Watch Out for High-Pressure Door-to-Door Magazine Sales

Better Business Bureau serving the Snake River Region receives complaints each year from area residents who unknowingly purchase multi-year magazine subscriptions from door-to-door marketers.

BBB warns that deceptive door-to-door magazine sales crews are hitting the pavement and looking to earn a quick buck this summer.

Unscrupulous marketers often trick residents into paying hundreds of dollars for multi-year subscriptions to magazines they do not want or cannot afford.

Here’s how to handle door-to-door magazine sells:

Listen carefully and be aware of high-pressure sales tactics. Some unscrupulous door-to-door sellers will put pressure on you to close the deal at that moment and even make special offers to entice you. Find a way to end the conversation quickly to avoid long, high-pressure sales pitches. Beware of sympathy pitches from the sales person such as “I’m doing this for college,” or “This is for your local charity group or club.”

Verify the individual and the company. If you are interested in buying from a door-to-door seller, get everything in writing including price, warranty and all conditions. Tell the salesperson you will review the information and get back to him or her. Ask for contact information and look the company up yourself to verify this person is an employee. Also, take the time to check out the company’s Business Review at bbb.org.

Know your rights. The Federal Trade Commission’s Three-Day Cooling-Off Rule gives the customer three days to cancel purchases over $25 that are made in their home or at a location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business. Along with a receipt, salespeople should also include a completed cancellation form that customers can send to the company to cancel the agreement. By law, the company must give customers a refund within 10 days of receiving the cancellation notice.

If you feel uncomfortable about the sales person, call your local law enforcement. Most cities have soliciting laws, and are enforced by the police departments.