What does "Strictly no refund policy" mean??

by cyberma

Posted: 11 years ago 11 replies

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Hi Warriors!

During the past weeks I have tested several products and services. A few of them hit me directly over the head with their no refund policy. Some of them even have "STRICTLY NO REFUND POLICY" written in capital letters, so nobody can overlook that. My rhetorical question is: What in a world does that mean?:confused:

Are those companies so certain that their product is just crap? I cannot imagine offering any product which I know is useless, and the only way how to make money is no refund policy. Today, when there is a huge competition out there in every industry, I don't think anyone can afford such stupid behaviour to their clients. Later or sooner they might not have any.

I have two examples which have convinced me not to ever try services with no refund policy.

1) Empower network. I was very curious about this network, so I said to myself let's try. I was expecting at least some marketing tutorials and videos - at least something useful for the $25. Their basic courses are just meaningless talk. I haven't found a single piece of useful information there, only that I need to be "all in" (understand to pay over $4,000) to get the "exact manual" how to get rich. There is a lot of materials about empower network, so I don't want to go in detail. But their no-refund policy just explains the value you get.

2) My other experience is with Adoori.com. It is an advertising company that should provide you a high quality traffic. In fact, 100% of their traffic is just bots. Would you pay $100 (their minimum balance) for bots visiting your web? Of course not! But, unfortunatelly, I found out too late their "strictly no refund policy". I have asked paypal to refund the rest of my account, because this is fraud on clients.

Stay away of bad companies and help them close their business

Best Wishes,
Peter.

Josh Monroe

11 years ago

Isn't it obvious what "Strictly no refunds" means?

Most places online only offer a refund because they have to - example ClickBank vendors have no choice over the 60 day money back guarantee (I guarantee you now that if networks didn't force a money back guarantee, 99% of all the products wouldn't offer one)

A lot of the time, services have no refunds offered. Example people selling SEO services. They offer their service and complete it - if you see negative results or no results at all that doesn't warrant a refund as the provider has completed their obligation by doing the service.

Empower dont offer refunds due to their payment structure (plus they handle their own payments and are not apart of any network like ClickBank so they make their own rules as they should be able to in THEIR business.)

Example the pass-ups, downlies and so on. Payments are made to affiliates weekly, so in 30 days when you decide you want a refund the affiliate has already been paid the money you used to sign up with - this means they can only "refund" you your money by either taking money from an affiliates balance (but what happens if their balance is zero) OR refund you with "company money" (and who's gonna do that?)

Also, in regards to the traffic, how do you know for certain that they are bots? PayPal wont help you because it was a digital transaction.

So in short, make sure you know exactly what it is that your buying instead of paying first then deciding you want a refund because you don't like whats offered.

Buyers remorse is one of the main reasons refunds are not offered - Why should a company fork out a refund because you purchased today then later on you feel like hmmm I could have spent that money better elsewhere.

So in short - if you don't agree with their terms and conditions don't buy from them.

Quite simple really.

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cyberma

11 years ago

I know for sure that the traffic was bots
1) Google analytics - bounce rate 99%, visit time 0-3second.

2) I tested with Shopping Cart Elite, advanced analytics, which records mouse movents. There were none obviously.

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Jeff Lenney

11 years ago

Originally Posted by cyberma

:confused: huh?????:confused:

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cyberma 11 years ago

Originally Posted by eljeffe77

:confused: huh?????:confused:

Shopping cart elite has advanced analytics module. You can analyze the behaviour of each visitor and see exactly what they did on your web.

I agree with MikeFriedman. iTunes doesn't promise you to change your life - you know exactly what you get. However, when I decided to try adoori.com, they promised to deliver a good traffic. But I found that the traffic is fake. I don't want to refund the money I already spent on the ads. I want to refund only the remaining balance. Isn't that strange, that they don't want to do it?

I agree, that refunding courses or videos might be difficult. I wouldn't refund it automatically either. But Iwould at least contact the client and ask why he doesn't like the course. I would at least behave to the clients nicely.
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FreddyBeach

11 years ago

The Empower deal apparently does it because they pay your enrollment money out directly to the person who sponsored you, in fact I believe it goes directly to them.

No question in my opinion it is just a matter of time before the regulatory guys crack down on this. Once too many people complain about the no refund policy the regs will shut'er down.

No refund policy in my opinion means bad business. If you are not confident enough in your product to offer a refund, find a new product to market (rant over!)

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cyberma

11 years ago

The question "What does no-refund policy mean" was mainly rhetorical. Does it mean "We do have a crappy product, which we don't believe in"? For me, it seems like this true in most cases.

About the empower - I don't care how their money goes up and down. They provided me literaly nothing - obviously I want my money back. I know they are gone, I am not gonna fight with wind mills. Just for a future reference.

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Josh Monroe

11 years ago

Originally Posted by cyberma

Guess what? Most digital downloadable items dont offer refunds.

iTunes downloads, games cards, membership subscriptions to name just a few.

Does that mean iTunes are offering a "Crappy product" ?

No.

That's how they choose to do business, it's their business and they will run it how they want. Next time why not read the Terms and Conditions instead of just checking the box?

For some reason, the "internet marketing" industry in relation to products and courses do. I don't know why, because if you get a refund you still keep the product but thats another story.

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MikeFriedman

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Josh Monroe

Huge freaking difference. iTunes doesn't offer sales pages full of promises of the "best music you have ever heard" or "songs so great they will change your life".

No. iTunes tells you exactly what you are getting. You are getting ABC song by XYZ artist. They even give you a free sampling.

IM'ers, on the other hand, generally are just offering the same rehashed crap people have been selling for the past 10 years. Only, they usually give you no details. Just wild dreams of $9353.23 in one month or some business opportunity so great it will change your life forever.

Big stretch there on your comparison.

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laurencewins 11 years ago

No refunds means you need to do extra due diligence. Make sure that what you want to buy is what you want. If unsure, don't buy it.
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- Jamie Lewis 11 years ago
  
  From a business perspective I grow frustrated with hackers and otherwise known in the brick & mortar world as shoplifters the most, I can be cool with a refunder, I have a couple friends who refunded my product but they didn't use it so its cool and that was the deal anyway.
  
  From a consumer perspective I think the worst thing I have experienced is physical assault done by the business.
  
  Tattoo shops, gun stores, clubs, all huge potential for a bad time. Both financially, mentally and sometimes physically. lol
  
  A trip to the Jewelry store with the Fiance can be disastrous as well. All examples of NO REFUND POLICY.
  
  Self checkout at Super Stop & Shop SUCKS!
  
  I think your examples are so notorious and otherwise very controversial anyhow, but if they have no refund policy and let you know that beforehand (Or breaking the law if not) that is a good thing for you, and compliant; while hurting their conversions. Merchants penalize you if you have high refund rates, might be their only survival in this "war" of marketing ignorance.
  
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What does "Strictly no refund policy" mean??

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