Alternative to Stuffbak?
Oct 23, 2013 | 4:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 18,077
Alternative to Stuffbak?
As a longtime fan, I was dismayed to learn that Stuffbak has changed its TOS and no longer offers a premium service level that provides free return shipping. 
However it will honor existing contracts through 2014. Unfortunately mine expires next week. Also 24/7 customer service will be cut back to Mo-Fri 9am-5pm. 
Going forward the only option is for basic service, which means that you pay a $49 fee every time an item is returned, in addition to the up front price for new stickers. However the first 2 years of service (for each sticker) are free. Which leads somewhat to the rather perverse logic of replacing stickers every 2 years on low value items. @:-) The total cost is even higher if you offer a reward to the finder. (I typically offer $100 on iPhones and $200 on laptops, though fortunately have yet to pay out). When you add up the reward + $49, it just won't make sense anymore to protect low value items like kindles and dated smartphones.
Given the changed economics of stuffbak I am wondering if there is a better product. I believe there is a company pre-selling RFID tags for luggage tracking (with alarms) but IIRC it has not yet rolled out.
However it will honor existing contracts through 2014. Unfortunately mine expires next week. Also 24/7 customer service will be cut back to Mo-Fri 9am-5pm. Going forward the only option is for basic service, which means that you pay a $49 fee every time an item is returned, in addition to the up front price for new stickers. However the first 2 years of service (for each sticker) are free. Which leads somewhat to the rather perverse logic of replacing stickers every 2 years on low value items. @:-) The total cost is even higher if you offer a reward to the finder. (I typically offer $100 on iPhones and $200 on laptops, though fortunately have yet to pay out). When you add up the reward + $49, it just won't make sense anymore to protect low value items like kindles and dated smartphones.
Given the changed economics of stuffbak I am wondering if there is a better product. I believe there is a company pre-selling RFID tags for luggage tracking (with alarms) but IIRC it has not yet rolled out.
Aug 22, 2014 | 5:18 pm
#4
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 18,077
Further Update: stuffbak is going completely out of business as of December 2014. I guess the business model didn't work.
Dec 2, 2014 | 2:29 pm
#5
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 18,077
Update: Just received notification that Return.Me Lost and Found is now servicing former Stufffbak customers. Current stuffbak labels will be covered thru June 30, 2015.
Dec 4, 2014 | 6:33 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: DTW
Programs: Dirt Status w/ All
Posts: 5,049
Why not just tape a business card or stick an address label to your stuff with your phone number? Add "reward if found" if you think it is necessary, but I don't see why you need a third party to manage this for a fee. Honest people will honor this, while dishonest people will keep your stuff no matter what the label says.
The only electronic gadget I have lost (beyond the cost of a phone charger) is my cell phone, on the golf course, 10 years ago. The guy that found it called my home number and left a message, and I arranged to pick it up from his office the next morning. I did similar when I found an endorsed check on the ground at the ATM late one night. Since the bank was closed and the address of the person that wrote it was only a couple blocks away, I dropped it in their mailbox with a note that it was found on the ground at the bank.
The only electronic gadget I have lost (beyond the cost of a phone charger) is my cell phone, on the golf course, 10 years ago. The guy that found it called my home number and left a message, and I arranged to pick it up from his office the next morning. I did similar when I found an endorsed check on the ground at the ATM late one night. Since the bank was closed and the address of the person that wrote it was only a couple blocks away, I dropped it in their mailbox with a note that it was found on the ground at the bank.
Dec 6, 2014 | 10:06 am
#8
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Northern Virginia, USA
Posts: 105
As a former Stuffbak customer with an active account, I was pleased to see the descriptions of all my registered Stuffbak labels transitioned over to my online return.me account.
Now I have to decide which Stuffbak labels to replace with return.me labels after June 2015 when return.me will apparently no longer provide return service for Stuffbak items.
Now I have to decide which Stuffbak labels to replace with return.me labels after June 2015 when return.me will apparently no longer provide return service for Stuffbak items.