Complaint Review: Specialty Merchandise Corporation SMC - Chatsworth California

my name is jerry and i have seen the tv ad many times and decided to send for the information package. i have been contacted by the company several times trying to get me to go ahead and join the smc team. being a sales manager of a large company i am always cautious and check out the benifits and features of any thing i am doing. i must admit that the smc people are very hush mouth about anything to do with the company untill one puts up money. they refuse to give out any web sights that their customers have so that one might see what a sight looks like. one would think they would want you to go to the sights and maby buy something. they refuse to show what the 3000 or3800 items are that seems strange also. their shipping costs are probably standard since they are shipping small items and the costs are high on those items. i really was looking at joining but after seeing all the bad things that i read here in this i now must put on the back burner this co untill i can check them out a little more i was looking for a business for my son but this might not be the one. i am not afraid to put my name and email on this response by the way i cant spell well either and i am a pretty good businessman.

Dear Ramon B. Bay Point, California Like many wholesale catalog firms in the '90s, SMC is understaffed and poorly run, but it is not alone in this problem. (this problem spans the entire wholesale marketplace.) There are several hundred like SMC, some a lot better, some a lot worse. These can be located in trade mags, local colleges, and trade associations. The internet can greatly speed up this research. THE POINT IS THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THIS PROBLEM BY YOURSELF. THE MARKETPLACE WILL GET RID OF THESE COMPANIES SOONER OR LATER IF THEY CAN NOY CHANGE. But you can help yourself now if you really want to run your own business now. 1: Don't personify the problem, but be professional and business wise. i.e. don't act like a consumer - you are retail merchant. and these suppliers expect you to deal with them as such and follow the relationship rules. 2: If you don't get the service you were promised, change to a new vendor, and let the know in writting why the lost you busines. 3. Keep records of you interfaces with them, so when you want to pull their chain, you can back it up with facts. If you don't it is just redused to a name callin contest. Send the documentation to the head of the company (you can find their nams and addreses in their annual reports, the BBB, and the state incorporation filings), and you will be suprised at the change in how the lower support groups treat you and your needs. If this sounds like too much work, the you need to rethink you desire to be a small business owner in the retail field. I hope this helps you meet you goals.

You hit it right in the nail smc leads you to belived that you are going to make a lot of money in a short time but thats is just not thrue. I started with them back in 1997 and spent about $2500 in catagos mailing lists and so on and so forth. There merchandise is not even halve as good as they make you belived in there comercial. I bought there flea market sampler and took it to the swat meet but I couldn't sell a thing smc is a real rep off!

You know, if SMC is really as terrible as many of you think/experienced, then why not contact your Better Business Bureau! I've been to BBB.org and have yet to see the complaints as numerous as it has been on this board. And that is within a 3 year time period! If you want people to really take notice of a 'Bad Business' then tell the BBB all about it. Otherwise you're just wasting your breath. Actions speak louder than words. Don't just waste precious time and complain....take action. This suggestion is relevant to any business such as this. I've also heard complaints about SwapSellTrade.com. They don't have the 'reputation' that most of you have placed upon them either. At least not by the BBB. Again, if what you say is true, go to the Better Business Bureau. I have yet to see anyone say they have taken such action. When you want to start a business, investigate it thoroughly. Use that gray matter, called your brain, before you invest one dime! If you have any doubts whatsoever...don't do it! And never take an actor's word for it, ever! Oh, BTW, I'm not affiliated with either of these two companies. I've been looking into these kinds opportunities but have not made a commitment, yet.

Hey "ConsumerMaster, New York, Alabama This is Kimberly and I am not ashamed of my earlier comments, unfortunately, I cannot say the same concerning your language in your response. If you are going to leave feedback, at least be clean with your responses. I am not with the company and have since sent the package back myself with some of the same complaints you guys have with "NO CUSTOMER SERVICE", but I am not resolving my issues by telling you off. You need to get a grip and a life. You also need to be a little brave and at least tell us your name. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, unfortunately, so do you....

I believe the best thing to do in regards to SMC, is the old "Buyer Beware." I was thinking about getting about getting into this and ordered the free information two weeks ago. But now that I see the comments I think it is best to get a wholseller license, go the wholesale mart here in L.A., buy a Yahoo Store for $49.00 per month, plus a merchant account for and additional $22.00 per month and take it from there. At least this way, I can see the merchandise and have more control over inventory! A lot a people hit it on the head though. This is not a get rich quick scheme (unless you're the owner of SMC)!!! But you should have quality items and EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. That's the foundation of a good business! Can someone tell me how this company remained in business for 50 years!!! They must me doing SOMETHING right SOMEWHERE, but so far I don't see it. Maybe it is just greed with some people as i read one person's comments.

Hello, After watching the TV ad I sent away for the information. Now I do not know if it has changed but they send a tape with information on it how you can spend time in the sun and sell products to people. It smelled fishy to me from the start so I thought I would give them a try and listen and look at what they had to offer. I can tell you that it looked like stuff you would buy at a flea market!!!! The best part of the tape was trying to figure out the actors who were reading the script. Plus in the commerical there is a guy with a cowboy hat with a snake on it in a parking lot. It looks like he is selling the stuff out of his trunk!!! with a bunch of women holding money out like they were getting the best deal they have seen in awhile. I can say I have seen people sell baseball hats out of their trunk in parking lots around Fenway Park for $5 so I know the hat are not the real thing. Also it is my personal policy never trust a man with a snake on his hat selling things out of his trunk. Mr C what where you thinking????

I bought an eMerchant website for $1000, instead of having it designed by a friend for free, because an SMC salesmen said it was the only way to have my site connected REAL-TIME to their database, so it will list which items are available or not. After I bought it, a customer tried to buy something, I told them it was on the way, and 4 hours after I forwarded the order, eMerchant told me it was out of stock. I asked how it could be, when my site said it wasn't. They said my database is only synchronized with theirs every SIX HOURS. That, especially in computer terms, is NOT "real-time". I've had the site for a year, and did a LOT to promote it. I still only sell an average of one $20 item per month...and the site fee is $30 per month! I'm getting MORE in debt just HAVING the site. The Night Manager is pathetic...and that's the upgraded version (which I had to pay extra for!). You have to manually add new items...there is no setting for having them added automatically. You also have to go through the 3000 items and remove the discontinued ones manually. It took them a year before you could finally hide the unavailable items! When I found FIFTEEN security problems on the site, and customers wrote to tell me they decided not to buy because of them, technical support claimed there were no problems, and then ignored my emails. I have done everything possible to fix things, and stayed calm in writing to them, explaining all the problems, including the lie that I bought the site based on. They claimed I wrote contradictory emails, and they pretended that I wanted to CANCEL, not get a refund! I threatened to write to the president of SMC, and they said they'd done everything they could to help...but in reality, they did NOTHING! So I wrote an email to the president...but have not sent it yet. I can not find his name (is it Levine?), or his email address. Does anyone know what it is?

If you are thinking about an online business....find the products yourself(research). First of all SMC has a horrible service record. They promise so many things and never come thru. Lets start with Products: The products are not quality.That's is half the lure of this business(not letting you see the product untill you buy the program). I have seen many of them(their products) in dollar stores and Walmart.And there they were asking less then my cost...without profit. If you don't have a quality product know ones going to return to buy it.Please visit other peoples sites to see the product line. Lets talk price:Anyone who knows marketing knows that you have to have at least a 5 to 1 ratio.Another words you need to sell the product for 5 times the cost to make profit. These costs pay for marketing or advertising,shipping and handeling,product cost and other costs for the business. This leaves the rest as profit. SMC gives you at best a 3 to 1 ratio....meaning they take most of the profit while you do all the work.Good luck selling these product for the suggested price....when the same products are selling for less at other brand stores. Do you think someone will buy it and wait two weeks when they can drive to the nearest walmart or dollar store...you tell me. Hidden charges: The biggest lie was that I would have this program for my life with no hidden or additional fees. I understand this could be the fault of the saleman...but he was working for SMC. What they don't tell you is that their is a $25 annual fee atop the $200 that I paid for the program + $15 late fees.If you sell $5,000 worth of their product ..the annual is dropped. Second was if I bought "now" I would receive an additional 10% of dealer price.Which I never received. In conclusion:Before you spend your hard earned cash...think twice. The people really making money are the ones who started this program. Their is always going to be people(above) who talk up the program. Which in reality doesn't make sense considering how satuated the internet is with SMC web sites of people trying to make it big. This program preys on the uneduacated person who know little of business. It is right up their with pyramid scemes.

I purchased SMC a few years back..not because I needed any help to start a business, but because I needed to buy products in exteemely low quantity at a time. I already had a retail website and a booth at a home decor outdoor market. I don't really use SMC for any support because I have a working knowledge of what I want to do with their products, I just use them for their products. I haven't made millions because of them, but I do sell their items at just below their suggested retail price so i make about 100% profit on each item and it does add up to a fairly healthy six figure gross sales number. As with any business one wishes to start...why would you start something without knowing about it in the first place? It sounds like you should learn a bit more about marketing online and offline before you try something like this, I mean, they're not gonna sell the product for you! Also, why would you puchse something because you like the spokesperson? afetr all, he IS just a hired actor. Maybe you should re-evaulate your capabilities before you indulge into your next venture. To anyone else out there, SMC is one of the few places where you CAN get items in low quantity, even one at a time. You may also want to try LTD commodities. LTD doesnt give you any help whatsoever, all they do is sell products. So, once again, do your homework.

I joined SMC 2 months ago. I'm also not getting rich yet, and didn't join to get rich. I did join to make extra money on the side. I have a very good job with good benefits and wouldn't think of leaving it right now. With that said, I did do my homework first and have found my little niche already. My niche is fundraisers, but not using their fund raiser kit, creating my own from their products. Many areas of West Virginia are mostly rural, and I created my own brochures with products under $25 that most families can afford. It took me some time to download and create them on my home computer. It also took time contacting PTO (PTA) Presidents in my county and neighboring counties. But it's starting to pay off. Find your niche!!! Don't just bi_ _ _!!! Everytime I've called my coach, I've gotten through. Granted I'm on Eastern time and the company is located in CA, so I wait 3 hours until CA is awake and at work. Obviously, I've been fortunate. Ask for a different coach/team. Did you try contacting Mr. Cox or Ms. Levine with your dissatisfaction before you lashed out. I agree that there are some products that I believe are overpriced but I have found many that I've ordered that I would have paid (and have paid) the retail price for similar items elsewhere. ANY WORTHWHILE TAKES HARD WORK!!! I have a commment for those that read the earlier rebuttals and commented about their spelling or perhaps education. I went to West Virginia schools and live, work, and raise 3 children in WV. I believe most of this rebuttal has been written with very few errors. Just because some people have problems with spelling, has nothing to do with their intelligence when it comes to business. Many of our past million & billionaires never graduated high school, but had business savvy. SUMMARY - You reap what you sow!

I don't want to sound preachy here, but I do want to share a thought for those of you not thrilled with your income levels through SMC. It takes money to make money. It also takes time and effort. Most businesses do not show a profit for a couple of years after starting out. SMC does not offer a get rich quick program and they state as much in their advertisements and startup kits. Most of those companies that do promote this idea are lying to you,the consumer, in order to get your money. That's why they call them "get rich quick schemes." I have been with SMC for about six months now. During that six months, I have been planning and developing my own business. It takes work. I am finally starting to make some sales and am looking forward to seeing my business grow. If you are in need of assistance, there are other avenues available to help you succeed. The Small Business Administration offers assistance in this area. They have an office at one of our local colleges, which offers free help to new small businesses. Check them out. They may have what you need. http://www.sba.gov

I also tried SMC. It is what you make of it, as others have said-but it is also deceptive. Even after paying my $300 membership fee, they still took it out of my checking account every month. I also had problems with the customer service because the three (3) times I called to get them to stop withdrawing my money, I got a short-tempered lady who did not speak English very well, and two semi-helpful ladies who also did not speak English well. Finally did get my money back. The catalogs, well come on! Even Avon sellers have to pay for those things, and the bags and samples. No surprise there. Too many people sell SMC products everywhere, just look at e-Bay. I sell some stuff there, but the market is oversaturated. You really have to work on carving out your own niche. It can be done. Choose one area, like birdhouses, and become known as someone who has more choices for birdhouses than anyone else. Just an example, but it can work. Go to the flea markets, and these products are well represented there also. You will not be the only one there selling your SMC products, I guarantee it! My advice to anyone wanting to do this is to contact someone who is already doing this. Get your stuff to sell from them. It will help them out, and give you a chance to try your hand at it without investing the money for a membership. I just wish I knew how you could contact someone in order to do that. This site will not publish e-mails, thankfully, so you can't get info here. But try looking. I am doing that right now, by selling someone particular items at 20% over my cost, and they pay the shipping. They bought a product from me, then asked where they could get more to sell. I don't mind that they didn't pay the membership fee. And I still make some money. Just a few ideas. Good luck and keep the faith. You can succeed.

Why dont you give Ramon the opportunity to try again, free! If he fails this time he will have no one to blame but himself. Give him a personal coach. If he succeeds both of you will gain, he will learn to have more patience,also realize that no one person, or company is perfect, and hopefully he will learn that you can catch more flys with honey than with a lemon. If Ramon does not want to try again, refund his money. It will be his loss. Did Ramon go past the time period to get a refund if not satisfied, even if he did, sometimes you have to bend the rules a little, and sometimes we have to count our losses and just move on. As a company, you can obviously afford to loose the money more than Ramon. I would be astounded to find out that you as a company did not offer Ramon all of the above. I just joined last week, give ramon the membership money that i am paying. Good customer service goes a long way. In the future,make it possible for the coaches to be contacted via email also. With the initial contact would it be possible for the coach to make his working hours known, If they are personal coaches, get personal. If a customer contacts a coach a reasonable number of times and gets no response, make it possible to contact that coaches manager. if still no response give them their next order of up to say $500.00 at 50% off. and somehow reduce it from the team (coach and manager)that did not respond, take points from them somehow. at the end of a period if the team(coach and manager) has no points against them award them. put a little competivness in your organization to promote good customer service from your coaches, everyone will win, your customers,coaches and you!

I agree with this complaint that the customer service really needs some help. I signed up for the program and paid my money in full. Other than the correspondence telling me the balance owed on my account, contacting the company or "coach" was nearly impossible. I did send in a couple of orders and the merchandise was not what was expected. I have been very disappointed. And just one final question, is it just me or does it seem that none of the people who rebutted and defended the company can spell???

I started with SMC late 80's early 90's. I did it for fun and mainly during the holidays for extra income while I was in the service. While stationed in CA I drove directly to the warehouse to check it out and pick up merchandise. I was impressed. After all these years I went to get back into it now that I have more time to spare. I enjoyed it. But, you only get out of it what you put into it!

I know SMC, and their products. I've never known of anyone having trouble out of them. We get out of things of what we put into them. Impatience with their staff is why you think you got ripped off. Investment of time is as important as the money we invest. When we are impatient we lose a lot.....everything we invested. In which is most likely your case. In ye your paticence, possess ye your soul. Jesus said that Himself.He also said if we forgive not, then will God not forgive us our sins. Healing of the heart and soul begins with forgiveness for those who have hurt you and caused you grief. I am fixing to go on the internet selling SMC products.I know I will be successful because God will be my BOSS,my very present help.He will get His part of the income and I will get mine. And no matter if it's $10000.00 or $100.00 I know He's with me. If I fail, (if He closes that door) I know He will always open a better door for me, because He never closes any door to one of His own unless He has a better door to open for them. God will help you too if you will stop blamming Tom Bosley,and put the blame where it belongs. If we fail it is our fault, not someone elses.Forgive and you shall be forgiven.If you don't forgive men of their tresspasses against you, then God can't forgive you of your tresspasses against Him or His children. Forgiveness is so much better. And I do believe SMC will work for you, if you will give it another try along with forgiveness and, a whole lot of patience. My prayers are with you.

HEY KIMBERLY DANISE JON ETC!! YOUR OBVIOUSLY CORPORATE SHILLS! TAKE YOUR SMC AND SHOVE IT UP TOM BOSLEY'S DIRTY "MURDER SHE WROTE" a*s!!!

HEY KIMBERLY DANISE JON ETC!! YOUR OBVIOUSLY CORPORATE SHILLS! TAKE YOUR SMC AND SHOVE IT UP TOM BOSLEY'S DIRTY "MURDER SHE WROTE" a*s!!!

HEY KIMBERLY DANISE JON ETC!! YOUR OBVIOUSLY CORPORATE SHILLS! TAKE YOUR SMC AND SHOVE IT UP TOM BOSLEY'S DIRTY "MURDER SHE WROTE" a*s!!!

HEY KIMBERLY DANISE JON ETC!! YOUR OBVIOUSLY CORPORATE SHILLS! TAKE YOUR SMC AND SHOVE IT UP TOM BOSLEY'S DIRTY "MURDER SHE WROTE" a*s!!!

I have seen those same info commercials. I am sending for the information. I personally feel that you get back from a business exactly what you are willing and do put into it. Some people go into business thinking that they will be millionaires in a matter or days, months, or even years. Take it from me, after watching several people I know that start businesses, it takes time and patience to get started and be successful. I tip my hat to anyone willing to take that chance to make the future brighter, especially to those who have children like I do. We just want them to have better opportunities than we did starting out. You can be successful, with God's help and blessings. Thanks for the opportunity to respond....

You were looking for help and this is what they offered to you. I saw that same commercial today and wanted to join. I knew it would take some work, but if you have never done it before than it is great to be able to contact someone with the company for those kinks along the way. this is a prt of giving good customer service. If they were avoiding you and not giving the kind of service they promised you; then you have every right to be disgruntled. Now heres the BIG part. You need to forgive. Ask the Lord to give you a forgiving heart towards this company. Don't allow it to make you bitter. Bitterness eats like cancer. If you allow that bitterness to build up in you, it will affect your relationships with yoyr loved ones. Release SMC and antone else that hurt you. When you do, you'll release yourself. Ask God to come into your heart and forgive you for your bitterness. Think about the mercy you need. Stop calling the company. If your sincere, God will handle it for you. Ask God to be your Source for everything. He will show you a great window of opportunity. It may cost you to give of yourself, but the reward will be great. Do this in Jesus name.

Hey look I used smc and I didnt make a million at it or even beable to quit my job however i did make enough to pay the inshurence on my child and a little extra cash on the side before my hand got folded ..but i dont blam the compony for that i blam me for i thought there promis was quite clear. it aint a get rich quick sceam it is a busnise and with any busnise you aint getting rich in a few months you need to work at it to make it work "you must pay your ten dollers at the door of sucsess" apareintly if you couldent make no more then 40 something dollers at it then you arnt that good of a sales man ..or you just thought you could order the program and sit back and watch the money role in well duh . it is a job weather you like it or not .. as matter of a fact i have just reordered the program and are going to restart my busnise and i am going to go gun h*e to make it work for me this time .. and let me tell you if i am brave enough to do it a second time its worth someone to do it the first time

Thanks I was about to make the mistake of trying this company out, but felt unsure. They had lowered their fee since the first mailing. However those rebuttals I read don't address the initial complaint given. The consumer was promised something not received. Help from the company. I mean there is a Truth In Advertising Law. So the company is negligent to that consumer, and I won't take that risk now. Thanks for the report.

Thanks I was about to make the mistake of trying this company out, but felt unsure. They had lowered their fee since the first mailing. However those rebuttals I read don't address the initial complaint given. The consumer was promised something not received. Help from the company. I mean there is a Truth In Advertising Law. So the company is negligent to that consumer, and I won't take that risk now. Thanks for the report.

Thanks I was about to make the mistake of trying this company out, but felt unsure. They had lowered their fee since the first mailing. However those rebuttals I read don't address the initial complaint given. The consumer was promised something not received. Help from the company. I mean there is a Truth In Advertising Law. So the company is negligent to that consumer, and I won't take that risk now. Thanks for the report.

Thanks I was about to make the mistake of trying this company out, but felt unsure. They had lowered their fee since the first mailing. However those rebuttals I read don't address the initial complaint given. The consumer was promised something not received. Help from the company. I mean there is a Truth In Advertising Law. So the company is negligent to that consumer, and I won't take that risk now. Thanks for the report.

Grow up and Get a Life and accept the responsability of your own actions.... I've been a member since 1972, started in Great Falls, Montana. While in the military...I purchased merchandise, sold it and showed the catalog and had customers order from it and in the last 20 plus years I've only had to refund only one person and that was due to their lack of funds to purchase the merchandise..."I gave them the order for their honesty as a Christmas Gift from my company to them so they could have Christmas, too." Think about it, This company and every other company is people helping people. We're all in business to make money and to make another human happy so they will buy from us again and again... So, as I said in the begining Accept Responsibility for Your Own Actions...and Learn to be a business person and if you don't like doing business with one company then, change and find another busines you can run down and then another until you finilly learn to do it right or QUIT!!! Thank you for the opportuntity to respond.

I started selling SMC products about a year ago I'm not counting millions but I'm able to supplement my income weekly. I'm not ready to quit my job right now and i don't see any reason anyone should quit his or her job nor invest a lot of money in the business until that trust is established between the seller and the buyer. I believe with common sense, a little understanding about the products one can make a substantial amount to support their income. The only advise that I have for SMC is to be a little bit careful about their advertisement because their products doesn't sell as they're presenting it. To The Public: Please do not Quit your jobs but sell these products to support your income period.

I joined SMC in 1996. I havve had the opportunity to make a lot of money doing home parties. The most I have made at a in-home-party was 400.00. That is not bad for 2 hours of your time. You do the math....200.00 per hour. SMC will work if you make it. It is not a get rich quick scheme or paramid. It is a business that gives you the opportunity to make good money if you want to. I must admit that the products have really improve since 1993. CUDOS to SMC. I can't wait to see your next catalogs.

FIRST OFF I WHOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE USED SMC FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS AND I QUIT MY FULL TIME JOB TO DO THIS AND COULD NOT BE HAPPIER I HAVE HAD BUT GOOD THINGS HAPPEN SINCE JOING THEM I HAVE SALES AT OVER 5,000 A MONTH AND ALSO RUN A FULL TIME SHOP IN MY HOME TOWN NOW SELLING ONLY SMC SO WHAT I WHOULD SAY TO THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE NOT DID SO GREAT WHOS FAULT COULD IT BR THINK ABOUT IT