ComplaintsforLiving Well Stores, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Approximately a few months ago I developed severe balance gait problems. My Doctor advised me not to drive and recommended a mobility scooter for occasional rides. I bought the scooter from the above company and paid $2455.22. The scooter came in a big crate and my neighbor **** helped me to open the crate and put the scooter into works. He also took a ride and said this is good for the subdivision roads and good for short distances. Me being a retired engineer in the eighties enjoyed riding the scooter and I used to charge a few times a week to keep the battery running. The Pride scooter worked a great and a week ago it did not start. **** tried using all his expertise and said perhaps the battery might be dead. The scooter came with a 36-month unconditional warranty. I called the company this morning and the gentleman I spoke with said it is definitely a battery issue and he said if someone comes to my house to install the battery it will cost around $ 400 or they will ship a new battery. I opted for getting a battery and they charged me $ ***** plus applicable tax. Me being an elderly person with health issues it is not possible to remove the old batteries and install new ones. I strongly feel since the scooter is under warranty it is their fiduciary obligation to fix the scooter not charging me DIME. I request BBB to intervene and settle the issue in my favor.

  

  Business response

  05/10/2024

  We are so sorry for the confusion on this! We show this customer as having purchased a recreational scooter on our order #***** from us in mid-July 2022, not a few months ago as he said. It did not include a 36-month unconditional warranty. But all of our scooters do include a five-year warranty that does cover the batteries.

  That warranty is in-shop, meaning that should the scooter require service other than batteries; the customer would bring their scooter into a shop located within ***** miles of where they live where it would be repaired. We know that some folks cannot or prefer not to bring a scooter into a shop. For them, they may upgrade the in-shop warranty to in-home service at the time of purchase of the scooter and for thirty days afterward for $169.95 for the entire five years. In that case, should their scooter require service a technician would come out to the house to perform the repairs. This upgrade option is also explained in the printed warranty provided to the customer. It does sound like the customer might be missing the warranty document. If they are, they can let us know and well send them replacement paperwork.

  For batteries, as spelled out in the warranty, we will supply them for a flat shipping and handling charge of just $49.95. For this scooter,thats an especially good deal because batteries for this particular model would cost $400 or more. In playing back a recording of the call with this customer,the only mention of $400 was when our CSR told the customer that if he were to purchase batteries on his own, thats around what he might pay. The customer paid the $49.95 shipping and handling fee and those batteries are on their way to them. 

  Replacing batteries is easy for most folks. If they cant do it themselves and dont have a family member, neighbor, etc. to do it themselves, we can arrange for them to bring their scooter into a local servicer who will install them at no charge. Thats just a part of the in-shop five-year warranty. For Mr. ********* if he is not able or willing to install his batteries and his helpful neighbor Rich isnt available, we would like to offer him the opportunity to purchase the in-home warranty upgrade now for the $169.95 price even though he has owned the scooter for several years.  That upgrade would be in force for the remainder of his five-year warranty. We would then arrange for a technician to come to Mr.Bhagavans home to install those batteries and all future covered service calls would be performed in his home as well until his five year warranty expired in July, 2027.   

  Customer response

  05/13/2024

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: 21693986

  I am rejecting this response because:

  I hardly used the scooter because of my medical condition. It only has 99 miles registered. The scooter looks unremarkable and normally per FTC regulations section PO1135809 batteries should last for 60 months. I have charged the batteries periodically at least twice a week. Under the above circumstances the original batteries might be defective. As I said how can a battery of wrong WITHIN ONE YEAR! LIVINGWELL ***** CHANGE THEIR NAME TO LIVINGDEAD! I ACCEPTED REPLACEMENT BATTERIES UNDER DURESS. This is just not fair. As our mighty orange haired orangutan says is totally FAKE, RIGGED AND WITCH-****. The Animal is sitting in the courtroom pulling the hair and people are collecting hair and selling on ***** UNDER THE ABOVE CIRCUMSTANCES THE COMPANY SHOULD TAKE BACK THE SCOOTER AND REFUND MY MONEY OR FIX THE SCOOTER AT THEIR EXPENSE UNDER THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WARRANTY PROGRAM. THIS IS JUST NOT FAIR! I REQUEST BBB TO SHAKE THE COMPANY TO BRING JUSTICE TO CONSUMERS LIKE ME THAT TOO FOR A SENIOR CITIZEN. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ORANGUTAN BELONGS INDEFINITELY IN PRISON

  THANKS BBB

  *******************************

  

  Business response

  05/13/2024

  We are so sorry for this customers confusion on this. His scooter was placed into service in July, 2022.That would be nearly two years ago, not less than one year as he said here and not a few months ago as his initial complaint stated. Were just not sure what FTC regulations section PO1135809 are. But here is what the warranty that was provided to you when you purchased your scooter does say about battery service:

  If we determine that your batteries need replacing, depending on the configuration of the batteries we will do one of the following for a flat shipping and handling charge of $49.95:
  a. Send you a shipping carton with prepaid label to return your battery pack and battery charger to us. We will replace the batteries with new batteries, test and if necessary, replace the charger and return them to you or;
  b.Send you a set of replacement batteries; along with instructions explaining how to install them.
  
  After you paid the $49.95, we did the second thing- we sent you a set of replacement batteries. It seems like we did the things we promised to do. As we said previously, while most folks are able to replace the batteries themselves or with the help of a family member or friend, we understand that this gentleman may not. We are happy to have a technician come out to the house to install those batteries. But there would be a charge for that. 

  Customer response

  05/14/2024

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: 21693986

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Regards,

  *******************************

  Customer response

  05/15/2024

  The scooter I bought was kept fully charged. I was using the scooter practically every other day for very small rides less than half a mile. The scooter registered as me using 99 miles. *** can a practically new scooter go dead? The scooter is the best in the industry called PRIDE. I strongly feel the company sold a refurbished scooter. I feel that the company either reimburse my money or send me a new scooter. The company is not aware of the *** law PO1135809. With that said I am very unhappy. I request BBB to convince the company and send me a new scooter. Thanks BBB. You are awesome company.

  Customer response

  05/19/2024

  The company sent batteries by charging me. I had a technician stopped at my place and checked the battery. He confirmed the batteries are in excellent shape and condition fully charged but however the problem is with IGNITION SWITCH which is completely conked out and he made a statement that the Scooter looks great but said it is a piece of S*** and he confirmed that the scooter is defective. He also confirmed that the Pride scooter cannot go wrong within a year. He also said that pursuant to fair trade policy section PO1135809, the supplier should send a new scooter or reimburse the money in full. He was so angry looking at the ignition switch, I request BBB to investigate further and get my money back.

  Thanks BBB

  *******************************

  Customer response

  05/19/2024

  The company sent batteries by charging me. I had a technician stopped at my place and checked the battery. He confirmed the batteries are in excellent shape and condition fully charged but however the problem is with IGNITION SWITCH which is completely conked out and he made a statement that the Scooter looks great but said it is a piece of S*** and he confirmed that the scooter is defective. He also confirmed that the Pride scooter cannot go wrong within a year. He also said that pursuant to fair trade policy section PO1135809, the supplier should send a new scooter or reimburse the money in full. He was so angry looking at the ignition switch, I request BBB to investigate further and get my money back.

  Thanks BBB

  *******************************

  

  Business response

  05/20/2024

  This customer continues to claim that his scooter is less than a year old. It was delivered to the customer in 2022. We cannot be more plain than that. The customer does not explicitly say that the new batteries that we provided were installed so were not sure they have been. That would be the first step. If that doesnt solve his problem, we are obligated to service his scooter it at no cost to the customer. We will arrange with a local servicer so that the customer may bring the scooter into a shop near him and a trained technician will restore the scooter to operation as long as the scooter shows no evidence of customer neglect as detailed in the warranty. If the new batteries have not been installed we will be disappointed since the customer implied that his technician did install them. In that case, our technician in the shop will install them. If they have been installed and the scooter is still not functioning,whatever other repairs required to restore the scooter to proper operation will be performed at no cost to the customer; parts and labor. If the customer would prefer to have a technician come to his home to service his scooter we can arrange for that as well but as per the warranty and our previous comments on his case, there would be a charge for that in-home service of $149.95. It is Living ell Stores policy to provide service that most people would find reasonable and fair and that is in compliance with all consumer regulations. That is what we have offered to this customer. Were so sorry but were not able to comment or reply to further messages from the customer on this matter. 

  

  Business response

  06/12/2024

  This customer has let us know that he has decided to accept our offer after all. Is there anything that needs to be done at your end / do you need to hear from him in order to resolve this case? 

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

  I spoke w with a sales person by name Mr. ************************* He promised me that he will send a technician to come to my home to repair the unit with a charge of $ 169 which I accepted. I spoke again with ***** and I confirmed that I will pay $ 169 to bring my scooter to working condition. Thanks ***** and BBB

  *******

• Initial Complaint

  03/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  on june 20th 2022 i paid living well stores 1791.55$ to purchase a new mobility scooter as i am disabled and cannot walk more than 10 ft due to muscular/diabetic neurapothy . according to all literature the drive ******* hd4 is supposed to get around 15 miles to a full charge. from the start i never got more than 1/2 a mile. i called them for weeks with no answer or response to my emails. when i finally left a message that i was going to ask my credit card company to revoke the charge the called me with a useless test. then they played me on until the cc company would not be able to do anything. finally the battery got so bad that it started leaking acid and smoking.it was taken outside and the fire dept. was called as i thought it might explode. upon hearing this they sent me a box in which to ship the battery to them for inspection. i believe this was a ploy to get the corrupted battery away from as evidence as they then sent an email saying it was my fault and they would not do anything go fix my scooter. it also developed a habit of just stopping as i was riding. sometimes it would stop and i would have to restart it every 3 feet. the scooter has a five year extended warranty plus we purchased an added warranty for about 250$. the battery is included in all of the warranties.

  

  Business response

  03/13/2023

  Hello,

   

  After replying to this customer’s complaint, we noticed that in that complaint, the customer claimed to have also purchased an added warranty for $250. We do not sell added warranties. This customer purchased his scooter from us via ***********. They routinely offer extended warranties on many things they sell. Therefore, we request that you add this paragraph to the end of our response:

   

  “ We note in Mr. ******’s complaint that he claimed to have purchased an added warranty for $250. We do not and did not sell that warranty to Mr. ****** and have no knowledge of it. But it might be a good idea for Mr. ****** to follow up with the company from whom he purchased that warranty to see what benefits they might offer him.”

   

  Living Well Stores Customer Service

  

  Business response

  03/13/2023

  We are so sorry for this customer’s experience. This customer’s scooter was delivered to them on June 25, 2022. The first time Mr. ****** advised us that he was experiencing a problem was in a phone message left with us on 1/9/23 at 3:01 PM. The customer’s call was returned on that same day.
  
  In that call, while the customer was unwilling to provide any additional information or assist in determining what the problem is, as a gesture of good faith, we sent the customer a replacement battery pack, valued at $319 at no charge via *****, tracking ************. It was delivered to the customer’s address on 1/14/23 and ***** provided a picture of the box having been delivered to the customer’s residence.  The customer claims the box was stolen before he could retrieve it. We know that package theft following delivery is a problem. ***** has a process where a recipient can file a stolen package claim but the customer was unwilling to do so.

  
  On January 23, 2022, Mr. ****** let us know that he had called his local fire department on 1/15/23 (the day AFTER the new battery pack was delivered but stolen) claiming that his scooter battery was leaking and smoking. According to the official fire department report that Mr. ****** sent to us at on 1/31/23,  they visited with Mr. ****** for a total of six minutes, determined there was no hazard and departed. The picture that the customer sent us and that was shown to the fire department personnel appeared to be of a dried puddle of salt encrusted snow- totally expected given the time of year and weather in *** ******.

  
  The customer did acknowledge that the scooter is being used essentially as a replacement for a car, ridden to/from stores, over rough city sidewalks in inclement weather, etc. As was explained to the customer, this model, while sturdy is designed for smooth, man-made surfaces like tile, carpet and smooth, unbroken asphalt. It’s great for shopping malls, sporting events, theme parks and the like. It is not reasonable to expect it to perform like a car and in particular, the owner's manual is clear that this scooter is not to be ridden in snowy or icy conditions. 

  
  On 2/1/23, we proposed to perform a battery service for the customer at no charge. If the batteries were defective, we would replace them at no charge. We provided a carton to the customer and paid all shipping charges for the service. The customer did not send us his battery pack until 2/23/23 We received the customer’s battery pack and on inspection discovered that portions of it had corroded from exposure to what appeared to be salt/snow and melted due to overloading the scooter. It is not repairable. So, on 3/6/23 in an email, we offered to sell the customer a replacement battery pack for $149.95, less than half its regular price. That would restore his scooter to proper operating condition. The customer declined this offer.

  
  In reviewing all of the documentation and call recordings, we find that throughout the entire process we communicated regularly, reliably and courteously with this customer, doing our best to overlook his ultimatums and cursing.  Living Well Stores works hard to satisfy all of its customers and we worked hard in this case to do so for Mr. ******. We feel that offering him another replacement battery pack for less than half price would be considered by most people to be a generous offer especially when the problem with his original one was not a result of a defect, but rather misuse.

  Customer response

  03/14/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Regards,

  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  11/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My name is ****** *****. I am a wheel chair bound senior citizen due to Polio and other multiple diseases. I ordered Drive Medical SFSCOUT4-EXT Spitfire Scout 4 Mobility Scooter, Red/Blue from ****** on October 18th 2022. I received this scooter on October 25th 2022. When I tried to use I found out that the seat was too small and I feel like falling. So I stopped using this scooter and wanted to return it. I contacted the Living Well company. The sent me an Email telling me this Item is not returnable. gave following reasons in the Email response: We are so sorry to hear this! Unfortunately, due to their size and weight and that the batteries are HAZMAT items, scooters are not returnable. The cost of crating it up and then shipping it often runs into hundreds of dollars. When they arrive back, they are often so damaged by return shipping as to be worthless. We tell folks this via email when they place an order that scooters are not returnable. We suggest that they double check to make sure the scooter is right for them and to cancel their order if it might not be right. ( This never occurred) The good news is that your scooter is a very popular model and would be very easy to sell locally via **********, ******** *********** or local classifieds. This is really the easiest way to get rid of it and get all or most of your money from it. Living Well Stores Customer Service. ( the battery is airline approved. The Item came to my home without any HAZMAT warning or concenrs!!! ) "This Product is not Refundable and Not Returnable" This is not written in the description of the product at ****** description page. Company refuses to accept the return. ****** can not help me either I think company is stalling and not fulfilling it's promise. and I am now stuck with their scooter I cannot change to bigger seat, I can fall and hurt myself if I try to use it. I request the refund on my product so I can buy a proper product and start living my life. Please help me. Thank you

  

  Business response

  11/21/2022

  We are so sorry but ****** makes it clear right on the product page that this item is not returnable. See the attached screenshot. In case, the customer overlooks that, we also send an email through ******** email system to every customer letting them know this item is not returnable, giving them a chance to cancel their order before it ships without penalty. We see that this customer received that email on Oct 18, 2022 at 7:57 PM. This return policy is ********, not ours. We offer this exact same product on Livingwellstores.com at the exact same price but with an appropriate return policy because for our business, we believe that’s the right thing to do.  When a customer purchases a product and when a company like ours sells products on **********, we are all agreeing to abide by ******** policies. ****** has liberal return policies on many but not all of the products you can buy there. ****** also demands to have complete and total control over communications with its customers. They do not allow sellers like us to email or negotiate anything with its customers outside of **********’s systems.

  ****** is a wonderful thing. Like the slogans say, “buy/get cheap/get fast”. That’s fantastic for appliances, toys, clothing, and millions of other low-cost, low risk products. But if you’re thinking about spending a sum of money that you would feel badly about if you lost, it makes sense to understand EVERYTHING about the purchase, warranty, who to call, return policies, etc. first regardless of who you are buying from. Please do not confuse calling ********** on the phone with getting your problem resolved. ****** telephone personnel are instructed to apologize to the customer, listen to the issue and then send either send an email to the customer with instructions on how to resolve their problem or send an email to the mfr or seller letting them know the customer called. They do not have the power to fix anything and they do not have the power to change the system so that a seller can do something outside of the rules even if the seller would like to. 

  ****** offers its customers several ways to ask for help on a return. The steps to follow are:
  1. Try to request a return. You would locate the item from among your ****** purchases and click the “Return/Exchange” button and then just follow the prompts.
  2. If the return/exchange button isn’t available for this item, ****** gives you the option to file an A-to-Z claim and explain your situation to Amazon. When you do this, it is the FIRST time a seller like us is granted some options to solve a problem.

  
  We do not see where this customer has done either of these things. We recommend the customer perform these two steps. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased on Oct 27,2022 a pride mobility scooter from this company via the ****** app. We read the description and questions and answers posted by this company regarding the performance of this unit. We also researched on the manufacturer’s website for performance ability. I have rented this model scooter over the years with great success. We received the scooter and charged it up immediately. Used it and barely got 5 miles. Brought it home and charged it til charging was complete and then the day before use put it back on the charger to make sure it was ready for the day. This past Saturday was that day and the scooter again barely made it 5 miles. I contacted to seller which is hard to do. Text, call, email…. Just answer at least one. Well I finally receive a call back to which the seller asks my height and weight. I reply 5’2” and 200 pounds. He then proceeds to tell me the best I can expect from this scooter is 4-6 miles. He also told me to drive it around for 15 minutes on flat ground and call him back. Well seriously… why would I do that when his response to a question online at ****** stated 15 miles per charge and pride mobility clearly states in the specs 325 pounds and 12.75 miles per charge with a +/- of 10%. So clearly the seller is lying to me immediately. This scooter is either defective, used or recycled but I purchased a scooter based on their advertising that would go 15 miles per charge or according to the manufacturer 12.75 with a +/- of 10% not a scooter that will only go 4-6 miles. They clearly are miss advertising here or pulling a bait and switch. I’ve rented this exact scooter for years from different companies in the ******* area while visiting the parks and never had issues with running out of power. No living in this area I decided to purchase my own and now to have it not work as stated is ridiculous. I am not able to walk and this scooter would not even get me through a mall shopping let alone a theme park

  

  Business response

  11/21/2022

  When range numbers for scooters are specified, they are always prefaced with the phrase "up to". The reason is that those quoted range numbers come from independent testing laboratories conducted under ideal conditions. They are accurate in a way similar to the mile-per-gallon estimates provided by car companies. Not anywhere in print is anything like a "+/- 10%" provided. If the customer is unhappy with the up to 12.5/ up to 15 mile ranges quoted by the manufacturer, she should take that up with them. As we explained to this customer, when we are asked what a customer can expect in the way of range, we use the rider's weight, ask them a a bit about how they plan to use it and then, based on our experience, we provide a real-world estimate that is intentionally low. We do this because we would prefer a customer to be pleasantly surprised that their scooter exceeded the quoted range rather than fell short. Considering the average person walks 2-3 miles during a theme park day, most customers are indeed pleasantly surprised when their scooter battery last much longer than their walking companions. 

  Nevertheless, this customer was provided with return instructions for their scooter via ******.com in accordance with ******.com policies. When we receive the scooter back, we will issue the customer a full refund, again in full compliance with ******'s policies. We await return of the scooter. 

  Customer response

  11/22/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:  the seller 1st off stated he would accept the return of the scooter after he told me to drive it for 15 minutes continuously and report back to him which I did via a phone call. The seller knew I had used the scooter on two occasions and ran out of power within 3 miles. The seller knows as well that I called pride mobility which told me that this scooter being new with fully charged battery would go 12.75 miles with a rider of my size. The it is capable of a rider of 325 and with a rider of 325 that the scooter may get 10% less but that my size I may get 10% more  pride also told me that the way this company buys the scooters that there is no warranty through Pride and only through them and that the scooter is defective and I should return it. 
  

  as far as ****** returns. ****** does allow returns for defective items as well you have this exact same scooter for sale as per the screenshots of current day and time and are offering returns through January 31, 2023.

  Lastly you offered to return the scooter with different terms after you found out I had opened a BBB claim. At that point you stated I needed yo returned a new unused scooter which you knew had been used as you told me to drive it as stated in your email which is shown. You also stated you would not accept the return unless I closed the bbb case and again stated ****** does not allow returns which as we can see from your current listing for the same scooter it does. This scooter is clearly defective as it does not go the distance stated and your suggestion that it’s ok to tell people it will only go 4-6 miles and if they get more they will be pleasantly surprised is absurd. A handicap person purchases these items as their legs as they can not walk. My weight is well below the specs and clearly since I’ve broken down twice the scooter is defective. You’ve accepted and then changed the terms of the to return and as well stated that ****** doesn’t allow these items to be returned yet your current siting shows it. I asked for assistance from the BBB before your initial acceptance of the return. It can easily be closed once this situation has been resolved. Again you knew the scooter had been used and failed twice which is why I contacted you initially. To then change the return terms and state the acceptance will be for a brand new without any wear scooter when you even told me to drive it is impossible. You as well stated to contact pride but again you purchase these without a warranty at a heavily discounted price and there is no warranty from them only you and you refuse to accept return of a defective unit that is ONLY 2 WEEKS OLD. 

  Regards,

  ***** **********

  

  Business response

  11/22/2022

  We are so sorry about this. Scooters, and in particular their battery packs are individually tested just prior to ship to confirm that the batteries are fresh, that the scooter is operating as it should, etc. On the off chance that your scooter somehow escaped with a defect, we did offer to have a local-to-you technician look at your scooter at no charge to confirm that it is operating as the manufacturer promises. That offer is still available to you. We also offered to accept return of the product for a full refund. We cannot imagine what it is that you could want beyond a full refund. With regard to return conditions, our standard requirements which most people find reasonable are, “Your returned scooter must be new and unused. This means there can be no cracks, scratches, torn or used fabric, dirty tires or other evidence of wear on any part or surface and it must be received back along with all accessories and parts within thirty days of your receiving it.” Since your scooter is only two weeks old and used only for a few minutes, we presume that it will be in that condition. Since you have also opened an A-to-Z claim with ******.com (the right thing to do in our opinion, if a customer is not happy) they will now be the final arbiter for this.  

  Customer response

  11/29/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because: by your own admission in this response the scooter does have a capacity of 325 pound and with a range of 12.75 miles + or - 10%. As per the responses from someone else at your center during a call and via written statement he clearly stated it is not that much. He told me it will only go 4-6 miles based on a 200 pound person which he later updated to state that he tells people that so in case they got more they would be surprised. 
  

  As well it was stated that a return was accepted but because there was a delay in the mail through ****** a complaint with the BBB was opened and then because someone there got mad they decided not to honor that. It is in writing through ******. 
  

  Also .. you stated that ****** doesn’t allow returns though you have the same scooter listed on ****** now and it has returns open through 1/31/2023.

  Lastly you state that the scooter is only returnable in unused without wear on the tire condition in the original box but yet when I called and complained I was treated very dismissively and told that 4-6 miles was the best I could expect after the person that called me was informed that the scooter had been used twice and failed in less than that mileage to which he told me to drive it more. Based on that information you are well aware that the scooter has been used and is defective. When a disabled person over 60 is spending over $1400.00 they expect to get something that runs per the specs that you again have supplied within plus or minus 10%. 
  

  This scooter has never functioned properly and left the rider broke down on 2 occasions. There is no feeling of safety or security that this scooter will not breakdown again and leave the rider stranded without the ability to walk to a safe place.

  It is requested that based on the fact that you indeed agreed to a return that you would do so agwin

  Regards,

  ***** **********

  

  Business response

  11/30/2022

  This customer who rejected our offer of a full refund doesn’t say what it is that they do want. Most folks shop online because the prices are low, shipping (even for 100 lb products in huge boxes) is usually paid for by the seller, you can’t beat the convenience of clicking and having your order appear at your door in a couple of days and as in this case, you can return the item for a refund if you’re not satisfied. But the practicalities of the process require the customer must do just one thing- return the product.

  
  We delayed our response to this customer’s rejection of our offer for a refund because they had also filed an A-to-Z claim with ******.com. We are bound by our contract with ****** to abide by their determination on customer disputes. ****** has closed this case, determining that the customer’s claim has no merit. ****** does not EVER offer any explanations as to the basis for their decisions. However, we know from experience that an offer by the seller to accept a product back for return for a full refund meets ******’s definition of a customer being properly taken care of. We do also know that ****** monitors the return process even after a closed claim and expects the refund to be issued within 24 hours of receipt of the returned goods by the seller and should that refund not be forthcoming, ****** would themselves provide the refund and charge the seller for it.

  
  The customer implied that they were concerned that this scooter might not meet our definition of “new and unused” and that they would not receive a refund. We do expect it to be returned to us in substantially new condition. In their original complaint here, this customer said that “We received the scooter and charged it up immediately. Used it and barely got 5 miles. Brought it home and charged it til charging was complete and then the day before use put it back on the charger to make sure it was ready for the day. This past Saturday was that day”.  We would presume a scooter used as they described here to be new and the customer would be entitled to a full refund once the product has been received back.

  
  We did agree to accept return of this item provided it was received within 30 days of the customer’s receiving the item. That is most company’s policies. We note that the customer received this item on October 30th so ordinarily, today would have been the last date this item could be returned. However, we would like to offer this customer an extension on the return to December 10th.
  To sum up, if we receive this item back by December 10th, the customer will receive a full refund of their purchase price. We also wish to offer this customer our apologies for their inconvenience in receiving a product that did not meet their expectations.

• Initial Complaint

  08/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I’ve had the scooter for 2 ½ month, 1 ½ contacting with the companies, refusing to return my money, or labels to pay for transportation back. I had it about two weeks, and it started losing bolts (5) and then, slamming to a stop, surging forward and putts along on “high” the rabbit. Last week, a new feature, I’m 73 yrs old and disabled and handicapped. Today, the reset button has basically worn out, to took five times today to go across the kitchen floor. They have sold me an unsafe, unreliable, and falling apart, new? Scooter. The doctors told me to use a scooter eight years ago, I use it 24/7. I end up buying a new replacement about every two years. I’ve always used this model and brand, Spinlife/Drive Scout. It’s usually the best. This year, it’s different. After two weeks, it was a wreck. At least five nuts and bolts have fallen off. It starts on Rabbit-high and jerks to a start and putts along, until it decides to speed up or continue putting along. Now red lights and flashing lights go on as I drive across the floor or smooth cement. This product will be returned, it is totally, unsafe and unreliable. It needs to be returned at no cost, and the money almost $1300 returned to my Amazon-Visa. I have filed a complaint with BBB, but they are no help. I have already turned it in to the BBB, 84 complaints this year, and a message with their accreditation group-Spinlife. The Store is in Jacksonville, “Living Well Stores”, sold by Amazon, distributed by Spinlife and built by Drive and all are owned by . Amazon said they don’t refund? Bull! It’s supposed to be Living Well, who takes care of it Amazon said. They do not support their product, they say that they will not take it back, that Amazon, who they sold through-$1300, Spinlife who distribute them to Living Well won’t take it back, or DRIVE who built them, won’t take it back. None of them will support the two-month old scooter. They’ve dragged out the time, so the warranty will be gone, soon. All say that L

  

  Business response

  08/26/2022

  We are so sorry about the difficulties the customer is having. It isn’t surprising that she purchases this model of scooter every two years. When used properly, Scooters are designed to provide 5,6, or even 7 years of service. Indeed, we include a five year warranty on the scooters we sell. Unfortunately, she selected a too-small scooter.

  We are confused, however. In messages to us, this customer told us that she purchased two scooters recently; one from us and one from a competitor of ours, Spinlife. She said she was attempting to return the scooter purchased from them as well and for the same reason. We are confused by this - we don't understand what that has to do with us and can only assume she has us mixed up since she claims she paid $1,300 when we show her purchase from us was $1,157.23. We have no relationship with Spinlife and do not understand what she is saying about "accreditation group-Spinlife".

  Amazon spells out return policies on their website, including that most returns must be completed within 30 days and that this particular item is not returnable. Because customers often overlook Amazon’s return policy wording, we also send all customers including Ms. ***** an email message before shipping, reminding them that scooters are not returnable, to double check things like rider weight and give them a chance to cancel their order.  

  Amazon.com does give sellers  some latitude for difficult situations. For this customer, we offered to accept return of the scooter for a refund in writing via Amazon's email as required by Amazon. The amount of that refund is governed by Amazon policy and would depend on the condition of the scooter once received back.  We would not be able to provide a full refund for a scooter used for several months of use by someone who was too large for it. Should the customer disagree with the amount refunded, Amazon would require that we provide pictures of what was received back. Amazon is well known for their customer-centric policies which allows a customer to appeal an Amazon or seller policy. In all but the most extreme cases, Amazon ALWAYS rules in the customer’s favor. After considering this situation and noting that we are offering a refund to this customer, they declined her demands.
  

  We stand ready to accept return of the customer’s scooter for a refund.  

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased an Intimate Rider and Rider Mate from this company off of ******. Nowhere in the product descriptions does it say that if customer wants to return items, customer must pay for shipping. Also, it doesn’t say they will charge a 20% restocking fee. The description is deceptive, as the material is rather rough and in no way could ever possibly conform to anyone’s body. Also, the products being produced for sexual activity, render them useless because the products would be damaged due to poor design. The two products would bang into each other, creating loud noises and causing friction burns from the motions, from the rough material. Also description says you have choice of color, which is not at all true. For returning items, it would cost a lot of money. The company refused to help me out. I have never had an issue returning products from ****** in the past, even from other third-party sellers. I’d like a pre-paid shipping label & my full amount paid ($524.29) which included shipping & handling as well as tax.

  

  Business response

  07/08/2022

  We are so sorry about this but when a product is purchased on ******.com, we are obligated to follow ******’s rules and policies. ****** sets everything about how products are sold and how return policy wording is spelled out. We see that you filed an A-to-Z clam with ****** because you’re being asked to pay for return shipping on this sex chair. They are the ones in control and we are obliged to allow them to be the final arbitrator. But we’re glad you wrote to us via the BBB because it allows us to explain more than ****** allows.

  
  As most folks are aware, ****** drives product prices down so you get fantastic selection, fast and cheap. We are required to ship and respond to customer inquiries seven days a week including holidays. Sellers like us pay for the free shipping that ****** has made ubiquitous. Since this is a personal hygiene item that contacts intimate body parts, we are not permitted to resell this item to someone else. We must destroy it at a loss to us. Most folks tell us that it is a small thing that they might have to pay for return shipping on an item they just didn’t care for.

  
  As a modest concession to sellers, ****** does allow sellers to charge restocking fees. Here is the wording that ****** wrote and displays on most of their product pages: “This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.” We do not have any control over what ****** ultimately puts on their product pages, where and how wording appears, etc. If something about an ******.com product page is not satisfactory to you, you might want to take it up with ******. As a matter of practice, we dislike restocking fees and only charge them when a product arrives back heavily used and/or damaged. That does not sound like the case in your situation, so you would get a full refund without a restocking fee after you have returned your product.

  
  ******.com does a wonderful job of encouraging customers to find, click, buy and get. For socks, books, toys, kitchen appliances, cellphone cases and millions of other inexpensive items ******.com is a sure bet. But for more costly items or items that are specialized in their use, we think it makes sense for customers to contact ****** and/or the seller before buying to learn more about the product, return policies, etc. We love talking to customers and you can get us via ****** email, regular email or by phone pretty easily.

  Customer response

  07/08/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because: the seller has the same price on their website as they do on ******.  I purchased from ****** because I trust ******’s policies. The seller must also have business insurance which can be paid out for the claim. As a matter of ideal business practices, it should be stated in item description what their return policy is. I am asking fir a pre-paid return shipping label and for a full refund. 

  Regards,

  ***** ********

  

  Business response

  07/14/2022

  Ms. ********, we are so sorry about this. We all wish that everything can always go completely our way. But sometimes, especially with a company the size of ******.com, it just can’t. ****** does generally require that the price we sell a product at on their storefront be the same as what we might sell for elsewhere but we’re not sure what that has to do with anything. Also, and we mean no disrespect, please do not tell us what our insurance does or does not cover.

  
  We agree 100 pct that we should be able to say all that is needed in the description of the product. But ****** tightly controls what can be said on its product pages, they edit as they see fit. They allow return information on some kinds of products but not others and they do not tell us what the rules are. But here is some information it makes available to its customers:
  “Return Costs – Your return shipment is free of charge in some cases. If you return an item using the return label provided in the Returns Center and the reason for return isn't a result of an ******.com error, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.”
  

  It also says, “You can return many eligible items sold on ******. When you return an item, you may see different return options depending on the seller, item, or reason for return.”
  

  ****** makes ALL the rules and they have the final say. The system is like a tightly choreographed ballet. They require that you return the product before any refund can be given.  They do not give us the option of providing a refund until you provide them with a tracking number on your return. Once you provide a tracking number to them, then we are required to provide a refund within 24 hours. If we don’t provide a refund in full, we have four and only four reasons to choose from as to why we did not provide a full refund. If the refund we provide is for less than ½ the purchase, we are required to provide pictures of the returned item. This is how tightly ****** controls things. It's for everyone's protection. 

  
  We wish to add one thing. ******’s policy to its customers also says, “******.com and most sellers on ******.com offer returns for items within 30 days of receipt of shipment. The return window is one area where ****** offers us a small amount of latitude. But ma’am, you’re running out of time to return that item. PLEASE get it returned so that we can get you your full refund.

• Initial Complaint

  01/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  SCAMMER ALERT: THIS BUSINESS SENT ME A USED SCOOTER!! THAT IS NOT GUARANTEED THROUGH DRIVE MEDICAL. WIT THEY DON'T TELL YOU IN THEIR AD. THERE WAS NO BATTER,Y NO BATTERY CASE, NO CHARGER, NO LITERATURE, NO INSTRUCTIONS. THE THING HAS ""CRASH MARKS "" ON IT. OUT OF THE BOX. THE CONTROL IS CRACKED. THE GLASS IS SCRATCHED>> FROM USE! THE BODY HAS SHOE SCUFF MARKS!!. . THE REAR CASING IS CRACKED. CRASH MARK RIGHT FRONT FENDER FROM USE. BY SOMEONE BEFIRE I GIT IT. NOT BEING GUARANTEED BY DRIVE MEDICAL >> MAKES THIS COMPANY A SCAMER! << IT CAN NOT GO BACK IN THE BOX. I AM WHEELCHAIR BOUND. AND WILL NOT!!@ WAIST MORE CASH. RETURNING TO A STORE. NOR POST OFFICE... COME AND GET YOUR USED SCOOTER. YOU WRONGLY ADVERTIZED AS NEW. YOURSELVES. I CANT PICK IT UP!!!! REFUND ME IN FULL! FILING A DISPUTE WITH MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY. AND WALMART.

  Customer response

  01/06/2022

  FOLLOW-UP 01 05 & 06 2022 : ***** called me foul names on the tele. Specifically grumpy nasty person. And refused to do further business. Like replacing it. Just because I complained about his broken merchandise. READ THE BBB COMPLAINTS; You will discover; ***** has a bad habit of calling complainants band names and refusing to do further business. MAKES THIS BUSINESS ALL-THE-WORSE! Do to any kind of business with at-all; Because; ***** has a bad habit of calling complainants band names and refusing to do further business.. YOU MAY NEVER RECEIVE YOUR WARENTEED BENEFITS! Regardless of what ***** will write next. =THIS CASE IS PERMINENDLY MARKED; 100% UNSATISFACTORY. My credit card company will get my money back. =do not; do business with this company= Is my only advice. Opinionated opinions and conclusions are based entirely upon experiencing them. And are true. To the best of my ability

  

  Business response

  01/06/2022

  This is an awful situation and we are so sorry. We do not sell used or demo model scooters- ever. From the looks of the pictures she sent, hers was damaged in shipping. We are seeing an uptick in that due to the shortage of drivers and trucks and massive quantities of packages being delivered.  In our call with the customer this morning, we apologized and explained that while this scooter DOES include the manufacturer's warranty, it ALSO includes our own five year warranty in addition to that. Apparently, she misunderstood that from the Walmart website. Also, it did turn out that the items she believed were missing were shipped in a second carton, delivered and received by her building management.

  
  We let the customer know that we will be taking this damaged scooter back for a full refund exactly as she requested. Since she does not have the ability to perform any of the steps required to ship it back, return it to her local Walmart store, etc., we have arranged for our local servicer to come to her home, pick up the scooter, accessories, carton, etc. pack it all up and return it to us on her behalf at no cost to her. We will then be processing a full refund for her purchase price paid back through Walmart.com. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩