Bulk Order Frequently Asked Questions

The Federal Trade Commission

  1. What is the Federal Trade Commission?
  2. How do I contact FTC?

Publications

  1. How can I review copies of publications before I order them?
  2. Are any of the items available to download for free?
  3. How can I view PDF files?
  4. Can I distribute the publications I receive from the FTC?
  5. Do you have information in Spanish?
  6. What is your most popular publication?
  7. How can I order an item not available on this site?

Placing an Order

  1. How can I order FTC publications?
  2. How much do the publications cost and what are the shipping and handling Fees?
  3. Can I order more than one copy of a free publication?
  4. How will I know if my order has been successfully submitted?
  5. How long will it take for my publication order to arrive?
  6. How can I check the status of my publication order?
  7. Why is my Shopping Cart empty even though I added items to the cart?
  8. Why do you need my telephone number?
  9. Can my order be shipped to a P.O. Box?
  10. What if I have trouble using your online order website?

Consumer Help

  1. How can I get help with a consumer problem?
  2. Where can I file a complaint about a company?

The Federal Trade Commission

1. What is the Federal Trade Commission?

As a consumer or businessperson, you may be more familiar with the work of the Federal Trade Commission than you think.

The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic lives of most Americans. In fact, the agency has a long tradition of maintaining a competitive marketplace for both consumers and businesses. When the FTC was created in 1914, its purpose was to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce as part of the battle to “bust the trusts.” Over the years, Congress passed additional laws giving the agency greater authority to police anticompetitive practices.

In 1938, Congress passed the Wheeler-Lea Amendment, which included a broad prohibition against “unfair and deceptive acts or practices.” Since then, the Commission also has been directed to administer a wide variety of other consumer protection laws, including the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Pay-Per-Call Rule and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

In 1975, Congress passed the Magnuson-Moss Act, which gave the FTC the authority to adopt trade regulation rules that define unfair or deceptive acts in particular industries. Trade regulation rules have the force of law. As you read through this booklet, you will learn about other laws that enable the FTC to help consumers.

The FTC’s work is performed by the Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition and Economics. That work is aided by the Office of General Counsel and seven regional offices.

2. How do I contact FTC?

You can contact the FTC online, by phone or by mail. Visit www.ftc.gov/ftc/telephone.htm for a full list of contact information.

Publications

1. How can I review copies of publications before I order them?

If you would like to view a copy of a publication before placing an order, click on the “View” link to the left of the publication title and description. This will open a new browser window with a PDF or text version of the document. You can view the publication online and/or print copies before you decide to order.

2. Are any of the items available to download for free?

All FTC publications are available to download free. Most are available in PDF format. Click on the “View” link to the left of the publication title and description. This will open a new browser window with a PDF or text version of the document. You can view the publication online, save it to your computer, and/or print copies.

3. How can I view PDF files?

PDF files must be viewed with an Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have a copy, it can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website .

4. Can I distribute the publications I receive from the FTC?

The publications produced and distributed by the FTC are in the public domain and can be copied and used for educational purposes. If you are planning to copy and distribute this information for profit, it would be prudent to contact the FTC for permission and consult a lawyer.

5. Do you have information in Spanish?

The FTC produces many free publications that are available in Spanish. You can find the Spanish publications available to order by visiting the En Español page.

6. What is your most popular publication?

The publication Hot List, listed on the homepage of this site includes new publications and many of our “best sellers.” You can view these publications by clicking in the “View” link.

7. How can I order an item not available on this site?

Many of the FTC’s shorter publications are only available online and are not printed for bulk distribution. This provides instant access to users looking for that information. Those publications are available in Text and PDF formats to view, save, and/or print from the FTC’s website at www.ftc.gov.

Placing an Order

1. How can I order FTC publications?

Many of the publications available on www.ftc.gov can be ordered right here, online.

Or, call toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP ( 1-877-382-4357 ).

You can also send your name, address, and a list of publications and quantities to:

Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW , H-130
Washington , DC 20580

2. How much do the publications cost and what are the shipping and handling Fees?

The FTC's consumer and business education publications are available free of charge. There are no fees for shipping and handling.

3. Can I order more than one copy of a free publication?

This website is for ordering bulk quantities of FTC publications. If you want less than the minimum quantity listed for a publication, please contact the Consumer Response Center toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP ( 1-877-382-4357 ) and place a smaller order.

You can also send your name, address, and a list of publications and quantities to:

Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW , H-130
Washington , DC 20580

4. How will I know if my order has been successfully submitted?

When your order is submitted, the system will display a confirmation screen with your order number.

5. How long will it take for my publication order to arrive?

Generally, you will receive your order within three weeks. However, please note that we ask you to allow 4 weeks before placing an inquiry. Unusually large promotions may delay the processing of your order.

6. How can I check the status of my publication order?

Please allow 4 weeks for delivery of your order. Our service consistently beats that standard, but if it's been over a month, you can contact the FTC via email. Please include your name, email address, order number and the date you placed your order.

7. Why is my Shopping Cart empty even though I added items to the cart?

The system uses non-persistent cookies to save the items in your shopping cart while you do additional shopping. These cookies expire when you close your browser. Also, your browser must have “Accept Cookies” enabled for the the shopping cart to function. To determine if you have cookies enabled, use the “Help” function on your browser's toolbar and search for “cookies.”

8. Why do you need my telephone number?

We request a daytime telephone number in case there is a problem with the shipping or delivery of your order. We do not share or sell this information.

9. Can my order be shipped to a P.O. Box?

In general, we prefer a physical street address versus a P.O. Box when shipping your order. We ship most orders via traceable delivery methods and those carriers will not deliver to a P.O. Box address.

10. What if I have trouble using your online order website?

If you encounter technical difficulties using this site, please contact technical support via the contact form. Please explain the problem you encountered and the technical support team will investigate the problem.

Consumer Help

1. How can I get help with a consumer problem?

While the FTC does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint helps investigate fraud, and can lead to law enforcement action. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel®, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide.

The Consumer Action Handbook, published by the Federal Consumer Information Center , lists federal, state, and local government offices with consumer related responsibilities. The Handbook also includes Better Business Bureaus, consumer contacts with corporations and trade associations, and tells how to write an effective complaint letter. You can view the Handbook online at www.consumeraction.gov.

Another valuable resource is your local library. The reference section is likely to have materials to help answer your questions, and the librarian has been trained to assist you in finding the information you need on any subject.

2. Where can I file a complaint about a company?

Use the FTC’s online complaint form at www.ftc.gov to submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection about a particular company or organization. The information you provide is up to you. To learn how we use the information you provide, please read the FTC’s Privacy Policy.

While the FTC does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint helps us investigate fraud, and can lead to law enforcement action. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel®, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide.


Last Modified: Monday, September 29, 2008