Research a Company Before Paying Upfront
If you order products that never get delivered, what should you do?
According to Federal Trade Commission regulations, a company must ship mail-ordered merchandise within 30 days from the time it receives your order, unless in making the offer the company clearly and conspicuously stated some other time for shipment. This rule applies from the date your completed order is received by the company to the date it is shipped.
If the company cannot ship within a 30-day period or within the advertised time, it must notify you and permit you to cancel or agree to the delay. If you cancel, a full refund of any money paid or a credit memorandum showing your cleared account must be provided within seven days. If you do not respond to the notice, the company has a right to assume you agree to the delay. Good record keeping is a must.
Only two types of merchandise can be sent legally through the U.S. mail without a consumer's prior consent: free samples that are clearly indicated as such, and merchandise mailed by a charitable organization asking for contributions. If you receive unordered merchandise through the mail, you may consider it as your property. It is illegal for a company to bill you for any merchandise you did not expressly order.
Is it always possible to get your money back?
No. Many consumers are surprised that it is perfectly legal to declare "all sales are final"!
To protect yourself, the Better Business Bureau suggests you read and thoroughly understand the contract before you sign. Be wary of vaguely worded provisions, exclusions, or limitations that could later pose a problem. Request that confusing or ambiguous statements be either deleted or clarified to your satisfaction. Keep a copy of the signed contract. Your copy of the contract is the only proof you have of the conditions of the agreement.
Problems in your financial life? Maybe it's a misleading marketing campaign, workplace frustrations, or a money meltdown. E-mail us at alphaconsumer@usnews.com. We'll pick cases to investigate and share with you the best advice we find in our new Web column, Alpha Consumer.
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