Vertrue Incorporated
brings you the following information:
Vertrue
Points Out What You Need
To Know To Protect Yourself While Taking Advantage Of Offers Coming
Into Your Home
Vertrue
would say you have no doubt received telephone calls, piles of
mail and scads of internet ads offering various products and
services. Many of the products and services offered sound good,
but how do you know the company making the offer is trustworthy???
Vertrue
suggests the key is to pay attention to the specific details
of the offer. Reputable
marketers will ensure that you have their name, address, phone
number or other way to contact them, and will provide complete
information on all material terms and limitations of the offer.
For example, in some cases, you will be charged at the end of
the trial period unless you take the necessary steps to cancel
the product or service before the end of the trial. In other
words, your failure to take action to cancel during the trial is
understood as your acceptance of the offer, and you will be charged
for the product or service until you take the necessary steps
to cancel. This is often referred to as a "negative
option plan."
Vertrue
points out another type of negative option plan is a "continuity
plan" in which your failure to take action to cancel is understood
to be your agreement to continue to receive periodically and pay
for the product and/or service. Some common examples of negative
option plans include:
~ flower and lawn care services
~ water and gas services
~ magazine subscriptions
~ book and music clubs
~ any
other membership programs in which consumers must contact a company
and inform them that they no longer wish to receive the product
or service
Negative option/continuity plans can offer consumers important
benefits:
~ These plans allow consumers to receive services/products
and/or services on an ongoing basis without having to renew their
order each time.
~ Consumers'
financial information is maintained by the company in
a secure environment.
~ Since consumers do not have to provide their
financial information each time they receive the products or services,
the risk that personal or financial information will be stolen or
misused is greatly reduced.
Vertrue
agrees that trustworthy Marketers should provide details
To get the most from a negative option offer and
avoid being charged for a product and/or service that you decide
is not right for you, carefully read any materials sent to you by
the company making the offer. These materials may be sent to you
by mail or email. You can also check to see whether the company has
a website that will contain additional
facts about the offer. Save the important information - such
as the terms and conditions, the toll-free customer service phone
number and the cancellation instructions - in a special place.
Vertrue
asks what specific information should you look for?
Features/Benefits:
Get
the facts on the features and/or benefits:
~ Are there any limitations on your use of the
product or service? Is there a trial or approval period? If so, find
out what that is.
~ Learn how you obtain the benefits. Do you need
to present a coupon or enter a special code for online purchases?
~ How
frequently will you receive the product and/or service?
~
Is there a minimum purchase requirement?
~ If you are confused or don't understand, call
customer service. The toll-free customer service number is generally
on the materials you received from the company or on its website.
Payment,
cancellation & and
refund terms:
~ Find out what the payment terms are. You need
to know when, how often and how much you will be charged. You also
need to know whether the charge will be placed on your credit card,
debit, checking or other account.
~ Find out how to cancel. Can you call customer
service to cancel, or must you cancel in writing?
~ Ask about the refund and return policy. Can
you get all or part of your money back if you are not satisfied with
the product or service? By what date must you cancel to get your
money refunded?
~ Mark the date the trial period ends on your
calendar as a reminder that you need to make a decision by that date.
~ If you decide that you are not interested in
the product or service, contact the company before the end of the
trial period, and tell them that you wish to cancel immediately to
avoid being charged.
Vertrue points
out the following to avoid an unauthorized
or unfamiliar charge:
~ If you receive materials for products or services that
do not sound familiar to you, check with your spouse or other authorized
users of your credit card to see if they placed an order or accepted
an offer for a trial membership of the product or service.
~ If you do not recognize a charge. Call the company
or your credit card issuer for more information about the charge.
~ Keep track of when you order or cancel , and
note the date and the name of the representative who took your order
or cancellation request.
~ Check your credit card statement for a couple
of months after you cancel the product or service to make sure the
company did not charge you despite your cancellation.
How to get satisfaction
Vertrue
suggests if you have a problem with the product and/or
service, try to resolve it by calling the company customer service
department, generally a toll-free call. If you're still dissatisfied,
contact your local Better Business Bureau or state/local consumer
protection agency for further assistance. You can find these
agencies listed in the Blue pages of your phone book, or on your
state government's website.
Back | Continue
Vertrue Incorporated is headquartered
in Norwalk, Conneticut. The company is a category leader in both
membership and loyalty programs that bring value direct to consumers
through a range of benefits in healthcare, discounts, security
and personals. Corporate client partners benefit from programs
that effectively enhance market presence, strengthen customer
affinity and generate additional value through the broad online
and offline distribution capabilities of Vertrue.
www.vertrue.com
