Better Business Bureau, BBB, is issuing its second warning in twelve months about online company Hoverboards.com using an Appleton, Wisconsin address. The first press release was sent out on August 2, 2019.
To date, nearly 300 complaints have been received from consumers in nearly every state across the U.S. since the BBB’s file opened in February, 2018. Of those, six dozen have been received since early August and are still pending. Most complaints allege poor product quality, non-delivery of products, products delivered damaged, false advertising, and no response from customer service.
In addition, complainants allege that the companyâs products are defective, the products are expensive to ship back to the business, overall dissatisfaction with the product, and the business is unresponsive to customersâ communications. Most of the complainants paid between $150-$200 per hoverboard and, to date, the dollar amount lost or in dispute is nearly $50,000.
BBB Serving Wisconsin has also received more than three dozen negative customer reviews.
The company uses a UPS store located in Appleton, WI as an address. The BBB has not received a response from the company to most of the complaints, which has resulted in an F rating, the BBBâs lowest rating.
âBBB serving Wisconsin continues to receive complaints that point to a significant and ongoing pattern of problems with Hoverboards.com, and this being our second warning clearly indicates growing concern,â says Robyn Householder, President and CEO of BBB serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. âThis is also a part of a larger trend we are seeing in the market with a 56% increase in reported online purchase scams this year over last.â
While pictures and prices may be tempting and shopping online is certainly convenient, BBB always encourages consumers to check on a company before doing business, to get an idea about the company, any complaints, and how likely it is to interact with its customers.
To file a BBB complaint against Hoverboards.com, or any other online company go to www.bbb.org/complaints.
BBB offers these online shopping tips:
- Research before you buy. Check out a companyâs profile first at BBB.org to see the companyâs BBB rating, complaint history, customer reviews and more.
- Look for contact information. Search the companyâs website for a physical address, phone number and email address so youâll be able to reach the company later if there is a problem. If the website doesnât have any contact information, you may want to choose a different company.
- Pay by credit card. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. If the product arrives defective, or doesnât arrive at all, you can dispute the charge on your credit card and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor investigates them.
- Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates. Can you return the item for a full refund if you’re not satisfied? If you return it, who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees, and when you will get your order? A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised. Many sites offer tracking options, so you can see exactly where your purchase is and estimate when youâll get it.
- Keep detailed records. Print or save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and the emails you send and receive from the seller. Read your credit card statements as you receive them; be on the lookout for charges that you donât recognize.
If youâve been the victim of a scam, report your experience to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others to stay informed and protected!Sign up for BBB Scam AlertsRead more about BBB Accreditation Standards and BBB Standards for Trust. Do business with companies you can trust.
