The Southwestern Company Internship Difference Blog
DOOR-TO-DOOR SAFETY TIPS FROM SOUTHWESTERN ADVANTAGE!
In researching traveling sales crews, I often find a commonality with them: many of their paying customers don’t get the magazine subscription they ordered.
To me, that’s a problem. That is one of the many problems and is a contributing factor as to why rogue door-to-door sales companies tarnish the door-to-door direct selling business model.
In fact, like many others, a Sacramento, California homeowner was scammed out of $134. Fifteen months later, she has still not been made whole. The person who solicited the her spoke of having financial woes and how selling the subscriptions door-to-door helped feed her family. RED FLAG! Anytime someone uses this type of sales tactic to invoke an emotional response of apathy, there’s a good chance they are playing on one’s sympathies to collect more sales.
When attempting to contact the traveling sales crew company, Freedom Sales, she gets nowhere. This, by the way, is also a RED FLAG. These companies change names and numbers more than Lady Gaga changes outfits during a concert. In a news feature from CBS Sacramento, “Call Kurtis: Is My Door-to-Door Salesman Legit?“, it was pointed out this particular company had some sort of disclaimer that “refunds will no be issued.” More or less, this amounts to the company not really having a refund policy. I can tell you if they do not honor the three-day cooling off period, they are in violation of Federal law.
It’s also noted in that Freedom Sales has never been granted the required solicitation permit in Sacramento. This is a big deal, as it is also another frequent reason as to the tarnished reputation door-to-door has.
TAKE-AWAYS:
1) Be careful of door-to-door solicitors who have an emotional story attched to their sales talk.
2) Ask about the refund policy.
3) Ask to see a solicitation permit if required in your town (may not be)
Don’t be afraid to do business with a door-to-door solicitor. The majority are just trying to make an honest living. Southwestern Advantage has been helping college students run their own business in this way for well over a century. there are honest people and honest companies out there doing it the right way. Never let up your guard, but never give up hope, and hopefully you will not be let down.
