Over the past several years, I have received literally hundreds of emails from USA Test Panel. They market themselves as a merchant that gives you the opportunity to test products such as the following:
" May 4
USA Test Panel Inbox New product for review: Acai Nutraburst? - email? Click here USA Test Panel Member, the following item (s) have been added and are available for review:
May 1
USA Test Panel Inbox New product for review: Heart Rate for Dummies D-70 Pedometer Watch? - email? Click here USA Test Panel Member, the following item (s) have been added and are available for review:
Heart Apr 30
USA Test Panel Inbox New product for review: Nintendo Wii Remote Charging Station? - email? Click here USA Test Panel Member, the following item (s) have been added and are available for review:
Apr 28"
They give you large discounts because you are a tester, but they really sell to anybody. I bought several of these product offerings. A few of the products were of LOW QUALITY or defective in some way.
There were never any email confirmations, no phone numbers prominently displayed on the web site (which is a VISA/MC rule) for an Internet Credit Card transaction. I will also report them to Visa/MasterCard, and see how they handle that conversation.
By the time they shipped the product (s), you almost forgot you bought from them, but the price was right, so I allowed myself to be sucked-in more than once.
My recent purchase was for "Slim Solar Lights", which I purchased in September and received sometime in November. They never send out shipping confirmations or tracking numbers.
Prior to that I purchased a pair of Wii Boxing Gloves, which the woman answering the phone tried to convince me that I was an idiot, because after all other people use similar gloves and theirs work! Of course my kids and I, and we are all adults, and work in hi-tech, cannot use the gloves because of bad design. I suspect that the products they so cheaply sell, are defective rejects! My total expenditure was $40.47.
After my LCD lights proved to be a total rip-off, I decided to give them a call, and would've let the whole thing pass, except for the curt, condescending and rude way in which I was treated. Of course I wanted a replacement, but of course, no longer in stock. So essentially they wanted me to waste my time and gas to return the product to them and get back a measly refund, not worth the price of a cheap lunch for 2 people at a buffett!
Now they have expanded, and are doing business under 13 DEALS DOT COM. If you do business with these people:
1. You will have to dig for a contact phone number, and it is NOT toll free.
2. When you finally get through, if you leave a message, you WILL be ignored. 3. Their product offerings are novelties, and cheap, but DO NOT BE TEMPTED!
4. Do no expect a courteous handling of your issue when you call in, but do expect a LECTURE from a very condescending and rude female who will basically tell you that whatever you choose to do about the issue is your prerogative.
I say she is correct, but PLEASE EXERCISE YOUR "PREROGATIVE" BY NOT JUMPING INTO THE TRAP IN THE FIRST PLACE! Buyer beware! Please tell everyone you know to stay away from USA Test Panel, and 13deals.com.
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