Richard Jones' Log: Background checking, Google-style
I find myself resorting to googling "<potential purchase> sucks" a lot these days.
I just got junk mail from Doubleday*, wanting me to sign up for their book/CD clubs. Couldn't find any substantive information in the offers about what signing up entails, what the opt-out provisions are, ongoing fees, expected charges for subsequent purchases, future shipping costs, etc. So I headed off to Google, with searches like "doubleday sucks" and "doubleday ripoff". There's enough stories out there to have me concerned, so I think I'll stick with the bricks-and-mortar stores for now.
*: this is the one disadvantage of staying in the one house for more than 12-18 months - the volume of targetted junk mail increases dramatically. I'm still not moving ever again though. 7 times in 9 years is plenty enough.
I actually used to use the Doubleday (Australia) scifi/fantasy book club (Quest).
It's not tooo bad. Mainly convenient. Most of their prices aren't _that_ cheap, although once you're a "VIP member" they improve a little. Postage is a bit sucky, but unavoidable really.
There are, however the occasional specials which are kinda cool (grab a trilogy as a single purchase for a discount, $5 books).
Never had any issues with them. They invoice you, rather than direct-charge (at least when I was a member, a few years ago). So billing isn't a real issue.