Yellow pages....... why?

[R1Geezer]

Ok just got my latest one, last year's barely openned. In these days of Eco awareness etc why do they still print and distribute phone books. You can get it all on line. They could save thousands of tons of paper, hauling said paper + fuel + time to haull said paper! Ok they could have some printed that technophobes could order of they really wanted. Bl00dy h3ll I'm turning into a beardy weirdy tree hu66er, help!

[Gromit]

Because they do not publish it to be helpful to you, they publish it to make lots of money from all the adverts they print.

[tiggerblue10]

I have contacted Yellow Pages and Thompson and other directory distributors and asked them to stop sending me their books.

[R1Geezer]

I thought of that Gromit but they also have the same ads on Yell.com. Businesses will still pay. the cost of distribution must be huge!

[gina32]

they print it because not everyone has access to a pc and are unable to look online.

[R1Geezer]

Then they can call up and order one, see above!

[Gromit]

It may surprise you Geezer, but not everyone is Computer literate, especially older people. The paper version is still very profitable and widely used. Advertising in the Yellow pages is pretty expensive, but still has a proven record of working despite the competition from tinternet.

No company as big as Yellow Pages is going to jack in a successful business to save a few trees.

These directories are made from recycled paper and most councils will now accept the old directories for recycling, so it is no worse than buying a daily newspaper in terms of damage to the environment (Sorry went into huge beardie mode there).

http://www.recyclenow.com/what_can_i_do_today/ can_it_be_recycled/paper_products/yellow_pages .html

[R1Geezer]

Fair enough Gromit. I even handed my old one in today to someone in the officce collecting Yellow pages for recycling. mmmm I'm thinking of growing a beard!

[gina32]

where would they get the number from to order it?

[R1Geezer]

118118 for eg, how do they get numbers now?

[R1Geezer]

gina see what you are saying, right not everyone is on the phone. Well they could write a letter or use a carrier pigeon or what about the sme66ing pony express!?

[gina32]

from the phone book or yellow pages!!

[BillyBB]

Money for nothing merchants.
Most of the ads are from call centres who sub it out anyway. More than half the ads in some classifications are from the same four companies.
Ten years ago they promised to stop the aaaaaa.....aaaaaa listings but they are still prevalent.
Cannot beat word of mouth, lots of tradesmen I know have dropped YP 118247 and Yell.com all together.

[gina32]

at the end of the day it costs the advertisers to have space so what does it matter

[heathfield]

Well, Gina, if it costs the advertisers, how do you think they recoup that? By passing the cost on to you and me when we buy from them or use their services, that's how.