RedPlum

I Think I Finally Won

I think it happened.

It is finally over (maybe).

RedPlum coupons have not been on my doorstep the past 3 Tuesdays. The first Tuesday it was not there, I figured it to be a fluke. The second Tuesday, I got more hopeful. And the third Tuesday, made me feel triumphant!

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Victory!

This was not an easy victory, as I highlighted previously multiple times. It came at a price of being so consistently persistent that I vowed to tweet at the Chicago Tribune every week until it stopped showing up on my doorstep. Something no other sane Chicagoan would put themselves through.

I started on this journey back in January and tracked every piece of it.

  • January 9: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • January 9: Emailed insideshopper@chicagotribune.com to have our address removed
  • January 9: Received automated email response “Thank you for contacting the Chicago Tribune Inside Shopper department – your email is important to us. Please expect a response within 24 hours.”
  • January 10: Did not hear back in 24 hours.
  • January 11: A Twitter follower suggested using an online form to unsubscribe. I filled out the form.
  • January 16: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • January 23: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • January 30: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 6: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 13: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 20: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 22: Called the number listed to be removed and was told it would take 2-3 weeks.
  • February 27: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 6: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 13: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 20: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 20: Called again to be removed and asked if it would take 2-3 weeks, they said no.
  • March 26: Direct messaged RedPlum on Twitter
  • March 27: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 27: RedPlum responded to my Twitter message, saying: “Thank you. Your address was removed from our distribution list on 1/12/18. We are contacting the Chicago Tribune, who handles delivery in your area, to make them aware of the delivery error.”
  • April 3: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep, called and tweeted at the Chicago Tribune

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  • April 10: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep, called and tweeted at the Chicago Tribune. This time, they told me they would tell the delivery people that I have already called multiple times.

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  • April 17: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep, called and tweeted at the Chicago Tribune

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  • April 17: Received a reply to my tweet from a Chicago Tribune digital editor

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  • April 19: Got a voicemail from Chicago Tribune customer service referencing my tweets. When I called back it was just the same number I had been calling for weeks. I asked for the representative who had left the voicemail (Lillian), the person on the phone could not get her.
  • April 24: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep, called and tweeted at the Chicago Tribune

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  • April 25: Got another call from Lillian about my tweets. She asked for my address again (I have literally given it to them 25 times by now). She did inquire if I was the owner of the building because technically if RedPlum is being delivered to a building with multiple units, it is the owner who would have to go through this horrendous process. I assured her that no, I was not the owner, no one in my building wants it, and there was no way the owner would slave away at this. Lillian said she would follow up with the distributor and to allow 1-2 weeks for service to stop.
  • May 1: Did not receive
  • May 8: Did not receive
  • May 15: Did not receive

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So maybe, just maybe, I have won the battle with RedPlum and InsideShopper. I did not want to get too excited the first week it didn’t show, but I am hoping 3 weeks in a row means this has finally come to an end.

Thank goodness I succeeded because we are about to move! Fingers crossed our new building doesn’t get it or I am going to have to start all over. At least my current neighbors can thank me for ridding them of such unnecessary waste!

Persistence: The Key To Getting Rid of Mail You Don’t Want

RedPlum you strike again!

Ugh, I hate walking out my door and every Tuesday this evil red bag is just sitting there, waiting to be tossed directly into the recycling.

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This isn’t the first time I have spoken out about RedPlum. Back in January I finally tried to get rid of it once and for all and two months later they are still showing up on my doorstep.

Here is a detailed look at where we are so far:

  • January 9: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • January 9: Emailed insideshopper@chicagotribune.com to have our address removed
  • January 9: Received automated email response “Thank you for contacting the Chicago Tribune Inside Shopper department – your email is important to us. Please expect a response within 24 hours.”
  • January 10: Did not hear back in 24 hours.
  • January 11: A Twitter follower suggested using an online form to unsubscribe. I filled out the form.
  • January 16: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • January 23: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • January 30: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 6: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 13: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 20: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • February 22: Called the number listed to be removed and was told it would take 2-3 weeks.
  • February 27: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 6: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 13: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 20: Received an InsideShopper/RedPlum on my doorstep
  • March 20: Called again to be removed and asked if it would take 2-3 weeks, they said no.

And here we are.

Every Tuesday that red bag appears on my doorstep, I make a note of it on my phone.

Hopefully someday soon I will be able to write a blog post about how I successfully got unwanted coupons to stop from showing up at my door.

Fingers crossed.