Paul R.'s Profile

If you are thinking about email marketing, avoid this company. They sell email address lists to anyone willing to pay the price regardless of intent. Their privacy policy states that no email messages will be sent unless a recipient first agrees to receive them however, this is not the case.

In addition, 'unsubscribe' links at that bottom of unsolicited messages, regardless of who they originate from, are the link associated with ConstantContact.com and go unanswered. It does not matter how many times you click 'unsubscribe'.

If you unsubscribe from getting messages from one of their clients, they simply sell your address to a new client. The messages may be from reputable suppliers who have no knowledge that you have repeatedly asked to be removed from their list.

If you are a corporation considering email marketing, steer clear of ConstantContact.com as they can get you into legal battles. Their privacy policy does not extend outside the policy message itself.

GOODMAN MANUFACTURING -HVAC

From what I've read, this site and company has a less than perfect reputation which is why I shuddered when my Amana Central Air Conditioner broke down after only 4 years of operation (actual working time in Canada is less than 2 months a year). Here's what happened; The fan motor kept overheating and shutting down despite the compressor running which can be quite hazardous if unnoticed for extended periods of time.

I called my local HVAC service company (see my Huskyair review) and upon discovery of my model, ordered the replacement fan motor. The next day the motor was replaced yet twenty minutes after the technician left, the new motor suffered the same fate as the original. I called and reported this and the technician returned the next day with yet another new fan motor. Twenty minutes after leaving my house the second new motor suffered the same fate as the original and first replacement motor. In frustration I asked the technician if an alternative fan motor existed which would operate in my AC unit and indeed one did. A universal motor designed for AC units was available and I instructed the technician to get and put it in as I was not taking any more chances with a Goodman replacement motor.

I contacted Goodman (manufacturer of Amana) as my fan motor had a 5 year warranty with an additional 5 years added if you registered your purchase at their website. I was questioned about every aspect of the service company who did the work, where the parts were ordered and picked up from. Luckily, both defective replacement fan motors had QR codes on their labels which upon scanning showed the serial/model number and manufacture date which authenticated the replacement parts as genuine 'Goodman'.

At the time of service, my technician told me not to bother trying to get Goodman to cover the labour cost because they "just won't do it".

Though I fully expected Goodman to re-neg on the labour charges for replacing two defective motors. I was quite surprised to learn that not only did they reimburse me the cost of an upgraded quality fan motor but also the labour charges as a result of defective Goodman replacement parts.

Again, though I've read some horror stories about HVAC suppliers in general, this particular case is my own experience and I am of the belief that if a problem arises with a product I purchase whether the product is entry level or high end, that the manufacturer must stand behind their product and in this particular case, Goodman did exactly that.

After receiving my own defective monitor back from LG repairs (Whitby, Ontario, Canada), I checked the enclosed Return Merchandise Authorization form to find that the "Replacement Product Information" listed the serial number of this 'replacement model' as my own model serial number meaning, they opened the box I sent them and then re-packaged it and shipped it back to me without ever checking or repairing it. After my discovery, I contacted support to inform them of the error, I dealt with 'MikeP' in a chat window at the above noted URL. The following is the transcript of that chat...so that you understand just what kind of company you are really dealing with when you purchase and LG product;

-------------------------CHAT TRANSCRIPT------------------------
Time of chat: 7/5/2011 11:27:02 AM
Length of chat: 00:16:52
Your name: Paul Rosebush
Chatted with: MikeP

11:27 AM MikeP: Hello, Paul Rosebush. Can I help you with anything today?
11:27 AM Paul Rosebush: Hi again Mike, Just received the replacement monitor and it has the exact same problem, no power up. Why was this monitor not tested before it was shipped to me?
11:28 AM Paul Rosebush: Now I must wait another 4 hours for a RMA number, this is insanity
11:28 AM Paul Rosebush: I don't have time for this
11:29 AM MikeP: If you don't want to do a request you don't have too.
11:29 AM Paul Rosebush: and the alternative is?
11:30 AM MikeP: Keep the unit that you have.
11:31 AM Paul Rosebush: Are you serious, IT DOES NOT WORK!
11:31 AM MikeP: Then you will need to request another exchange.
11:32 AM Paul Rosebush: Oh, I get it...I'm angry for a good reason and you are condescending because?
11:32 AM MikeP: Sir you have two options.
11:32 AM MikeP: Request an exchange or keep the unit that you have.
11:32 AM MikeP: Not condescending. Following procedure.
11:33 AM Paul Rosebush: You suggested I 'keep' a defective product you shipped me, that's procedure??
11:33 AM MikeP: Then you will need to request another exchange.
11:34 AM Paul Rosebush: What guarantee do i get that you will actually send me a working unit?
11:34 AM MikeP: All units are tested prior to being sent out.
11:35 AM Paul Rosebush: So, between your shop and purolator, it died while not powered?
11:35 AM MikeP: Must have.
11:36 AM Paul Rosebush: I am having a hard time believing you actually work for LG
11:36 AM Paul Rosebush: That they would allow a staff member to talk to a client in this manner
11:37 AM MikeP: Head office
11:37 AM MikeP: 550 Matheson blvd east
11:37 AM MikeP: Mississauga.
11:37 AM MikeP: Yes I do.
11:37 AM Paul Rosebush: My attitude is justifiable, yours is astonishing
11:37 AM MikeP: If you would like a replacement unit you need to request an exchange online.
11:37 AM Paul Rosebush: I'm five minutes from that office, I shall pay a visit
11:38 AM MikeP: Same procedure for every customer.
11:38 AM Paul Rosebush: with a copy of this transcript
11:38 AM MikeP: No problem. And you will be adivsed to request an exchange online.
11:38 AM Paul Rosebush: Mike, before you decide to be a smart ass, you should be completely sure who you are talking to

11:40 AM Paul Rosebush: I intend to exchange, with another manufacturer, this transcript will not only be posted and made public, but I intend to follow through with whomever you answer to

11:42 AM MikeP: Sorry sir if you feel I'm being rude. I know that sometimes email doesn't show emotion. I apologize if this is coming off as rude. Should your product be defective the option you have is to request an exchange. The process however is online through the LG Repair Portal. Please visit this site at your convenience. Is there anything else I can do for you today?

11:43 AM MikeP: thank you sir, have a great day
11:43 AM Notice: MikeP exited session.

This transcript was delivered to you courtesy of Velaro, Inc.

----------------END CHAT TRANSCRIPT ---------------------------

Avoid LG products that plug in - Don't buy extended warranties, they're just a 'get rich quick' scheme set up by retailers who don't need to be convinced that your purchase is inferior to what they told you, they darn well know it is and intend to profit from it.

Though this websites proposal includes website design, they refer only to graphics and NOT coded pages. When you take into account that 99% of 99Designs graphics are free templates floating around the net, the charge of $945.00 US (more than 20% of which is kept in house) is quite unrealistic for two pages. Before signing on to this greatly over priced service, check locally in your own community and you may find local coders who can create the graphical look and coding for considerably less. They also employ some deceptive marketing practices. When I questioned the establishment about the lack of coded pages, the very next day one of the "artists" sent me a private message offering to code for free which is clearly inside favouritism so the rest of the poor artists can potentially be left out despite their efforts. Don't buy into the hype of this operation.

These Fraudsters operate both the above and http://www.americanpardons.com/contact_us/. They take money and deliver nothing but lies, at all levels. The process of such applications is usually 8-12 months so while you are waiting for the service to yield results, they systematically shaft you with none performance on any level. I strongly suspect the 'testimonials' are fake as the complaints about them on the BBB site are excessive. Beware these fraudsters. Management is made up the following people who may or may not actually exist; Michelle, Leone, Peter (Manager?)

These Fraudsters operate both the above and http://www.canadianpardons.ca/contact_us/. They take money and deliver nothing but lies, at all levels. The process of such applications is usually 8-12 months so while you are waiting for the service to yield results, they systematically shaft you with none performance on any level. I strongly suspect the 'testimonials' are fake as the complaints about them on the BBB site are excessive. Beware these fraudsters. Management is made up the following people who may or may not actually exist; Michelle, Leone, Peter (Manager?)

TopTenReviews.com SCAM
Site claims to offer trustworthy reviews of third party sites, software, electronics, etc. They are a paid reviewer. Where a reviewer is paid, the review can and will be biased. They appear to review everything yet they specialize in nothing. They list links and graphics ads directly linked to product suppliers. They appear to be nothing more than an electronic catalog. When thinking of using this site for its advertised purpose, consider this, would a Sears catalog offer negative opinions about products they stand to benefit from. Forums are usually your best bet as they are entries from real people not corporations.

A short study proves this to be the case.

Originally, this site sent me spam emails which did contain an "unsubscribe" link on the bottom of their email message and I unsubscribed about a year ago. I didn't receive another email until today. I thought that was odd so I scrolled down the message to look for the "Unsubscribe" link only to find nothing at all. The only link is the link to their website.

The site deals with Free To Air (FTA) receivers and satellite accessories. They claim to have access to all television satellite signals and offer access through a membership. My experience with sites like these has never been good and they never have what they say they have and rarely issue refunds once you discover this about them. If you ask them too many questions about their product or service they ignore you. Better to stay away from these guys and hope they do not have your email address.

Though their disclaimer states 'verified' or 'not verified' they mislead potential customers with "review this company now by signing up" despite the fact that no such review actually exists. The have my company listed though it is unauthorized. The info they have on my company is 6 years outdated and completely inaccurate and no 'review' of my company exists at this site despite their claim to the contrary.

I sent a message to this affect to their feedback department and asked to be removed in addition to questioning the outright lie they claim in an effort to get you to sign up, yet I have received no response and I highly doubt I will. Sites like this are everywhere and should not be trusted.

One of the most professional companies I've had the pleasure of dealing with. My education on contractor choice has been quite expensive over the last couple of years and so I have learned to research online to find the best.

What I found is that sites like HomeStars.com are full of mediocre/poor/fraudulent contractors. The only two sites I check are Complaints Board and BBB because if the company you are researching does NOT have negative listing, then you have probably found the right company for the job.

Check Husky out at both of those sites and you will discover that not a single negative story or comment exists as of Oct. 2010. As I type this a technician is completing the work in the most professional manner and actually on the same day I called. For Tankless Water Heaters in the GTA, call Husky, not Active Temp Control Inc.

Cheers to Husky and Staff!!

Quite sincerely,
Paul

AVOID THIS HVAC FRONT TO GRAB CASH AND RUN WITH YOUR MONEY

Hired this firm to install new tankless water heater and though the product seems okay, the service company is anything but. Less than a year after installation I start getting error codes for the CR-180(A) - The error code is E022: which means the thermistor is malfunctioning. This malfunction halts the hot water process. Repeated calls to the install company result in no reply. I have contacted the manufacturer and I await their reply - I will update this post with any progress

Most likely owned by WebWatchers. They claim unbiased reviews which in the case of "WebWatchers" are incredibly glowing reports despite the numerous complaints about the software/customer support/functionality to the contrary. The following is a chat session with Rose from the above mentioned website when questioned about their affiliation with WebWatchers and their review of same;

[Please wait for a site operator to respond.

Chat InformationYou are now chatting with 'Rose'

Rose: Hi. What questions can I answer for you today?

[CLIENT]: Just curious how your review experts failed to discover the issues and problems discovered by actual customers of WebWatcher?

[CLIENT]: And now I am really curious...the last chat support person I spoke to at webwatchers was named 'Rose'

[CLIENT]: is your site owned by webwatchers?

Rose: this is a third party review website

Rose: it's not related with webwatcher

Rose: Rose is a common name

[CLIENT]: okay, can you answer my first question, after researching, I find complaints against this company too many to count

Rose: what certain problems are you referring to?

Rose: I can check our reviews for it

[CLIENT]: this textbox is not big enough to list them al

Rose: some complaints are actually based on customer who doesn't understand how the software works

[CLIENT]: "Reviewer's Comments The best monitoring and filtering software available. Nothing else even comes close. It allows you to monitor a computer from the web so that you don't have to keep checking from the computer you're monitoring."....who posted this bogus review

[CLIENT]: I'm a programmer for 20 years, my complaints were explained as...."our developers are working on those issues Sir"

[CLIENT]: None of the complaints I read had anything to do with an understanding of the software, they were policy issues and advertisement claims that do not stand up

Rose: for webwatcher, what our reviews say regarding it is that once you have installed the software on a computer, you can check or view recorded data using an online account which you create from them during purchase

[CLIENT]: uh....I am currently looking right at your review, you all but call it the 'holy grail'

[CLIENT]: You claim to be unbiased however all evidence suggests the opposite

Rose: what review site are you looking at right now?

[CLIENT]: Your's http://www.wellresearchedreviews.com/computer-monitoring/WebWatcher.html?gclid=CK2Vzdm2r6QCFUmA5QodYDNL0w

[CLIENT]: why would I be in chat with you if I was at another site

Rose: what you see on reviews actually depends on the customer's comments regarding the software

[CLIENT]: Oh, so what you are saying is that despite YOUR claim of unbiased, what we are really reading is someone else's review

[CLIENT]: tested by Us....who is "US"

[CLIENT]: no response....as suspected

[CLIENT]: your site will be tagged for the scam and fraud that it is

Rose: "Us" is generalized as those people who have tested webwatcher

Rose: it's not only webwatcher that we gave reviews

Rose: if you can see on our website, we also gave reviews for other monitoring softwares

[CLIENT]: I'm sorry, does that not totally negate the info in "About Us"

Rose: I apologize if you feel that way but these reviews are conducted using several tests

[CLIENT]: First things first....I promise not to insult your intelligence if you promise not to insult mine

[CLIENT]: You apologize??? is that before or after you take the money to the bank

Rose: I'm sorry for the inconvenience but I'm just explaining you the content on how we make these reviews

Rose: We don't take money from customers

Rose: We don't even sell these products. We only give reviews for them.

[CLIENT]: "how we make these reviews" you just stated that the buyers make the reviews.....you can't keep your story straight to save your soul

[CLIENT]: Wha does this mean Rose...."We don't get paid to write our reviews nor do we get any money from any software companies except for commissions when customers purchase software through our "Buy Now" links."

[CLIENT]: You are exactly as you appear to be, fraudulent scam artists

[CLIENT]: Be careful Rose, this entire session is to be posted complete with the page source to authenticate the discussion

[CLIENT]: no response??

[CLIENT]: nothing to hide???, then why not answer the charge

Rose: The links will direct you to the software's website. We just provide them for easier purchasing of customers and have a Buy Now link for each monitoring software we reviewed but, we don't force the customers to buy from us. You will always have an option to purchase it directly from the computer monitoring software's website.

[CLIENT]: easier purchasing based on your unbiased review....BS is BS lady, no matter how you slice it....you can't combat a single thing I've said here and the transcript proves that

[CLIENT]: any last comments in your defense?

Rose: Paul, I'm very sorry you feel that our review is biased. I will certainly submit your comments on Webwatcher.

Paul Rosebush: lol....uh...yeah right

end of chat session]

Misleading, No support, Bad Products

MISLEADING GIFT CARDS

Don't be fooled into thinking this is your average print and walk in to the store 'gift card' because it is not. You won't see anything posted to that effect before you checkout either. The recipient of your well thought of gift card can ONLY USE THIS GIFT CARD ONLINE.

Here's what happened. Mom lives in a town where there is no Chapters/Indigo but there is a Coles. Google a Coles Gift Card and you are brought to Chapters (wonder why). You see ONLINE Gift Card for $50 dollars, you think "hey that's great..and soooooo easy." But then, Mom calls and thanks you for it until she goes to Coles and they say, "uh...sorry, we don't honour those as they are for online purchases only".

Then Mom gets the good news!!!! THE SHIPPING COST IS GREATER THAN THE 50 DOLLAR GIFT CERTIFICATE.

Can you say had, taken, scammed...that's right...they "f" you at the drive thru.

As I made this purchase I read all the info THEY wanted me to read at the time of purchase and nowhere on the purchase pages is any of this made clear to the buyer. They take advantage of the 'buyer be-ware' clause. Fooled ya!! Now, let's see you try and get your money back from them. Another case of a bully conglomerate using it's influence and might to stick it to the average unsuspecting shopper.