136.03 History
History: 1975 c. 209;
1995 a. 27.
136.04
136.04
Powers of the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. 136.04(1)
(1) The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection may adopt such rules as may be required to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
136.04(2)
(2) The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection after public hearing may issue general or special orders to carry out the purposes of this chapter and to determine and prohibit unfair trade practices in business or unfair methods of competition in business pursuant to
s. 100.20 (2) to
(4).
136.04 History
History: 1975 c. 209;
1977 c. 29 s.
1650m (4).
136.05
136.05
Delivery. Any goods ordered for purchase or videotape ordered for rental by a customer pursuant to a future service contract shall be delivered to the customer within 3 months after being ordered, or within 15 days of the time specified on the order, whichever is later. If the videotape or goods are not delivered in a timely manner, the customer's down payment, if any, shall be refunded within 3 business days of written demand. The right of a customer to demand a refund in the event that the delivery date is not met and the right to specify a delivery date shall be conspicuously disclosed on each order blank. An extra copy of the order blank shall be provided to the customer at the time of ordering.
136.05 History
History: 1975 c. 209;
1985 a. 324.
136.06
136.06
Representations; contract disclosures. 136.06(1)(1) With respect to representations made to a prospective customer to induce the customer to sign a future service contract, the contractor shall clearly and accurately describe:
136.06(1)(a)
(a) The source of purchase of any merchandise named by its brand, whether such source is from a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or other supplier.
136.06(1)(b)
(b) Where no brand name is stated, the comparative numbers, expressed in percentages of purchases made by the contractor from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers or other suppliers.
136.06(1)(c)
(c) The existence, if any, of purchasing arrangements which the contractor has with all manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers or other suppliers, including a statement of the duration of the arrangements.
136.06(1)(d)
(d) At the initiation of any solicitation of a prospective customer, the fact that the contractor is offering and selling contracts for future services.
136.06(1)(e)
(e) At or prior to the time of execution of a future service contract by the customer, in writing, the step-by-step procedure for ordering the purchase of goods or services or the rental of videotapes.
136.06(1)(f)
(f) The contractor's policy with respect to retention or refund of trade, prompt payment or other discounts, and the maximum amount of such discounts expressed as a percentage of the contractor's cost for the goods or services purchased or the videotapes rented.
136.06(2)
(2) All future service contracts shall disclose:
136.06(2)(a)
(a) The disposition of all trade discounts, prompt payment discounts or other discounts received by the contractor, and if the contractor retains such discounts, the maximum discount which the contractor may receive expressed as a percentage of the contractor's cost for the goods or services. Where the contract provides for a return of any discount to the customer, or where the contract fails to disclose the disposition of such discounts the contractor shall promptly refund such discounts to the customer upon receiving them.
136.06(2)(b)
(b) All normal charges assessed on an item that are to be paid by the customer, such as freight costs, the contractor's markup differential and other costs. Such disclosure shall also be made on each order placed through the contractor, separately and in specific monetary amounts.
136.06(2)(c)
(c) That a manufacturer's or other dealer's supply agreement with the contractor may not be permanent, if such is in fact true.
136.06(2)(d)
(d) Upon whom falls the risk of damage in shipment of goods pursuant to a customer's order.
136.06(2)(e)
(e) The contractor's policy with respect to return of ordered goods, cancellation of orders by the customer and refunds for such cancellation or return.
136.06(2)(f)
(f) The contractor's policy with respect to warranties or guarantees on goods ordered.
136.06(3)
(3) Every contract made in violation of this chapter is void and unenforceable as contrary to public policy.
136.06(4)
(4) Any waiver by a customer of this chapter or of a customer's rights under this chapter is contrary to public policy and is void and unenforceable.
136.07
136.07
Contract performance; records. 136.07(1)
(1) No contractor may fail to perform upon the contractual provisions required to be set forth in future service contracts under
s. 136.06 (2).
136.07(2)
(2) Every contractor shall retain business records for goods ordered for purchase for 2 years following delivery of those goods. These records shall include, but not be limited to, records showing the contractor's costs of purchased goods and all customer orders for those goods. Every contractor renting videotapes shall retain copies of all unexpired videotape rental contracts, identifying the member and the cost and duration of membership.
136.07 History
History: 1975 c. 209;
1985 a. 324.
136.08
136.08
Interlocking ownership. Any person who is the owner, officer, manager or employe of a contractor is prohibited from being the owner, officer, manager or employe of any supplier whose partial or whole purpose is the selling or supplying of merchandise to the contractor. A stockholder of less than 10% of the stock of a supplier corporation is exempt from the prohibition of this section.
136.08 History
History: 1975 c. 209.
136.10(1)(1) Every contractor shall maintain a bond issued by a surety company licensed to do business in this state. The principal sum of the bond shall at all times be $25,000.
136.10(2)
(2) The bond required by this section shall be in favor of the state for the benefit of any member who suffers loss of prepayments made pursuant to a contract entered into after July 1, 1976, due to insolvency of the contractor or the cessation of business by the plan. A copy of the bond shall be filed with the department. Any person claiming against the bond may maintain an action at law against the contractor and the surety.
136.10 History
History: 1975 c. 209.
