BUYER BEWARE | Your Experiences?

[Jill]

What are your "Buyer Beware" stories? Please, I do not mean anything horse related.

Last year, I saw those "Forever Lazy" PJ commercials. Looked so cozy so I ordered some. The deal was you buy one, and get one free. It gave the options to pick size and color, so I did that 2x............... WELL, I thought I was getting two, but turned out, the were charging me for four. Each size / color I picked counted for two matching "Forever Lazy" PJ's.

This year, my mom decides she wants to purchase "Forever Comfy" seat cushions, and the same thing happened to her! She made selections that she thought applied to 2 (total) cushions, but each option she selected counted for two.

For this company, you do NOT get a confirmation screen to confirm your order. One click, and you are charged.

While I did not try to get anything corrected (I figured at best, I'd get my order cancelled but retain the charge), but Mom did call and try to cancel her order. Repeatedly tried, only got voicemail and the voicemail instructions said that only CANADIAN phone numbers would recieve a return call.

So, from now on, I won't ever try to purchase an item with "FOREVER" in the title. When I tried ot order so low carb pasta cooking system (pots and pasta, I think) years ago, I learned never do it by phone... since then up until the "Forever" encounter, I have not had issues buying something online that I first so on TV.

(I do, however, love the Genie Bra things!!!)

What about you folks? Do you have any "as seen on TV" or otherwise "hyped"products you have purchased and for whatever reason would not recommend?

 

[dixie_belle]

Couple of months ago there was a charge on my credit card from Best Buy. Since I hadn't shopped there, I assumed that someone had used my credit card so I called Visa, cancelled my card and got a new one. Then I called Best Buy and asked how someone had used my card. They said it was an online order, for a virus protection. Ah, so that explains it. I used to have their virus protection but cancelled it and went with Norton instead. I said I'd pay the bill but could they please refund me the $49. So the following month, sure enough there was a credit from them, as well as an additional charge. Sigh. So they charged me twice, I paid one, and they only credited my account once. When I called them they told me that there was no way they could have possibly charged my account twice and that I probably didn't know how to read my bill. ????? So I called Visa, told them to remove the second charge from the bill and I put a permanent stop on Best Buy. They can NEVER charge my account for anything again. I figure if I were ever to go to Best Buy again (which I doubt) I'd just write a check. I just couldn't believe Best Buy would tell me, point blank, that they couldn't charge me twice when I was looking right at it.

 

[Carolyn R]

A friend from highschool bought a flat screen from best buy. When he went home he took it out of he box. The screen was shattered, as if it had been stacked high in transit and fell face first on a flat surface. Best buy refused to replace it saying it was done at home after he purchasd it. This individual has always been an upstanding individual. Having worked in retail in the past, there are instances where this could have taken place. Was disgusted when they refused to do anything.

 

[sfmini]

I didn't have any trouble with the forever lazy PJs, love them. I do recall wanting to have two different colors but saw that doubled the order so changed it.

I have learned the hard way to pay attention to each and every page you navigate through and to carefully review the final screen. I tended to rush at the end since I entered everything correctly and checked at the point of entry after all. Won't be caught in that trap again!

 

[Bassett]

About 5 years ago I ordered the whole "Red Green" series, every segment they ever had, from someplace in Canada. $225.00 and never recieved them. After much searching found out no one could figure out who the people were and needless to say I did not get my money back. The web site sounded so right. I totally got ripped off and learned to never order anything internationally unless I know the company.

 

[Riverrose28]

Nice to know I'm not the only one! I ordered a slice O matic. Ad said order, pay for one, get one free, and we'll throw in a free cookbook. I was charged for three, got six, and no cookbook! Go figure!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

We bought an expensive leather sofa, chair and ottoman some years ago. From a local furniture dealer, the furniture would have cost $10,000. We saw an ad in Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Called the guy and ordered the furniture (he was in Florida, we were in NM). We said, should we send a check, he hesitated and told us we'd better charge it. We waited and waited, he kept giving us reasons for the delay, then finally didn't answer the phone. We contacted the credit card company. They confirmed he was a fly-by-night. Luckily, they reimbursed the $6000 we charged for the furniture.

We called the BBB to notify them of this guy and they said we should have called them in the first place; he had a bad reputation.

It never occured to us to call the BBB first.

So, lesson learned: charge iffy purchases with credit card, as they will back you up. Companies have to jump through a hoop to offer credit card service, so credit card companies are responsible for them.

Maybe check with the BBB on some purchases.

 

[Margo_C-T]

My BUYER BEWARE story was a cart for my minis! Website claimed, prominently, a weight of 78 lbs. for a 'cde' type metal cart, metal wheels, competition-type shafts(shorter, 'swan-neck', adjustable in length and width at tugs.)Paid 1/2 deposit via check; seller/maker told me she was in the process of setting up to take credit cards, but wasn't there yet, and Iwas eager to get the build of the cart started(it was customizeable in several respects, and I chose a couple of the basic options plus requested the seat be made 16" deep instead of her 'then-standard' depth.) A total was quoted for complete cart, accessories, and custom feature, AND shipping (via UPS Freight, according to her), and I sent half ot that total via check.

Numerous poorly-explained delays followed, but FINALLY she declared it finished and 'ready to ship', and I submitted the remaining balance due using a credti card. After further poorly-justified delays, it was at last delivered. It was VERY poorly packed...couldn't believe UPS had even accepted it for shipment! Damage, but minor, so i accepted it...then as I unpacked it, made several unpleasant discoveries. There were NO shafts, NO cover, NO auxiliary mount for the singletree(cover and aux. mount were options ordered and paid for(had copies and confirmation from her IN WRITING),,,and of course, shafts COME WITH carts!! I also was immediately suspicious that it was WAY heavier than claimed, so went to a good bit of effort to WEIGH each part,,,and WITHOUT the shafts, the cart totalled 105-106 lbs.(I estimate the shafts, as pictured on her website, would have added 8-12 lbs. of weight.)The final INSULT was that it was made so that you couldn't mount the right wheel onto the cart, because her 'new builder' had welded the whip holder onto the seat frame so that it interfered w/ that wheel!! Despite claiming she'd designed the cart, I guess she never inspected the 'finished' product...talk about NO quality control! I contacted her immediately, told her of the problems,and that I needed to return the cart and be refunded what I'd paid for what I'd ordered('eating' the shipping charge). She agreed, but pled that she would need to 'get some of her funds out of investments' w/ her niece's help, and it would be a couple of weeks. I imagine you can guess that I was unable to get her to respond 'later', or since.

THANK GOODNESS for the credit card company! When I contacted Visa, I was put in touch w/ a regional manager, who told me exactly what I had to do. I was a chore; had to take many photos, write up a complete explanation of why the item' wasn't suitable to its purpose', and submit copies of all pertinent emails and itemized lists to Visa, as well as writing to the seller to say, in writing, that the item was available to her for retrieval...all of which I did. (GOOD thing I'd insisted on her emailing me an itemized receipt!).Upshot was that Visa issued me a credit on my card. Have no idea if they had any luck getting her to make good; doubt it, as I later got a call from the freight agent receiving for UPS Freight in the hub city in OR. or WA, forget which w/o looking it up), who told me they'd NEVER received payment from her for the shipping, either. ]

This person had the audacity to post a time or two since on the Yahoo mini driving list. I don't know if she is still advertising her product on her website or elsewhere, but if you'd like to know who it was, you can PM me.

The unusable cart still sits covered up in my barn. I could take it to a welder, have the whip holder repositioned, and hopefully, he could also fabricate some shafts that would work...so, at who knows what ADDITIONAL cost, I might have a workable cart...but haven't had any 'extra' funds lately...as I still 'took a bath' on the amount I'd originally sent her. Irony is, it might well be a good working cart if properly completed. The finish is poor...think they just sprayed it w/ a spray paint can...but it seems sturdy and balanced...and weighs about the same as a Minicrown or a Smart Cart. I ABSOLUTELY agree, put any 'sight unseen' purchase on a credit card!!

Margo