Complaint Review: Telebrands - Fairfield New Jersey

I have NEVER had such a terrible experience ordering an item over the phone in my LIFE. I went to the website, www.robostir.com to order 1 robostir for my mom for Christmas. I went ahead and began the ordering process, but their website wasn't working right for some reason and it wouldn't allow me to go any further. After failing several times to complete my online order, I called their 800 number and figured I would speak to a phone rep to place my order. But I quickly realized they do not offer a real person to speak with. The ENTIRE process was an automated recording. If this was something I wanted to buy for myself I would have stopped immediately, but since it was for my mother, and it was a PERFECT gift for her, I continued on with the phone order.

The entire telephone ordeal lasted 25 minutes! 25 wasteful minutes of my life went to this ANNOYING automated recording. First, they try to make you buy SEVERAL different products that have nothing to do with robostir. And every time I would decline an offer, it would repeat itself and remind me what a great deal I would be passing up and if I was absolutely positive I did not want it. I swear they offered me about 5 nonsense products to buy that I literally had to decline 2 times in a row! TWO TIMES! The only thing I agreed to was upgrading my 1 robostir to a deluxe robostir that would cost me only $20 and free shipping. I declined the "free gift" in which they charge you shipping on, and I declined the additional "free" deluxe robostir in which I would also have to pay additional shipping on. The telephone ordering process was extremely confusing and very unclear, but I figured by the end of the call it would tally up my order and tell me the exact total before going any further. I was WRONG! After the hellish telephone experience I endured, I wasn't even told how much money this company was going to charge my credit card.

So I found some other phone number on their website and FINALLY got in touch with a real live human being. I finally felt some relief after this whole process! Unfortunately, my wave of relief quickly fizzled out when they told me that they could not find my order and that it would take up to 48 hours to show up in the system. But the website clearly stated how backed up they were on orders and that it wouldn't be shipped for at least 3-4 weeks, and how they WILL NOT charge my credit card until it actually ships. So I figured I was fine; there shouldn't be any problems with contacting this company and verifying my order along with my total amount to be charged prior to me being billed.

I allow a couple days to go by, and I check my bank account and find a charge for $75 from RoboStir!!!!! $75!? That couldn't be, I thought. I declined virtually all the bells and whistles they offered me and specifically only ordered 1 $20 deluxe robostir with "free shipping". So where the heck did this $75 come from?

I just got off the phone with someone from RoboStir and had to write about what happened. So this rep proceeds to tell me that they are shipping me 4 deluxe robostirs!!! "How can this be?" I asked, "I only ordered 1 single deluxe robostir". But of course he doesn't know why I was billed this amount since my order was taken by a freaking RECORDING! So I tell him to edit my order for the 1 that I originally asked for. He tells me "I'm sorry but I can't do that. The order is almost about to ship and it is too late for me to cancel your order". So the order hasn't actually shipped, but since it has ALMOST shipped it's "too late"!!?? So then he says my ONLY option is to wait to receive it and mail the other items back for my return. I told him I can't afford to be out an extra $50 right now. So then he offers me a $10 discount for my troubles, followed by a $15 discount. Again, I can not afford to be out that much money right now.

I am a firm believer in treating customer service reps with respect (only if they are being respectful to me too). Even though I was very upset about everything, and even though I was complaining, I made it a point to tell him I knew he had nothing to do with this and apologized for taking it out on him, but that I felt totally ripped off. Eventually he came around and offered me another deal: I could keep 2 of the 4 they were sending, he would give me an immediate refund of $37.97, and for me to just send the other 2 back to them as soon as I could. I agreed to that and figured I would give the other robostir as a gift to someone else. As we were finishing up my call, I asked him to transfer me to someone or even a recording I could leave a customer feedback message with. He told me that they do not have anything like that (shocker). Then I search all throughout the robostir website for an email address or something; again, nothing.

I'm not here to complain about the customer service I received, but I am complaining about this totally screwed up company, their crooked policies, and how deceitful and unprofessional they are. Everything they do is to pressure you into buying more from them. But they do it in this obnoxious and annoying way with the WORST automated recording known to man. And even when you decline things that you do not want to purchase, they bill and ship it to you anyway. And after they screw you and your credit card, they refuse to cancel your order. They want YOU to send it back after you receive it and THEN they will refund you. Oh, and of course you are completely responsible for the cost of return shipping, even though its THEIR fault. I've never in my life been so disgusted with an order before. I will NEVER purchase ANYTHING through this company again. They will rip you off and take advantage of you. Consumers Beware!!!