why do charities like cancer research, and r.s.p.c.a, and many other send you letters in the post every week asking for you to donate? Then put a free pen in with the letter?
ok even if these pens they send out cost them 1p,
and they send out a few million letters, with a pen in each letter,
could not that 1p they pay for those pens be used for the charity instead?
ok even if the pen company are giving them the pens free would it not be better to say just give us the 1p for each pen instead?
what do u think?
i give to charity because i want to not because i get a free pen?
2006-09-29 00:08:43 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
You're absolutely right and furthermore have you seen the quality of the paper they use in brochures and letters, surely less would do and save money. They should sell the pens, even at 1p each it all adds up.
2006-09-29 00:17:47 · answer #1 · answered by Citizen Mac 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because research conducted by charities a while back came back with some strange findings! For instance, to include a free pen in an envelop makes people notice you (Charity) More. Many people will not bother giving, if they keep the pen if others will, if not when they receive it but later on, looking at the pen for instance! They're more likely to give to say collectors for a speciafic charity in the street or send money!
You're quite right! We all like to give to charities we feel for but often, when entering our details on a database (Usually in the net) we end up receiving mail from just about every charity about.
2006-09-29 00:31:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Totally agree with you, to tell you the truth that annoys me when they send you a letter and free pen, the money they use to send out the letters and free pen would be much better spent on helping their research, I give to Macmillan nurses in my own town because they were fantastic to my mom and us when she was dying of breast cancer, cancer research has a huge following of charitable donations as does the RSPCA and if people want to give to them all well and good but I prefer to make my own mind up about charity and don't want them spending money to send me a pen.
2006-09-29 00:17:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think I already pay enough in taxes so that my government (!) and local council can give it away to deserving causes - like one-legged babies for bald-headed black lesbians etc - (CAMDEN DID!!!!!) - so I don't 'give' as well. The freebie pens have enough ink to write almost half a page of A4 if you use large writing, and the rest is just a hollow tube. The only REAL use I've found with them is on my model railway where they come in handy to replicate large pipes on big buildings or as concrete sections track-side or on waggons!
How about all of the pre-printed little address labels you often get too? They're no good to me anyway, but I take great delight in returning those which come with a built-in error where they've bought a cheap mailing list off of somebody who's never even bothered to check them out first!
2006-09-29 00:53:28 · answer #4 · answered by Dover Soles 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's PR, people don't give to a charity they have never heard of.
If they do it then it means that people do give them money and that it covers the expenses that they have had more than well. Say they save X$ on not sending the letters but gain 1000 x X$ by sending them. It like an investment to (hopefully) make the money grow.
2006-09-29 00:17:44 · answer #5 · answered by *duh* 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I always thought (and i could well be wrong) but charities werent allowed to 'beg' for money?
Surely by sending out these such letters with a 'free' pen they are asking you to donate on a regular basis?
Im all for charities making u aware of what they do and causes they support but i hate it when they ask for money!!
2006-09-29 00:11:47 · answer #6 · answered by sweetfemaleattitudeuk2076 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The pen is so you can fill out the form asking for money that comes with the pen/letter. From personal experience, the pens aren't very good - they die after a couple of days or commit hari kari in you pocket (very messy).
2006-09-29 00:12:12 · answer #7 · answered by bruce666 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its a form of advertising....the pen will be in your face way longer than a add...its also quite cheaper than running long ads in newspapers etc. If 1 in a 100 pens get someone to donate at the cost of £1 a pen its cheaper than a TV advert at £1000 per minute...
2006-09-29 00:17:57 · answer #8 · answered by Quintus T 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Odds are they get them free and they give them out so people dont think they give and give and dont get nothing in return besides the fact of helping others out. That would be my guess..lol. And they probably dont put 1p for each pen cause thats probably all they would get in return..lol..I honestly dont know.
2006-09-29 00:15:07 · answer #9 · answered by tess 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well i think its to encourage you to fill in the form.
or because you might feel guilty about getting a free pen and giving nothing back?
personally, i put the free pen in my pen-pot and then give money to whatever charity i want, not the ones that have sent me a free pen usually.
2006-09-29 00:11:54 · answer #10 · answered by monkeynuts 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋