Continuity Marketing: Pleasures and Pitfalls

The Dirty Load-Up

Before the Federal Trade Commission started taking an active interest in the practices of mail-order merchants, several of the old-time continuity marketers used the following offer and fulfillment technique:

Take Volume I Free. In about four weeks you will receive Volume II. If dissatisfied, return the second volume with your bill marked “cancel” and you owe nothing and will be under no further obligation. Otherwise, you will receive a new volume approximately every four to six weeks—always on approval—always at the same low price. You may return any book; you never pay for a book you do not wish to keep; you may cancel any time.