Keep Uncle Sam at Bay

FTC’s Mail Order Merchandise Rule

This law covers the representation you make regarding merchandise and when customers will get the products. And it covers appropriate remedies when those expressed representations aren’t met.

Substitutions. This is an area in which I often see catalogers not complying. The law states: No substitutions that are “materially different” are allowed without customers expressly agreeing to the substitution beforehand. You can’t get around this by stating somewhere in your catalog or order form that you may make substitutions. Again, substitutions are not allowed.