Many people have been caught by this type of marketing and include those who are usually pretty savvy about orderiing products from the Internet. Even if you make sure that you order from a company based in your own country, it doesn't always follow that you will find it easy to contact them in the event of an issue.
With this type of promotion many people have remarked that they have received only one of their free trial bottles (affiliate marketing programs imply that you get better results if you use both Acai and a colon cleansing product at same time) So they usually wait for the other bottle to be sent before starting the program.
This is where lots of people are getting caught. By the time the other bottle arrives it is too late to cancel within the 30 days.
For those people who still harbor suspicions about Internet based purchases, they will usually realise their mistake when they go back on the web to see if other people have not received their second bottle in the post. This is when they normally realize that they have been misled.
You may feel foolish and blame youself for being so careless at first, but it won't take you long to realize that this is a new kind of heavy duty marketing strategy that is designed to make a lot of money in a short amount of time, by using clever and misleading advertising. Bolstered by a widespread affiliate program, this company bombards people with positive life experience stories from many members that literally have you handing over our credit card and address detail like inexperienced amateurs.
Just before you are encouraged to submit your card details your appetite is further whetted with the statement "Celebrities Use Acai!" and the words "Risk Free Trial!"
The benefit of Acai is further endorsed by cited references from major networks such as CBS News and ABC.
These following details were taken from a UK site but most websites are all very similar in structure.
This is the 30 day money back guarantee that you read before you press that all important button before submitting your precious details...
"We are so confident that you will love our AcaiBerry! product that we are not only going to give you a 15 DAY RISK-FREE TRIAL, but also ship you a FULL MONTH'S SUPPLY of the product. You'll have 15 days from the date of order to evaluate the product and see the results for yourself. If you enjoy our product, simply do nothing. You will be charged the super low price of GBP 69 at the end of your 15-day trial period... a 21% savings off the regular retail price! If, for ANY reason, you decide that AcaiBerry! is not for you, simply call toll free 080 8238 9891, or (+44) 2031399027 outside of the UK. You will NEVER be charged. Unless you call to cancel, you'll continue to get a fresh one-month supply of AcaiBerry! every 30 days for the low price of GBP 69 (GBP 4 shipping and handling). There are no obligations. VAT included. Cancel anytime."
This is actually an important statement because it holds the telephone numbers to cancel your subscription to a weight loss program.
Customers have reported that when their first bottle arrived it had no invoice with the pills and they did not have a single email from the company. In fact people are often not even aware that the order has been accepted.
A few days later, after receiving the first bottle through the post, you will find a credit card payment of 4.26 (GP) go out of your account twice to a company that does not have a recognizable name.
If you have had the good fortune to retain the envelope your pills were sent in, you will see that lo and behold, they had been sent from a well known affiliate.
By matching the name of the affiliate (there is no knowing which one you will have the misfortune to get) you will find that other people will have suffered the same predicament as yourself and you will have a plethora of helpline numbers to choose from, making it relatively easy to hunt down the number to cancel your subscription depending on which country you reside in.
The whole experience can waste many hours out of your life and for those that do not cancel the subscription within the 30 day cool off period, it can deprive you of a lot of money too. You may have to try ringing the company a couple of times to get through, and when you do manage to speak to someone, you are left feeling so paranoid about the whole business that you are left wondering whether your subscription actually has been cancelled. The good news is that you should be given two 8 digit cancellation numbers, so at least you will have something to show to the credit card company.
When you telephone you card provider you will probably find that they know immediately who you are talking about. Apparently a lot of people have been taken in. However card providers cannot do anything to stop more money coming out of you account because when you make the initial application for the "trial" bottles, you unknowingly authorizedhe payment, which can only be stopped by the Acai people.
Nasty though it is, companies take advantage of this loophole and know that it takes time to sort things out. Money paid from cards cannot be reclaimed until you have officially cancelled your contract with these people.
The operator you speak to about your cancellation will be deliberately nice to you. They will suggest that you wait for your second bottle before cancelling and the best thing is to just say no. say you want to cancel. You normally have to send the unused pills back before you can end the subscription, and if you leave it until over the 30 day cooling off period... you will have money taken from your account.
Another way that you are lulled into a false sense of security is that even though the offer is for a 15 day trial, they send you more than 15 pills (60 to a bottle) to encourage you to finish the course. By the time you have finished the pills in the bottle the time has elapsed to cancel.
In conclusion, it is a shame that Acai berry companies have to use such intense marketing techniques for a product that has had some really good things said about it. You would be advised to take your time when looking at weight loss programs on the Internet, and try and buy from a company that already has an established reputation.
Companies such as these are not operating fraudulently, but it IS a scam. Consumers are taken advantage of in relation to the fact that people often cannot be bothered to read the small print, and if the product looks really good, is well marketed, has an extensive affiliate program and looks as though it has been endorsed by major companies (read the small print it has not...) it is so easy to fall prey to these sharks.