Buy one and get one free, they said, with two payments of 19.99. And if the call is made in the next 14 minutes, a free spatula, batter shaker and recipes would be included for free. I really wanted xpress 101 cooker, knew I could afford $40, so I called.
When I called, I stupidly got on the automated order line (once you make an order mistake, there's no way to correct the mistake). It was midnight, my mind was fuzzy. Before I realized what I had done, I had ordered the cooker for 39.98, plus 14.99 for shipping, plus another 14.99 for shipping for the free cooker. Then they said I would have to pay extra shipping for the free spatula etc. Well, I was already over my head, so I agreed to add that to the order. Who knows what the total was because I decided I made a mistake and decided to cancel the order.
Well, you can't cancel on the automated line. I hung up and called the number again to speak to an actual operator. He said he couldn't help me and gave me a number to call 6 A.M. PST and recommended that I call as early as possible if I wanted to cancel.
I called in the morning and someone with a heavy Indian accent informed me that my account had not been posted yet and could not be cancelled, that it takes 24 hrs. For it to be posted. I felt that I was being given the run-around and that the company was making it difficult, if not impossible for consumers to cancel. I asked to speak to her supervisor. I was transferred to someone with a less obvious Indian accent who could not give me any more information than the first operator. I asked if I would be able to stop the order from being shipped if I call the next morning. She said she could not guarantee it. She said that if the merchandise is shipped out, I could refuse to accept it and would not be charged return shipping. Would I be charged for the original shipping, I asked. She said yes. I told her that that was why I wanted to cancel before the order got shipped. She said that all she could recommend was that I call 6 P.M. Today or 8 A.M.in the morning. And I have no way of knowing if it will work.
I asked to speak to her boss. She said she is the boss and that she has many years of experience in the company. I asked how many years. She said 25. I told her that her company was operating a scam to trick unsuspecting consumers out of as much money as they could and that I hoped she would find a better job soon.
I called my credit card company. They said that I could only dispute a charge after I had been charged and that it hadn't happened yet. So I closed the account.
How can such an operation be allowed to go on? A supposed $40 cooker turns into an $80 nightmare. Anyone can make a mistake in the heat of an infomercial come-on, in a hasty dash to the telephone, on an automated line.
Why aren't there any class actions to stop this type of exploitation? Why isn't the BBB on top of this?
I could not post the company's home address or telephone number because anybody who is accountable can not be reached.
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