Deceptive practices in selling/customer services within the company &/or Essential Boost. Also, a cheap product - should've known. Got what I paid for
This happened ~1 year ago. Bender Ball / Essential Boost seem to play on New Year resolutions. The return of TV ads leads me to share now. B. Ball is a cheaply made, moderately effective exercise aid, tho not as cheap as a play ball which works the same. Got what I paid for-not main complaint. Be warned about the inexpensive 'add ons' at the website checkout. To get an add't.inexpensive video I had to agree to trial offer of a diet aid called Essential Boost. Didn't want, but it seemed no problem to cancel well within the limits of the trial period. Bender site main page says ship't usually happens within 48 hrs; now I notice shopping cart page says '2 wks' std. Delivery.
2 weeks with no product in sight, I called was informed that they had 'probably' been out of stock. I told him then to cancel the Ess. Boost. & was told it was done. Wks later, w/in days of arrival of B. Ball package, I received the '2nd' shipment of Ess. Boost. No response to my online complaint to cust.'service'. Phoned again & was told I'd agreed online to receive this, I'd have to pay. No one knew anything about my canceling. Told supervisor clearly that I thought his co. Engaged in deceptive practices & I would tell everyone I knew. He repeated I had entered online into legal contract, offered excuses for the shipm't. Timing, & claimed Ess. Boost and BBall were not the same company. Finally agreed to refund the cost of the product, but not their large shipping fee nor my expense to return - insured at their insistence.
Ads were no longer on TV. I hoped they'd been revealed as the scam I suspected so never made formal complaint. I strongly suspect that the delayed shipment of the actual B. Ball combined with the quick shipment of the Ess. Boost is planned.
I figure my situation has been resolved as much as I can expect it to be. I want them to stop the apparent practice of delaying shipment and 'losing' cancellations to try and force the sale of unwanted products.
It did not escape my notice that the price of Essential Boost falls $10 short of the limit where you can have your credit card deal with dispute resolution. This does not ease my suspicion that Bender Ball practices are less than up-front and ethical.
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