This weekend I had a guy from Eco (complete with embroidered polo shirt and clipboard) knock on my door and ask if I had received my free insulation.

http://www.myecoinsulation.com/

I had family over and wasn't really following him but he showed me a laminated document with several URL's, saying there was a program in OKC where the insulation would be paid for by others and then pointed to his truck to say they were doing my neighbor's house and then named by name my other neighbor.

I was taken aback and he wanted to go look in my attic but I finally got my head around what he was saying and told him now was not a good time. He kept pressing, saying it would just take a few minutes to look, but by now all this was making me uncomfortable.

I believe there is a program sponsored by OG&E where you can get a partial rebate; that's about all I could find.

I suspect what happens is they sell you insulation then tell you to follow the links for rebates, only to find out you only get a partial refund.

Anybody else run across this?

We had eco come by and do a quote. They were kind of on the high side, but they did offer some extra services which sounded nice. They're a real company, not a scam. We ended up taking TrueGreen up on a similar offer and went to Ru-60. It makes such a HUGE difference.

"Hi, we're here to do work for your neighbor and thought you might be interested as well" is one of the top ten, if not top five scams in the country. "We can do this at little to no cost to you" is as well. They were in Mustang a couple weeks ago and knocked on the door three days in a row with the same story. When I asked the neighbor who supposedly commissioned the work, his response was something I can't repeat here, but it was of the negative variety.

I'm absolutely certain they're a real company, but they're using scam tactics. Microsoft is a real company as well, but they resorted to using malware tactics and threats to get people to install Windows 10.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/eco-insulation-oklahoma-city

https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Eco-Insulation-Reviews-E798333.htm

Caveat Emptor.

I realize they are a real company and will actually install the insulation.

What I'm saying is they are trying to get people to commit by saying that someone else will pay for it when the truth is that at best you can hope for a small rebate from OG&E.

I suspect they convince people to let them do the work (by throwing around the word 'free'), then hit them will a bill and tell them to apply for rebates that will only cover a fraction.

May be a reasonable deal. May not be.
My own rule of thumb -
If you show up uninvited trying to sell me something, I don't care if you know the name of the neighbors, or even all of a neighbor's litter of puppies, in order of their birth, you aren't getting invited inside, you are not selling me anything, and I may or may not be particularly polite about it, but I'll give it a go.

I realize they are a real company and will actually install the insulation.

What I'm saying is they are trying to get people to commit by saying that someone else will pay for it when the truth is that at best you can hope for a small rebate from OG&E.

I suspect they convince people to let them do the work (by throwing around the word 'free'), then hit them will a bill and tell them to apply for rebates that will only cover a fraction.

You have hit the nail directly on the head. At the bottom of their own home page, it states "Eco Insulation is an independent contractor and not employed by any utility company. Eco Insulation acts as informants of the available rebate and incentive programs in each location to help further the goal of energy conservation." In their FAQ, the questions "How do I know if I qualify for a rebate" and "How much will my rebate be" are both answered with "Contact Us!".

I agree with you 100%, and I'll put it bluntly: When they say other people will pay for it, that's a bald-faced lie. By any definition, you're paying for it. All of it. Every penny. You may or may not get some money back, and you won't find out how much, if any, until you're locked in. Once you find out you're not getting a rebate, the spiel will turn to "But you're going to save money on your gas/electric bill now, and just think how GREEN you are!"

I also agree with Kevin...if you knock on my door (ignoring the no solicitors sign, I might add) begging to be allowed into my house, and continuing even after I tell you now is not a good time, honesty and integrity are not part of your sales pitch.

I do make limited exceptions. Scouts selling popcorn or cookies are not sent packing without a smile, a friendly word, and an order of some size.

And if you're a girl scout and the only one who came by late in cookie season, you're gonna remember my order.

I do make limited exceptions. Scouts selling popcorn or cookies are not sent packing without a smile, a friendly word, and an order of some size.

And if you're a girl scout and the only one who came by late in cookie season, you're gonna remember my order.

Stop being a nice guy. :)

Completely agree on the you're-not-selling-me-stuff-door-to-door policy. It always makes me nuts when one of these types starts asking questions about your cable TV, your cell phone provider, whatever, and people somehow feel obligated to respond. I don't. I say , "I don't discuss personal business matters." ATT door-to-door canvassers are among the most annoying. Closing the door on the ones who won't accept a polite "no" is sometimes the only choice.

I fully recommend talking to door to door folks.

A couple years back, I had AT&T come by selling Uverse. I got on speakerphone with the Cox retention department and let them duke it out to see who could offer me the best deal. I ended up going over to Uverse.

I pretty much always buy something when local schools or sports teams come by. I've had some great conversations with the door to door political candidates... especially considering I'm registered Republican, it's fun to give our candidates hell face to face about the poor choices the OK GOP has been making of late.

And I did buy some insulation from Truegreen.. they were selling door to door, but I already have a business relationship with them, and to be honest, that insulation, while it wasn't free or close to free, it has made my home MUCH more efficient and livable.

The only salespeople that annoy me are the ones that don't accept "no" or "I'm not interested". Salespeople of whatever stripe (door to door, phone, cars, etc), while a favorite punching bag for most folks, drive pretty much every industry in the world either directly or indirectly. When I sold vacuum cleaners a lifetime ago we were taught that no means no. It's the one objection you don't try to overcome.

I had the same guy come by a few weeks ago in Bethany, he acted like he was going to walk right in and climb up into my attic, had to tell hme he was leaving because i work from home part of the time and he was interfering with me getting paid

^

Yep.

They are very aggressive and intentionally misleading.

I also agree with Kevin...if you knock on my door (ignoring the no solicitors sign, I might add) begging to be allowed into my house, and continuing even after I tell you now is not a good time, honesty and integrity are not part of your sales pitch.

When I had my retail store in MWC I had several no soliciting signs on my doors. At least a couple of times a week someone would come in trying to sell me something. When asked if they saw the sign most commonly I would get this response "Oh, I'm sorry. I can't read.".

After hearing that a few times I typed up a paragraph that basically said I would like to buy everything you have for sale but I don't buy products from people that lie to me. Then when I would get this response I would hand them the piece of paper and watch for the look on their face... Most just dropped it and walked out of the store and a few dropped a couple of choice curse words at me.

when i had my retail store in mwc i had several no soliciting signs on my doors. At least a couple of times a week someone would come in trying to sell me something. When asked if they saw the sign most commonly i would get this response "oh, i'm sorry. I can't read.".

After hearing that a few times i typed up a paragraph that basically said i would like to buy everything you have for sale but i don't buy products from people that lie to me. Then when i would get this response i would hand them the piece of paper and watch for the look on their face... Most just dropped it and walked out of the store and a few dropped a couple of choice curse words at me.I like it!!!!!

I will always buy something from a school kid going door to door. I was there during school for athletic fund raisers and I have mad respect for kids and parents who don't just take the form to work for their kids or buy it all for the kid so they don't have to work. My mom told me growing up if I wanted her coworkers to buy something I better either come to work with her or if that wasn't possible write a letter for them to read.