Just today, local mail service operator, SingPost was reported to have said that most residents welcome promotional offers from companies as only 0.8 per cent of the 1.2 million Singapore households chose to opt out of receiving unaddressed advertisements.
Channel News Asia quoted a SingPost spokesperson saying, “From our data, most of the residents in Singapore welcome the catalogues and discount coupons they receive in their mailboxes,”
The spokesperson added, “We also understand that there are residents who may prefer not to receive these free mailers so, to respect their wishes, we provide them an opt-out option,”
It is said that the service was provided for residents who prefer not to receive advertising mail and has been in service since 2006. Residents can either call SingPost or apply through its website and an orange “No Admail” sticker will be attached to the back of the letterbox.
However, such a claim that most residents welcome spam mails in their letter box is pretty much ridiculous. A quick look at CNA’s facebook post on the story will tell you that most readers are unaware that such a service exists in the first place.
If you were to visit SingPost’s website, find as hard as you may, there is no indication of such a service that is being offered to the residents.
Only after checking with the customer service officer that you will be informed that the form is hidden within the “contact us” page, http://www.singpost.com/contact-us/service-enquiry.
Choose, “Postal” for service Type, then “Advertising Mail” for Category and “OPT-OUT Service” under Sub-Category.
Only after selecting the three options, would you be presented with the Opt-out form.
There is no way that this form can be found using internet search, and would not have been known if not for the CNA article.
Of course, you can try calling SingPost up, thinking that they can process your application through the phone. But sad to say, they will not process your Opt-out request but to direct you to the above link.
So it is somewhat deceptive for SingPost to say that residents “welcome the catalogues and discount coupons they receive in their mailboxes” when the company make it so hard for residents to opt out from the mailing service. (Not to mention the residents who do not use internet or do not understand English since the form is only available in English)
Note that applications from landed properties or HDB flats that have letter boxes without self-locking apertures, will not be processed by SingPost.
Also you need not worry that about not receiving mails from the government agencies, such as Central Provident Fund. The mails will still be sent to your address even if you subscribe to the opt-out service
