We had someone in Home Depot ask us if we wanted to get our water tested, and we were curious, so we said yes. The person in Home Depot said it was a company affiliated with Home Depot doing the water testing, not Home Depot themselves. The company that came to our house was Tri-State Water, Power, and Air, and they came tonight.
They said the test would take about an hour to do. They ran through a bunch of different things, like showing us how soft/hard the water is, the impurities in it, etc. She talked about all the products that are used to deal with all the impurities (fabric softener, laundry detergent, lotion, conditioner, etc.), and how those are not needed anymore if you have the right kind of water.
So after about a 2 hour demonstration of all this (along with showing us the system they have, and how it is much better), we were convinced that we should get something like it. Then she starts talking about their product, which is called RainSoft Solution. It’s around this point in time that I realized it was going to be one of those “buy it now to get this great deal” type of sales pitches. But I thought this was a good product, and was willing to pay a reasonable price for it. This was different to me than most of those sales pitches. She worked with us to estimate how much we spend on all those products listed above that would no longer be needed, and it came out to about $30/mo (which fits right in line with how much I budget for them every month).
Then it comes to the price of their product. $6400 to buy the product and get it installed. Oh, but they would give us a 6 year supply of a better, organic version of all those products listed above, which she claimed to be an $81/mo value (don’t ask me how it’s so much different from what we’re currently paying for the same stuff). But we’d only get the free household products if we purchased it tonight. Yeah, a $6400 decision is fully expected to be made within a 2 1/2 hour timeframe.
So I was totally honest with her. I told her that I think they have a great product, but I can’t make a $6400 decision in one night. I said something like this: “So I think you have a great product, but I can’t make a decision that involves this much money in one night. I like to research everything that costs that much before I buy it. I mean, how do I know that there’s not a competitor of yours that does not have the overhead costs of going from home to home that sells the product for $3000?”
I think it was at this point that she realized we were smarter than her average household, because she started packing her things up. She realized we weren’t going to be buying tonight, and explained that we could always purchase it later at the same price, but we wouldn’t get the free 6 year supply of cleaning products. So she packed everything up and started heading out the door when I asked her if she had any information about the company she worked for (because she didn’t leave us a way to get back in touch with her). She said she didn’t have anything other than a business card, which she gave to me at that point in time. The business card had her first name on it (no last name) and was printed on a home computer.
So, like any budget-minded person would do, I immediately went to Google after she left, and looked for “RainSoft water reviews.” Guess what I found. A lot of unhappy customers. I read review after review about how they are pushy to try to make a sale, how they do anything possible to not let you return it once you say you want it, and every once in a while a good comment about how it’s a great system but way overpriced. Almost everyone said you could find something just as good but much cheaper, which was my gut feeling as well.
Never make a major purchase decision on the spot. It is almost always a bad idea. Anything that is semi-major of a purchase (let alone $6400) requires research and patience. If you feel pressured into buying something, just say no. You’ll almost always regret it later if you don’t.
I am convinced that we should do something to get better water, but I know it’s not going to be using RainSoft’s products. We learned some stuff from her, but will find something that is a little more practical (and won’t pressure us into buying it). Oh well, at least we got a $20 gift card to Home Depot. 
I’m still learning from you, while I’m making my way to the top as well. I definitely love reading all that is posted on your blog.Keep the aarticles coming. I liked it!
Thanks for your feedback and review. I just had a guy leave my house earlier today with the ‘sales pitch’ on this product. He was only an hour in but I am working 12hr rotating shift work and had to get up out of bed to listen with my wife. Sounded good but we never got to the price. I simply asked him to come back at another time when we had more time to go over this product. It started to sound more and more like a sales pitch.
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It is really a great and useful bit of information. Thank you for sharing.
My husband is meeting with one of these people as we speak. I don’t know if its the same Rain Soft brand but the story sounds the same and they offered him a free 3 day trip to anywhere in the country. Sounds pretty fishy but we’ll see. Thanks for your post.
so what did happen???
The same thing happened to my husband and I when we went to home depot in Rockwall….they have tried to schedule a day to come out but three times we have changed it. They offer trips at a resort and 500 dollars worth grocery coupons…it simply sounds too good to be true…I am not sure I should even meet them….I am afraid it’s fraud….I want to call HOme Depot and ask them about it because maybe they can tell me if it’s a fraud. That way I don’t have to waste my time meeting them. Anyway, can someone let me know if this is a fraud and how it all ends??
I thought it was worth meeting with them, just be prepared to say no to anything they offer. They give you good information about your water though, so I’d do it again if they offered it to me (plus, you get a $20 gift card).
Thanks for this! I had them call to book this and I figured they wanted to sell something like that. But wow that is a lot of money!!!
I went thru the same water test sales pitch back in 1999 by Rain Soft. Granted the salesman’s little softener does make the water nice and smooth. Back in 1999 the system was $4000.00+ , you have got to be kidding me. For 4 grand I could soften at least a dozen homes in my area. This is a massive scam and I guess they’re still at it because somebody must be falling for it.
Read this and could not help but laugh. HD recently began offering free water testing in our community as well: you can pick up a ‘free’ kit on the way out the door, and send a sample of your water in for testing, postage paid. I picked one up and as soon as I read the card you are supposed to submit (“completely” filled in) along with the sample, I smelled a rat – so I hit google and found your site.
The pitch you got sounds like it must be the standard for these things. Nine years ago, I naively invited a local water softener dealer into the house for a ‘free’ water test – what ensued was nothing more than an excuse for a high-pressure sales pitch, using the exact same tactics you were subjected to! Not to mention selling the same type of equipment for the same outrageously inflated price. These people must all learn their ‘business’ at the same trade fair…
I could not refrain from commenting. Exceptionally well written!
Hey there,
Thanks So much for posting your experience. I had fallen for the same scam. Luckily they couldn’t make it to my place on time and I Googled what it was all about. After reading this, I called back and cancelled, and told them I am not interested. U saved me two hrs of my time and the wife’s wrath.my water is perfectly fine..
Thx
I just sat through one of these myself. I knew it was going to be “that kind” of sales pitch when they were so insistent my wife be present too. My experience was exactly like yours. The guy had an amazing presentation and i was sold…until that $6400 price tag came up. As soon as I said that was about double what i’d even consider spending, he was packing up and out the door, nothing else to say. I can safely say he convinced me to buy a water filter system…just not theirs.