I, too, didn't read the FAQ's when I took this company up on their offer of a free bottle of Velatol. It's in that particular section of their website that they explain how their offer works; that is, if you pay $4.95 for shipping of the free bottle, they automatically put you on the monthly auto-order program.
I was a little concerned that I hadn't researched this thoroughly enough and was planning to go back to the site to read it more thoroughly when I received not one, but two, postcards from the company asking me why I hadn't signed up for their free offer. I admit it. This lulled me into a false sense of security. I thought, "Well, it looks like they lost track of me after they sent my order so I don't have to worry about being on their radar." Wrong. Sure enough, they sent me another bottle and billed me $54.90.By the time it arrived, I had done my homework and figured out that I can purchase two Kirkland brand bottles of Fish Oil from Costco, pay only $17.99 for them and come out with a smidgeon more of the product (Eicosapentaenoic Acid [EPA]: Velatol-3 Capsules = 1080mg/Kirkland—1 capsule = 540mg//Docosahexaenoic Acid [DHA] Velatol-3 Capsules = 720mg/Kirkland-1 Capsule = 360mg).
I received the charge of $54.90 and the capsules on the same day so they have this down to a science. I decided not to try to get a refund (they're willing to give you 70% minus $6.95 back) but did write to customerservice requesting that they cancel my automatic order. They responded with a polite note, fairly quickly, stating that they had done so.
If they really believe that they're offering a good product at a decent price, why would they feel the need to hide the fact that they're going to automatically sign you up for additional product? Also, maybe I'm paranoid, but I can't help wondering whether those cards were sent to make me do exactly what I did; that is, let down my guard and not investigate further. I do consider this to have been a fairly inexpensive lesson for me. I'll never, again, take anyone up on the offer of something free if they have to have my credit card number before they can ship.
Thanks for a wonderful website.
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