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Although this article dates back to September 30th, 2011 it is still very relevant today.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has received thousands of complaints about unscrupulous door to door salesman offering adjustable beds, mobility scooters, and stairlifts for the elderly. In many cases the elderly and disabled are subject to high pressure sales tactics which can lead to them paying up to 50% more than the current market price and may lead to them making innapropriate purchases. In some cases the customers have been overcharged by thousands of pounds.
The OFT commented that “Many traders treat their customers fairly but some use high pressure sales tactics that encourage people to make snap decisions without comparing prices or checking to see if the product is the right one for their needs.” This is something that Stairlift Suppliers have mentioned previously (view previous stairlift post) as unfortunately this problem is one that has been embedded in the mobility/stairlift industry for many years.
There are a number of higher pressure sales tactics employed by the door to door salesman. In some cases these high pressure tactics have been used by some of the larger mobility companies.
Some of these high pressure sales tactics include:
1) Offering big discounts if you sign up there and then
2) A Phone call to the manager to offer you a special deal
3) An order has suddenly cancelled and is available at a reduced rate
Key Considerations When Buying Stairlifts for the Elderly or Disabled
1) Arrange for a friend or family member to be present for a second opinion
2) If you are unsure then take some time to think about it, don’t be rushed into an unnecessary purchase
3) Get more than one quote
4) Find out what extras are included with your purchase: warranty, breakdown cover etc
5) Don’t be pushed into making a decision because of a one off big discount – they rarely are one off discounts as the price they offer you today will still be available next week or the week after.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has received thousands of complaints about unscrupulous door to door salesman offering adjustable beds, mobility scooters, and stairlifts for the elderly. In many cases the elderly and disabled are subject to high pressure sales tactics which can lead to them paying up to 50% more than the current market price and may lead to them making innapropriate purchases. In some cases the customers have been overcharged by thousands of pounds.
The OFT commented that “Many traders treat their customers fairly but some use high pressure sales tactics that encourage people to make snap decisions without comparing prices or checking to see if the product is the right one for their needs.” This is something that Stairlift Suppliers have mentioned previously (view previous stairlift post) as unfortunately this problem is one that has been embedded in the mobility/stairlift industry for many years.
There are a number of higher pressure sales tactics employed by the door to door salesman. In some cases these high pressure tactics have been used by some of the larger mobility companies.
Some of these high pressure sales tactics include:
1) Offering big discounts if you sign up there and then
2) A Phone call to the manager to offer you a special deal
3) An order has suddenly cancelled and is available at a reduced rate
Key Considerations When Buying Stairlifts for the Elderly or Disabled
1) Arrange for a friend or family member to be present for a second opinion
2) If you are unsure then take some time to think about it, don’t be rushed into an unnecessary purchase
3) Get more than one quote
4) Find out what extras are included with your purchase: warranty, breakdown cover etc
5) Don’t be pushed into making a decision because of a one off big discount – they rarely are one off discounts as the price they offer you today will still be available next week or the week after.
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