Millinocket woman is one smart cookie

Cindy T. of Millinocket gets our wise consumer of the month award thanks to her excellent handling of a consumer dispute.

Cindy loves to bake, and when she found an ad in a cooking magazine for a set of professional cookie molds and decorating utensils at a bargain price … the “shopping fool” in her took over. Since it was such a deal, she cut out the order blank and ordered two sets, one for her kitchen and another for her sister (who, Cindy maintains, never made cookies unless they were cut from a cookie roll purchased at the grocery store). The total purchase price, including shipping and handling, was $68.56.

Cindy made a photocopy of the order form (smart move), then mailed it with her personal check in payment. Within three weeks, her canceled check, endorsed by the company, arrived in her bank statement.

After waiting patiently for two months, the merchandise still had not arrived, so Cindy sent a registered, return receipt request letter to the company (another smart move). The signed verification of delivery card came back but still no merchandise or mail from the company. After two more months had passed, Cindy contacted COMBAT.

A COMBAT dispute resolution specialist wrote the company with a full explanation of what had – and hadn’t – happened to that date. We reminded the company that to wait four months for merchandise is unacceptable because the Federal Trade Commission’s 30-day mail order rule clearly states that if merchandise cannot be sent within 30 days, unless a specific alternate delivery schedule is provided, the consumer must be notified and given the choice of waiting the additional time or getting a refund.

We advised the company that since it had done neither, they were in direct violation of the law. We gave the company 14 days to send either the merchandise or a refund in the amount of $68.56 with a warning that if they did not respond as instructed, we would take further action.

About a week later, we received a reply from the company. “We have no record of any purchase made by this person. Please send us a copy of her payment check so that we can verify the endorsement.”

This is what made it important that Cindy had retained a copy of her order form, the name and address of the company, copies of correspondence, and copies of both sides of the canceled check. COMBAT wrote a second letter to the company and enclosed photocopies of all documentation.

Ten days later, Cindy wrote COMBAT, “Hoorah! I can’t believe it, the company not only sent me my cookie sets, they also included a full refund for my trouble! Thank you so much!” Well, Cindy, we’re glad we could help the cookie crumble in your direction.

If you should ever have similar problems with a mail order, follow Cindy’s example. Keep a complete record of the transaction. If you don’t receive merchandise within 30 days, send a registered, return receipt requested letter of inquiry. If you still get no response, write Consumer Forum and include copies of all important documents (no originals, please).

Better yet, if you can find items locally, buy from a Maine merchant who doesn’t make you wait 30 days (or four months) for your merchandise. Not only does this keep the cash circulating in our local economy, but if there is a problem with the merchandise you can just drive to the store and get prompt action.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT/The Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. For help or to request individual or business membership information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.