Rhode Island § 5-85-1 - Discount Buying Clubs

§ 5-85-1. Definitions.

(a) “Discount buying club” means any person, firm, or corporation, who or that, in exchange for valuable consideration, offers to sell or to arrange the sale of goods or services to its customers at prices represented to be lower than are generally available.

(b) “Discount buying club” shall not include any cooperative buying association or other group in which no person is intended to profit or actually profits beyond the benefit that all members receive from buying at a discount; nor shall any person, firm, or corporation be deemed a “discount buying club” solely by virtue of the fact that:

(1) For fifty dollars ($50.00) or less it sells tickets or coupons valid for use in obtaining goods or services from a retail merchant; or

(2) As a service collateral to its principal business, and for no additional charge, it arranges for its members or customers to purchase or lease directly from particular merchants at a specified discount.

(c) “Discount buying club” shall not include any person, firm, or corporation who or that charges an advance month-by-month fee for access to service or member benefits, and allows the buyer to terminate membership by notifying the person, firm, or corporation of intent to terminate membership without further obligation to make additional payments.