The SASE Experiment UPDATE: 6/14/12

[yoothgeye]

Being that it's the Christmas season and mail is going to be backing up, along with the announcement that the Post Office will be closing hubs making mail take even longer, I decided now would be the best time to play around with the mail, plus, if you wait a week or so, postage is bound to go up.

So, in the past I have praised the SASE, such as in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36989&hilit=SASE

Additionally, I love stickers and today Justin from Porkchop linked me to this thread on BMX museum about companies that will send out stickers with an SASE: http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=344201

So I am going to try my best to keep you updated as to my results.

First I acquired 40 legal sized envelopes from our file cabinet. Next, I dug in the junk drawer for all those free return address labels that different charities send you, and as I sat down watching Top Gear I stuck labels on envelopes. 2 per each SASE and 1 per each outer envelope, equaling a total of 60 return address labels.

Second, I sat down with a pad of Post-it notes and wrote 20 notes "Could you please send me some stickers? Thanks. Justin" then I went to the computer and opened the link above using it to address 20 of the outer envelopes with the following companies:

( indicates SASEs of stickers I have gotten back)

-Vans Inc.
-Terrible One BMX
-Subrosa
-Ride BMX Magazine
-Kink Bike Co.
-Intense Tires
-Hoffman Bikes
-GT Bikes
-Felt BMX/Bikes
-Eastern Bikes
-East County BMX
-DK Bicycles
-Crank Brothers
-Bikefactory
-Archie's Ice Cream
-Answer BMX
-A&B Cycle
-Diamondback
-Sinz Racing
-Sunday Bikes

Now came the hard part, being low on stamps I took some of my bike money and went to the post office and purchased 40 stamps, totaling $17.60... ouch. After typing this I will place all the stamps and stuff the envelopes and give them to my mail carriers.

As the results come in I will gauge whether or not all of this has been worth it. It takes a lot of time when you do many at a time, but today was my day off and I did the work while my son was at preschool, my older daughter was at school, and my younger daughter was napping. As for the money, we'll see, since I really like stickers, I do sometimes buy them, but for people who could care less about stickers this would be a complete waste of time and money.

If sending off 20 envelopes were to net me a sticker each, that would be less than a buck each, which is a decent deal (depending on sticker quality). My prediction is that some of my SASEs will go AWOL, but that the ones I get back will net me greater than 20 stickers. We shall see as this all plays out. I plan to document the date of arrival for each as well as the contents.

Starting date is today December 8th 2011, and my mail carrier will be here soon, so I best get to stuffing envelopes.

[cman]

Great idea. I should try this with my kids as they love stickers.

[yoothgeye]

Great idea. I should try this with my kids as they love stickers.

I am about to make a wind deflector for my roof rack and it will be covered with bike stickers, but I still will have plenty leftover as I always keep cool stickers around. So many time I use stickers as good will. Send someone a payment for a bike part or send them a part they bought, throw in a couple stickers. One day our money will no longer work and our only currency will be stickers... and I'll be rich.

The mail carrier came as I was stuffing my envelopes, but I finished and chased her to her van, so they will be post marked today.

[outskirtscustoms]

Cool, hope they all send you a bunch of stickers! Good luck.

[Tater]

Sounds like fun. I can't wait to see how it plays out for you.

[cman]

So many time I use stickers as good will. Send someone a payment for a bike part or send them a part they bought, throw in a couple stickers.

I bought a box of masterlinks and used to send them out with parts.

[yoothgeye]

I bought a box of masterlinks and used to send them out with parts.

Cool idea... where would one get a box of masterlinks, and how many would that be?

[cman]

Much cheaper way to buy them for yourself.
http://www.bikeworldusa.com/product_inf ... ts_id/2780
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Link-100-P ... B0013DRK7Y

[Oak Tree]

Hey Master Sticker youthy:
I need a couple of stickers to cover some scratches on a bike frame, and have not been able to find some to my liking. I need one about the size of a 50 cent piece and another rectangular about half the size of a business card. It will go on an orange bike frame. Bike is for a late 30's guy who will ride with his kids. How about a blind trade? I'll PM you my address and return something back to you for your trouble. What do ya say?

[yoothgeye]

Hey Master Sticker youthy:
I need a couple of stickers to cover some scratches on a bike frame, and have not been able to find some to my liking. I need one about the size of a 50 cent piece and another rectangular about half the size of a business card. It will go on an orange bike frame. Bike is for a late 30's guy who will ride with his kids. How about a blind trade? I'll PM you my address and return something back to you for your trouble. What do ya say?

Wait until things start showing up. Whenever I've bought things from Pricepoint.com they come with little Sette stickers that are about half dollar coin sized.

[jerrykr]

cman, you probably already know, but the bikeworldusa master links are shown as 3 piece in the picture, but the box I got from them are 2 piece. They work fine once you figure out how to snap them together. nice idea to include them with parts. a handfull of wrapped peppermints is another great idea for a open box surprise.

as they say "watching this one" y-guy. neat idea, I like.

[Kuttnhack]

Y G
What a fun idea.

Send me a SASE and I'll make it worth your while.

Vintage Bicycles Gallery
7621 Fair Oaks Blvd. Unit D
Carmichael, CA 95608

[TheFlyingDingo]

Does that Mean I can too Kuttnhack?

[yoothgeye]

Y G
What a fun idea.

Send me a SASE and I'll make it worth your while.

Thanks Kuttnhack, my envelope is addressed, should end up being postmarked today, along with 4 others that are "off list." I have no idea if these companies will do anything, but sending someone a postage paid envelope comes with a little bit of obligation once they see you've spent money and made the effort, of course, some of these companies are big and could care less. So today's are going out to:

-Vintage Bicycle Gallery (thank you)
-Fox Head Inc. (SASE returned with letter of apology that they can't give free stickers)
-Redbull
-Rockstar
-Troy Lee Designs

[Kuttnhack]

Give it a shot F D, Suppies are limited.