Product quality not always 'as seen on TV'

If the experts are right, increasing numbers of consumers will beshopping by phone, mail, or online this holiday season. If our 30-year experience is any teacher, a growing number of those shopperswill contact us with complaints about junk merchandise, non-delivery, items that don't perform as promised, or products thatdon't work at all.

Lorraine L. of Ellsworth wrote recently: "I ordered an 'EasyFolder' through a 1-800 number after seeing an ad on TV. Next toironing, I hate folding laundry more than any other household choreand the 'Easy Folder' promised to make folding laundry simple. Whenthe product arrived about three weeks later, it consisted of severalsheets of plastic that bent in a variety of ways depending on whatyou want to fold. Not only was it of cheap manufacture, you'd have tobe an engineer to understand the instructions. I tried the 'Easy(yeah, right) Folder' on some towels and it was more work than if Ihad just folded them by hand."

Ms. L. went on to say, "I feel like such an idiot! I paid $23.65for this junk which now sits useless in my laundry room. I don'texpect to get my money back, but I want to warn others about thisproduct and from now on I will make sure my credit card and TV arenot in the same room."

Well, the company that marketed the "Easy Folder" offered a "money-back guarantee" so we contacted them on Lorraine's behalf anyway.Three months and four letters to the company later, she had herrefund of $23.65 and had learned an important lesson in the process.

Priscilla R. of Belfast had a similar experience when she ordereda "Magic Hair Wand" that promised to make hair styling a "snap." "Theonly thing that 'snapped,'" Priscilla writes, "was the thing itself.The product, for which I paid $13.70 (including shipping andhandling) was a thin strip of plastic that literally snapped in halfwhile I was trying to braid my daughter's hair. Even worse, thedamaged end was sharp and scratched my daughter's head when it broke.I guess that teaches me for buying something sight unseen onimpulse."

That's the ticket Priscilla, these TV and Internet deals depend onimpulse buying. Maybe you should do what Lorraine (above) did. Keepyour credit card in another room when you are watching TV.

Cathy K. of Hampden experienced an even more complicated situationwhen she ordered a "Child's Collection of Christmas Classics," a CDcontaining 21 songs for $9.95. Within a month after receiving thefirst CD, Cathy began receiving additional disks priced at $24.79each. When she called the company, they reminded her that the adstated "you will receive additional disks in the collection on amonthly basis." Cathy had been busy writing the 1-800 number down andmissed that comment. There was an option to cancel, but it took 7months, 7 returned disks, five letters, and four calls to the companybefore the mailings (and charges to her credit card) stopped. "Lord,what a hassle," Cathy wrote COMBAT, "I had no idea!"

Companies that market these products count on naive consumersCathy. So in addition to keeping your credit card and the TV inseparate rooms, we suggest you read (or listen) to the "fine print"in these ads before ordering.

In all of the above cases, the time and gasoline spent buying atlocal stores would have been far less of a hassle because the refundline at the service desk usually moves faster than mail. Sometimes at-home "convenience" shopping isn't so convenient.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News andNortheast COMBAT/The Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine'smembership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. For help or torequest individual or business membership information write: ConsumerForum, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.