I ordered an Omron blood pressure monitor from Allegro Medical. I had researched monitors and chose an Omron HEM-711AC primarily because of ratings of its' accuracy. I ordered it on-line on 4/17 and the total came to a little over $100 because of an additional $24 for an "expedited" shipping charge.
I received the UPS delivery on 4/20 but when I opened the box, I found an Omron BP742 blood pressure monitor instead. (When I looked at blood pressure monitors at Amazon.com, the Omron BP742 was listed for less than $50 and shipping would have been free.) So, I called Allegro Medical the next morning and spoke to a "customer information coordinator" who checked and agreed that the wrong model had been sent to me. She agreed to arrange for return of the monitor and for the correct model to be sent to me.
Later on the same day, I received an e-mail from her saying that she had checked with the warehouse (in California) and because the HEM-711AC was "no longer available", the BP742 had been sent instead. Please note that at no time was I contacted as to whether this "replacement" was acceptable.in the same e-mail, she said a prepaid shipping label would be sent to me (by Tuesday, 4/26) so I could return the BP742.
By this past Friday, 4/30, I had not received the promised shipping label. Per their return policy, I cannot return anything without authorization. I have since sent several e-mails to this "customer information coordinator" and to several other customer service personnel with no response.
So this past weekend, I filed a complaint on-line with the Arizona Better Business Bureau. I also spoke with my credit card company who agreed that I can dispute this charge so I wrote a letter and mailed it to the credit card company today with supporting documentation.
After reading a number of customer accounts of their experience with Allegro Medical, it appears that their primary ploy is to keep promising and drag everything out until the customer simply gives up out of frustration. Businesses who chose to conduct themselves in this manner should be closed and I intend to follow up with the Arizona BBB and my bank card company to see if that process can be facilitated.
0 comments