Theatre Lover's Journal for  March 2000:
Stay Away from The Stage & Screen Book Club
by John Kenrick

Looking for a bargain? For access to the latest theatre books? For efficient service? Then you had better stay away from the Stage and Screen Book Club! This offshoot of the Book-of-the-Month Club purports to offer theatre lovers the books they want at an attractive discount. Despite warnings from friends, I was lured by one of the clubs seemingly generous offers. (Woe unto those who do not listen to their trustworthy friends!)

After several months of membership, I found that their discount amounted to little if anything – once you figured in the substantial shipping and handling fees they tacked on to every purchase. Adding to my frustration, I found them offering books long after they had already appeared in bookstores. With almost no financial benefit and a delay in access to new publications, what was the point? Being sane, I cancelled my membership. The club even sent me a confirmation of my membership cancellation.

Well, a week later, along came an unordered book – with a bill that noted an "order date" days after my cancellation! I had never ordered the book, and as an inactive member did not even have access to the ordering process on the date in question!

That same day, a sales representative called to urge me to renew my Stage & Screen membership. I politely told her about the unordered book, and that these kinds of mistakes were why I had cancelled my membership. She promised that a postage-paid sticker would be forthcoming in the mail – I should just hold onto the unopened book till the tag arrived. A full month passed with no sign of the sticker. Instead, a second copy of the bill arrived. Tired of waiting, I shipped the book back at my own expense, along with the bill marked "book returned."

Two weeks later, I received yet another bill, demanding full payment – plus a "late charge" – warning that I had better pay immediately if I wanted to "Protect my credit rating." (They’re going after my credit rating!?!?!) It also insisted that I had ordered the book – completely ignoring the fact that one cannot order from them without an active membership! The bleeding nerve of these thieves! I returned the bill with a pointed letter, refusing to pay and promising to share this experience with Musicals101.com’s 1,200+ weekly visitors.

Fellow theatre-lovers, don’t be taken in by this thievery. Any so-called book club which sends unordered merchandise, ignores phone requests, ignores letters, ignores returned merchandise and then threatens your credit rating is just a scam in businessperson’s clothing. When you want theater books at a fair price, amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com will treat you far better – and never demand payment for unordered merchandise!

(NOTE: A short time after this article was posted, the Stage and Screen Book Club suspended operations.)

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