Advertising Agreement not Fulfilled

[smoky715]

MA

Hello, my business partner signed on for an advertising campaign over a year ago with the company "Home Improvement Expo". They're a New York based company who were contacting Boston area contractors for exclusive advertisement by trade for specific zip codes. Initially there was some concern because he had never heard of this company. After voicing this concern, Home Improvement Expo responded by saying they were expanding into Massachusetts which is why they were trying to get new contractors and that it was a great opportunity since you would be the exclusive contractor for each zip code purchased. I didn't like it. Seems a little crazy to have one contractor per zip code. Even if it's one contractor per trade per zip, it just seems like a company couldn't sustain itself with such few advertisers. But anyway, my partner decided to buy 2 or 3 zip codes for a year at a cost of around $2,500.

Since then, we have not been contacted by a single homeowner or business owner looking for work to be done. We have not read or heard one single advertisement for Home Improvement Expo spreading their own name, ultimately leading homeowners to search for contractors through them. Perhaps in New York, they are a legitimate advertising company but it seems as though they never expanded to Massachusetts.

Does it sound like there is any chance of getting a full or partial refund since they have not lived up to any of their promises of advertising or the expansion to Massachusetts?

Thanks, sorry if my explanation is a little all over the place.

Dave

 

[Hot Topic]

Neither you nor your partner seem to know much about business. The first thing you do when you're approached about a supposedly "sure fire" proposition is to thoroughly research the company offering it. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Ask for references. If your or your partner's "spider sense" is tingling, say "No thanks!"

Apparently, you're not too worried about the situation since you've waited over a year to take action. The average businessman would have sent them a letter via certified mail, return receipt requested in an attempt to find out what was going on.

I looked up the name of the company on Bing. The telephone number is 757-412-1299. You take them to court; however, be prepared to explain to the judge why, with all the doubts, you did business with them and why it took you so long to take action.