National Home Gardening Club This company's #1 when it comes to mail fraud and continual harassment and deceptive business practices! Internet

I'm having issues,contacting Gardening club. 
I have paid for my product in full. When I signed up,I ,received a form,requesting me to use my refund check towards a lifetime subscription. I chose NOT to do that. The refund was Not able to cash check, at bank,only towards the subscription.
I did NOT receive any products as promised,coupons,gas card,cushion,pruners, or magazine. It was a 24 month membership.
I want what I PAID for or my $$,back. Any ideas from anyone. Please write back. Trouble contacting company too get any information. All I have is my order form.
Jodi F.

I have been a Life Member of the HGC for probably close to a year.    I did find the paperwork they sent annoying, but have long since found ways to ignore "junk mail."   I joined because my brother had been a member for many years and swore they were great, so  I didn't take the options of either trial periods or monthly payments and went straight to paying the full membership amount up front, and did get (it took awhile) all the various goodies they claimed they would send. 

Initially I was a bit miffed that it took so long, then I looked at the number of members in this organization and it all made sense.  Nearly half a million.   I've worked customer service for years and know how hard it is to keep everyone happy, but an organization this size is a big beastie with lots of moving parts.  

Having said that their mailings ARE a bit squirrely.   You really have to read closely to see that you really only get the goodies once you've paid for a full membership.  But they DO say that.  The folks that get the most angry are the ones who assume they are getting something for (nearly) nothing.   Over and over again in the forums we get folks complaining.  They are told to call the 800 number.   When they do, and they talk to a real person, it all gets sorted out.  I did that, and they were very nice.  But like all claims that something is a ripoff, you have to look at the expectations of the reporting person, and many we've seen on the forums just want to argue and complain and they never actually call anyone to try to sort it out.

When I had my problem, I sent a note to them saying they should fix their wording on the mailings, rather than complaining to other members, or reporting them.  Personally, this is one of the best organizations I've ever joined.  I've learned so much about gardening, and had some wonderful conversations with people, and really appreciate it.  Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I went to the actual website for National Home Gardening Club (gardening club dot com) to see what is being offered and they are very clear that its a 30 day trial period that is offered for free. After the 30 days, you pay for membership. Also, to become a product tester it appears there is a separate sign up for the product testing section of the site. This also appears to be one of those clubs where they send you gardening items and if you keep it you are invoiced and have to pay. In order to not pay, you have to return the item. It sounds just like the book clubs and records clubs.

If it were me, I would find out how much is actually owed and pay it and then cancel the membership so the account is not sent to collections. Nothing is actually FREE. Everytime I've seen a free offer it comes with somesort of string attached. Don't let this 'club' ruin your credit.