This website and truelocal.com.au have no association with Yellow Pages. This website outlines the facts about the decline of Yellow Pages print directory readership. The facts do not refer to Yellow Pages online.

Frustrated!

Posted on June 23, 2009

Frustrated man

Are you frustrated with the Yellow Pages Print Directory being delivered to your household?

Tell us what you think or share an experience you’ve had with the Yellow Pages Print Directory.

34 Responses

  1. Luke
    June 23, 2009

    About time somebody raised this. Another 12 Yellow and White Pages directories were delivered to our apartment complex a couple of weeks ago and for the 3rd year running they are still all sitting there in the foyer. Nobody asked for them, nobody wants them and worse still nobody (inc lazy me) can be bothered picking the heavy things up and taking them around the recycled bin. It is ridiculous that I spend all day at work being told to reduce how much paper we use and print and there are thousands of pages in every one of these books.
    Yellow = unsubscribe!

    [Reply to this comment]

    Jo replied:

    I have to echo Luke’s comments. We live in an appartment complex and the books just get left in the foyer. They should be delivered only to those who request them.

    Dean replied:

    Something needs to be done.

    The only reason Sensis do not ask the question “do you want a Yellow Pages Print Directory delivered to your door” is because people will say “no”!

    The loss in revenue would be substansial….

    I vote NO to Yellow Pages, what a waiste!!


  2. Brendan
    June 23, 2009

    Unfortunately my yellow and white pages goes straight to the recycle bin. I feel guilty doing it but I do take the plastic coating off first. I don’t think that is recyclable so probably goes into landfill instead.

    Can I request to not have them delivered?

    [Reply to this comment]

    andrew replied:

    Sorry, only just saw this post.
    I am the same I put them straight in the recycling bin, only found out last week that you can call Sensis on 1800 810 211  and ask for the white pages and yellow pages to not be delivered to you.  I think if more people new this, they’d have a lot of people ringing them and cancelling the directories.


  3. Kelly
    June 23, 2009

    I think the white/yellow pages directories should be a choice for people to make. I hope every time they print a directory they plant 5 new trees!

    Everyone I know uses the internet to serach for businesses these days, those still using the directories should embrace the change.

    [Reply to this comment]


  4. Kym
    June 23, 2009

    I think yellow pages needs to move into the 21st Century!  Noone picks up this big heavy lump of a book and looks anything up, they go straight to the internet and do their research.  The impact on the environment is ridiculous and they need to realise that noone under the age of 45 is interested in using it.  The only thing the yellow pages is good for is holding my door open when I’m bringing in shopping or propping up my computer screen in the office.

    [Reply to this comment]


  5. Francesca
    June 24, 2009

    The only remaining use for Yellow Pages is to put under a computer monitor to raise it to the right height!

    The recycle bins in Balmain are full of unwanted Yellow Pages days after they arrive in our suburb!

    Time to stop this horrible waste of paper and the energy of delivering them all around the country!

    [Reply to this comment]


  6. Mark
    June 24, 2009

    I’ve moved to Australia from England and was initially pleased to see something as familiar as the Yellow Pages.  I remember as a kid being excited to see the bright new Yellow Pages take its place by the phone.  However, I just don’t have the space and in this day and age why would I use a book that takes up more space than my laptop?  I’ve started to view them as an annoyance because throwing them straight in the recycling is such a ridiculously guilt ridden act.   This once iconic part of the home is now part of the past.  Could we swap them for red telephone boxes?  Probably have to be from the UK, and over 30, to understand that comment…

    [Reply to this comment]


  7. moi
    June 24, 2009

    Well I might miss it a bit – it is good for putting on the dining chairs so my kids reach the table properly – but other than that – does anyone actually use it anymore?  Even my 66 year old Dad has caught up with the times and searches online

    [Reply to this comment]


  8. Jo
    June 25, 2009

    I have just seen a response on the Daily Telegraph website from a Yellow Pages spokesman that says anybody not wanting a Yellow Pages print directory could call Census Pty Ltd on 1800 810 211 and ask not to receive one.

    [Reply to this comment]


  9. T Robertson
    June 25, 2009

    As an American in Australia, I find it interesting that it keeps being said “Everyone searches for businesses online” these days. How can that be?

    For starters, the Australian Bureau of Statistics report on Household Use of Information Technology found that only 67% of Australian Households have home Internet Access. Only 4.3 million households have Broadband Internet connections. Of homes without internet access, more than 20% are located in major cities of Australia or in metropolitan areas.

    And if everyone IS looking online for businesses – well, they aren’t finding much. Because, when you look at the ABS report on Business use of Information Technology – only 29.8% of Australian businesses have a presence on the web. And since I’m sure many of you are now saying – “if they haven’t got web access home, then they have it at work” – consider this: According to the ABS – only 88.8% of Australian businesses use computers and only 81.3% use the Internet at work.

    We’re all online right now replying to findings of an online survey, whose responses were gathered from online respondents, conducted by a research company that can only be found online.

    Consider the audience, the source and Get your perspective in check, folks. Remember people have been predicting the death of newspapers for decades now – thanks to the great white saviours of TV and the web. I doubt very much that True Local’s parent company would be very happy if their printed mediums shriveled up and died.

    [Reply to this comment]


  10. BJ
    June 25, 2009

  11. Peter Davis
    June 25, 2009

    Too funny… I heard on the radio today there was an option to opt out of the yellow pages book being delivered, and that there was only 10% that actually wanted to opt out ~ may I be so bold as to suggest it would be higher if the yellow website actually had some link somewhere that I could do this. I just spent 15 minutes trying to find out how to opt out and couldn’t find any link.

    [Reply to this comment]


  12. Paul
    June 26, 2009

    The only probelm with all those stats is that they don’t show anything about use of yellow pages ONLINE.  If people are no longer getting info from the phone book, where are they getting it? I think we know the answer. Hint: it’s not yellow pages online, it’s not TrueLocal. It starts with G and ends with E.

    [Reply to this comment]


  13. Dave
    June 26, 2009

    In our office we use the yellow pages as monitor stands, and they’re very effective at that job.  Near our house in Sydney there was a rotting pile of yellow pages near the park for months.
    The internet is the answer – which website gets that audience is still up for grabs :)

    [Reply to this comment]


  14. SB
    June 26, 2009

    I haven’t actually received any yellow pages in the last couple of years so it is lucky I don’t use them! In saying that, I can never seem to find what I want on the yellow pages online anyway and prefer to just do a general search on the internet.  I prefer to research company’s websites for information rather than calling meaning I am much more likely to use a business with a good website.
    Maybe the standard should be not to issue the paper directories and people could pick them up from the post office or request for one to be mailed out if they want one??

    [Reply to this comment]


  15. Billy C
    June 27, 2009

    Is there a link to stop the delivery, it seems insane that I need to call them and spend ages online to tell them to stop.

    [Reply to this comment]


  16. Billy C
    June 27, 2009

  17. daniel
    June 28, 2009

    When i first saw this site. I thought it was referring to yellow turning bloo. As in  http://www.bloo.com.au
    I’m in WA and this site is killling it. They are advertising heavily, have a large amount of content and i’m sure it will give the yellow pages a good shake up.!
     

    [Reply to this comment]


  18. KonstantinMiller
    July 7, 2009

    I have been looking looking around for this kind of information. Will you post some more in future? I’ll be grateful if you will.

    [Reply to this comment]


  19. Richard J McPhalrin
    July 14, 2009

    Hey
    Frustrated! , great article, really well though out and very much enjoyed.

    Cheers

    [Reply to this comment]


  20. Alister Smith
    August 1, 2009

    In my opinion I think that this should be not optional to opt out of receiving the yellow pages but instead no-one receives them but if you really want one you can go to your local post office and pick one up. Then only the people who truly use them (the older generations) will use them. I personally think that yellow pages should be fined for necessarily using the earth’s resources to produce and deliver generally unwanted books. It should be on the phase out to allow technology to take over.
    I have heard some people mention but what if the power goes out and I need an electrician and I cannot use my internet due to no power??? Well most phones now are have more than sufficient internet access and over time you will not be able to get a phone that will not have this function.
    Let’s stop living in the past and have companies like Sensis be more accountable…I am only 22 years old and even I can see the progress that is required.
    Alister

    [Reply to this comment]


  21. Janet
    December 14, 2009

    I advertise on yellow pages online and sydney print.  The print is for the next directory so can’t comment on that.  Online?  No response whatsoever in 3 or 4 months.  Sorry, TrueLocal, but I’ve also been on HotFrog for about the same time.  I’ve had one response from that.  One’s good compared to none.  I do question the relevance of print Yellows these days but am still considering the Local Yellow. I use it so I’m hoping people who need me will use it too.  The Sydney one though?  Too big, cumbersome.  I throw it out when it arrives. I’m annoyed with myself for being persuaded by the talented sales guy at Yellow P who sold me a years worth of advertising in the Sydney Wide print.  Time could tell a more positive story..
    Online’s the way to go as far as I’m concerned.   TrueLocal, you may not want to know this but I do get annoyed when I do a search for my business and come up with only True Local, Hot Frog etc. on the front page.  You have to flip through pages to get the websites of the real folk.  How will anyone found me when you guys are hogging the front page.
     

    [Reply to this comment]


  22. Dean
    January 10, 2010

    I don’t recommend advertising with Yellow Pages their Sales Staff are good at sucking people in with Zero results this is my 2nd time advertising them with them first time was a few years ago i got a clients or 2 and small amount of last minute calls which are useless unless i’m not booked out.
    They would get a few sales agents to call me every year asking how i thought expressing my view saying free online advertising had better results and work best for me they still keept calling me, one year a got a call and since my business expanded into different areas they offered to come out and suck me into it saying that it will work better then last time i tried canceling when i saw the cost and didnt approve any artworks but they claimed they never received the email so i eventually ended up paying for it, still nearly a year and not a single client from yellow pages. Also the 1st time i was using yellow pages online and as a business owner you track your stats about 1 to 3 max a week would come from yellow pages online, the rest about 5 + a day was from google which is costing me nothing.
    Don’t advertise with yellow page’s you will be lucky to break even and their staff are unprofessional and get their client’s by lieing to them.

    [Reply to this comment]


  23. katrina
    January 13, 2010

    We’ve called the 1800 number to cancel our yellow pages and white pages delivery, and guess what…. they still delivered them!  I want someone to come and collect them please!  I will be ring sensis tomorrow to make my request. I suggest everyone else does the same and that will soon sort them out.

    [Reply to this comment]


  24. Robbo
    March 21, 2010

    That Sensis “cancel Yellow Pages” number is a farce–nothing more than a PR exercise. I have tried for years to have mine stop being delivered and they still deliver them anyway.  Yellow pages should be an “opt-in” service. No Yellow Pages delivery unless you ask for it. When is this country going to come to its senses?

    [Reply to this comment]

    Andrea McCormick replied:

    I reckon we should start a viral campaign….hands up all those that want to donate the cost of printing their yellow pages and delivering it to my door (even though I don’t want it, never use it or have used it for possibly 10 years) to the Flood Appeal in QLD.


  25. renovations melbourne
    April 20, 2010

    Hey, I was recommended to come here by a friend, this is a really great blog ;D

    [Reply to this comment]


  26. Walter von Sturler
    June 10, 2010

    Last year our entire street was littered with tons of unopened blocks of phone books. Sensis continue to increase their draconian range of products (now even a car phone book is being printed???) They all end up in our bins and with high recycling costs, our landfill!. We do not need the product as we are now nearly all “On-Line” My research indicates over 90% of Australians do not want the books delivered. They are a hideous waste of our natural resources, and as Sensis state on their website, produce the equivalent pollution of 40,000 extra cars on our roads each year.!  I am looking for sponsorship too build and advertise a national “Do Not Deliver” website to be promoted on nation TV as a community service advertisement. Our team have strong demonstrated experience in marketing and campaign management and envisage we could have the site up and running in 8 weeks. I can be contacted at wvonsturler@gmail.com  Thanks for taking the time to read this. The time for positive action on this situation is NOW! 2011 printing begins soon. Regards, Walter

    [Reply to this comment]


  27. We believe at Integrati Marketing that all marketing and advertising communications should be permission based and you should have ready access to in or opt-out of those communications.
    This data on the site presented by True Local has been of interest to us as it shows some insight into usage and penetration in regards to the drop in print readership and also a generational change in directory/online directory services.
    At the end of the day you should measure both online and offline channels and work out the cost per lead/to conversion and this will give you the power to make the right decisions about your marketing investment.
    In regards to opting out, it is pretty simple, you just call the phone number you have published here… and I am sure you can opt-back in as well!
    Cheers, team Integrati.
     
     
     
     
     
     

    [Reply to this comment]


  28. TeeDee
    October 13, 2010

     
    Here’s the Sensis opt out website:
    https://www.directoryselect.com.au/ds/ or call 1800 008 292
     

    [Reply to this comment]


  29. Brent
    January 24, 2011

    i’d actually prefer to continue receiving the printed Yellow pages!!

    you see, they are the reason i don’t have to crane my neck any more while looking at my computer screen because my trusty, AND dusty, Yellow Pages have helped elevate my screen a few centimetres  off my desk by sitting proudly underneath it.

    They will however need to start attracting more subscribers soon, because if they continue getting any thinner, they will surely lose their ergonomic appeal.

    btw, we cancelled our $40k per annum YP ad two years ago

    [Reply to this comment]


  30. Andrea McCormick
    January 28, 2011

    So why do we still get the yellow pages delivered to our door, even though we DON’T want it. This is such a waste. Your research was primarily done a couple of years ago yet it still is being printed. How can we stop it!! Such waste. 

    [Reply to this comment]


Leave a Reply



This website and truelocal.com.au have no association with Yellow Pages. This website outlines the facts about the decline of Yellow Pages print directory readership. The facts do not refer to Yellow Pages online.