Cautionary tale: UK grocery chain Tesco has a customer magazine for members of its “Baby & Toddler Club.” This BBC news story provides an unfortunate example of how NOT to handle opt-out requests by members of such a customer relationship marketing program.

Sell more, deliver more: My pulse on all things postal, ABM’s legal eagle on the USPS, David Straus, just e-mailed me and others news about the Post Office entering the business of selling magazine subscriptions, or at least having a business development relationship with Magazine Mall. I think they could improve the concept if they guarantee customers who purchase subscriptions via the USPS will get their’s delivered faster and never be torn or smashed.

What? It isn’t already? Folio: is reporting that Time Inc. is consolidating much of its consumer marketing activities. This will be great news for consumers wanting to cancel subscriptions of lots of magazines but who only want to deal with a few publishers.

It beats fruitcake: Washington Post writer Peter Carlson (who has the same last name as Margaret Carlson but may or may not be related to her, I have no idea) suggests magazine subscriptions make a good Christmas gift idea, especially if your loved one is in prison, which I know is the case with many rexblog readers. A couple weeks ago, I posted a photo of a point-of-purchase gift subscription idea that Barnes and Noble is trying this year. However, I would suggest that all your gift-giving subscriptions be purchased at the rexblog Amazon associates store. I am donating all referral fees to some good causes.

Finally, something good about media consolidation: A googlenews search on the word “magazines” turned up this story about a Pennsylvania man who is the victim of a prank in which someone is placing orders for magazine subscriptions in his name. He’s up to nearly 100 magazines arriving in the mail. The TV reporter filing the story made this comment regarding the victim’s efforts to contact magazine publishers about the prank:

“Fortunately for Abel, most magazines on the market today are put out by just a handful of publishers, so he only has to deal with a few publishers.”

Fortunately, indeed.

It happened: I’ve been asked why I haven’t commented on last night’s football game. How can one describe perfection? I’ll only remind you of my Titans true-believer status by pointing back to September 29.

It’s a small world after-all: If you are a real magazine wonk, you may be able to help me answer a question I have. Last week, I pointed to a Washington Post piece by Peter Carlson about a GQ magazine story that rips into Time Inc.’s John Huey. Highlighted in the GQ piece was a fued between Huey and Time Magazine & CNN pundit Margaret Carlson. Today, the NY Time’s David Carr reports that Margaret Carlson will be moving her column to GQ as her presence on the pages of Time are scaled back (by Huey). So, here’s my question. Is Peter Carlson related to Margaret Carlson?