfortunately forgot/ didn't get round to it.

I've had a letter demanding immediate payment for these books (about £70). Is it too late to send the books back and cancel whatever agreement I am supposedly in with them? Or am I obliged to pay now, and if so could I cancel this agreement once I've paid up?

Any advice on such matters, or experiences of those who are/ were members with Books Direct would be most appreciated, thankyou in advance.

ariba10

If you did not ask for them.

Send them a letter asking them to arrange collection of them as they were unsolicited, or you will dispose of them as you see fit.

eyelinerprincess

I'd send them a letter, recorded to ensure they don't say that they didn't get it. I had a similar problem with another book club, and sent this letter:

To whom it may concern:

I recently received a box from you containing a book and an invoice for this book, which I understand, if I pay for, I will be entering into a contract.

This package was unsolicited mail. I have not, and would not, knowingly submit my details to anything asking to join your company. This is not something I am interested in, and would like my details to be taken from your database, as I do not wish any further correspondence from you.

I have called your customer line, and have been told that my email address is associated with the account number, which I do not understand. I have never received any correspondence from you before, through email or otherwise. I understand other people have been having problems with your company, so I understand that I am not the only one that has been receiving the unsolicited items.

I have contacted Consumer Direct Scotland, and they have advised me to send a recorded letter to you, stating the goods are unsolicited, and that they will be able for collection within 14 days of receipt of this letter, after which they will be treated as a gift and disposed of, and if this issue is not resolved by that time, Trading Standards will be involved.

In summary, I wish you to remove my details from your database, I do not wish any further letters seeking payment that I do not owe and you have 14 days to arrange collection, as I have no obligation to post back unsolicited mail.
Yours sincerely,

Of course, you'll have to edit it to suit your details, but the main points are the same.

**lilly**_2

Thankyou for your replies.

eyelinerprincess, did that letter have the desired effect then, or did you have to take things further?

Looking into it, it seems I did agree to purchase 2 books within 12 months of joining (which must have been about 3/4 months ago). I remember now I joined via pigsback to get some points, thinking I would buy a couple of books for xmas, therefore maintaining my side of the agreement.

As far as I'm concerned I was not made aware I would be sent any books without ordering them. It seems their procedure is to send books out every month, unless the member emails or rings every month to say they do not wish to recieve that particular months 'editors offers'.

I will try sending a similar letter anyhow, and see if that helps. Thanks.

soolin

**lilly** wrote: »

T

I will try sending a similar letter anyhow, and see if that helps. Thanks.

I can't see how you can use the letter above when you agree you did sign up for the books. All of these book clubs work the same, you get an introductory offer and then need to buy a certain number of full priced books to maintain your side of the contract. if you read the small print it will have said that you need to formally decline the editors choice of books each month otherwise they will be sent. Therefore these do not constitute un solicted goods and you need to pay for them ASAP as some of thes ebook clubs have rather unfortunate reputaions for using debt collectors or marking your credit files if you fail to pay for goods you have received.

As for returning them, they are usually returnable within a certain time limit, check quickly if your last lot is within that time frame, if so return them. If not pay up.

Also keep an eye on future deliveries and remember to cancel your contract when the year is up.

eyelinerprincess

**lilly** wrote: »

Thankyou for your replies.

eyelinerprincess, did that letter have the desired effect then, or did you have to take things further?

I shortly got a letter back saying that my account was cancelled, however I was replying on the assumption that you hadn't had any contact with the company before, as I hadn't with the company that I was dealing with (I'd never signed up to the club, and they were trying to get me to sign up to something I had no interest in). However, if you have signed up, things may be more difficult.

dinglebert

Problem is you admit you joined a book club. They will have a book of the month which if you do not cancel will be sent automatically. You really should have contacted them immedately the first "unwanted" book was sent. I presume you also got a selection of books originally at very cheap prices. You really need to contact them immedately and tell them whats happened. Be honest and upfront and hope they will let you out of the contact. At the least try and get them to agree to allowing you to sent the "unwanted" books back and then try to get through the contract by ordering the cheapest books you can find.

They have been doing this for years. It used to be LP's for me!

mummyto2_2

dinglebert wrote: »

Problem is you admit you joined a book club. They will have a book of the month which if you do not cancel will be sent automatically. You really should have contacted them immedately the first "unwanted" book was sent. I presume you also got a selection of books originally at very cheap prices. You really need to contact them immedately and tell them whats happened. Be honest and upfront and hope they will let you out of the contact. At the least try and get them to agree to allowing you to sent the "unwanted" books back and then try to get through the contract by ordering the cheapest books you can find.

They have been doing this for years. It used to be LP's for me!

i'm afraid it isn't as easy as that to buy the cheapest books. I am stuck in a membership agreement with Books direct and have tried to cancel twice to be told I haven't fulfilledmy membership agreement. I thought all you had to do was buy 4 books in the first year which I did. But then I got an email saying I hadn't purchased 'commitment' books!!! Whatever these are. You ahve bo idea on the website which are commitment books and which aren't. So it seems to me that if none of the commitment books are of your choice it's tough you have to buy them anyway. If you don't they charge you £10 for each commitment book NOT bought which in my case is 2. I am having on ongoing battle with them to try and get out of this stupid agreement. I didn't have a clue that's what they meant when I joined. They say it's in the introductery panel in the first parcel but I'm afraid I never read that bit. It all looks lovely cause you can buy 5 books at 50p each at the start, but the books aren't actually that cheap, they are £1 off the retail price from WHSmiths. As far as the editors choice goes just make sure that once a month you log onto your account and reject the editors choice, you can do this by clicking 'my account' then just choose reject or you WILL get sent these books every month ad they are absolute tosh!
I'm afraid it's just another way of keeping people in the 'club' and to make matters worse they keep ringing me offering me all these great book deals. I do't even speak I just put the phone down.

soolin

Although it is off topic a bit it is also worth noting that very often book club editions of books are not the same as shop bought ones. I sell second hand books and when I buy a lot at auction (or wherever) the first thing I do is discard the book club editions as they can't be sold on places like Amazon , they have no ISBNs, the book size is different and the paper quality is inferior. I do have a few history books that I bought many years ago from a book club and comparing the state of them now with other shop books bought at the same time in the same set they have deteriorated to such an extent that I really ought to dump them as they are just falling apart.