Sometimes, it is not opportunity knocking when it comes to home solicitation sales. Arkansas consumers often feel like they are pressured into making a decision when approached by a door-to-door salesperson. Because of this, consumers have the option to cancel any home-solicitation sale made within three days of purchase of the item or service. The Arkansas Home Solicitation Sales Act provides consumers with three days to cancel a sale made in the home or a location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business. Under the Act, consumers have until midnight of the third business day after the sale to cancel purchases of $25 or more and demand a full refund. Consumers may cancel for any reason, or no reason at all.

Under the Act, the salesperson must verbally inform consumers of their cancellation rights at the time of the sale, and provide two copies of a cancellation form as well as a copy of the contract or receipt.

Helpful Tips:

• Be wary of salespeople who start their sales pitch by saying that they are “just taking a survey” or “trying to get rid of extra inventory.”
• Never let a salesperson into your home unless you have seen proper identification and have determined exactly what he or she wants.
• Take a couple of days to consider the offer presented, no matter how attractive the deal appears to be.
• Shop around. If the salesperson says the deal is for “today only,” then it is probably not the deal for you.
• In order to protect your right to reconsider and exercise your right to cancel, never let the salesperson install any product on your property until after you have had a chance to think the deal over. But even if you do, you can still cancel for any reason within three days and receive a full refund.
• If the salesperson says your home has been specially selected, that is probably not true.
• Nothing is “free.” If the salesperson says equipment or installation is “free,” the truth is that you will have to pay for it in some other charge.
• The Home Solicitation Sales Act does not apply to repairs of personal property, such as appliances, when the consumer requests a home visit.