Q: I recently experienced a door-to-door salesman selling alarm systems. The sales pitch was high pressure; are there regulations for this type of sales?
A: The Better Business Bureau does warn consumers to be extremely cautious when answering the door to alarm system salespeople or any type of sales made door to door. The BBB has received complaints about home alarm systems from homeowners who were subjected to high-pressure sales tactics and felt deceived by the salesperson into buying an expensive alarm system.
The BBB received more than 3,000 complaints against burglar alarm companies in 2009, a 68 percent increase over the previous year. Again this year, the BBB will issue warnings to residents regarding door-to-door salesmen making the rounds, particularly during summer months.
There is good news. In March, the Electronic Security Association adopted stricter policies aimed at improving ethical conduct for members and enhancing service to consumers. The new policies include:
1) Enhanced identification: Sales representatives must carry photo ID cards and clearly state who they work for when making a sales call.