I have a similar report with a similar time frame to Ronda (report #451975) from Norfolk, VA. I was contacted by a salesman in February who told me he was in charge of the "In Store Promotions" for the new Harris Teeter that was built accross the street from our store and that he was providing the advertising that would be placed in their lobby. The details were then sent to me in an email.
Here is his email to me (unedited):
"Distributed at the Brand New Harris Teeter Store in Durham, NC
Finally... A Local Advertising Promotion that Works!
Hello Brian -
Thank you for taking my call.
We are producing a full color family entertainment magazine to be distributed at the Brand New Harris Teeter Store at 1501 Horton Road in Durham, NC 27705.
This new full color magazine will be available FREE to all of the shoppers 365 days a year. A new version is produced every other month.
We will be featuring approximately 10 local business services in the magazine.
You will be the only Party Store recommended in the magazine.
Prices start at only $20 per week for a quarter page display ad. The start date for distribution is April and it runs for a full year.
Here is the pricing breakdown for each of the remaining spots...
*
The Inside Quarter Page 6.00" x 2.25" Full Color Available
$20 per week ($1040 for the year)
All I will need is $199 for artwork and press charges
Balance of $1040 will be split into 4 monthly payments of $260 You can also opt to pay for your ad in full up front for a 10% savings Total would be ($936 $199 artwork)
*
The Inside Half Page Spot 6.00" x 4.75" Full Color Available
$30 per week ($1,560 for the year)
I will need 25% down ($390 $199 for artwork)
Balance of $1170 will be split into 4 monthly payments of $292.50 You can also opt to pay for your ad in full up front for a 10% savings Total would be ($1,404 $199 artwork)
*
The Front Cover Spot 6.00" x 4.00" Full Color Available
$60 per week ($3,120 for the year)
I will need 50% down ($1,560 $199 for artwork)
Balance of $1560 will be split into 4 monthly payments of $390 You can also opt to pay for your ad in full up front for a 10% savings Total would be ($2,808 $199 artwork)
*
For more information on why this promotion is so successful,
and to see a copy of the actual magazine as it is laid out... Please go to http://www.ReporterOnTheTown.com
If you are interested, please call me ASAP to secure the spot.
Sincerely,
Scott Michaels
National Advertising Center
www.ReporterOnTheTown.com
(800) 266-9104 ext. 2226 (in store promotions)"
Sounds good, right? Well I called the number to set up a time to talk to Scott and decided I would give them a try. He faxed me the contract, I signed it, and I sent him my credit card information to get started. After all they were trying to make the deadline for the April printing.
I never received a call from the art dept or my salesman to review the artwork. I left several messages (on machines, could never reach a human), but never received a call back. I even tried calling the sales department and could only reach a machine. Oddly enough, my credit card was charged.
I called and disputed the charge with my credit card company and they refunded the charge but the reporter was able to charge it again 30 days later. I called my credit card company and had to cancel the card and change the number to keep them from running it again.
You know that deadline we were trying to meet in April? It never came... in fact by May 8th there was still not a book for April, (I have pictures of the whole rack and the empty spot it's supposed to be, if your interested) but I received a copy of the "debut ad" in an envelope that say "your proof is enclosed" (I also scanned every page of this book if your interested) and no where, cover to cover, is my store name mentioned; my corporate name mentioned; or anything that might be mistaken as a representation of my company found in this book. I tried to contact them, but again I can't reach anyone.
Then suddenly on June 6th the book appears on the rack, but since it's the same book they sent me, my business still isn't listed in it. It is now June 6th and this book says April/May on the front of it.
This brings us full circle to today, July 14th, when I finally get a phone call from a human. She will not answer my questions or talk to me civially to explain the mix up, instead she states that the ad has been on the shelves for 4 months (somewhere, she won't tell me where) and that I am now going to be served tomorrow by the US Marshall's office and that I will have all of my assets frozen because they will be leining on them for payment. If I wasn't cooperative then I can be arrested. I hung up and went accross to Harris Teeter to see if maybe by chance they have changed out the books and maybe it is me who missed something, but you know what? That's right... Still the same book... Know what else? That's right... I got pictures.
I would also be glad to be part of a class action suit or some type of complaint against this company to put them out of business. I don't mind paying for a service that I received, but now I am out the $199.00 that they managed to get pushed through on my credit card that I couldn't re-dispute, and I am being threatened and harrassed. As a US Veteran and US Citizen, I work to hard to be an honest business man to have someone take advantage of me or to allow any other honest person to be taken advantage of.
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