GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As the spring gradually brings temperatures back up across Wisconsin, it’s also bringing door-to-door sales people back to our neighborhoods.
“People in the Midwest might be a little too nice. We feel like we have to open our door to strangers, but we don’t. Don’t feel like you have to open your door if you don’t recognize the person on the other side,” said Susan Bach of the Better Business Bureau.
Many door-to-door salespeople are legitimate, while others might be trying to rip you off for a quick buck. Bach says the first thing to do is ask for permits and identification.
“First thing, ask to see their seller’s permit or any kind of home contracting license that they might need…Check their identification. Make sure that they have a legitimate business photo ID. They should also have a business card with a local address,” Bach said. “It’s really up to the homeowner to the spot the red flags and be able to tell the good companies from the bad companies.”
Many municipalities require a permit for door-to-door sales. If the seller can’t provide that, ask them to leave.
In a perfect situation, you’d want to say no – and do your research on the company before putting any money down.
“Don’t say yes right away to the sales person. You want to make sure that you check out that company first, do your research, check them out with the Better Business Bureau as well,” Bach said. “Never pay full price up front for any service. That is true for any contractor, but especially for door to door sales people. You never want to give them a huge deposit up front.”
But sometimes it’s not always easy to say no. Oftentimes, consumers will just say yes to get the sales person off of their property. That’s where the Federal Trade Commission’s Three-Day Cooling-Off Rule comes in.
“So you have 3 days to cancel the contract for any purchase that was made in your home over $25, and the sales person has to give you more information about that,” Bach explained.
In an extreme situation where a seller refuses to leave, Bach says to threaten to call the police – and follow through if they remain on your property.
“Stand strong. Don’t allow any kind of person to bully you into purchasing a product or service,” Bach said. “Be very careful of just allowing strangers into your home in general, because sometimes they’re not selling anything, they’re really just casing your home.”
For more information and tips on dealing with door-to-door sales, head to BBB.org.
