New Consumer Shopping Guidelines for Mail Order and Online Shopping

Oct. 29, 2007 - PRLog -- National Mail Order Association (NMOA), a 35 year old professional organization for the direct marketing industry, announced today the posting of a new on-line consumer information department that gives ten detailed ordering tips when shopping through direct marketers.

The new department also offers detailed suggestions and procedures of what to do if something goes wrong with your order, and what to do if you have a complaint about an uncooperative or deceptive marketer.

“We want consumers to have an enjoyable shopping experience this season,” says John Schulte, President of the NMOA. “Whether someone orders on-line, by phone, fax, or by mail, there are certain procedures every consumer should keep in mind. That’s why we put these shopping tips together. Anytime a consumer is left cheated or unhappy because of one bad direct marketer, it gives a black-eye to the industry and to all of the good businesses selling direct.”

Among the subjects covered are; what to do before you order, how to pay for your order, when you should get your order, what the company must do if your order is delayed or lost, canceling or returning your order and getting your money back, dealing with “of-the-month’ clubs, when you can keep something for free and who to contact if you have irreconcilable problems.

Three Quick Tips that every shopper must keep in mind when shopping from direct marketers.

1. All direct marketing companies must abide by the FTC's Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule (the "30-Day Rule"), which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, as amended effective March 1, 1994. It now applies to orders placed by telephone, by mail, by computers, by fax machines, and pre-recorded messages.

2. Keep in mind that common sense is required when shopping at a distance. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

3. Whenever possible, especially when dealing with companies you have never heard of before, use a credit card or PayPal for ordering.

The new consumer department also features 33 quick-link categories to hundreds of specialty catalogs that can be requested free, offering consumers thousands of shopping options for this holiday season and beyond.

10 detailed tips to help guide consumers when shopping through direct marketers is available immediately via the NMOA Web site, http://www.nmoa.org/consumer.asp

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The National Mail Order Association, (NMOA) is a membership-supported organization founded in 1972 to help small to midsize businesses and entrepreneurs involved in mail order and direct marketing for selling goods and services.

Website: www.nmoa.org