ComplaintsforB&L Enterprise

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  TV Start Up Inc. does not have a public address and zip code that I can give you. I don't know it, but I gave you their phone number and city and state. TV Start Up, Inc. has been debiting my account in the amount of $13.71 on June 10, July 1, and July 31, 2024 without my permission nor approval and they refuse to answer my emails and texts to explain what the charges are for. I have contacted my bank. I want an explanation for these charges, as well as for their unprofessional behavior that made me think they are stealing from me, and I also want a refund of $41.13 that totals the three unwarranted charges. My ROKU TV Channel, CLuB, is faithfully paid in full each month on the 3rd in the amount of $189. The $13.71 was not in our agreement. My associated email is ****************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased the platform at a promotional rate for my high school where I am an administrator. I initially thought it would be easiest to take advantage of the company's promotions. After talking with my Accounting Department and boss we would need invoicing and they preferred not to reimburse me. I immediately canceled and asked for an invoice for my school when I didn't see any progress I was making calls daily asking about my refund. I was told it was in pending status since the first week of June. I have been patient as I've been told **** ****** would call me to discuss. He emailed me about a promotional rate and I explained to him that would be fine but I would need my money refunded to put the account and payment on my school. He never responded to my email. Why? I used a sales rep, Joshua Noval, to let him know I want to use their platform but I am not submitting my invoice for payment until I receive my refund. This Wednesday, I spoke to a CSR Jane and she left messages for managers after trying to get managers on the phone with no success. I relented in my insistence on having the matter resolved as I knew I would have to reach out to your office. If my request was null and void and they had proof that could've been stated. Instead, it looks as if I am being dismissed and they don't want to return my refund. I have given up working with the company and having a fruitful relationship to grow our school's TV station and will have to seek other avenues due to an egregious business practice. I am seeking a refund of $315.00. I sent several emails to cancel on the 6th or 7th day (5th or 6th business day) of the trial period. This was in early June. I spoke to the Billing department repeatedly in 5 to 7 phone calls. Yesterday, I was told the Billing Sup. **** has not approved my pending refund. It was escalated to the Mgr. ****** No resolution. No management follow-up ever.

  Business response

  07/26/2024

  Dear Mr. Johnson,
  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take all customer feedback seriously and aim to resolve any issues promptly and thoroughly.
  
  1. Clarification on Purchase: We did not run a promotion for $315. Our records indicate that you purchased our Roku + Fire TV package for $299. We apologize for any confusion regarding the pricing.
  
  2. Refund Processing: We understand your frustration regarding the refund process. According to our policy, we cannot refund work that has already been completed. However, once we confirmed that no work had been done on your project, your refund was processed promptly. We apologize for any delays you experienced and for any lack of communication from our team.
  
  3. Future Business: We regret that this situation has led to your decision to seek other avenues for your school's TV station. We hope that, despite this experience, you might consider us again in the future. Our goal is to provide a reliable and satisfactory service to all our customers.
  
  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have had an account with this business since October 2023 to build and market my channel, since that time I have had several problems with the channel being off the air or some other issue. I have called several times to fix these problems, but nothing is ever really resolved. I trusted they would fix any problem because this is supposed to be a legitimate business who provides a service. I had an app created for Android, IOS and Roku. I watched my channel on the Android app for a while and the playlists were going in the correct sequence. As soon as I mentioned something about the playlist not going in sequence, then it never went back to playing in sequence. I put up with the poor customer service for a long time and told them that it is not good for a TV channel to be offline so much because any subscribers would not stay. I asked them to cancel my account several times and they just blow me off! I pay a monthly payment with no contract, and I want the account closed. I told them I watch my channel all the time so I can see the glitches and downtime, then all of the sudden the live playlist and the videos on spotlight became blocked! I was wondering why I had no airtime and no subscribers until now. Thanks to them blocking everything, I found out that my subscriptions were also blocked, which in turn blocked any potential customers I may have had. I am now convinced they have purposely blocked my content and blocked anyone from subscribing because something told me to have someone subscribe to see what happens, and after putting in the credit card information, the potential subscriber is asked for a password! There is no password until you subscribe, so any potential customers were turned away, which is infuriating to find out! I am attaching all evidence to include the subscription entry where they ask for a password before subscribing! In the end, I want the account cancelled, and due to the evidence, I am asking for a refund below. Thank you.

  Business response

  07/26/2024

  Dear ***t 
  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take all customer feedback seriously and aim to resolve any issues promptly and thoroughly.
  
  1. Account Cancellation: We did not refuse to cancel your account. Our records indicate that we reached out to you to discuss your concerns and worked out an agreement to keep the account open. We will contact you again to see how you wish to move forward. If you still want to cancel, then we will close the account as requested. We apologize if there was any miscommunication regarding this matter. As of now all recurring has been stopped. 
  
  2. Service Monitoring: We have diligently monitored your channel’s performance from both our offices in the Philippines and Texas. Despite our efforts, we were unable to replicate the issues you described, such as the livestream going offline or the playlists not playing in sequence. We will continue to investigate this matter to identify any potential causes.
  
  3. Subscription and Access Issues: I see there was correspondence between you and our support team regarding the subscriptions back in early April. However, it looks like this was resolved and I see nothing else regarding the matter. Our system shows no indication that your content or subscriptions were intentionally blocked. We take your claims seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation to ensure there are no barriers preventing potential subscribers from accessing your content.
  
  We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve these matters. Our goal is to provide a reliable and satisfactory service to all our customers.
  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

  Customer response

  08/05/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21975203, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kent Wilson

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My expectations were a Roku channel. I had one major contract that required the live stream working. When tvstartup changed the dashboard the live stream stopped working. I was using the same video files that worked before. From Fall 2023 to current the live stream never worked. If it did, only a few days and sometimes not even an hour would pass and it would fail. I kept paying them the full amount every month in spite of the performance. I ultimately lost the contract. They then kept sending me invoices to pay when I didn't receive service the month before or after the last full payment. After 8 months, I finally lost my temper because i am human and I'd had enough. An employee called me back to try to save the account. The account was never de-activated yet two different employees said it was cancelled after the vm and attempted to collect payment to reactivate. The channel at that time was still down and I didn't have access to the dashboard yet I continued to receive invoices for payment and threats to de-activate the channel (that they said was already de-activated). I informed them in writing to stop sending invoices and making attempts on my cards which they ignored. I have moved on...by chance i logged in and saw all kinds of crazy analytic numbers and videos that don't belong to me. I don't know if the company is seriously inept or trying to cover their tracks but i NEVER had high numbers in the analytics and I don't know what they are showing and once again with a note splashed on the screen about non payment for a channel I have had no access to and wasn't working with MY videos for months. At this point I am making a complaint and requesting a refund of everything I’ve paid since last fall when the live stream went down. I want the harassment to stop and attempts on my debit cards to stop. In all the days of dealing with businesses I have never encountered anything like this. I have written communications to back everything I have said

• Initial Complaint

  04/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was ripped off by this ********** organization. i was told they would do a splash intro video i asked if it could be used as a marker for the channel i was told i could then only to be told it was too short it had to be longer. it was their system they should have known the requirements. then the service would fail at least 5 to 10 days out of the each month making it less enjoyable for the users and stressful for me. people would install try the service for 10 minutes and then bail cause the player failed. it would play the same show or movie or play it out of order the guide showed movies from the library not the playlist the guide was supposed to be a info as to what was currently playing not a directory of the movies and shows on the channel they stole money from me by billing me for bandwidth usage from my own website. they demanded i use a editing software that was so virus riddled that the computer went red and threatened to cease because of the threats, i had the displeasure of speaking with a **** Straight out lied to me **** the Sales Manager he is a habitual fraudster he is the chief of the bunch **** ******* shes in denial or shes playing the role of the perfect nclueless thief ****** if thats his name makes promises he doesnt intend to keep. i specifically demanded invoices which i never received and they kept taking money from my account. over $1200.00 Also the developers placed info to join cults on the domain that was supposed to promote the channel. it was supposed to be a landing page for the payment process not a full web site. on that site it possibly could have been a terrorist recruitment system as it looked like a cult recruitment system i had to shut that down the first time i looked at it. they caused me so much aggravation in such a short time.

  Business response

  05/02/2024

  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with our services and appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. After thorough investigation and review of your complaints, we would like to provide clarifications and resolutions to each of the issues raised:
  
  Intro Video Requirements: Our Content Delivery Network (CDN) recently updated their specifications, extending the required duration for intro videos from 10 to 15 seconds. Unfortunately, this change was beyond our control, and we apologize for any miscommunication that may have occurred regarding this matter.
  
  Service Interruptions: We acknowledge the frustration caused by the service interruptions you encountered. Upon investigation, it was determined that the buffering issues stemmed from the bitrate of your videos exceeding optimal levels. To mitigate this, we recommended re-encoding your videos to a more suitable format using "Format Factory," a widely used software among video creators. Any error messages you encountered were likely due to firewall settings and not indicative of the software being virus-riddled.
  
  Channel Guide Functionality: Our system operates as designed, with the channel guide pulling content exclusively from the designated playlist. It does not access the video library directly. We apologize for any confusion regarding this functionality.
  
  Bandwidth Overage Charges: Your package included a predetermined amount of CDN bandwidth, clearly outlined in our terms of service. Usage beyond this allocation is subject to additional charges, reflecting increased viewership and channel activity. These charges are legitimate and were agreed upon at the time of purchase.
  
  Billing and Invoicing: We acknowledge the importance of transparent billing practices and apologize if you did not receive invoices as requested. Your total expenditures with us were $1,090 over eight months, inclusive of a discounted rate. Recurring charges ceased promptly upon your cancellation request, with the April 15th charge reflecting bandwidth usage incurred prior to account closure.
  Employee Integrity and Website Content: We assure you that none of our employees are associated with terrorist organizations or cults. The website content utilized placeholder images sourced from the internet, as per our standard template-based website build process.
  
  While we regret any frustration or inconvenience you've experienced, we maintain that the issues raised are either addressed by our policies and procedures or based on misunderstandings. We remain committed to resolving your concerns professionally and welcome the opportunity to discuss further.

  Customer response

  05/09/2024

  
  Complaint: 21601850
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  No contract provided upfront. Company has now offered a contract but I'm currently doing business with someone else.

  Still want a refund and not satisfied.

  
  
  per phone conversation with 
  **** ********

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I've been using TVStartup for my online TV Station Channel 48 WWON-TV since 2023. At first, things seemed to be ok with the operation and everything. But, then around the Fall season. Tech issues began to rise. Shows would be stuck uploading for days or not uploaded at all. The station's stream would be offline with no update or explanation and worst of all if the station was offline...and your reach for help...they would take almost a week to response and yet, charge you day after day on the data used. There lack of response to anything is very frustrating. Especially when they take a week to two weeks to response. The last straw was just a few weeks ago when my station was off the air for almost 4 days and their website was impossible to work with with so many things filled with errors and tech issues and bugs and so on a so forth and right then and there...I decided to pull the plug on my station off their platform and emailed them multiple time to immediately cancel my account and yet, they didn't response and have billed me twice. Calling them is a joke because you end up talking to a machine most of the time...The last email I sent them was to cancel my account...yet, they were emailing offers to stay on with them. That's absurd. These second billing came this week and I have refused to pay it due to the fact that for so many weeks...i ask them to cancel my account so I won't be charged and yet...they still charged me. I want my money refunded to me after all the months of issues this company has given me. Why should pay for a produce that continues to have tech issues by being offline for days....not getting a solution or problem fixed until almost a week or 2 later and yet, they have the nerve to charge their customers for a service which has flaws tech issues and doesn't have any option to cancel the account on their own and etc. I've lost thousands of dollars with this company. I want my account cancelled & money refunded for all the times they billed me.

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  Dear ********,
  Technical Issues: We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you experienced due to technical issues with our platform. Upon reviewing our records, we found one ticket from you regarding uploading concerns, created on December 10, 2023. Our team responded to your ticket promptly on December 12, 2023, and even attempted to reach out to you via text. Unfortunately, we did not receive any response from your end, and the ticket was subsequently closed assuming the issue was resolved. We conducted further investigations with our backend developers and performed test uploads, but we were unable to replicate the uploading issue. Please note that during this period, responses may have been slightly delayed due to the higher volume of client inquiries resulting from our holiday sale.
  
  Support Contact Attempts: We understand your frustration with contacting our support team. Our records indicate that you attempted to call us on March 2nd, after we had already processed your monthly bill. Our support agent, *******, did manage to answer your call and processed your cancellation request. Prior to March 2nd, however, we did not receive any calls from you.
  
  Cancellation Request: Regarding your request to cancel your account, we did not receive any prior notice before March 2nd. It's important to note that your request to cancel came after the March 2nd bill had already been processed for services rendered to your account. We did observe an error in our system, which resulted in the generation of another invoice on March 15th. However, our billing team promptly voided it and confirmed the cessation of all recurring charges. Furthermore, the reason provided for closing your account was related to affordability, with no mention of specific support issues encountered.
  We deeply regret any dissatisfaction you experienced during your time with us. While we strive to provide a seamless experience for all our clients, we understand that issues may arise from time to time. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns and improve our services.

  Customer response

  04/15/2024

  
  Complaint: 21442033
  
  I am rejecting this response because the cancellation of the account was mainly due to the poor customer service and tech issues. affordability is secondary. Plus, I had reached out multiple times via email and via their website before and after Match 2nd. I have also requested a refund of all of my money that I have paid for the service since day one. Due to the poor service, I believe I'm entitled to get every dollar the company has taken from me sent back to me from the day I joined TVStartup to the day I requested my account to close. I want my money refunded back to me via check and I will not stop pestering TVStartup until I get all of my money back to the day I started to the day I quit. They have no right to keep the money they took from me all these month due to they're poor customer service and their continued tech issues. They're response is laughable because I've called and sent message via email and via website multiple times before and after march 2nd. I want my money refunded to me via check and i will not stop until i get my money back.....The company took this long to response shows me and you what I've gone through and the poor excuses they continue to give, just to avoid the fact that they are unprofessional...they come of as con-people and refuse to take responsibility for their services poor services and outages and tech issues, yet, they dare to charge people while issues take days and weeks to fix and yet they still take money. I do not except their response and will continue to push this until I get my money refunded back to me. And I want it refunded in the check....When all of my money is refunded back to me...then I will close this case....but I will not rest until I get my money back. period.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ****

• Initial Complaint

  02/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  First, the web platform is clunky and hard to use. The competitors have very streamlined, free flowing systems. The customer service is horrible. My issues were never resolved, and I was always told someone would contact me to assist, but no call ever came. I upgraded my account for ad injection, but no upgrade was ever present on my dashboard. When contacting support, some persons said they don't offer ad injection, others said it's only done on their end and I can't control it, while others said I'd receive a call and someone will walk me through the set-up (the call never came). After being fed up and asking to cancel my service (because I can't do it on my dashboard) and demanding a refund for the past month, I was told someone would call about that. The call never came. I sent an email and guess what, still my request goes unanswered. They're good at selling you a dream, but afterward zero performance. They are the bottom of the OTT distributors.

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  We have the consumer's name as ***** *****. He has been a customer since 2021. The AD Injecton purchased is run by a third party, and is not managed on a dashboard. We will be reaching out to him as he is a valued customer.

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Entered in contract with tv startup to provide a platform and access to Roku and Amazon. Paid my fee, received contact from Camille my acct mgr that I would be starting. Suddenly the webpage was pulled and Camille fired. I was told after I inquired that I hadn't paid. When I challenged them and provided my receipt immediately I was disconnected by the sales rep Marvin and told I was wasting their time. I inquired as to the receipt I provided and again denied resolution. I asked to speak to the supervisor and still dismissed and today asked to speak with Brock Fisher the eco whom I've had positive discussions with. This is very poor customer service without notice.

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  We have no record of this payment. Our payment processor and account does not show payment received. The proof of payment was a screenshot from a cash app showing pending payment and not receipt.

  Customer response

  02/29/2024

   
  Complaint: 21248901
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The payment shows "completed" not pending. Further, to shut down progression, terminate the employee working with me "wrongful termination" cancel my website and all contact with me before asking any questions is horrific.

  Further, to then berate me when I first learn of this as I ask the questions even refusing my ability to speak to a manager is quite suspicious. Then to grow insolent and in mocking tones declare "you just wasting our time" isn't business friendly.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kevin Mclemore

• Initial Complaint

  01/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  was "sold" on the development of an App and Web based tv station that would be ready to use. The finished product and service was not as promised. Attempted to cancel the order/subscription and they continued to try to charge my account until they got more money. Also, had been promised a $99.00 startup promotion and charged my account for $597 instead. So they have received $1194 so far for services that were never fully received as promised. A full and complete refund is in order

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  We have been trying to contact him with no luck. The channel branding service was $99, he purchased other packages as well for additional charges. We will continue to try and reach out to explain this.

• Initial Complaint

  09/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To whom it may concern, My name is J.*. ******, and I am writing to address the ongoing issues with the Roku Channel I purchased from TV Start Up on 11-29-2022. I initially paid approximately $299.00 for the Roku Channel, which was supposed to include a working Roku app and Channel Manager Subscription with Support, Maintenance, 500GB CDN bandwidth, and 500GB Storage. In addition to this, I also paid an extra $99.00 for a Logo and Splash video design that I never received. Consequently, I took matters into my own hands and created the design myself. To my disappointment, over the past 8 months, I have encountered numerous problems while attempting to build the channel. Despite paying a monthly fee of $299.00, I have encountered buffering issues that rendered the videos unwatchable. Furthermore, every weekend, both the channel and my website would cease to function until the following Sunday. Additionally, throughout the week, thumbnails for my videos would frequently disappear, and upon selecting a particular video to play, the channel would play an entirely different one. Despite numerous requests for a refund, none have been granted. Each time I reached out, I was assured that all the issues would be resolved promptly. However, the same problems persisted week after week. It became evident that either deliberate sabotage or incompetence was at play, as new issues arose instead of being resolved. I initially paid for a functioning channel, and it is disheartening to encounter these continuous setbacks. After attempting to reason with TV Start Up for 11 months, I have come to the conclusion that further communication is futile. At this point, all I am seeking is a refund for the total cost of $2,520.00. I kindly request that you address this matter promptly and provide a resolution. I would greatly appreciate receiving my money back as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to this issue. Sincerely, J.*. ******

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  We have attempted to accomodate this customer extensively for each issue and change request he submitted to us and successfully built and published his channel, and successfully completed numerous change requests and heavily involved troubleshooting for specific concerns and requests the client made throught the duration of the time he utilized our service.
  
  We also completely waived all service charges for this client since June of 2023 until present due to the customer's overall dissatisfaction.
  
  The channel and software access which we provided to his client is functional and has been through many iterations due to change requests and unexpected issues with certain aspects of the apps.
  
  In no way whatsoever has our company 'sabatoged' or intentionally taken any actions to prevent the channel from working as intended, the opposite is true: our team dedicated a large amount of time and effort to the client's project, waived our service charges, and continued helping the customer with resolving each request and each service issue they reported despite the client's accusations, without ever denying service to the customer at all. We sincerely apologize for the dissatisfaction this client is expressing. It must also be noted that our team did not neglect to assist this client with each concern and resolve the requests they submitted.

*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. ↩