Door-to-Door and Telephone Sales
Most door-to-door salespeople are honest. They offer products and services consumers may need and want. Some, however, use high-pressure tactics and smooth talk to get you to buy things that you other-wise wouldn't buy. Once in the door, this type of sales-person won't take no for an answer and will do almost anything to make the sale.
Some state laws and a Federal Trade Commission rule give consumers a "cooling-off" period of three business days after they have signed a contract for over $25 with a door-to-door salesperson. During this period, consumers can notify door-to-door sellers in writing that they wish to cancel the contract. The FTC rule also requires door-to-door salespeople to tell their customers about the right to cancel and to put this notice in writing. If the seller does not do this, the consumer may be able to cancel the contract by sending a letter or telegram to the seller.
Consumers should be cautious regarding sales offers made by telephone. Many fraudulent schemes are conducted this way. The cooling-off period of three days does not yet apply to telephone sales. Be particularly careful if a telephone salesperson asks for your credit card number. This person may not only fail to send what you order but may also make additional purchases using your credit card number!
Phony Contests and Referral Sales
A seller may convince consumers that they can save money by referring the seller to other customers. The consumer then enters into a sales contract assuming that the price will be reduced if he or she gives a list of other potential purchasers of the product to the seller. However, the agreement usually provides savings to the consumer only if the potential customers actually buy the product. This selling technique is called a referral sale. Unless deceptive, referral sales are generally legal
1. Find the equivalents of the following words and expressions in the text:
агенты по продаже на дому, тактика давления и уговоров, период обдумывания, право на расторжение контракта, мошенническая схема, продажа товара по телефону, междугородный телефонный разговор, убедить покупателя, жульническое соревнование
2. Answer the questions:
1. What are high-pressure tactics and smooth talk? Give your examples.
2. What is a "cooling-of " period? How long is it? Do we have it in this country?
3. Why should consumers be cautious regarding sales offers made by telephone?
4. What are referral sales? Are they legal?
5. Match the words on the left with the correct definition on the right:
| consumer | phony |
| cautious | binding agreement |
| fraudulent | obliterate |
| scam | make less |
| debit | careful |
| referral sale | entry (in an account) of a sum owing |
| honest | fraud |
| cancel | deceptive selling technique |
| contract | not cheating |
| reduce | person who uses goods |
6. Translate the following sentences into English:
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1. Некоторые агенты по продаже товаров на дому используют различные психологические приемы, чтобы заставить купить их товары.
2.В законе прописано, что в течение 3-х рабочих дней можно отказаться от покупки. Надо быть осторожным при оформлении покупки по телефону, так как на них действие этого закона не распространяется.
Most sellers are honest, but some are not. A few use deceptive or unfair sales techniques. As a result, consumers must learn to recognize and avoid deceptive sales practices.
EASY MONEY. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were struggling to make ends meet and to feed their family of five. They decided that they needed to borrow money to meet their expenses for the month. They considered going to a bank for a loan, but they knew they had poor credit histories, and they didn't want to be paying off interest over a long period of time They were very interested when they read the following ad in the newspaper:
EASY MONEY: Are you having trouble making ends meet? Do you need a short-term loan just to get you through a rough time? We offer quick loans to anyone regardless of credit background. No interest payments. Just a nominal processing fee. CALL TODAY!!
The offer sounded too good to be true. But although the Johnsons were skeptical, they called. The opera tor said she would be happy to offer them a no-interest loan of $2,000 repayable in six easy monthly installments. All the Johnsons had to do was to pay a one-time $200 fee that the company would use to process the paperwork.
The Johnsons did not have to meet anybody, from the loan company, and nobody bothered them at their home. They scraped together the $200 and sent Easy Money, Inc. a money order.
When they had not received their money in three weeks, they began to worry. They again called the number listed in the paper, but the line had been disconnected. Finally, after, two additional weeks, they realized they were not going to get their loan and would never see the "processing fee" again.
/. Problem-solving.
a. Did any unfair or deceptive practices take place in the Johnsons' story? Explain.
b. What could the Johnsons have done to prevent their loss?
c. What can they do now?
2. Match the words on the left with the correct definition on the right:
| Community | payment |
| filing | question to be decided in a law court |
| complicated | deal wit заплатить взнос.
3. Необходимо подготовиться к слушанию Ваше- го дела заранее: подготовить необходимую инфор- мацию (квитанции, письма, расчеты за ремонт и т.д.). Если это возможно, надо принести бракованный то- вар.
4. Свяжитесь со всеми свидетелями и убедитесь, что они придут на суд. Свидетели, не желающие сотрудничать, могут быть доставлены.
5. Слушание дела было отложено на месяц.
6. После того, как обе стороны высказались, су- дья вынес свое решение.
UNIT 10
Read and translate the text.
DOOR-TO-DOOR AND  TELEPHONE SALES
Most door-to-door salespeople are honest. They offer products and services consumers may need and want. Some, however, use high-pressure tactics and smooth talk to get you to buy things that you other-wise wouldn't buy. Once in the door, this type of sales-person won't take no for an answer and will do almost anything to make the sale.
Some state laws and a Federal Trade Commission rule give consumers a "cooling-off" period of three business days after they have signed a contract for over $25 with a door-to-door salesperson. During this period, consumers can'notify door-to-door sellers in writing that they wish to cancel the contract. The FTC rule also requires door-to-door salespeople to tell their customers about the right to cancel and to put this notice in writing. If the seller does not do this, the con-sumer may be able to cancel the contract by sending a letter or telegram to the seller.
Consumers should be cautious regarding sales of-fers made by telephone. Many fraudulent schemes are conducted this way. The cooling-off period of three days does not yet apply to telephone sales. Be partic-ularly careful if a telephone salesperson asks for your credit card number. This person may not only fail to
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| clerk | application |
| minor | statement of claim |
| handle | district |
| fee | trial of a case at law |
| complaint | anything that proves sth |
| case | less important |
| incur | a person who gives evidence in a law court |
| evidence | difficult |
| postponement | a person employed to keep records and accounts, copy letters etc |
| hearing | ordered to appear in court |
| subpoenaed | public officer with authority to hear and decide cases in a law court |
| witness | bring upon oneself |
| judge | continuance |
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