Keep Uncle Sam at Bay

When you take an order by phone, any shipment information you say or imply supercedes the representation made in printed advertising material or your catalog. Caution: If an item is on backorder, and you don’t know exactly when it’ll arrive—but you tell customers it will arrive and be shipped to them in two weeks—this is now your expressed representation about the ship date to your customer. If you can’t meet this two-week representation, and you don’t notify the customer, you’re in violation of the mail order merchandise rule.