Tips for handling door-to-door sales

• Don't succumb to a high-pressure pitch. A polite "no thanks" will end the conversation.

• Ask to see the representative's identification. Close and lock the door, and call the company to be sure it has a representative in your neighborhood.

• Conduct initial business on the front steps. Don't invite the salesman into your house.

• If interested, set up a time for the representative to return to make the sales pitch. Consider having someone else in the house at the time.

• If you purchase a product or service, be sure the sales receipt contains the representative's name, company, phone number and amount paid.

• By federal law, all door-to-door sales are subject to a three-day "cooling-off" period that allows the buyer to cancel the deal for any reason without penalty or service charge.

Source: The Council of Better Business Bureaus in Arlington, Va.