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5/13/2008 - Liz writes:
SMC really took me for a lot. I went into the business believing it was on the up and up as it was sponsored by a highly recognized Actor. Without hestiation I purchased their web-Site Gift Card Redemtion Center. Which includes $10, $25 and $50.00 gift cards to customers to get them started on the Web-Site. While it took approximately a month to realize that this job was way to difficult to do on a full time job and wasn't exactly a win win situation as I was told and quite frankly what I've seen is they are the only ones who win. My first customer purchased an item for $153.49 including tax handling and shipping. Paypal gets a fair amount; $10.00 off for the Gift Card and $25.00 given to the customer for a purchase of $100.00 or over; Upon ordering the shipment, SMC takes their cut of $63.50; leaving me with $44.00. When my customer received her item it was broken. Rather than go through the trouble of sending it back, she clued it back together. In the end how this happened I have no idea but I ended up spending $11,000.00. The reason I got into the business was because in about 7 years I wanted to retire. Life has taken it's tow on me, due to me disablity which is post polio syndrome causing chronic fatigue, bone deteriation and nerological problems; I had polio when I was one and lost my leg through a series of experimental surgeries; Due to the scholiosis and hip problems I have been unable to wear a leg so I walk with crutches; I also have ostoperosis and have to take shots everyday which I was told will help maintain and help with bone deterioration which is exciting to me. But I did not want to have to rely on the small amount of money social security will provide. However; when my new business escalated into a business that took more energy than my day job and more money than I could afford; I found that it was way more than I could handle and I am not a quiter by no means. I explained all this to the SMC people and all they could say was I made an agreement and was over my 30 day period and couldn't back out. I could quit but I could not get any of my money back. Which is a scam because I didn't have anything that was worth $11,000.00. One of the representatives messed with me and said she would send shipping labels for the 22 unopened cartons I have in my living room but she needed the tracking numbers on each box; I told her that would entail me lifting up the heavy boxes and that it would take me a while. She said she would wait. I wrote each tracking number down and when I got back to the phone she said no not the tracking number I just need the invoice number. That was a crock because she had the invoice number right there in front of her. The next day I telphone and asked a different rep the status of my labels and she said; there were no labels shipped to you. It states here that you talked about it but no we don't pay for anything to be shipped back. I have just been sick about this whole thing. I cannot believe that people can be so ugly. After leaving a voice message with my personal coach who is suupose to be there for you when you need help, she did not respond. After a week, I finally made an appointment with the receptionist for her to call me. She was suppose to call by 5:30 p.m. the next day and by 5:45 when she didn't call I telephoned the receptionist. She put me on hold for about 5 minutes and upon her return I was told my coach was finishing up with her last customer (which I thought that's what I thought I was) and she said my coach will call me back in 5 minutes. I did not hear from her for another 45 minutes. The agreement that they made with me was not kept; yet they somehow got hung up on the agreement I made. I spent $11,000 on this buiness and all I have to show for it is 1000 catalogues and thousands of useless gift cards and merchandise that breaks if you look at it too hard. It is difficult to speak to these people because they are fast talkers and being that they are big buisness they know all the legal mumble jumble that goes with it and will make you feel lower than an ant. But at that I could say that through it all, we clients, are like an ants who do all the work and give the goods to the queen. I had $3000.00 left in my gift card redemption web-site which I couldn't take as cash so I purchased that much stuff and after I get it will close down the web-site and try to get things back to normal. Thanks you for letting me tell my story. Have a great day.

5/7/2008 - christine writes:
5/7/2008 This company is totally unbelievable. As I as taliking with the rep I agreed to order the kit for $414.95. During the 20 minute conversation with the rep I was approached to upgrade my kit or $499.95 which I refused. As the conversation went on something hit me to Google the company for complaints and that is where I found this website. As I am reading all of the postings I became shocked that I was in the middle of a SCAM. Without even hanging up I told the rep that I am changing my mind and decided no to pursue with this offer due to the numerous complaints that I am reading on the internet. Since I refused to listen to his countersell the rep became extremely rude and hung up on me. I called my credit card company immediately and guess what? The charge was already there. Do not give out your credit card to this company. A few minutes later his supervisor called and again tried to convince me that they are a reputable company and they have a great reputation. I responded that based on what I am reding they do not and I want my account credited back he said he can not but did offer me a $50.00 coupon for more product. In addition the supervisor told me that they do have a recording of me agreeing to accept the offer and they will fight me if I try to dispute my charges. I asked the supervisor if he had the entire recording when I said I don't want any part of this and he said he does not need that part only the part where I agreed. I am sending their package back but did cancell my credit card with my bank. Will keep you posted

5/4/2008 - james writes:
SMC is scam the sales people will lie to you and tell you half-truth about what they offer, then use every trick in the book to get you to sign up. Once you do its all over, I signed up to get free information from their website, within 3 days i had a rep calling me, trying to sell me a membership, when i told him all i wanted was the free information he told me that it was in the kit and i had to pay for the kit, ( a lie i got the free info i requested the next day)i hesitated, then he started throwing 50$ gift cards at me as an incentive (which by the way are only worth 15 bucks in smc merchandise, which they don't tell you. Also he told me id be able to cancel the membership at anytime without have to pay anything more (a big lie, i would still be responsible for the remainder of the 400.00), and made it out to sound like the website just came with everything at no extra cost (another lie) the only reason i said yes was becasue i figured at the very least he wouldn't tell me bold face lies about there stuff (silly me) and i went online as i was talking to this guy to check their rep and i must came up on a rare page that had a few good things to say about them. As soon as I got off the phone with this guy i did some more reaserch and saw all these scam reports, i immediately tried to contact them to cancel the order, as i didn't want to pay for shipping, i called the reps direct line back, i never got an answer i left at least 2 or 3 msgs just stating that i had a couple question and never heard back from them, i called their main number and they told me i wasn't in the computer yet and wouldn't be able to cancel until i received the package, i was pissed, but they also said they would give me a full refund since the sales rep lied to me, well when i finally got the package i called them, i had to talk to at least 3 different people till i got someone with some sense, or at least acted like it, she said they would pull the tape from the rep and mines conversation to see if in fact he did lie. said to call back in seven days to see what they determined, keep in mind I've totally kept my cool with them over the phone up until now. they next day i was looking at more and more scam reports about persona after person canceling there membership (which by the way they require you to do in writing and thru the mail) they were still getting money taken out of their bank accounts, and the ones that closed there accounts or paid by check started getting letters in the mail from collection agencies. well i wasnt going to have this, i called back and demanded to speak to a supervisor, what sounded like a snotty teenage girl on the other line kept giving me the run around about it, i finally got pissed enough to give her an earful and by the time i was done the supervisor was on the line, she was about as worthless as anyone else i talked to up until that point,anytime i brought up the scam reports i saw online,she tried to down play it telling me i don't know what happened with them and that i need to worry about me. i told her that everyone story is exactly like whats happening to me now, she still tried downplaying it. i demanded a full refund including shipping and told her about the tape, she told me that the tape had been reviewed and they had found that they did nothing wrong. i couldn't believe it i am an intelligent guy and these people were acting like i just came in off the boat, ridiculous, anyway i told them they could either cancel my membership now, refund me or i will just go down to my bank and file a fraud report, since i used my debit card. she kept up with her same old crap and i just told her i would file the report becasue this is going nowhere. So thats exactly what i did, i printed out copies of all these scam reports and went down to my bank to tell them what was going on, i had to change my debit card number so they couldn't keep billing me but its worth it for peace of mind. my bank refunded my money the next day (all of it) and their doing their own investigation on the company. that same day i also files a report with the better business bueru. 2 days later they credited my account 24.95 and i never sent them a cancellation letter, yet. looks like they take fraud reports seriously. so i would suggest that anyone in a simaler position do the same. i have absolutely no idea how this company has not been shut down yet, they claim to have been in business for 60 years. with all these complaints i cant figure out how they still have a BBB seal.

4/30/2008 - bill writes:
i bought this product back in 1999. thougt i would try and make a little money for my family and I. I had been laid off so i was in dire need of money for my wife and my three little girls. first it took them 2 weeks to send me the kit. now I think they do this so that you will not have time to send it back within the 30 days. I tried to get their coach to get me off to a good start but they kept giving me the run around. finally after 4 or 5 weeks they tried to get me to buy their web cite and asured me that it would be the best thing i could do with these products. the coach even told me that he was makin a killing of his own so i figured he was the man to talk to. after he finally sold me on this i find out that they had taken out three times the amount than what i was told i would be charged. this was our whole savings. my wife and i were devastated, i tried calling over and over for three months and in the meen time i kept gettin charged. everyone i talked to on the phone was so rude. they acted like i was the dummy. one guy even put me down saying that he was tired of people like me calling for stupid reasons and that if i didnt want to spend that kind of money then how could i give my savings and my credit card # to someone on the phone. i thought he was kidding. i cant believe there are people out there so mean. i tried to keep my head on without getting to upset. i asked if there was any way i could get any of my money back because i had spent more than i had. he told me i should have thought about that three months ago. i was in aw about how this guy was talking to me. i asked how they can get by with taking peoples money and not gettin into trouble. his reply was "we have been a respected company for years and we are very fair". "if you people would listen to the rules and read then we wouldnt be having this conversation". and if that wasnt crazy enough he then proceeds to ask me if i would be interested in upgrading a web cite. I hung up. hopefully some one will bring justice to this company. im not sure if i would get involved with it or not. i think im done with smc forever.

4/29/2008 - Jesse writes:
I signed up and started my own business. At first it was going alright then once orders from friends and from stores which I was trying to sell to couldn't get their merchandise I called and wrote SMC. I kept getting oh it will be available next week. Well this went on for over a month. Needless to say I lost most of my customers because SMC coudln't supply me most of the items in their catalog. How are you suppose to sell things if the MERCHANDISER doesn't keep them in stock. I tried cancelling my membership numerous times by phone but I can't stay on the phone for over an hour that many times without hanging up. So now it is on my credit and I could care less. they will never get another cent from me. Please tell your friends to stay away and SHAME on MR. CUNNINGHAM for supporting them. lol

4/14/2008 - Brooke writes:
I thought this would be a good idea to make some extra cash... uh... NO... I told the guy I would pay the monthly fee not IN FULL bc obviously i could not afford it if i need a second job. and he said if i change my mind within the 30 free period to call by the 2nd to upgrade at the lower quoted price. Well I was going to keep the products and pay 39.95 a month. but they charged me the fee in full anyways. and they refuse to give it back to me when I agreed to keep the monthly fee anyways. I just needed the 300 dollars they charged me. Im a 20 year old working girl that lives on my own. I cant just dish out 300 bucks. they said they so called "reviewed the tape" to see if I was right but come to find out the guy who took my app over the phone asked me a question in a way where apparently I said yes to a question that I shouldnt have. so Im out that money. This company is terrible and I would NEVER NEVER NEVER recommend them to anyone. BEWARE!!!!! the people were rude (im crying on the phone and all the girl could say is if there is nothing else I can help you with have a good day) A good day??? I should have looked this up before i did anything and that is my fault. but i have learned my lesson and I want to warn others about this HORRIBLE business!!!

4/10/2008 - Bertie writes:
My spouse signed up for the SMC Big Value website and membership since she works at [] and wants to work from home as do I. Well we get the call from the business coach (actually my spouse had to call them) and the pressure started. First they said that to expand to the whole line of products, we would have to put out $3,000.00. Then, a "deal" for $800.00 was laid out, along with a list of 5,000 clients for another $800.00. Last night I found this site and my partner has cancelled our cards so they shouldn't be able to get anything more out of us than the $80.00 we already paid them. Fortunately, we found a company...they called us and showed us their BBB rating, which is way better than SMC's. The amount of money is affordable and we were told everything up front. They also sell name brand, quality merchandise instead of junk from who-knows-where. Please AVOID SMC--they are a rip-off of a person's hard-earned money.

4/2/2008 - Eileen writes:
Just like most of these stories,I too was pressured into becoming an SMC member but after receiving the kit I was very dissapointed and sent a REGISTERED LETTER today to cancel my membership. I hope I dont have the same problem as all of these people. Eileen

4/1/2008 - Barri writes:
I like most thought this might be a good opportunity to make a few extra dollars. The company called me yesterday. Found out that not only was there a $39.95 fee from them every month there is also a $29.95 monthly fee for hosting. I asked him how I was to receive payment for the products I sold, he couldn't help much with that, didn't know what the fees would be either just said my team of experts would help me with it. He would not give me any actual websites to look at. I finally told him I was not interested he became very rude and started yelling, I hung up on him. A couple of hours later another rep called. I told her I had already talked to someone and would pass, she instantly became beligerant with me and I ended up hanging up on her. Then a few hours later another one called, I immediatly told him I had already told two people I was not interested and to take me off the call list. He was actaully polite and said he would. Will wait to see if there are any more calls.

3/29/2008 - baxter writes:
I had been in smc once before and I made a few dollars nothing to brag about. but I thought I would try it again. I couldn't get there supposed business coach. I also found a place where I could get products without joining and are cheaper. so I resigned. they turned me over to collections.

3/22/2008 - Brian writes:
I also tried SMC about four years ago. I was trying to start my on [ ] bussines and I was looking for a good drop shipper. I saw the informorcial for SMC and it looked to good to pass up,so I called that 800#. I received my start up kit two weeks later and I could no wait to start selling these products. The first thing I did was check the products that SMC was offering to what they where selling for on ebay.I was shocked and realized that this was a scam. [ ] was flooded with SMC products and people where selling at a loss,probaly to just MAKE SOME MONEY BACK. I called to cancel and I also got the run around. They actually asked me if I wanted to try it for a year. I said No and that they should refund my money. From what I am reading I am one of the Lucky ones.

3/18/2008 - todd writes:
thanks everyone for telling me about this, I almost ordered it, now I know better, sorry everyone got scammed. I know I'll never believe this again!! t

3/7/2008 - Kathy writes:
I like many of you inquired about their services, I fortunately am much luckier than you all because yesterday, March 6, 2008 I received a call from a very pleasant sales rep, Michelle offering me the free website which supposedly costs $300 and and whole host of other services I'm not interested. I was driving home at the time and really could not speak and asked Michelle to call me back today, March 7th so I could give her my credit card number so I could sign up for the Silver package. I did not intend to pay $300 for a service that I can't even see up front. I have an e-commerce business presently and was looking to increase revenue by adding new items. As I was about to hang up with Michelle, her supposed manager jumped into the call and told me that I was losing out on a big deal and when Michelle called me the next day I would not get the offer. I told him I was not interested in the offer any way but wanted to see the kit and would review and return it if it was not what I wanted. He proceed to start yelling at me and told me to pull over on the expressway so I could get my credit card out to pay him. Is this guy for real!!! I thought he was nuts. I kept telling him I was not going to do that and I was driving, but he became beligerent. I had t hang up on him. Folks if this is the kind of "customer service" they offer, I would never do business with them!! What a horrible experience. I am so sorry that some of you have been screwed over by this wretched company! Best wishes to you all to find a good drop shipper.

3/7/2008 - Catalina writes:
SMC is a total SCAM. I got started with them becuase I wanted to make extra money. For the first week it was o.k, then I wanted to find out about the web-site. The buisness coach told me that the price was $26.95 so therefore I thought hmm, I can aford that so I gave them my account information. Then SMC tried to cash $2,695.00. I immediately stopped payment on that and SMC sent me straight to collections. As of now I have not been able to get any assistence. This company really sucks. Now I am stuck becuase I still have that website.

3/3/2008 - Steve writes:
I like many thought I would try SMC. Well I decided it wasn't for me and tried to call the cancellation line several times and never got past the automated attendant telling "someone would answer my call in the order it was received" but my after holding more than 45 minutes several times I knew I was hosed. My biggest problem was while they said $39.95/mo for SMC, they never mentioned their Web site would also bill $ every month. So after I couldn't get any response I called my credit card company and said I lost my card. While I will never get my original $79.95 back, at least I am done with them. Of course, they have some phony collection agency sending me letters demanding payment for the remaining 11 months they couldn't take off my card....yeah as if they will ever see that money.

2/29/2008 - Doug writes:
I joined SMC in 2006 and was told I should purchase a Big Value website to increase sales and distance myself from the competition of other SMC members who sell SMC products. I purchased this website and later learned no web traffic could locate my website. I called SMC and complained. I was told I should upgrade to the E Commerce website. I was told it would cost more however; $1,200 is credited to my account to cover these gift cards. I was told to give the gift cards to potential customers to advertise my website. I was told this is the best web package SMC offers and I should definitely increase my web sales. I was told customers with gift cards will go to my website and usually purchase products valued more than the gift cards. I was told I should then begin to see a profit. I purchased the E Commerce website and received the gift cards and a $1200 credit in my account to cover these cards when used. I gave numerous gift cards to several potential customers in an attempt to increase my sales as instructed by an SMC coach. Most cards were not redeemed and remain at large. I checked my account balance on the SMC website on 2/29/2008. My $760 credit for the gift cards had been removed. SMC removed this credit on 02/15/08. SMC states the credit was removed because it expired 1 year after I paid the additional cost to upgrade my website. I was forced to close the website because I do not have the funds to cover the at large gift cards I originally purchased. SMC also told me they submitted the website I had purchased to all the major search engines. I made three sales in 2 years. The reason is all SMC websites are the same. SMC has not upgraded the software necessary to aid their clients to increase sales. The product descriptions cannot be changed so all sites look the same to the search engines when they crawl your website. The sales I made were to family members. SMC uses deceptive tactics to lure innocent people who are looking to make an honest living. They take your money and leave. I lost over $3,500.00 to SMC and made no profit! I really wonder how they have been in business for so long without more complaints. The products are made and shipped from China. They are not as they appear in the photo's and are an embarassment to sell.

2/19/2008 - Erlena writes:
I had never heard of this company before then i started getting bills saying that i owe them money. i have never heard of them let a lone buy anything. if they keep writing me i will sue them for fraud and harassment.

2/4/2008 - elizabeth writes:
I bought a membership on 1/4/08 for one time fee $414 and recievied it on the 13th I beleive. I thought this was a good start .I am off work on work comp and need to find sometimes to make a living because the doc says I will not be able to return to my old job. I called the 14th and made the coaching appt. My nightmare called on the 15th about 6 ish in the evening. I told him I wanted a online store. he said well we have the website you want. In our convo I told him I didn't want a gift card site I want a real looking website.Guess what I got for $2695. before the site was up I did some looking around on the net and seen what they give me so I called on the 18th and some guy there told me to fax a cancellion for the upgrade because you have three day so I did. they called me the next day saying it needed to be signed so I refaxed it the same day within the hour of them telling me. They called the next day telling me I would get a refund of $2495. I paid $2695 but was going to lose $200 for some gift cards that i supposelly bought ..I said fine just give me back the money on my card. they said 3 to 4 businees days.. To days later they call again trying to get me to upgrade with the $2495 to a ecommece website site I said no I want the money back on the card. After some more back and forth they said ok and said it will put back on the card. call them on the 30th and they had put the money in a credit in my account. I said no it was to be put on my card.In this convo i did get this guy to send me a email stating that it would be refunded so I hope that will help me get my money back....

1/30/2008 - Nicoleen writes:
It seams like a lot of the stores are similar to mine. I was hopeing to do this business with my sister. after placing my order the rep provided me with some information regards a kit,a business couch and several contact phone numbers for me if I had any additonal questions. It was 2 and a half into placing the order before even getting the kit, SMC had gone in my account and withdrew a total of $295.95. A week later a business couch contacted me home, leave me a voice mail with no return phone number. By this time I knew this was a rip off. may I remind you SMC is only allowing 30 TRIAL PERIOD IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET A REFUND, How ever, I feel the way SMC SCAM their customers Is...they wait close to the 30days, give you the run around and then get rude. I was so frustrated, I have contacted the B&B, I have contacted my bank who gave me some good advice. I ONLY HOPE SOME THING GETS DONE TO SMC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE...SUCH AS SHUTING THEM DOWN, CLASS ACTION SO THAT WE COULD GET BACK OUR MONEY OR AT LEASE SOME OF IT. SOME OF US JUST WANTED to MAKE ENDS MEET NOT TO GET RIP OFF!

1/23/2008 - Leslie writes:
I am pregnant and thought this would be a good way to make money for our family from home and have been deceived from the very beginning. It took 2 weeks to get the kit and then the business coach took over a week to call me back, talked me into doing the gift card redemption site for $1,095 they took forever to get it up and when I saw the site and how user 'unfriendly' it was, was very disappointed. I was then called by another division of the company and was told that the site I purchased is not good and all the reasons I need to upgrade to an ecommerce site for an additional $600. When I called the company today to tell them I had been misled and wanted to cancel everything I was told it was over 30 days so I could not. The only reason it has been over 30 days is their dragging their feet. I asked to speak to a supervisor was then put on hold for an hour and hung up on. I am so frustrated, would be glad to join a class action suit! Feel free to contact me. Leslie []

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