Better Business Bureau of North Central Texas warns consumers to use caution when doing business with Original Frame. This Addison, Texas, based seller of multi-panel wall art operates online at OriginalFrame.com. Consumers, nationwide, allege that they failed to receive ordered merchandise and that, once delivered, products did not match the description advertised online. Complainants also reported to BBB that they were required to pay additional money to return products, while the company ultimately failed to process promised refunds.
Original Frame has earned an “F” rating, the lowest rating that BBB can give, due to its failure to respond to 27 complaints and eliminate the underlying cause of a pattern of complaints. As of today, BBB has closed 287 complaints against the business in the last 12 months. Complainants originate from more than 24 states, including Texas. The majority of complaints filed with BBB against Original Frame deal with delivery issues or problems with the ordered products.
One recent complainant from Corsicana, Texas, told BBB, “I received an email stating my purchase was shipped. I was given a tracking number. When I went to track my package, I was informed that there was no such number.”
A consumer from Memphis, Tennessee, stated, “I placed an order on November 15th…I have not received the product yet. I left multiple messages and sent emails with no response. They have already withdrawn funds from my account. I would just like to receive our product.”
Finally, “The product is misrepresented on their website,” wrote a customer based in Temecula, California. “The product states it is framed. But, it came rolled up with no paperwork and no origin except ‘China Post.’”
On January 22, 2020, BBB sent a written request encouraging Original Frame to address the pattern of complaints, followed by a phone call. BBB also requested information pertaining to its business registration, authorizing Original Frame to do business in the State of Texas. To date, BBB has not received a response from Original Frame. Original Frame has proven to be one of the highest complaint generators for BBB Serving North Central Texas so far in 2020.
“It is unfortunate that consumers continue to report losses and frustration in connection with Original Frame. However, BBB’s announcement of this investigation is intended to prevent further loss,” said Phylissia Clark, VP of Public Relations and Communications for BBB Serving North Central Texas.
BBB offers the following tips for consumers who buy goods online:
- Research a business before paying. Check out the business’s BBB Business Profile online at BBB.org.
- Read online reviews of the business’s products and services.
- Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. In many cases, these items do not exist or are of very poor quality.
- Read all of the terms and conditions on a retailer’s website carefully.
- Research delivery time and refund policies. Know what steps should be taken to obtain a refund.
- Pay with a credit card, in case you need to dispute the charges later. Many credit card companies have fraud protection policies if the charges are unauthorized.
- Check the site’s security settings. Make sure that the website is encrypted. At the very least, if the site is secure, its URL should start with “https://"
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