For almost three years now I’ve been confused by the method of communication used by a popular online-only review publication. To request a review copy, or alert me to a published review, an editor at the site sent me a letter through the U.S. Postal Service. The review alerts were especially frustrating because the letter included the review URL, a long series of seemingly random characters, that I would have to type into my browser to access the review. If only I could receive this information in an e-mail message (as a hotlink, even!), I could save some time and the publication could save money and paper. It is an online-only review publication after all.

When the latest review alert arrived in the mail today I decided to e-mail the publication to request a change. The cover letter contained no e-mail address but it did include a phone number. And, so I called.  Someone answered the phone, collected my e-mail information, and in less than a minute I was added to the e-mail distribution list. Yay!