(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.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-85-1

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6

(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.

History of Section.
P.L. 2010, ch. 52, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 73, § 1.