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Post by warrior1991 on Jun 15, 2017 17:37:46 GMT
I work for a construction company and last fall we were called about advertising in a map/calendar. I thought they said plat book so when I asked the owner, we told them yes. I did not give them a credit card over the phone, and asked them to bill me. I received a bill and filed it away to pay in 30 days. When it came due, I was wondering if it was a scam. (Not sure where I got that feeling from.) So I didn't pay the invoice. The invoice mentioned that we would get some complimentary maps. For months we never got anything in the mail. And when I tried to look them up online, maybe search results indicated it might be a scam. They called me several times looking for payment. I told her that my boss would not pay for anything until we see it (since it turned out not to be a plat book). She gave me some business names in my area that she swore she had signed contracts with them. I said, I would call them. (This map/calendar company is located in Texas, I am in Minnesota.)
She gave me the following business names who were currently advertising on her map:
City of Austin (confirmed that she was talking about Austin, MN; she said yes)
Austin Library (again I confirmed with her that it was Minnesota, not Texas; again she said yes)
Austin Chamber of Commerce
I called both the city of Austin and the library and neither one heard of that company and they also do not advertise. (duh, I should have known that.)
I had not heard from her again since that, so I have not had a chance to tell her that those references were not correct.
Yesterday (06/14/17) I received a FedEx envelope and inside were 5 map/calendars with our ad on it. Along with an invoice. The map/calendar also had another local business on it, so I called them. The owner of that business (restaurant) had just purchased the place recently and knew nothing about this map/calendar until a box full of them arrived at his door last week. He called the former owner and they said yes, they had been paying for those maps/calenders for years. The new owner isn't so sure and when I called him about it, made him question it even more. He is thinking of paying the bill and tell them to never call him again. Just so he can walk away from them.
I had told the lady (from the map company) before that we would not pay until I saw product. Now I have seen product. I'm not sure what to do now.
Has anyone heard of Hometown Productions from Arlington, TX?
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smginaz Suzy
Pearl Clutcher
Je suis desole.
Posts: 2,608
Jun 26, 2014 17:27:30 GMT
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Post by smginaz Suzy on Jun 15, 2017 17:47:51 GMT
Are those businesses on the map too?
If no, I would respond to the company that they are not as represented with other companies.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:07:40 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2017 17:51:03 GMT
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Post by warrior1991 on Jun 15, 2017 17:52:22 GMT
No, they aren't.
Just my company and the restaurant. The restaurant is about 5 miles away from us and Austin, MN is about 22 miles away.
It is a county map, not just one town.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927 
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Post by freebird on Jun 15, 2017 17:53:10 GMT
You said yes, and they delivered the maps. Now it's time to pay.
I'm afraid you're pretty much stuck.
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snyder
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Posts: 4,493
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Jun 15, 2017 17:55:11 GMT
Never heard of them, but have been involved in similar situations at my job where companies call wanting to send you stuff and bill you for huge amounts of money even though they were suppose to be samples, etc. Anyway, I just did a quick Google search to see what this company was about. Holy Moly! I would not do business with them at all.
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Post by warrior1991 on Jun 15, 2017 17:56:03 GMT
You said yes, and they delivered the maps. Now it's time to pay. I'm afraid you're pretty much stuck. That is what I'm thinking too. Which makes me mad. We hardly advertise, we get so much business by word of mouth. I thought about getting our lawyer involved, but it would be cheaper to pay the bill and walk away. lol |
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smginaz Suzy
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Je suis desole.
Posts: 2,608
Jun 26, 2014 17:27:30 GMT
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Post by smginaz Suzy on Jun 15, 2017 17:58:24 GMT
You said yes, and they delivered the maps. Now it's time to pay. I'm afraid you're pretty much stuck. Yes, she's seen the product and confirmed that it was not as represented--the 3 other companies that she was told were also on the map are not. Part of the benefit of being on a map/calendar like that one is that it is shared advertising with many other places. So that people don't just pick it up at your place; they learn about your place because many other locations distribute them. |
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Post by warrior1991 on Jun 15, 2017 17:59:08 GMT
I almost didn't post on here, thinking with my luck, the person from that company is a crafter and would see this. lol!!
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craftykitten
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Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Jun 15, 2017 18:14:16 GMT
You said yes, and they delivered the maps. Now it's time to pay. I'm afraid you're pretty much stuck. That is what I'm thinking too. Which makes me mad. We hardly advertise, we get so much business by word of mouth. I thought about getting our lawyer involved, but it would be cheaper to pay the bill and walk away. lol That's what they count on. We get them here in the UK too, or similar types. |
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rickmer
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Post by rickmer on Jun 15, 2017 18:27:00 GMT
i have a standard response when businesses call and try to corner my boss.... i tell them i have dealt with some unscrupulous salespeople and do not do business when solicited by telephone. if you would like to send me an email or some literature about your product, i will review it and contact you if we are interested.
reminds me of the photocopier "toner pirates" that were rampant in the 1990s.
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Post by warrior1991 on Jun 15, 2017 19:08:19 GMT
Oh the photocopier toner pirates are still out there. We get several calls a year about toner. (We only have inkjet printers) Sometimes I listen and let them talk, and when I tell them that we don't have any copiers/printers that require toner, I can almost hear them turn the page on their script. Because they start in on printer ink.  |
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freebird
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Post by freebird on Jun 15, 2017 19:28:54 GMT
You said yes, and they delivered the maps. Now it's time to pay. I'm afraid you're pretty much stuck. Yes, she's seen the product and confirmed that it was not as represented--the 3 other companies that she was told were also on the map are not. Part of the benefit of being on a map/calendar like that one is that it is shared advertising with many other places. So that people don't just pick it up at your place; they learn about your place because many other locations distribute them. She said she "thought" it was a plat map, that that they thought that told that it was, so that implies she could be mistaken. That kind of falls on the OP and their business. Also, she didn't say anything about getting extra coverage by passing out maps at other locations (although I get that's the point, she never even brought that up in her issues with the company). The fact that you agreed to be part of it before checking it out, agreed to pay the bill when you got some maps, basically means that you agreed to the terms. Now it's time to pay the piper. All things that should have been asked ahead of time. I'm afraid if you went to small claims court - you'll lose. |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:07:40 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2017 19:38:11 GMT
Pay the bill with a cashier's check. Make sure that you enclose a letter that you will no longer do business with them.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jun 15, 2017 19:38:53 GMT
Oh the photocopier toner pirates are still out there. We get several calls a year about toner. (We only have inkjet printers) Sometimes I listen and let them talk, and when I tell them that we don't have any copiers/printers that require toner, I can almost hear them turn the page on their script. Because they start in on printer ink. Did they tell you how many calendar maps they distribute? Where they distribute them? I have to say the website does not look legit. But if they delivered what the contracted you for, I think you have to pay up and put it down to lessons learned. |
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GiantsFan
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Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Jun 15, 2017 19:50:53 GMT
Pay the bill with a cashier's check. Make sure that you enclose a letter that you will no longer do business with them. I actually write on the check -> by cashing this check you will remove _____ from all future mailings, correspondance and offers. Its a lot to write but on a business check I put it right below the AP address. And so its worked. Sorry OP but i think since they delivered what you asked then you have to make good on your end. Edited for spelling errors. I was on my phone and I guess I didn't read before I hit post! |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:07:41 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2017 20:07:17 GMT
Pay the bill with a cashier's check. Make sure that you enclose a letter that you will no longer do business with them. I actually write on the check -> by cashing this check you will remove _____ from all future mailings, corredpondance and offers. Its a lot to write but on a business check I put it right below the AP address. And so its worked. Sorry OP but i think since they delivered what yoy addled then you have to make good on your end. That really doesn't hold them to anything legally. |
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georgiapea
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Post by georgiapea on Jun 15, 2017 20:26:45 GMT
I'm familiar with map makers that sell advertising to businesses, but thought that each business received a large number of maps to hand out. Did they tell you how to get more than the 5 sent?
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Post by hennybutton on Jun 15, 2017 20:35:29 GMT
Oh the photocopier toner pirates are still out there. We get several calls a year about toner. (We only have inkjet printers) Sometimes I listen and let them talk, and when I tell them that we don't have any copiers/printers that require toner, I can almost hear them turn the page on their script. Because they start in on printer ink. I used to tell those guys we didn't have any copiers or printers, just a mimeograph machine. It was fun because most of them didn't know what that was. |
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GiantsFan
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Post by GiantsFan on Jun 16, 2017 1:24:58 GMT
I actually write on the check -> by cashing this check you will remove _____ from all future mailings, corredpondance and offers. Its a lot to write but on a business check I put it right below the AP address. And so its worked. Sorry OP but i think since they delivered what yoy addled then you have to make good on your end. That really doesn't hold them to anything legally. I realize that it won't do anything legally. I'm not trying to take them to court. But at least my request to remove is now documented in a way and can not be thrown away, lost or discarded. I can pull up the canceled check and see it written that I tried to cancel. |
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