Message to potential advertisers that appeared in Computer Shopper magazine in the mid 1980s?

January 13, 2011 8:15 PM

Does anyone remember the message to potential advertisers that appeared in Computer Shopper magazine in the mid 1980s?

Computer Shopper was a magazine that came out each month, was about the size of a phone book for a small city, and was printed on newsprint. In the mid 1980s, within the first few pages (I think it was the same page as the masthead) there was a message to people interested in advertising in the magazine. The message was something like, "There are some people who go through life never wanting to pay the agreed upon price, and if you’re one of those people, we don’t want your business." I just remember it being very strange. Does anyone know what the actual message was or where I could find copies of the magazine from the mid 1980s?

Thanks!

posted by Jasper Friendly Bear to computers & internet (5 answers total)

My father has a handful of Computer Shoppers in the basement, and I just checked them out for the message, but the oldest one I found was 1996, and the message to advertisers was just standard, nothing like what you're looking for. I will ask him if he has any older ones from the 80s anywhere else in the house and report back with any findings!
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:06 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Mefi's own Jason Scott has been amassing a ton of old computer magazines. He has at least one issue of Computer Shopper from 1987. Try giving him a shout if you don't get an answer here.
posted by zsazsa at 10:15 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Here's a possible clue. From an article entitled "What ever happened to... Computer Shopper's classified ads?" in the August 1996 issue of Computer Shopper (emphasis mine):

It's been eight years since Ziff-Davis acquired Computer Shopper. What began as a trading paper for computer hobbyists interested in surplus or used computer equipment, software, and random pieces of electronic gear has evolved into the publication of the direct channel. Glenn Patch, who published Shutterbug Ads, a trading paper for collectible cameras and photographic equipment, started Computer Shopper in hopes of a repeat success. This took a large leap of faith because the personal computer industry was less than five years old, and no one knew how the trading market would develop.

The title page of Shopper indexed all the classification types, and page two contained the rates for classified and display ads. Also on page two was the "Publisher's Position on Honesty,"in which Patch stated his intent to conduct business honestly, saying that all ads meeting his policies would be published and there would be no skimming of bargains. Patch also declared that he would refuse ads if the advertiser was known to be dishonest and he invited readers to send complaints to the publication. He promised that all complaints against an advertiser would be investigated. Computer Shopper still abides by the "Publisher's Position on Honesty" and still prints it in the magazine.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the actual "Position on Honesty" text in any of the articles in Gale.
posted by mhum at 12:08 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

something like:
"Purchasing computer products via mail order can save you time and money, but there's more to buying direct than placing a phone call. Here are our suggestions for maximizing your direct purchase satisfaction.

Purchasing direct is sometimes frustrated by unclear vendor specifications, incorrect assumptions made by the buyer, overdue or damaged merchandise, or a bill for merchandise not received--these are a few of the things that can go wrong. Though most sellers are honest and reliable (see Position on Honesty below), problems can occur when buying through the direct channel.

When a product is mail ordered (intrastate or interstate commerce), the buyer and seller enter into a contract under the statutes of the Uniform Commercial Code. The Code implies that both parties promise to perform a specific act: the seller agrees to ship the merchandise for delivery by a certain date, at a specified price, and with a specified warranty; and the buyer states his understanding of the terms of purchase, such as price, sales tax (if any), warranty, shipment date, etc.

Since the contract can become complicated in direct sales, the buyer should be informed about the five elements of a successful purchase: Mail-Order Terms, Buyer Responsibility, Seller Liability, Payment Options, and what to do When Trouble Occurs.

Buyer Responsibility

As a buyer, do your part. After you know what you want to purchase and understand mail-order terms, do a little homework before you make a buying decision.

* Read the ad's fine print. Make sure you understand all the terms of purchase.

* Don't assume anything. A company is not responsible for keeping promises it didn't make.

* Look at the amount of a product available in stock, warranty, additional costs (sales tax, shipping expense, restocking fee), or "
posted by fozzie33 at 4:50 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Neely O'Hara, thank you for taking the time to look for old issues.

I think it was the publisher's position on honesty. This gives me some more ideas of what to search for.

Thanks everyone!
posted by Jasper Friendly Bear at 9:30 PM on January 16, 2011