Buyer’s Regret? What Are Your Rights?

Aug. 11, 2013 - PRLog -- You have rights when you change your mind about a purchase: It’s called a cooling off period.

What if you order an expensive skin cream from a representative who goes door to door and as soon as she leaves, you know you went overboard.  You want to return it.  Put it this way, you have to return it or your husband will think you've lost your mind. 

Or what if the absolute cliche happens:  A door-to-door salesman comes to your door sells you on a brand new vacuum cleaner?  He's working his way through college and it's just $12 a month for the next 3 years.

Perhaps as part of a generation raised to be both considerate and polite, you just don’t feel comfortable doing things like saying NO.  

Did you know, in some cases, salesmen will actually target older communities hoping to find someone kind and worried about hurting his feelings?  

Don’t feel bad.  We’ve all been victims of the hard sell.

What can you do?

You’ve decided you don’t want the bloody vacuum cleaner, yet you signed a contract.  You own it, no?  Not if your purchase and decision to return the item fall within the cooling off period.

Under a Federal Law called The Cooling Off Period: When and How to Cancel a Sale (http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0176-protections-hom...), you have three business days to cancel your purchase when the purchase price exceeds $25.   

The salesperson should have told you about your right to cancel and left  two copies of a cancellation form (one to keep and one to send) and a copy of your contract or receipt. You can also call your credit card company and tell them you are cancelling the product.  

If you call the company and feel threatened or they refuse to comply, call your local Attorney General’s Office (http://www.ag.ny.gov/tour-attorney-generals-office) for help.  The Complaint Hotline is (877) 545-5864.

Note: The cooling off period does not apply to items you order online or over the phone. If you have a change of heart about something you order by mail, phone or over the internet, simply pack it up with a copy of the receipt and take it to the post office.  Keep a copy of the tracking number and if it is over $100, insure it.  If it is under $100, it is automatically insured.

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