Southwestern Book Company... Scam?

[Don Corleone]

So I came home from work the other day, and Mrs. Corleone is excited but cautious about a visit from a door-to-door salesperson. A young lady was spending the summer selling educational books for Southwestern Company. I was more than a little skeptical, so I've done some research. While I'm not certain the students are getting treated as fairly as they should, the product (the books) and the service to the customer seem to be on par, if not perhaps a touch pricey.

Does anybody else have any experience with this company?

[Crazed Rabbit]

Doing some brief internet snooping, they do appear to be legit, but I have to wonder how useful the products actually are. I know they get commissions that are a significant fraction of the cost, making me think there'd be cheaper ways to get similar products.

But more than that, it seems like generic books covering a spectrum of subjects just wouldn't be that useful. I'd be more apt to go someplace like Barnes&Noble and get some books on history, or math, or whatever.

So in sum, I've got no experience with them, only a general hesitance about their product. And I know I definitely wouldn't want that job.

CR

[KukriKhan]

Not a scam, just a door-to-door sales force of 'independent contractors' trying to sell products to make @$7500 for a summer's work, to apply toward uni costs in the fall. They get recruited on-campus, sent to a "sales camp" (for a week or so), then plopped down with a host family in a town away from their hometown.

At the company's Customer FAQ page (http://www.southwestern.com/site/customers/FAQs.aspx) , they explain the ordering process and cancellation/refund policies. Personally, I don't like it. You're making out a personal check to a stranger as a deposit, you have to cancel within 3 days if you change your mind; you don't receive the product(s) until the end of summer, and it's possible you'll not see the seller again ever. And, as CR points out, you could likely find similar products online at a lower price, firmer transaction, and friendlier return policy.

I'm sure "sales camp" taught them to target young families with almost-school-age kids as prime-beef, eager to give their children a early step up on school.