Each month I receive hundreds of e-mails from consumers
like yourself, who have, one way or another, been bilked
out of their hard earned dollars by unscrupulous
supplement / fat burners manufacturers. Manufacturers who have added
them to monthly recurring billing cycles without their
permission, who don't honor their money-back guarantees,
who provide a 1-800 number for refunds, but don't hire
a real, breathing person to monitor this number -- manufacturers
who treat their customers with disdain, and in general, regard them as little
more than sheep who need to be parted from their money.
Sidebar: This article is not about specific brands of fat burners worth
purchasing or avoiding. No, it is about the best practices for making a
purchase that you will not regret, over and over again.
If you are interested in hearing about my specific recommendations
for fat burners with a bit of a caveat, you'll want to read this
article...
http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/best-fat-burners.html
OK, let's continue...
Almost extensively, the vast number of complaints I receive involve
products marketed almost extensively via...
i) radio advertisements
ii) Internet e-mail and advertising campaigns
iii) television infomercials
These products tend to be marketed by companies who do not have
a regular presence in the marketplace (i.e., the product is not
available in any stores). This is not generally a good thing
because it makes it very easy for the manufacturer to...
a) avoid accountability to the customer
b) continue to sell an inferior product to a receptive audience
Here's an example...
Suppose company "X" creates a new fat burner product with a full
money back guarantee, and sells it in local marketplaces
through a well-known retailer. You come in to the retailer
and purchase that new fat burner. Four weeks later, in accordance
with the label guarantee, you bring the empty bottle for a refund, feeling
the product didn't live up to your expectations.
A quality, customer
focused retailer will refund your money right away, no questions
asked (if they don't, make it clear you'll be taking your business
elsewhere). That retailer will then demand their own refund from
manufacturer.
There are several points here you need to be aware
of when products are sold through reputable stores in local marketplaces...
1) inferior quality products threaten the local merchant's credibility,
and their ability to do business with the local audience. After all,
no merchant who claims to have your best interests at heart while
flogging an inferior product can stay in business for long.
2) it is impossible for any manufacturer to avoid accountability
in the local retail market. If the product yields too many refunds or unsatisfied
customers, the local merchant will have to stop selling it (that's because the local merchant
needs your repeat business for his/her other products -- which
will be lost if you are unsatisfied with the quality or efficacy of his/her
products). Regardless, the bottom line is
that the local retailer has to stop ordering from the manufacturer.
3) Products that generate lots of refund requests are much more
work for the retailer than ones that do not. Merchants will not
carry such a product for long.
OK, now for the other side of the coin.
Suppose company "Y" creates
a new fat burner (covered by a 100% money-back guarantee) and markets
it via infomercials, radio ads, and the Internet. Suppose "you"
purchase the product, and later try to get a refund when you find the
quality of the product unsatisfactory. Here's where things get
interesting...
Unlike your local merchant, who needs to keep you happy to earn your
repeat business, company "Y" knows it is unlikely to ever hear from
you again. So it makes it as difficult as possible to obtain a refund.
Its 1-800# plays an endless loop message for 45 minutes, and it's
nearly impossible to get a real human being to talk to.
Good luck getting your refund.
And when you buy products in this manner, often you'll get added
to a recurring billing option without your consent. In other
words, you'll receive another bottle of their product every 30
days and your credit card will be charged accordingly.
Again, good luck getting your refund.
So advertising and selling in this manner makes it very easy for the manufacturer to avoid the issue of
accountability to the customer. And most manufacturers use
call centers, professional warehousing
and drop shipping facilities to further isolate themselves from
contact with their clients. Chances are that should you order
such a product, you won't get a company representative on the
phone, but a call-center employee with performance-based
incentives. Is that the sort of company you'd like to do
business with?
By declining to sell their products in a local retail environment,
manufacturers are able to isolate themselves from the local
merchants who could demand large volumes of refunds, and threaten
their business by refusing to stock a low-quality product. Additionally, it also makes it more
difficult for bad product word-of-mouth to circulate amongst consumers.
So...
There are several recommendations I have for purchasing fat burners or any
other supplements...
1) Do not buy products advertised on TV, the radio, or the Internet
unless...
a) those products CAN by purchased from a local retailer. That way, you'll
have some recourse should you be unhappy with the product. While not
all companies who advertise in this manner are deceptive or unethical,
there is greater likelihood you will experience an issue with a
merchant who advertises in this manner and does not maintain a local
presence.
b) the product is sold by a well-recognized, respectable brand company.
2) Buy only well-recognized brand names with a established history
in the supplement industry (e.g.., MuscleTech, Isatori, Champion Nutrition,
BioTest, EAS, and so on). I'm not saying the major brands always create
better products. I am saying, however, that their "brand" and reputation does mean
something to them, and they do recognize the value of a long term repeat
customer. 9 times out of 10, if you have a problem with a product,
you can phone such a manufacturer for a refund directly.
On the other hand, products marketed
online or on TV do not have a "brand". So it does not matter what
the reputation of that brand is, or how it resonates with consumers, since the manufacturer will simply create a new one for the next product.
3) Establish a relationship with a local or online merchant, and make
all your purchases from that merchant. Trusted, valued customers can
always take their complaints to a good merchant, who knows it is in
his/her best interest to look after them.
