posted on December 18, 2002 04:45:23 PM new
Two years ago I ordered something from Shoppers Discount that I can't even remember now what it was. Seems like it was a one-time buy of a software program or something.
Just recently a charge of $92.00 appeared on my Visa statement from SHOPPERS DISCOUNT along with an 800 phone number. I called the number to inquire what the charge was for and discovered that the phone number went to a marketing firm called EMI. This company, EMI, is a clearing house for ad marketing. The rep could not specifically tell me what the $92.00 charge was for, or who had authorized the charge.
I went through 6 levels of their management and finally got the truth (so I think). Seems that my initial purchase 2 years ago for whatever the item was I purchased was "tagged" with an add-on that no one tells you about... it could be anything, usually a "service" of some kind charged monthly but billed annually.
Here's the bad part: You are NEVER informed of what it is that is being added, but because you SPECIFICALLY did not inform Shoppers Discount that you DID NOT want this item you had no idea about you automatically get charged for it...EVERY YEAR!
Yes, I was pissed.
The upper management person I spoke with at EMI informed me it was their everyday business to immediately refund any and all queries regarding these charges but only when disputed!! She went further to say that once disputed, all refunds or charge returns are handled in an extremely large batch and usually take an additional 10 days or more to process. (another chance you might forget about following up on??). She told me this is routine practice for SHOPPERS DISCOUNT and both SHOPPERS DISCOUNT and EMI count on no questions EVER being asked and the money is made on those customers who never question or dispute the charges!!
Hell of a way to do business. It's underhanded.
I make a point to read the fine print on everything. There was no fine print on my one and only transaction with Shoppers Discount. They simply charged extra for something I didn't know about or want and expected ME to eventually question it.
Well I did question it. Luckily the lady at EMI processed my request in short order sent me a check for $188.00 to cover the recent $92.00 charge and the original $96.00 charge a year before that for this "unknown service" that I knew nothing about.
ADDED NOTE: Through my investigation I also learned that infomercials use a marketing scheme such as this to augment the outlandishly low prices of $19.95 they offer for not one, but two, of an item.
For more information regarding "Shoppers Discount" and infomercials here is an informative link:
http://www.absecrets.com/scamorder.htm
Another interesting link to read about "shopping club" cards (you know the ones - a national supermarket chain employs this to give members "lower" prices) will enlighten you on exactly what is going on with these type cards. That link is:
http://www.amadorbooks.com/nocardsh.htm
It's amazing how the old saying "what you don't know won't hurt you" has been changed by marketing to "what you don't know WILL hurt you, but we hope you don't find out!"
