Rip Off Report: "Free offer" for Hydroxatone Skin Cream, and the Back-2-Life Machine
Dave
to be advertised on TV or radio, with a great number of claims being
made about what they can do -- and some very shady business practices
to go along with those generally bogus claims. Some of these products
are very expensive.
My wife recently tried a "free sample offer" for a product called
Hydroxatone (a skin cream) and an invoice arrived in the box for
nearly $160.00. She was charged $12.95 to ship a product that cost $3
or $4 to ship, at the most, with instructions to return the remaining
lotion within 30 days or her card would be charged the full amount.
How does that sound for a "free" trial offer?
In my case, I got suckered as well, by a company that sells a $200+
device on TV, called the "Back 2 Life Machine." I responded to an
offer that, once again, was too good to be true. The device itself has
to be returned within 30 days to get a refund that does not include
shipping and handling each way (and the unit is large). My guess is
that at least half of their customer base returns it and they make
enormous profits on the other 50% who miss the cut off date. While it
is an interesting concept, I was not able to find any credible
scientific evidence supporting its claims. You lie down with this
device, put your legs up on the saddle, and let it pull you gently for
12 minutes or so every day. Personally, I knew that I had only a short
time with it before my window to send it back closed, and so I used it
three or four times a day.
I really, really wanted that Back-2-Life Machine to work.
Unfortunately, I achieved no results at all -- not one difference in
my back pain. Upon calling the firm to get an RMA number (even though
I would lose about $50), they offered me all kinds of incentives to
keep it. Even a huge reduction in the price.
Let me recommend to marketers that if your product has some value,
price it fairly from day one. Don't make one consumer pay a higher
price, while others buy it for substantially less because they called
and complained. That's just adding an E to the back end of your SHAM
product . . . SHAME on you.
Dave
Full text article above extracted from http://shamvswham.blogspot.com/
albu...@mailinator.com
>
> I really, really wanted that Back-2-Life Machine to work.
> Unfortunately, I achieved no results at all -- not one difference in
> my back pain. Upon calling the firm to get an RMA number (even though
> I would lose about $50), they offered me all kinds of incentives to
> keep it. Even a huge reduction in the price.
>
> Dave
>
You missed the small print there Dave. It said you had to have a life
to begin with.
I just enjoy looking at these things through the years. Grapefruit 45
was good until the cease and desist order. If you are sleeping, you
are not eating so you are losing weight.
Tony Little was fun to watch for his hype mode and the models he
worked with.
Covert Bailey went from his NPR fame as doctor to selling exercise
machines. When one commercial came along with a nun riding one of his
contraptions and extolling it, not swearing by it, I knew it was a
scam. Then I heard about people having back problems from using it and
the ads went away.
My motto is that if it costs a lot, it probably doesn't work. Some
people are good at trying these things and sending them back like you
do. I think it's too much trouble. Pick it up at a garage sale for $5
and throw it out when you've tested it.