[blparent] warning about Future Aids, The Braille Super Store!

[Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)]

        Find some batteries and test the liquid level indicator.
How much did you spend on this?
I ask because if it doesn't work, you can complain to your credit card company in that you paid for a product that didn't work when you got it.
Not worth it for the flute, but deffinately for the liquid level indicator.
Don't wait until you "get around" to finding batteries, if you wait too long (I think it's something like three days??) the store could say that you damaged the product, that you had plenty of time to know this didn't work, so why the complaint after some time has passed?

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Erin Rumer
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 4:55 PM
To: NFB blind parent listserv
Subject: [blparent] warning about Future Aids, The Braille Super Store!

Hello list,



I feel compelled to share an experience with all of you so that hopefully
the same thing doesn't happen to you as parents purchasing items for your
kids or yourself.  Up until today I have been very impressed with Future
Aids as a company and I even remember sending you all a note about how great
their site has been to use.  Well, I just received my first package in the
mail today with some squeaky fruits and veggie toys, Braille and print
wooden alphabet blocks as well as the number blocks, a liquid level
indicator and a toy flute.  Right away I was happy with the blocks as they
are good quality and my son jumped into playing with them right away.  The
squeaky fruits and veggies are cute but I was kind of grossed-out by a nasty
powdery residue that was all over them, but that washed off so no harm no
fowl.  One of the packages of squeaky vegies was torn wide open but nothing
seems to be damaged.  Where I ran into a major problem is when I went to
blow on the toy flute.  Yes, this toy was only $0.99 but even a dollar store
toy works for a little bit of time but this junky thing didn't even give me
a tiny whistle.  Literally, I was getting nothing out of this thing and my
son was so excited to play with it and quickly became sad and discouraged
when nothing was happening despite his blowing on the toy.  I called the
company, naturally thinking that they would not have any problem replacing
this toy or at least giving me a refund but what Danny who works the phones
said to me shocked me.  In a sarcastic tone, he said that it's just a cheap
dollar store type toy and I shouldn't expect anything from it.  When I told
him that I did not have high expectations but that this toy should give me
at least one note or two, he laughed and said that it's just a cheap toy and
there's nothing he can do.  After going back and forth for a few minutes I
finally got him to reluctantly agree to placing another toy flute in my box
the next time I make an order.  Gosh, I have to say that the last thing I
want to do is make an order from a company that isn't understanding toward a
customer who can't get a product to work and then isn't willing to do
anything about it until the customer gets diligent about not getting taken.
I even explained to Danny that they have a sound example on their website of
the toy flute being played and that when I purchase something whether it's
for one penny or $500 then I expect it to work the way it was advertised.
To be honest, I would have been willing to let it go and not even call them
had the toy even made one or two notes because that would have been enough
for my son at his age and then I'd know never to buy their toys again
because they're junk, but that wasn't the case.  Oh, I forgot to mention
that after I got Danny at Future Aids to agree to putting another toy flute
in my next package, he then hung up on me before saying goodbye or anything
else remotely polite to thank me for buying from Future Aids.  I then called
back and Danny sheepishly said that he didn't hang up on me, and I then
asked him a question about another product I was wondering about just to
force the guy to be semi cordial to me for another minute. Wow, whatever
happened to customer service anymore?  Additionally, a customer should be
treated the same whether they spend one cent or a million dollars on a
product and I'm pretty blown away at Danny's attitude since in the last
month alone I have spent over $100 with Future Aids.  I just hope that when
I get around to finding my batteries to see if my liquid level indicator
works, I don't run into any more trouble there because the thought of having
to call back nearly gives me an ulcer. LOL  This was really the last place I
thought was ever going to act this unprofessional with their customers and I
had plans to buy lots more from them but I will not be doing that for sure,
but rather just buying something I know won't give me any trouble and be
done with them.



Just wanted to share that with you all to warn you about what you might
encounter should you have trouble with Future Aids products.



Erin

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