Sales at what costs

Well, I'm really going to vent on this post so grab a drink, get comfortable and commiserate with me on this one.

Our son Chris tries to be independent and this is something we have always encouraged.  He has a disability but we have never catered to his disability or treated him as if he was less of a person because of this.  We raised him to do the best he could and to believe that he was capable of anything he wanted to do.  Would we change that? No, absolutely not.

Now he is 21.  He has had a couple of jobs and although he is unemployed at the present time he diligently gets job applications and fills them out looking for employment.  Since he graduated from High School he has been volunteering at a nearby nursing home.  We have taught him that you give of yourself if you are able.   He does a great job there. 

In an effort to teach him independence we bought him a cell phone.  He loved having this and after a costly mistake he now only uses it for calling or texting,.  Herein comes my issue with sales people.

Chris, as many people do, placed a call to enter a contest.  Not sure what the contest was - it doesn't matter.  This was all unbeknown to us until a week or so ago as I am going through the mail that Gary accumulated on the dining room table while I was off enjoying Spring Break.  I see a bill for magazines in Chris' name.  A bill for $200! 

I asked Gary if he had seen it.  His response was yes, but he thought it was just a solicitation wanting Chris to order magazines.  I said I don't think so.  We bring Chris out to discuss the issue and sure enough - Chris ordered a total of 8 magazines.  He only had to pay them "$24 and I already did that". 

Well, no Chris.  You have to pay them $24 for several months.  He did not understand that at all.  In his mind he had gotten a money order at QT and mailed it off for the magazines and he thought he was all set.  Yes, we have taught him that he can do anything and he knew he could buy the money order and was able to send it off to the right address. 

After discussing this with him it was our intent to call and cancel the subscription for him.  You guessed it.  His independence led him to call himself to cancel the subscriptions.  I did not hear the conversation but can imagine that he called the number on the bill and said he didn't want the magazine he had ordered.  They then go through their spiel and Chris asks if he owes anything else.  They then say no - your account is paid. 

Now we receive another letter in the mail. This one states that Chris can switch out any magazine he does not want for another one of his choice. They also provide him a list of magazines to chose from.  Another talk with Chris and he admits yes he called but they told him he did not owe anything.  I advised yes, you don't - until next month.  Chris said no I sent them another $22 and they said I am ok. 

Now, I am furious!   I proceeded today to call the magazine company myself.  I advise that I am calling for my son.  He has mistakenly ordered magazines and we would like to cancel the order.  The sales lady (I won't name her name but I wrote it down for future reference) proceeds to tell me that my son is 21 and he has ordered the magazines. 

I reply that I realize that but he was not aware what he was doing and has been taken advantage of.  We would like to cancel the order and have his money refunded.  The lady very snottily advises me again that my son is 21 and has ordered these magazines.  I reply that I know he is 21 but he has disabilities and does not have the mental capabilities of a 21 year old and he has been taken advantage of.  I again ask that the subscriptions be cancelled.

The lady then informs me that they have a duty to the magazine companies.  What magazines would my son like.  I advise that he does not want any magazines.  We want to cancel the order.  She finally says that they can cancel all but one magazine and for the $30 he has paid he could have a one year subscription. 

Now I get very mean.  I advise her that the only thing that is going to make me satisfied as a customer is for them to cancel his order in full and refund his money.  I again advise that they have taken advantage of someone who did not know what they were doing and we DID NOT WANT ANY MAGAZINES AT ANY COST.  I wanted the account totally cancelled and my sons money refunded in full to him. 

I guess I finally got my point across to her because she then became very polite, gave me a cancellation number and advised that the $30 would be refunded to my son and he should receive it within 2-3 weeks. 

Now, if any of you have talked to Chris you will agree that they knew while talking to him that he probably was not aware of what he was doing.  It comes across.    His disability is not as severe as some but it is apparent that he has a disability.  So again - sales at what cost?  Why take advantage of someone who obviously was not aware of what he was doing? 

Again, Chris has a disability but we have not raised him to realize that he has a disability.  We have tried to raise him to do your best, serve others and always do what is right.  If we had to do it over again, we would do it the same way.  I find it frustrating that there are so many people who do not have a disability who do not follow this policy of do your best, serve others and always do what is right.