why am i receiving better homes and gardens magazine

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John G. wrote to Mouse Print* last week after buying a queen set of Better Homes and Gardens sheets at Walmart, which came with an unexpected surprise.

BHG Sheets

The package says that by buying this set of sheets you also get a one-year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens magazine. That's a nice bonus. And this was inside the package:

The card explained that a one-year magazine subscription was included as a "thank you" for the purchase. So far, so good. But our consumer became disenchanted when he read the details shown in tiny print above:

*MOUSE PRINT:

"If you do not wish to receive a one-year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens (valued at $6) as part of your qualifying purchase, fill out the card, write "refund" and mail to BHG Refund…"

So while it first appeared to him that he was getting the magazine as a free bonus in this specially marked package, he says "reading the fine print on the enclosed postcard makes it clear that I've ALREADY PAID for the subscription!"

And that is our opinion too. By definition, you are only offered a refund for something you have already paid for. So, it seems the cost of the magazine was embedded in the purchase price of the sheets.

We contacted the magazine's publisher, Meredith Corp., and their vice president of corporate and brand communications provided the company's position:

The subscription is a gift included with purchase with a stated value of $6.00. The cost of the sheets is independent of the fact that there is a gift subscription that comes with the purchase. The consumer does not pay $6.00 for the subscription (BH&G licensed products at Walmart are not marked-up to cover the subscription value of $6.00).

The company spokesperson went on to say that this promotion has been in use for over 10 years, it was approved by the entity best known for certifying that a publication's circulation claims are accurate, and no consumer has ever complained.

Whether the cost of the magazine was rolled into the purchase price or not, we can only guess that very few sheet buyers even know they are entitled to $6 back because of the inconspicuous way the refund option is disclosed. When we gave the company spokesperson two opportunities to reply that they would consider making the refund offer more conspicuous in the future, she did not say that they would.

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