I was called on July 22 by a sales representative from SMC. Of course, she was very chipper, upbeat and positive. Wow, she talked a good game. She explained to me all the wonderfull benifits of becoming a seller of SMC products. All I had to do was join for $49.95. For this $49.95 plus a monthly payment of $49.95 for 1 year (unless of course I wanted to pay the full membership up front) I would receive a membership kit to get me going, a free "business coach" (term used loosely), a 30 "free" Big Value Website (agina term used loosely), and all the support I needed from SMC. I also had the option of cancelling my membership within 30 days of the shipment of the membership kit. So I decide having recently lost my job that I wanted to try this out so I could help my husband contribute to the family. OH what a big mistake.
I anxiously awaited my membership kit. It arrived the following week. I called SMC and made an appointment with my "business coach". While waiting for my appointment, I read all the materials watched the DVD and was very excited to get started. I had my strategy all planned out. I was very interested in the website. The only concern I had was it was a gift redemption website only. I had my meeting with my coach. He really pushed the website. He explained that people only had to have the gift card the first time they ordered and then after that, they could order any time they wanted to. He pushed and pushed for me to buy the $10 gift cards and give the out free to get people to check out my business. He tried to get my to spend $800 on a kit full of gift cards, catalogs to hand out, some of their "top" selling merchandise to show off to people and an upgrade to a better website. The website I had at the time only has products from one catalog on it. The upgraded website has all of the SMC products. He FAILED to tell me the gift cards are non refundable. I could not return them and get my money back. I really could not afford the $800 package so I got something just slightly cheaper for $500. My business coach didn't really give detail on what this package completly entailed. He left me with the impression that I was getting gift cards, an upgraded website and catalogs. I received my gift cards in the mail 3 days later 90 of them. My website took around 10 days to upgrade.in the meantime, I got numerous phone calls from sales people not affilated (supposedly) with SMC wanting to sell me mailing list or get my webpage out there for viewing. IF they were not affiliated with SMC, then this means SMC give out your personal information. While I was waiting for my website upgrade, I had a meeting with a gift card redemption specialist who immediately tried to sell me MORE stuff that I would certainly have to have in order to make this business a sucess. I was really getting upset... Why every time I spoke with someone at SMC they were pushing me to buy more buy more. Here I am jobless and I've already spent $550 that could have been used for something else.
I decided to cancel my membership. I followed the directions given. First call membership services and speak to the cancellation service. The person Antoine that I spoke to said "I can't help you since you've already made and order from SMC. You need to sepak with your business coach before you can cancel" Why I asked. It is still within my 30 days. Same answer because I had made a purchase. There is NOTHING in the cancellation part of the membership I received that said anything about not being able to cancel because I had ordered product. So I called my business coach. He of course talked me out of cancelling. I then stumbled upon this site and began reading the numerous complaints. Some of the complaints were very similar to what I was experiencing. I immediately decided to cancel my membership. I followed the directions and went beyond.in the directions, you can either email, call, fax or mail a cancellation letter and of course return the membership kit (at your own expense). During all of this I was charged $29.95 for the "free" webiste. I wasn't supposed to be charged for the website until after the free 30 days. I not only called, but I faxed twice from 2 different locations, and I emailed. I also returned the membership kit with a delivery confirmation. The trouble with the email is that you email from the SMC site and do not receive a copy of the cancellation notification so of course they can say they never got it. I have a feeling they are going to try to say they did not get the membership kit either as my delivery confirmation says that no one was at the location to receive the package. Delivery was attempted at 10:30 am PST. What business isn't open on a Tuesday at 10:30 am? IF you have a webiste, you have to email a separate location to cancel that. I sent the email on the same day as I did all the above. I received an email today stating that I would not be refunded my $29.95 fee as in the membership rules it says that I am responsible for all fees involved with the website. OK so what happened to my 30 days free? I received another email today stating that in order to received just my membership fee back, I had to send a letter to SMC for cancellation. OK so what about all the different options set for in the membership rules for cancellation? I think the run around is given in the hopes that it will take you so long to complete all of this that you will be over your 30 days and will sitll be responsible for the $49.95 a month membership fee payment. I am out around $600 and it doesn't look like I am going to get very much of it back. I am guessing maybe $65.00 if I get that.
Rachael
Hogansville, Georgia
U.S.A.
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