Smart Lidz/SAS Another Smart Lidz Ripoff Internet

Against all expectations, Smart Lidz has refunded ALL charges on my order! They initally refunded the item charges for $10 and about a week later, a credit for $23.85 came through. I thought at first it was a credit from my bank, then got a letter stating that my bank was not refunding the money because Smart Lidz had already done so.

I think the key is to tell them you will dispute the charges and then FOLLOW THROUGH. They try to tell you they will charge you again if you dispute it, but in the long run they can't afford to do that, so they refund your money after all.

They're still a sleazy company but came through for me in the end.

I last reported that I had attempted to reach Smart Lidz multiple times, to see if they were processing a refund for the shipment I refused. I had ordered merchandise totalling $10 and shipping of $7.95, and was charged $33.85.

On 4/17 I spoke to Glenda Patterson at 914-333-7414 who was somewhat alarmed that I had her phone number. She took my information, including the fact that I had refused the shipment on 3/27 and was waiting for a refund. She had not called back by 4/21 so I called her (as well as Customer Service at 866-608-8635) several times and finally reached her. She repeated what has been stated in these reports several times, that the company will refund the amount of the merchandise but not shipping.

I told her I refused the shipment after discovering that they apparently tacked on additional items. She stated that the company does NOT add items unless requested by the customer, but I stated that this is obviously not true. I told her I had disputed the charges with my bank and was giving her the opportunity to process a refund rather than incur a charge-back (for which their bank should tack on extra fees, although she said they wouldn't).

She stated she would call me back, but I didn't hold my breath because she had said the same thing the previous week. Lo and behold, she did call back - to tell me that the package had arrived at their facilities on 4/18 (conveniently, the day after I first contacted her), and that I would get a $10 refund, which in fact I have received by now.

Apparently, the balance of $23.85 is shipping, $7.95 on each of the two sets of four lids and an additional $7.95 for a free jumbo lid that I didn't ask for. BTW - the TV advertisement clearly states that shipping is $7.95 on one set of four lids, but does not clearly state that since you get a second set of lids free, that you will pay $7.95 shipping on the free set.

I asked her how it had taken a package that shipped to me in two days took more than three weeks (Mar 27 to Apr 18) to be returned. She mumbled something about the postal service and how long it took to ship from Kansas to Wisconsin.

I told her my bank would credit my account and that if Smart Lidz or SAS or whatever they call themselves put through another charge, I would continue to dispute it with my bank. It costs a company time, if not actual money, to process disputes, so my bank told me to dispute it as many times as I wanted to - they were very sympathetic to my cause.

I also checked their web site at www.buysmartlidz.com and discovered that, like their phone ordering system, you have to enter your credit card information before you even place an order. No doubt, they will badger you to add items as well.

This company is a complete ripoff, and deserves to have all the bad publicity you can throw at it. Susan Overland Park, Kansas
U.S.A.

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