Complaint Review: JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine - Cincinnati, Canton, Columbus, Detroit (MI), Youngstown, Day Ohio

Hi Bob

Sorry, but it appears all of your ex employees were correct from the start. From the very first complaint posted on here to the last. You came on here and defended your company and yourself wonderfully, however you also failed miserably. It appears your company went belly up. Did you fire too many people because they were black? Or refuse to hire someone simply because they were muslim? Or was it because you lied to advertisers over and over again?

Either way, karma is a b***h, and she came for you =)

I am glad to report that the wonderful owners of JB Dollar are no longer operating in the Detroit area.  Apparently reports out by many ex-employees and employees have confirmed that the publishers of this institution are receiving exactly what they deserve.  They have closed Cincinnati and Detroit, and apparently prepared to close additional markets.  More long term employees (minimum 10 years tenure) have left the company.  In my humble opinion as an ex-employee, who was treated like crap during most of my tenure (as most employees were and still are), I am happy to see them get exactly what they deserve. 

I truly feel sorry for all the ex-customers and ex-employees and how they were treated over the years.  The changing of ads then shoving them down clients throats, refusing to admit fault, threatening to sue if they did not due things the JB way!!!! To the ex-customers they strong armed and threatened if they did not do things the JB dollar way!!!!  To the ex-employees they man-handled, and threatened with everything from stripping of accounts (which were suppose to be protected) to lying to them about anything they wished!!!!!

Many of their ex-employees and customers have hoped that this would happen to such a wonderful couple.  I am glad to see it and look forward to KARMA striking exactly where and to whom it should.  I for one am looking forward to the day (coming in July of 2013) to when JB no longer has a legal hold on me.   I am looking forward to telling the world the truth (and yes folks, the evidence does speak for itself) how JB Dollar is.  Apparently though, a lot of people already know.  Read the reports many people have written. They are true.  Happy Turkey Day!!!!

I recently bought a voucher through their online deals.  The voucher was for 1 night stay at Presque Isle Passage cabin for $25.  After I bought the voucher, I called Presque Isle Passage to make reservations and found out that I can only use the voucher on a week day.  The advertisement and voucher did not have any of those restrictions printed.  Both JB and PIP acknowledged that the restriction were not in the advertisement.  I asked for my money back.  PIP said that since JB handled my credit card transaction that they are responsible for refunding my money.  JB said that PIP won't give back the profit they made from my purchase, therefore they can't give me back my refund.  They wanted to give me a $25 JB credit to be used on their other vouchers.  Really??  Why would I want to buy another product from JB when they can't gurantee customer satifaction the first time around.  Both of these companies are scammers.  Their Jbdollar Client Services, Frank Briganti, is a joke.  He didn't return my calls until 3 days later and that was because I called him.  Then I had to call him again 2 says later to find out what my status was and that was when he told me that there was nothing he could do because they have a no cash back policy.  When you buy something that was misrepresented, you don't think that the consumer has the right to a refund?  I say that is a scam.

Bob - I find it amusing that you would say that these claims are being posted by random people, people that never even worked for JB Dollar. If that's the case, if that's true, then obviously you're doing something wrong to make such a horrible impression on the general public, that someone would feel need to post this against your company even though they never worked for you. Kind of funny actually! Let's go with that one...see how far it gets you. By the way, I am a former employee... I am hiding my identity because I can and I want to. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing =) Toledo, OH

I worked for JB Dollar starting in December 2007 until about March or April 2008. I worked in the Toledo office with John. Working for JB Dollar made me realize that sales is not for me, not at all. I don't feel JB Dollar is run in a professional manner, nor do I feel employee's are treated fairly. The employee's are what keep JB Dollar going, what keep the money coming in. Yet they are treated poorly. The office's are not kept up, instead most of the electronics and furniture in the office is falling apart or does not work at all. Employee's are in competition with management, which isn't right. Lastly, clients are deceived, sometimes made to pay more for an ad compared to someone else who purchased the exact type of ad (1/4 page, full color, local pages, as an example. One company would pay, let's say, $220 per 3 issues, while another will pay $280 per 3 issues, for the same type of ad. Just so the employee and company can make more money. Not right.) Those aren't exact numbers, as it's been over a year since I worked for JB Dollar, I do not recall the exact numbers, but you get the idea. I didn't agree with that, and I never tried to con a client into paying more for an ad then was necessary. When I signed them up, they always payed the lowest amount. I still can't even understand why there were different amounts for the same ad. Other than to benefit the company to make more money off a client. Talk about deceptive and unethical. Former JB Dollar Employee - Toledo Office

If the accusers actually worked at JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine, they must not have read or listened to the information provided them about our company, product and service. We have hired people whom thought they knew a faster way to success than honesty and hard work and looked for shortcuts. Unfortunately there is no short cut to success in anything. Honesty, hard work and unending perseverance are the only short cut to success, but they require a greater amount of work than many people are willing to do. Because of the complete and thorough information we provide our sales representatives and customers, besides the transparency of our operations, I would be surprised if the accusers ever worked at JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine. An individual whom is telling the truth has no reason to hide there identity. I am always available to address each accusation made in this report and am available by phone at 1-330-659-3590. Inquiries can be sent to me at JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine, Attention Robert Minchak, 3105 Farnham Road, Richfield Ohio 44286. All accusations made against JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine on this web site are false, misleading or inaccurate. I am available to answer any allegation made here. If these accusers are telling the truth, they have no reason to hide their identity. By hiding their identity, they are confessing the information they have provided is not completely true or accurate and they are afraid of being sued for making false and slanderous accusations. These accusers not only slander JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine, but they slander our workers whom are honest, caring hard workers.

After I was fired (actually, I quit first, before they fired me) JB Dollar stopped sending me their magazine. Hmmm...I thought we always told people that we had NO control over the mailing list. Soooo many people called the office wanting to be added, or removed, to/from the mailing list, and we always told them we couldn't do anything about that; that the post office controlled it, not us. This is what we were told to tell people by the corporate office in Richfield. I left this company almost a year ago, and recently started complaining because I was no longer receiving JB Dollar in the mail. And wouldn't you know! I just got it in the mail again! How funny. Bob, I thought you couldn't control the mailing list? Another lie I see... How ironic. And yet another former employee has responded to this, saying what a crock this company is. It's a good thing I know so many local business owners. Whenever we talk about advertising, I always tell them to advertising with ValPak, or Reach. JB Dollar should stop screwing people over, because word of mouth is a great way to advertise, and trust me, and us ex-employee's don't have much good to say about this piece of crap magazine. So really, JB is just shooting itself in the foot. So keep it up, and see where it gets you...

After I was fired (actually, I quit first, before they fired me) JB Dollar stopped sending me their magazine. Hmmm...I thought we always told people that we had NO control over the mailing list. Soooo many people called the office wanting to be added, or removed, to/from the mailing list, and we always told them we couldn't do anything about that; that the post office controlled it, not us. This is what we were told to tell people by the corporate office in Richfield. I left this company almost a year ago, and recently started complaining because I was no longer receiving JB Dollar in the mail. And wouldn't you know! I just got it in the mail again! How funny. Bob, I thought you couldn't control the mailing list? Another lie I see... How ironic. And yet another former employee has responded to this, saying what a crock this company is. It's a good thing I know so many local business owners. Whenever we talk about advertising, I always tell them to advertising with ValPak, or Reach. JB Dollar should stop screwing people over, because word of mouth is a great way to advertise, and trust me, and us ex-employee's don't have much good to say about this piece of crap magazine. So really, JB is just shooting itself in the foot. So keep it up, and see where it gets you...

After I was fired (actually, I quit first, before they fired me) JB Dollar stopped sending me their magazine. Hmmm...I thought we always told people that we had NO control over the mailing list. Soooo many people called the office wanting to be added, or removed, to/from the mailing list, and we always told them we couldn't do anything about that; that the post office controlled it, not us. This is what we were told to tell people by the corporate office in Richfield. I left this company almost a year ago, and recently started complaining because I was no longer receiving JB Dollar in the mail. And wouldn't you know! I just got it in the mail again! How funny. Bob, I thought you couldn't control the mailing list? Another lie I see... How ironic. And yet another former employee has responded to this, saying what a crock this company is. It's a good thing I know so many local business owners. Whenever we talk about advertising, I always tell them to advertising with ValPak, or Reach. JB Dollar should stop screwing people over, because word of mouth is a great way to advertise, and trust me, and us ex-employee's don't have much good to say about this piece of crap magazine. So really, JB is just shooting itself in the foot. So keep it up, and see where it gets you...

Im down in the Dayton, Cincy area and all I can say is wow this company is a bunch of jokers or should I say con men. They bad mouth other companys and do anything they can to make a sell (Mike/Terry) con men. I also know many ex JB employees that been screwed very bad. They lie put customers in the wrong market and don't make it right. Try to lock you in to a year contract don't waste your money advertising with JB there are much better and cheaper ways to advertise.

Sorry Bob, but it's all true. I worked in your Toledo office and it was a piece. The desks were falling apart, the phones didn't work, the computers were slow, old and out-dated. Just ask the manager of that office, or ask another sales rep at that office. It was horrible...the office we worked in sucked. And no, John NEVER told me that postage would be taken out of my paycheck, instead I was told by the secretary after it happened. When I confronted the manager he was embarrassed and told me he was ashamed of that and that's why he never told me. And yes, it is TRUE that I was a freelance journalist, just look at my resume that I'm sure you still have on file. And yes, they did reimburse my mileage! None of that is false, those are ALL facts. Stop lying on here and be a man and own up to your mistakes! To any future employee: Do NOT work here unless you wanna be ripped off and be fired for no reason. This company sucks and it's by far the worst job I've ever had! And I'm not the only one who feels this way...obviously! When I worked there they fired a new employee after he'd only been there about three weeks! He tried so hard too, and done sales before at local newspapers, and never had the problems he had there. JB Dollar didn't even give him a chance, they just fired him. And I find it interesting that he of the minority race as well. Also, someone should look into their hiring practices as I believe they are discriminating, in my opinion. There have also been issues of sexual harrassment in the Toledo office before as well. Don't believe me? Just work there for a while, and talk to some people. You'll learn things. Remember, WORD OF MOUTH is the best form of advertising... Former sales rep Toledo, OH

As stated in my initial response, the information in the complaint is false, misleading or inaccurate. I will gladly address any questions or concerns about this report and I included my contact information in my first response. I have clearly identified myself and made myself accessible to the public. I do not have to hide from the public or act anonymously like the owner of the Ripoff Report or the complainants' or counter complainants' have chosen to. Ripoff Report is a convenient place to post false or inaccurate information. Disgruntled ex-employees or even competitors are free to write anything they want without consequence. Please review Ripoffreport.com's policy of posting any and all reports, whether true or false. Due to Ripoff Reports policy, it is impossible to determine the accuracy of reports posted on Ripoff Report and one must seek the truth elsewhere. Why would someone hide their identity if all of their statements where 100% true and accurate and not at all misleading, inaccurate or opinion? Again, please contact me, Robert Minchak, CEO by mail at JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine, Attnention Robert Minchak, 3105 Farnham Road, Richfield, Ohio 44286, or by phone at 1-330-659-3590.

I was only with the company for about two or three months. Getting appointments was never a problem for me. I got more appointments then seasoned employees at our office. However, because the economy is so bad, it was hard to make sales. I did make some sales though, just not as many as the company thinks is appropriate. So, the company was going to fire me. I quit the same day they were going to fire me. (This kind of ticked me off because I feel I worked my a*s off for them for nothing. Now they got all the accounts I created, and they're making money thanks to me! Yet I saw very little of this money! Yay for JB Dollar...too bad for me I guess.) When I was hired, I was told that my mileage wouldn't be reimbursed, however I was never told that I would have to pay for postage. It's not like this is for personal use, this is for BUSINESS use. It's to mail clients, or potential clients, information. That came out of my check. When I confronted my boss about it he said he didn't tell me because he knew it wouldn't make me happy because it pisses off a lot of employees. The mileage was an issue too. I was a freelance journalist for a year after college, and even those newspapers reimbursed my mileage, even though I wasn't an actual employee and was commission only. Yet JB Dollar expects their employees to drive their cars into the ground, and for what? $20 if you sell a $400 ad? Come on! Our office was falling apart at the seams too. The computers were VERY old and had issues. The fax machince sucked, the copy machine sucked, the desks were falling apart, half the phones didn't work...the list goes on and on. JB Dollar might be a good way for a company to advertise, but I would NEVER suggest it. In fact, I tell people I know not to use them, simply because they really pushed my buttons the wrong way. Not only were they VERY rude to me when I left the company, but they stopped sending me their magazine! Which really amuses me since corporate tells people they have no control over the mailing list! What a lie! Obviously they do! Yet when someone would call our office asking to be added or removed from the mail list, we were told, by corporate, that they had no control of it. Then how come I was removed from the mailing list after I left the company? Something doesn't add up here... Overall I just don't think JB Dollar is a good company to work for, nor to advertise with. Why support them when they clearly don't support their clients or their employees? If you read this and want to believe anything, believe the former employees because the owner will do anything to SELL his company to you! (No pun intended.) As for the sales field...it's not for me. I can't lie to people and up-sell them just to make a buck. And I can't scare them into keeping their contract for fear of the buy-out costs that don't even really exist. It's just not me. Overall I'm just amused with all of this because I did work the company and what I'm saying is completely true. I experienced it first-hand. Now it's up to the reader to decide who's really telling the truth. The salesman, or the non-salesman?

I worked for Bob and his wife Joan for several years in a sales capacity. I sold a lot of clients for them and in doing so made many businesses successful with the publication. Many of those businesses are still running ads today and would not do so if their ads did not work well. Bob and Joan give their employees an opportunity to sell advertising and to make good commissions. The costs of doing business, like driving and paying for stamps are explained up front. The information they give their clients is clearly stated and it is also correct - I sold for them and I did not have to lie to anyone about anything to do it. On the buyout issue - all print, radio and TV media have such clauses on their agreements. When you sign up for a cell phone contract - you have a buy out clause of 200 bucks if you want to cancel - I see like 3 Billion people with cell phones right now....geez. The poster of this article is obviously someone who just has either no brains or any sales ability - probably both. If someone wanted to work for an employee that offered gas mileage - I would think that they would apply at a company that paid gas mileage - instead of complaining like a little girly man on some idiot web site. The JB Dollar Stretcher pays fair commissions- I should know! If you work hard and smart you can afford your gas. A good employee has the opportunity to make a little more to cover things like stamps and gas and paper. Should anyone want to open their own direct mail company they'd find out quickly that the expenses in doing so are a little higher than 50 bucks a week in gas. And although the corporate vision is different at JB Dollar Stretcher than at other companies I have worked for - it should be - it is run by two family members who are passionate about it - it pays their bills and everyone elses that works there - not by some company like Ohio Cox publishing that has five hundred vice presidents and would probably never have hired a jack a*s like the one that wrote this posting....because what this man or woman is writing supposes that the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of JB clients that run all the time in the book are not good business people and that they cannot make good business decisions. On the contrary - I still recommend the book to people for valuable savings and for advertising as well. And I would reccomend this company to anyone wanting to make a decent living selling advertising if they are hard working and not so crazied that pumping gas into their car makes them destroy property. I mean really- that is too bad. Businesses who have had to deal with dolts like this trying to sell them ads are as frustrated as Bob most likely. Guys and gals like the one that posted this make it hard on the good representatives for all ad companies everywhere. What Up Bob? Hang in there and sell sell sell!!!! Open Chicago! Ad Man

As stated in my initial response, the information in the complaint is false, misleading or inaccurate. I will gladly address any questions or concerns about this report and I included my contact information in my first response. I have clearly identified myself and made myself accessible to the public. I do not have to hide from the public or act anonymously like the owner of the Ripoff Report or the complainants' or counter complainants' have chosen to. Ripoff Report is a convenient place to post false or inaccurate information. Disgruntled ex-employees or even competitors are free to write anything they want without consequence. Please review Ripoffreport.com's policy of posting any and all reports, whether true or false. Due to Ripoff Reports policy, it is impossible to determine the accuracy of reports posted on Ripoff Report and one must seek the truth elsewhere. Why would someone hide their identity if all of their statements where 100% true and accurate and not at all misleading, inaccurate or opinion? Again, please contact me, Robert Minchak, CEO by mail at JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine, Attnention Robert Minchak, 3105 Farnham Road, Richfield, Ohio 44286, or by phone at 1-330-659-3590.

It makes me so angry when the owner of a company cannot own up to complaints against their company. Instead, they lie to make their company look better and avoid negative PR. The complaint against JB Dollar is true. I used to work for this magazine and it's true that JB Dollar does NOT reimburse employees for mileage and they DO deduct business-related postage from their paycheck. I never understood this, but this is what JB Dollar does. That much is a fact. Also, it is VERY true that the owners of the company go on vacation about every other month, yet say they don't have the money to compensate their employees well or offer decent health insurance. The buyout section of the contract is true as well, mostly. If a client wishes to cancel their contact early, they probably won't be charged the buyout price. However, if that client did something to piss off JB Dollar, then JB Dollar will sometimes make that client pay the buyout price. Kind of shady, huh? Read what Bob wrote. He wrote that he believes that post to be from a disgruntled employee who caused physical damage to the office when they left the company. If an employee causes physical damage when leaving, then obviously JB Dollar is doing something WRONG. Lastly, just to prove my point, follow this link. http://www.jbdollar.com/marketstats.html One of the things the original poster said was that JB Dollar uses statistics from 10 years ago, yet Bob said nothing in that complaint was true. Follow that link and scroll to the small print at that bottom. There you'll see that these statistics haven't been updated since 1999! Just goes to show that what the poster wrote is true.

This report, we suspect, was made by a disgruntled ex employee, whom we are aware of, whom also caused physical damage to our office upon their separation from our organization. All accusations in this report are false, misleading or inaccurate. I will gladly address any questions or concerns about this report. I can be reached by mail at JB Dollar Stretcher Magazine, Attention: Robert Minchak, 3105 Farnham Road, Richfield, Ohio 44286, or by phone at 1-330-659-3590. Ripoff Report is a convenient place to post false or inaccurate information. Disgruntled ex employees or even competitors, are free to write anything they want without consequence. Please review Ripoffreport.com's policy of posting any and all reports, whether true or false. Due to Ripoff Reports policy, it is impossible to determine the accuracy of reports