I found a small cardboard sleeve containing the words “Free Gift Inside!” in my mailbox on Friday. Naturally, I ripped open the package, and inside was a DVD of “Top Truck Challenge ’04” and a Bronze Medallion with the words “FOUR WHEELER” on it. “Wow, this is kinda cool,” I thought, as I examined the case the DVD came in.
The Top Truck Challenge is a yearly contest that Four Wheeler magazine sponsors, that puts the most functional 4x4s and hybrid buggies to the test with several obstacles. Among the obstacles are a big mud pit, tank trap, and mini-rubicon.
I put the DVD on my shelf in the living room with the rest of my collection. “Pretty cool free gift,” I thought.
I was pretty much ready to throw the shredded cardboard carton away, when I noticed there was a few sheets of paper in there. One of them contained a “Merchandise Return Label”, and the other a letter. The usual “Thanks for being a subscriber” line, and then the “…please accept this DVD as a token of our thanks..”
What I didn’t expect, is what the letter continued to say…
It stated that I was free to try the DVD for 30 days. If I kept it, I’d be billed the amount of the DVD, and I would receive a new DVD every month that I could choose to keep or return.
“What the HELL?” I thought. “It’s a stupid TIME-LIFE Book plan, except I didn’t even ask for the plan to start!” I wasn’t happy, mainly because I had almost thrown away the piece of paper that told me that I was going to get screwed every month for the next year.
In able to return the DVD, I needed to return it in the same cardboard envelope they provided (now ripped, torn, and mangled), and attach the “Merchandise Return Label” to the front, as well as check a box “No Thanks” to the rest of their program.
If I hadn’t subscribed to their magazine through Ebay for a 5 YEAR subscription for $4.20, plus $2.95 shipping and handling back in 2002, I’d be REALLY pissed right now.
Revenge, I thought. How could I get revenge on these lowest-of-the-low rip-off artists?
Simple, their DVD didn’t contain CSS Encryption. Read between the lines, and you’ll see where I’m going with that.
I enjoyed the movie, and then sent it back in the mangled cardboard container, at their expense. I’m sure some of my friends will enjoy it in the months to come as well!
… And I kept my Bronze FOUR WHEELER Coin “just for trying it out”.