Flagship Marketing Group - Kelly Chase sold vending machines with an offer of 100% financing and various misleading claims New York New York
I responded to an ad in the paper for a vending route with 100% financing. When I called I was forwarded to Account Specialist Kelly Chase. Kelly told me that there was a 5 location route and a 10 location route. She told me these locations would turn the machines at least once a week and some even more. Kelly then went on to say that I would profit $200-$300 per turn of each machine a week. Based upon these claims, I decided to purchase the 10 location route. When I asked Kelly how much the coin changers were and she told me that I would not need them for my locations.
Kelly had me contact Evans Consulting whom told me the locations were in the town next to mine. When I actually got my locations, they were in four different towns over a 30 mile span. The locations that I received have done on average ten dollars a week. Nowhere near what Kelly Chase had told me.
I later had another person from flagship call me, Mike Sirodi, who told me I had to have changers or I would lose sales. He told me that he could cut me a deal on them for only $795 per changer. Some deal, I found them online for less that half the price.
To ad insult to injury, I recently received an email from Flagship Marketing offering the same ten machines I had just paid $27k for $20k now. I called Kelly Chase and asked if they were going to refund me the difference and she told me that they never have the machines for $2000 each and the $2500 each is only for repeat customers. She then told me the information that I got must be from a different company. Funny, but the email address was Flagship Marketing, same address, and same phone number.
I feel a bit embarrassed to have fell for the lies that Kelly Chase and Evans Consulting had told me but I want to let other people know of how Flagship Marketing does business.
If anyone else has had a similar situation with Flagship Marketing, please contact me regarding the possibility of a class action suit. You can contact me through this website.
David
Plainfield, Illinois
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Fred
Massapequa,New York,
U.S.A.
Good Experience with Flagship Marketing
#5Consumer Comment
Thu, February 05, 2009
I have been satisfied with Flagship Marketing. The location service they recommended was able to place me into 2 locations that are making money. The locator service recommends you visit the vending location before accepting them. I had gone to a Vending opportunity presentation where they were offering 3 machines for over $20K before finding Flagship. The presentation I went to claimed they would help find location but all they would do is give you cards to mail and a list; you needed to do everything else on your own. Flagship's opportunity is much more reasonable.
Usa-Canada Vending Group, Inc.
New York,New York,
U.S.A.
Flagship Marketing does NOT guarantee Income, as we don't know the location our customers will approve.
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Sun, December 21, 2008
Dave, you must have misunderstood Ms. Chase. Every time the machine empties you make $250, that's filling up to empty. No one can predict how often your equipment will empty. We do not know the locations you will approve, so how do you think we can predict your income? It's up to you to approve a high traffic location, the more traffic you have the more money you earn.
You probably are referring to the 2004 Vending Times Report which shows that the average soda, water, bottle, can and snack machine combination makes an average of $250.00 per week in America. That is not our statement but that of the industry magazine the Vending Times, of which a copy was sent to you. Average means, some make more and some make less to get an average. It seems from your statement of your income that you approved the wrong locations, giving you less than the average. That's your responsibility, NOT Flagships.
In reference to the increase cost, when you finance through our source verses paying from your own capital or source the cost is higher. The machine we offered for the last week and a half, in December, was a sale price because of inventory and equipment differences from your machines. Just like automobile companies that have last minute end of the year sales.
If a customer is not happy with their locations, they need to go back to the location company they signed a contract with, as we are NOT responsible for Locations.
Dave, please read your contract carefully. If you have any further questions or anything I may help you with, please call
Kenneth Levin
President
Flagship Marketing Group, Inc.
28 West 36th Street
Suite 902
New York, NY 10018
800-877-1335
Cindy Ecleberry
Mt. Pleasant,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Response to David
#5Consumer Suggestion
Fri, December 19, 2008
David,
Please contact me at (((ROR REDACTED))). I would like to talk with you about your experience, as I have had a similar experience with this company.
Thanks
Cindy
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
Usa-Canada Vending Group, Inc.
New York,New York,
U.S.A.
Customer was never promised machines would empty once a week
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, December 19, 2008
Dave, the machines earn $250 every time they empty. Know one knows the locations you will approve, so we can't predict how often they will empty.
As far as the cost of equipment, financing is more costly, as an outside company has to process the loan. Secondly, the equipment offered in the email is not the same quality of equipment you purchased.
Kenneth Levin
President
Flagship Marketing
800-877-1335