Complaint Review: SMC - Specialty Merchandise

This company makes it's money by re-cycling their membership kits. It appears no one ever gets the refund they promise. So, they continuously re-sell the kits to other unsuspecting buyers.

I tried to cancel in about 2 weeks after checking out their "members only" website. When I called the salesman and asked him how to cancel, he talked me into waiting until I received the kit and, "he knew that I would change my mind after seeing it". At this time, he extended my 30 days to June 30th. I did not ask for an extension, he volunteered it. I asked him to please send the extended date to me in writing and he said he would. Of course.I never received it.

After looking over the contents of the kit, I again decided it was not for me. I tried to call him back for a full week and he neither answered nor returned my calls. The following Monday or Tues. I finally reached him and he said he had a family emergency and was out of town. Why didn't someone else cover his calls?

By then it was June 26th so I had to overnight the package at a cost of $31. They received it the next morning on the 28th.

I finally called them about the refund on July 30th and they said they had never received my cancellation letter. I mailed copies to them. Around the time they would have received the copies, they responded to the letter they never received, returning my postmarked envelope and said that the tracking number was wrong. I emailed them back with explicit instructions about how to use the tracking number and told them that it was delivered on 6/28 at 10:58am and signed by D. Garcia.

Yesterday I received a letter in the mail and also an email telling me that I am not getting a refund because it was not returned by the 24th. I told them that an employee is a representative of the company and the problem was between them and their employee. Does it surprise anyone that they no longer know me?

I am retired and living on social security and every dollar is important to me. That is why I was originally interested in making a little extra.

June
Wesley Chapel, Florida
U.S.A.