Complaint Review: Specialty Merchandise Corporation - Chatsworth California

In March of 2002, my husband and I decided to join SMC after looking into other home businesses we chose SMC. Well, it started fine, until I placed the first call to my so called Start up Coach.

Contributed his rudeness to being busy and let it go. Then when he called me back (within 10 mins) which turned into 2 days later. He was not helpful or even remotely interested in helping me get started in the business.

He was however, interested in selling me the least amount of items, catalogs etc, with the highest cost. After approx. 20 mins of trying to explain my "Business Idea" he informed me that basically I needed to buy yadda yadda yadda, at the grand total of approximately 1000 dollars.

So I kept him on the phone for a few minutes while he tried to coerce my credit card number from me, almost from the time our call started, I decided that I just didn't feel comfortable.

So I pretended my cordless was dying and hung up on him. Well he called me back again, about 4 - 6 times within a few days and while I tried to call SMC to speak with someone else, hoping to get a more efficient coach, (which I thought I did) I spoke with a John, which also happened to be the previous reps name, Coincidence?

Well this guy seemed a little less enthused then the first but at least he allowed me to order the catalogs that I initially planned on without making annoyed noises like my 300plus order wasn't up to their liking. Well, that done I relaxed and waited patiently for my catalogs to arrive.

But before I even check the mail two day later I get a call from a very irate man named John. He didn't even pretend to sound cordial or fake any pleasantries; he just stated "Did you place an order the other day? I stated, yes I did, he said something rude like OH THATS JUST GREAT, didn't you even tell the person that you had spoken with someone else, I stated, yes told him the other guys name was also John, he swore under his breath and said THANKS ALOT. And hung up on me.

At that moment while looking at the phone in my hand, I dialed SMC right back and spoke to someone that supposedly was genuinely concerned about the call I received. I stated this is not the type of company that I want to have dealings with and that I want to cancel NOW! This had only been one week since getting my startup kit. Which I was then told I had to return with a hundred dollars insurance on the package.

Which I did and mailed it right out. But of course I had already ordered the catalogs and then when I tried to have then returned they wanted to charge me 75 plus shipping and insurance on a 300 dollar order. Not to mention it is now November 27 and they claim to not have received the package and the post office had already put the claim in months ago.

Not to mention we just received a collection notice for the remainder original startup cost of 308.00 that they tried to keep billing our credit card every month until we closed the credit card account.

Now I get to call them today and see what moronic excuse they are going to give me for not refunding me my original 150 dollars plus get this off our credit history as a collection. If this call does not receive some action today I am heading to my attorneys office.

Angela

Windsor, California