Complaint Review: Bowflex Home Fitness - VANCOUVER Washington

Despite the fact that I ordered nicely over the phone on September 22nd, 2004, getting financing from an outside creditor (HC Processing Center) and approved to receive the Bowflex Extreme, the machine has not arrived to this date (November 9, 2004).

The Customer service reps have told me it would take aprox. 3 to 4 weeks from the date I ordered for processing, shipping and handling. At the 4 week mark waiting period I received an email notifying the scheduled delivery for October 28, 2004. The machine never arrived, so I decided to call these people to find out what was going on. A courteous customer service rep then told me that the machine was going to be dropped at the UPS terminal in Dallas TX and then shipped to the final destination in San Antonio TX.

They said it wouldn't take no more than 2 days. Well those 2 days came and went and the machine never arrived so I called again and this time they gave me a different story, something about the delivery truck broken down in its way to the Drop off terminal in Dallas TX but that they would take care of this problem and gave me another delivery date (November 3) but it never arrived. I've been calling since then almost everyday getting the same response over and over again but never getting actual results.

Bowflex Ftness has also a website but it does NOT include anything like a realistic shipping date, much less ANY online method for checking your order status or getting a tracking number or anything of the sort. (And these days, implementing an online order tracking these days is rather simple everybody and there brother has one.)

The worst thing in this situation is tha Bowflex has already charged my creditor for the machine and a scheduled first payment is due on November 16. Now that's funny! I have to pay for something I haven't even received yet!!!!

Guess I should have seen from THAT alone that Bowflex Fitness isn't quite firing on all cylinders (at least as far as it's over the phone or online orders follow-through!)

So, patient person that I am -- I waited for several days (much beyond, expecting to receive at least an email confirmation (they asked for and got my email address during the ordering process) -- good thing I didn't hold my breath, as no such confirmation came.

So, nice guy that I am, I called them a week after I placed my order and learned NOTHING, beyond that I should "wait". When I asked if they could contact me when it shipped I really didn't care how either they could call (they had my phone number in their system and I have an answering machine). They could send me an email (they had me email address). While the Cust Serv person was courteous, her best idea was that I should WAIT and then that *I* should call *THEM* to ask again in a few weeks to see *if* they had shipped.

So here we are, more than a month later.with me slowly converting from ANXIOUS customer who can't wait to get this thing (hey, I have been thinking before ordering, so the excitment had been building it was dissipated by the "wait 4 weeks" bit which seems a bit odd -- Hmmm.. Just had a thought, is the reason that you have to wait 4 weeks is that they want to see if they get one BACK from somebody before they bother building another one??? ... until by now is had become a slightly cynical customer...)

Conclusion really sad. A company like this spends a LOT (and I mean a LOT) of money on advertising and convincing people to buy their rather expensive equipment (sight unseen mind you -- it's not like there's a store anywhere to look at the things) but apparently they're so busy that following up on a customer who is TRYING to buy their equipment is just too much effort. Perhaps they need to lift a few weights in tracking their orders and keeping in touch with their customers-to-be... instead of making videos. Just like golf folks, it's the follow through that counts.

Martin

San Antonio, Texas
U.S.A.