Thumbnail of user doronb2

Cogito e.

3
Level 3 Contributor
Boston, MA

Contributor Level

Total Points
1,940

15 Reviews by Cogito

  • Destinationcollegesuccess

8/9/23

College (and college admission) in the US is a huge industry that makes big money. This company is part of that system; their prices are lower than other companies, but still high.

We spent $2,000 (!) to have them review our daughter's college application essays, and advise on what colleges to consider and how to apply.

Relative to the price, we did not find the service to be helpful, neither in writing her essays nor in helping her select colleges to apply to. The comments to her essays were not in-depth, there was no substantive feedback.

We asked a friend who worked in admissions to read her essays; her feedback and input were much more effective and helpful (and free).

My advice is to take the whole system with a grain of salt. Education is important and essential, but the process does not have to be so expensive.

YouTube " The Complete Guide to College Admissions "

Tip for consumers:
We spent $2,000 (!) to have them review our daughter's college application essays, and advise on what colleges to consider and how to apply. We did not find the service to be helpful, neither in writing her essays nor in helping her select colleges to apply to. The comments to her essays were not in-depth, there was no substantive feedback.

We asked a friend who worked in admissions to read her essays; her feedback and input were much more effective and helpful (and fre

  • SabbaticalHomes.com

6/23/23

It seems to be a well designed website and an established, legit business.

But you have to go thru a long process of creating an account and then posting your home, and only at the end they tell you the listing will cost you $60:-/ Other companies make the price readily visible before you start: https://www.homeexchange.com/

That price is to keep the listing up for a whole year, which is useless for people like us who only need to rent out their home for a short period while traveling. They should offer much lower prices for one-time short periods.

Posting is free on Craigslist and Facebook, and also on Airbnb and Turo. They only get paid after reservations are made and executed (not if they're cancelled later on). These guys wanna get paid even if they do not actually succeed in helping both sides.

I complained to customer service and their reply was quick but condescending and unkind:-/
If you choose to create an account and a posting, take the time to read the fine print online.

Tip for consumers:
Posting may make sense if you're interested in renting out your home multiple times over a year. It doesn't seem to be a good deal if it's a one-time thing for a short period.

Products used:
Posted on other free platforms

Quality
Thumbnail of user nadegec7
Nadege c. – SabbaticalHomes.com Rep

Our pricing policy is indicated at https://www.sabbaticalhomes.com/pricing and many other places on our site.

I agree that posting your home on our site makes sense if you don't post last minute a one time offer for a very short period of time.

Beware that most platforms which list your home for free will likely end up costing more and/or will sale your personal data. This last comment doesn't apply to our friends at HomeExchange.com.

  • EasyApplianceParts

6/9/23

Our kitchen stove stopped working and displayed an error. I did some research and found we needed to replace the control panel. It was relatively quick and easy to find and order it on EasyApplianceParts.com at a reasonable price.

The new control panel did not solve the problem, so I figured we needed to replace the panel cover (the plastic part with buttons, that has a metal back and a data wire). Received it after a few days, was able to replace quite easily, and it worked! Phew, that was quite a relief to have a working stove and not worry about having to buy a new one.

This company provides an important and essential service. It's not only about saving money and avoiding hassle and aggravation, it's also about 'the right to repair' and about reducing wasteful consumption that damages the environment.

I returned the the first item I ordered and found out did not need replacement by mailing it all wrapped up in the box, and received an email after a few days that they issued a refund. I did have to pay for shipping back and forth but that's only fair, and they did not charge a restocking fee.

Very good service, professional, helpful, well organized, fair, honest- two thumbs up!

Tip for consumers:
Take a picture of the model number of your appliance, you'll need it when researching the replacement parts. You can also search on YouTube to find videos about the replacement process. Good luck!

Thumbnail of user natalied9
EasyApplianceParts H. – EasyApplianceParts Rep

Thank you for your review! That's great to hear and we are glad we could help you with your repair. We appreciate your taking the time to leave us feedback.

  • Angara

6/9/23

I had a very good experience with Angara. The website is user-friendly and pretty easy to browse and find different options. We received our order in a timely manner and were impressed by the high quality packaging (the boxes have little LED lights when opened, that's a cool surprise).

The jewelry was beautiful and of high quality, but my wife did not like the particular colors and designs I chose. I sent them all back and received a full refund, again in a timely manner. Now we can browse the website and choose something else that my wife would like.

The only thing I did not like is that they added earrings and a pendant with red stones. I knew that my wife would not like them, and did not feel like buying a chain for the pendant. I would rather not receive random useless items, it would be better to lower the price a bit.

Very good experience overall!

Tip for consumers:
Make sure to decide within a couple weeks so you can still return and get a full refund.

Products used:
I bought a ring and a bracelet.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
  • Domainnetworks

2/1/23

Scam company contacted us to attempt to scam us for $289 with fake "business listing", although our website is hosted by GoDaddy and paid for already. They do not answer the phone. Stay away from this nonsense, also read reviews on TrustPilot. Consider reporting this scam to the NC Attorney General, their city is in "Henderson county".

Tip for consumers:
Beware of this scam, don't be fooled to pay, stay away.

  • SupplyHouse

1/27/23

We needed to replace some steam air vents at home, that's relatively easy to do without hiring a plumber. I found the items easily on the website, placed an order and received them quickly.

Turns out that cheaper is not always better... one of them broke after a couple months and released a lot of steam on the basement wall. I contacted customer service, they provided a refund, and I was able to order a replacement- this time of higher quality, at a higher price, hoping it will last for years.

Very good experience overall!

Tip for consumers:
Don't buy the cheapest items you find, it's better to pay a bit more for good quality.

Products used:
Steam air vents

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user danielled847
Danielle D. – SupplyHouse Rep

Hello,

Thank you so much for your kind words. We really appreciate that you took the time to write to us, and we are so glad that you had a positive experience overall. We look forward to working with you again in the future!

Please feel free to contact our customer service team at 1-888-757-4774 or chat online under “Contact & Support” on our website if we can try to assist with anything else.

Thank you again,
Danielle D.
Supplyhouse.com Team

  • VividSeats

7/26/22

It's a well established company and the website is pretty good, but their conduct is not honest. The ticket price for the Elton John concert at Gillette stadium in MA was shown around $70, but after fees and shenanigans it was $100 (big difference!). I bought it from VividSeats but received it from TicketMaster (?!), had to download their app and create an account. That practically excludes older people who don't use smart phones.

They did not mention clearly that it was not refundable if you need to cancel (even within an hour), and that parking was not included. Turns out that parking near the stadium cost well over $100! Such a big expense could be a deal breaker for many people, and should be clearly disclosed in advance.

I spent half an hour on the phone with customer service, they essentially told me that I'm screwed. The reps on the phone were from another state so they probably did not know that there are parking lots within a mile from the stadium, where a spot costs $40-$50. Or maybe they knew but would not advise customers even in distress; they would rather take advantage and push you to pay their exorbitant prices for parking near the stadium (those lots ended up half empty, as not many people were willing and able to pay those unreasonably high prices). I asked to escalate and talk to a manager, but the rep said she was not allowed to do that:-/

The Elton John concert was an experience to remember, but Vivid Seats made the preparation needlessly stressful:-(

Tip for consumers:
Stay away from this company!
Understand there are no cancellations and refunds.
Check options for parking before buying concert tickets.

Products used:
Bought tickets to a concert at Gillette Stadium.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
  • Voxee.club

3/24/22

Item bought on Amazon came with an offer of a $20 gift card from Voxee.club. I submitted the request, gave them the order number and my contact info, never heard back. Seems to be a scam:-/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GGKDN3QZSKBFGNBF

  • US Domain Authority

6/28/21

Nonsense, scam and fraud. They send printed letters by mail requesting payment for website domains that are already paid on GoDaddy.com. Be careful and double check, stay away.

Tip for consumers:
Don't use this website, is a scam

  • Viator

12/31/19

My wife called to book a parasailing trip for our kids in Miami over the Xmas break. The Viator rep on the phone was pushy and would not let go. She convinced my wife to book the trip 'at a bargain price' and confirmed that the bottom line including everything would be $200. When we got there they charged us another $66 for taxes and fees that were not mentioned earlier. We wasted half an hour on the phone with Viator, asked to file a complaint but did not get a satisfactory response. Things like this turn a relaxing vacation into aggravation and frustration. Very bad experience; cheating and misleading is not the way to conduct good business.

  • Drycast

10/23/19

My 12 yr old son fractured his arm and had a large cast that also covers the elbow. The technician at the hospital recommended using DryCast and even gave us a large printed sheet advertising them. Their website says 'Right size the 1st time' but that was not our experience. We ordered the largest they have for kids (28") which seemed to make sense after I measured my son's arm. The price was supposed to be around $27 but we had to add $11 in order to receive it in less than a week.

I called them several times to consult but there was no answer, just an automated system that goes nowhere. So I placed the order and we received it after a few days. My wife was not happy to hear we spent so much money on something we could improvise with plastic bags and rubber bands. My son and I were disappointed to see that the thing did not fit. The length seemed okay but the opening in the round rubber gasket was so small, we could not stretch it over the cast.

I tried contacting them over the weekend and on Monday but got no reply. I think motivated business owners should have someone check emails and reply even on weekends and holidays, especially when selling time-sensitive items.

When I finally got them on the phone they agreed to refund me. They offered to send another Drycast at the right size (adult) but I knew it would arrive too late, already two weeks after the cast was placed. I mailed the thing back (wasted half an hour going to the post office and paid about $8).

The bottom line- it would be better to use plastic bags and rubber bands you already have at home, or maybe buy something similar on Amazon. Customer service is much better and you can easily return items that do not fit. For us, DryCast was a waste of time, energy and money. Good health to everyone!

  • Color Copies Today

9/13/19

Very good experience, at the best prices I could find online.
I needed to print 150 copies of a single page color sheet (letter size) that I created as a handout for a presentation. The service was professional, the print quality was high, shipping was quick. Some other companies bait you with low printing prices but the bottom line is double or triple because of shipping and handling. ColorCopiesToday.com provides good service, quality and value with no BS. Highly recommended:-)

  • HelloFresh

8/11/19

I quickly lost interest after realizing they don't deliver ready food, you have to spend half an hour cooking... what's the point here? I can find free recipes online and buy whatever ingredients I need at the supermarket without these guys.
Anyway I unsubscribed several times, even contacted their customer service, yet the daily emails keep coming. Ugh, how pushy:-/

  • Yelp

11/29/18

Yelp has made itself completely unreliable due to the algorithm that screens reviews and hides most of them as 'not recommended'. They also refuse to remove fake bad reviews and actually bring them to the front, in order to hurt the small business and pressure them to pay high fees, or actually ransom.

I have 20 reviews of 5 stars, all valid and honest from real clients, but they're all hidden as 'unrecommended'. Recently, someone (maybe even Yelp itself) posted a fake 1 star review on my business. There was no name, only initials, that are not of any client I've had. The review was online one line, no info on what service was provided or what the alleged bad experience was. Obviously nonsense, frivolous and with no merit. I reported it but Yelp decided to keep the fake review and bring it to the front, possibly in an attempt to make me pay their ransom for removing the bad review and publishing more of my good reviews. Completely unreliable, dishonest, unethical and even illegal (slander and defamation).

I paid for Yelp advertising for a few months but then stopped, as it was not cost-effective. People do not take you seriously when they see you only have two reviews. I also find that potential customers who inquire through Yelp often focus on low prices, without considering quality and qualifications. I have wasted a lot of time and energy responding to inquiries, corresponding and trying to explain. But if Yelp users only care about low prices, I better look for quality customers elsewhere.

Watch YouTube videos on 'The Billion Dollar Bully' and you'll see people using words like mafia, scam, fraud, extorsion. It is much better to write and check reviews on Google Maps. They post reviews as they are, with no nonsense bias, screening and hiding. Over time, businesses get many reviews, and the rating shows what most people think.

  • Thumbtack

7/26/16

The concept is brilliant and the website looks great, but in reality- they do not check the background, licenses and qualifications of the service providers. Some people present themselves as professionals, do shoddy work, cause damage, rip off and disappear. They don't even check if the business really exists. Thumbtack takes no responsibility for that. They also have a class action law suit waiver. I would stay away from that website, better check reviews on real business on Yelp.

Cogito Has Earned 30 Votes

Cogito E.'s review of Thumbtack earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Cogito E.'s review of Color Copies Today earned a Very Helpful vote

Cogito E.'s review of Viator earned a Great Find vote

Cogito E.'s review of Yelp earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Cogito E.'s review of drycast.com earned a Very Helpful vote

Cogito E.'s review of HelloFresh earned 6 Very Helpful votes

Cogito E.'s review of Viator earned a Very Helpful vote

Cogito E.'s review of Angara earned 5 Very Helpful votes

Cogito E.'s review of Voxee.club earned 11 Very Helpful votes

Cogito hasn’t received any thanks yous.

Cogito doesn’t have any fans yet.

Cogito isn’t following anybody yet.

Empty.

Similar Reviewers on Sitejabber

Thumbnail of user normanf91
2/22/22

I ordered a part for my fridge in the afternoon and it was at my door the next day. The site was...

Thumbnail of user claires582
Claire S. reviewed Angara
2/18/24

It was a special birthday, and I wanted to order some blue topaz earrings. The fantastic staff at...