Leapfrog Enterprises Requires credit card payment for membership renewal rip off Emeryville California

Below is an edited copy of my correspondence with this company, whose customer support is lackluster, to say the least.

This whole issue to related to this company's refusal to accept payment for a subscription renewal in any form other than a credit card. The subscription is necessary to use the equipment, as information is downloaded from their website to the equipment. The equipment is useless without the subscription. Nowhere on the packaging advertising is it mentioned that membership must be paid using a credit card.

The correspondence should be read from the bottom to the top.

I also find it interesting that a company which is selling educational products can't hire a customer service rep who knows the difference between "except" and "accept".

Discussion Thread
Customer 07/07/2003 07:12 AM
This issue has NOT been solved and merely resending the previous response to my original question does not meet the criteria for solving the problem. I don't want to use a credit card and I want to renew the subscription. I want either the subscription renewed or a refund of the retail value of the equipment I purchased. Period. If I receive another canned response, or a response I consider unsatisfactory, I'm advising you that I will be posting all our correspondence to a consumer website called "The Rip-Off Report" which is accessible to anyone on the WWW who types in your company name. Not good PR, folks, and the information is NEVER pulled off the website (unlike the BBB's). So think hard about resolving this issue.

Customer 06/27/2003 05:41 AM
----- Original Message -----
From: LeapFrog US support
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 3:58 PM
Subject: Checks accepted for a Subscription renewal? [Incident:
030626-000004]

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response. Please read all the way to the end.

We will assume your issue has been resolved if we do not hear from you within 96 hours.

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you. Season's Greetings.

I find this response totally unacceptable. I purchased the Turbo Twist, the Mind Station & cartridge (totalling over $150) with the expectation that I would be able to use this product beyond a trial period. Why am I being penalized for not having (or not wanting to have) a credit card, when a payment in the form of a money order is just as good as cash? I don't remember reading anywhere on the boxes in which I purchased the equipment that a credit card was required for membership (and I currently have all those boxes). I believe your policy violates the Truth in Advertising act and I can see only two possible resolutions to this issue:

1). You can accept a money order for $19 as full payment for a 52-week subscription renewal; or,

2). You refund the full purchase price of the equipment upon receipt of same. It isn't going to do me any good if I can't use it.

[===> Please enter your reply above this line
Subject
Checks accepted for a Subscription renewal?

Discussion Thread
Response (Dee) 06/26/2003 01:58 PM
I am sorry but we are not set up to except checks or money orders for renewing memberships. We accept only Visa, Mastercard or ATM/Visa logo. Auto-Response 06/26/2003 05:58 AM Thank you for your inquiry to LeapFrog Enterprises. Your business is important to us, and we want to let you know we received your email today
06/26/2003 05:58 AM. Our standard turnaround time is 24-48 hours. Due to a seasonal increase, our current turnaround time is 48-72 hours.

Customer 06/26/2003 05:58 AM
I wish to renew my child's subscription for his TurboTwist toy, but do not have a credit card. Could you please send a mailing address to which I could send a payment? Thank you.

Question Reference #030626-000004

Category: Memberships
Sub-Category: Turbo Twist Math
Date Created: 06/26/2003 05:58 AM
Last Updated: 06/26/2003 01:58 PM
Status: Waiting

Thank you,
Dee / LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.

Response (Dee) 06/26/2003 01:58 PM
I am sorry but we are not set up to except checks or money orders for renewing memberships. We accept only Visa, Mastercard or ATM/Visa logo.


John
Waconia, Minnesota
U.S.A.