- Jurisdiction
- Texas
Good morning,
I know this was mentioned on this forum before, but there was not that much there because the person creating the thread did not provide enough detail.
N2 Publishing created a model that unfortunately results is "scamming" (but not really) small business owners and I am one of them.
This is the process:
Area director (independent franchisee they call them) reaches out to the small business and presents themselves as working with affluent local neighborhoods and is looking for local businesses that would be a great fit for their residents. These are the neighborhoods where flyers are prohibited, gates, front gate-guards etc. Obviously as a small business you jump on the chance to reach to that market.
You get one on one meeting with the Area Director and he/she asks about you, your business, your experience, etc. It feels like an interview the whole time. He/she describes you how he/she has close relationships with the residents, he/she puts out monthly get together's in the neighborhood with the residents where the businesses he/she works with get to have one on one conversations. In about 40 minutes he/she pulls out an agreement; N2 Publishing agreement. This comes out of nowhere.
I signed, hundreds of other business owners signed as well. This agreement is generally for a VERY LONG term. I was able to negotiate mine for only 18 months, but most businesses are stuck for 3-5 YEARS! The agreement itself has this language:
"All agreements received and signed by Merchant are non-cancelable by Merchant unless full agreement price has been rendered." You place your initial by this.
After about 6 months you find out that this magazine is not doing a single thing for you so you try to cancel. After you raise hell for weeks of them refusing to cancel they give you one option and one option only, pay 2 months forward (on longer term agreement it looks like they ask for 20% of remaining balance; we are talking several thousands of dollars $500-1,000 per month charges) and we will let you go. Most of us pay to move on with our lives.
Are there any legal steps to take against this company and/or its Area Directors?
Reasons I signed:
1. I assumed she was an HOA representative
2. Having monthly events in the neighborhoods was very appealing (THIS IS NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT HOWEVER)
3. I did not have a chance to research prior. (I've signed 100s of agreements and this caught me so off-guard I must have been out of my mind to sign this)
I am generally in the boat of live and learn, but they've done this to 100s of businesses. All the reviews (not the fake positive ones) have to the letter same experience as mine. Their scam is always the same.
Any recourse, us and several other businesses filed with Texas Attorney General, BBB and Federal Trade Commission but that won't do anyone any good.
I know this was mentioned on this forum before, but there was not that much there because the person creating the thread did not provide enough detail.
N2 Publishing created a model that unfortunately results is "scamming" (but not really) small business owners and I am one of them.
This is the process:
Area director (independent franchisee they call them) reaches out to the small business and presents themselves as working with affluent local neighborhoods and is looking for local businesses that would be a great fit for their residents. These are the neighborhoods where flyers are prohibited, gates, front gate-guards etc. Obviously as a small business you jump on the chance to reach to that market.
You get one on one meeting with the Area Director and he/she asks about you, your business, your experience, etc. It feels like an interview the whole time. He/she describes you how he/she has close relationships with the residents, he/she puts out monthly get together's in the neighborhood with the residents where the businesses he/she works with get to have one on one conversations. In about 40 minutes he/she pulls out an agreement; N2 Publishing agreement. This comes out of nowhere.
I signed, hundreds of other business owners signed as well. This agreement is generally for a VERY LONG term. I was able to negotiate mine for only 18 months, but most businesses are stuck for 3-5 YEARS! The agreement itself has this language:
"All agreements received and signed by Merchant are non-cancelable by Merchant unless full agreement price has been rendered." You place your initial by this.
After about 6 months you find out that this magazine is not doing a single thing for you so you try to cancel. After you raise hell for weeks of them refusing to cancel they give you one option and one option only, pay 2 months forward (on longer term agreement it looks like they ask for 20% of remaining balance; we are talking several thousands of dollars $500-1,000 per month charges) and we will let you go. Most of us pay to move on with our lives.
Are there any legal steps to take against this company and/or its Area Directors?
Reasons I signed:
1. I assumed she was an HOA representative
2. Having monthly events in the neighborhoods was very appealing (THIS IS NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT HOWEVER)
3. I did not have a chance to research prior. (I've signed 100s of agreements and this caught me so off-guard I must have been out of my mind to sign this)
I am generally in the boat of live and learn, but they've done this to 100s of businesses. All the reviews (not the fake positive ones) have to the letter same experience as mine. Their scam is always the same.
Any recourse, us and several other businesses filed with Texas Attorney General, BBB and Federal Trade Commission but that won't do anyone any good.