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4.0

Love the product; hate the company. Thingcharger's website appears to be purposefully constructed to bury the fact that after several years they are still operating their business as a "crowdfunding campaign" and that its not a normal retail transaction. Yeah, that's right -- you will be making a contribution. Thingcharger's advertising -- on facebook and other social sites -- makes no mention of a crowdfunding campaign at all. They do not follow best practices recommended by the reputable crowdfunding sites. If you complain, they blame you for not understanding crowdfunding. They have refused to change their website or advertising after multiple complaints. What it boils down to is that they are using crowdfunding as a total business model in order to avoid following laws, rules and regs for online purchasing that other retailers must follow. For example the prompt delievery rules. FTC's guidance on Prompt Delivery Rules (https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/selling-internet-prompt-delivery-rules) is on point:

If your advertising doesn't clearly and prominently state the shipment period, you must have a reasonable basis for believing that you can ship within 30 days.

If you can't ship within the promised time (or within 30 days if you made no promise), you must notify the customer of the delay, provide a revised shipment date and explain his right to cancel and get a full and prompt refund.

For definite delays of up to 30 days, you may treat the customer's silence as agreeing to the delay. But for longer or indefinite delays - and second and subsequent delays - you must get the customer's written, electronic or verbal consent to the delay. If the customer doesn't give you his okay, you must promptly refund all the money the customer paid you without being asked by the customer.

Finally, you have the right to cancel orders that you can't fill in a timely manner, but you must promptly notify the customer of your decision and make a prompt refund.

.

Reason of review: Deceptive marketing.

Thingcharger Pros: Great product concept.

Thingcharger Cons: Poor advertising practices, Untruthful customer service, Deceptive marketing, Poor communications of delivery.

Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina

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Guest

Hello Anonymous in Rock Hill, South Carolina, This is Kristin in Orlando, FL and I am with the thingCHARGER team. Have you checked out our page on the Indiegogo crowdfinding site where we first started out?

This is the link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/thingcharger-awesome-new-charger-for-your-things--2/x/302****#/story We do provide prompt refunds, and I would be delighted to help you in any way that I can. Just send me a message at hello@***.com I love to help out!

Reyanna Fuu
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1109768

I was never given a refund although they said they would. They did, however, ship me a thingcharger almost immediately once I made complaints to the BBB and on other websites.

Guest

I ordered a thingcharger too, however I read the instructions on their website that this is a crowdfunding campaign, meaning you fund their idea first and get the product in return way later, when the product is designed and manufactured.

"Contribute now to our pre-launch campaign and receive thingCHARGER(s) as an awesome thank-you perk from us when we ship."

This is just how crowdfunding works.

Reyanna Fuu
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1108470

Here is the thing. I've done lots of crowdfunding.

I'm used to waiting for years for stuff. Remember that this purchase was not on a crowdfunding website, but their own. I just did not scroll down to where the statement was hidden in grey print on a grey background. If you hit "I want one" on their website it will totally skip the faq that tells you that its a contribution and that delivery is whenever they *** feel like it.

Its super easy to miss and the website appears to have been set up in such a way to encourage that. Keep in mind that thingchargers are now sold at Bed Bath and Beyond and lots of other stores. But, thingchargers purchased directly will not ship until 2017. What the?

Basically, they are using so-called crowdfunding as an interest free loan to finance continued operations including fulfilling contracts for wholesale transactions. That's not a proper business model.

And, its deceptive to consumers.

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