Review Time
As a member of 10+ years I recently decided to use their web service. I quickly found out that you have to pay the subscription price twice to get the magazine and web access. I contacted them and they were rude so I cancelled. Honestly it wasn’t that big of a loss because the magazine content is usually 90% irrelevant to my needs/interests and other sites on the web provide similar services for free.What really got me is that they were rude and made no attempt to hold onto a decade long customer.
CONSUMER REPORTS:I joined CR to research a particular product (robot window cleaners). Their search "results" weren't anything remotely related to 'robot window cleaners', so I tried to contact them (within their normal business hours, which, by the way, were different depending upon which Consumer Reports page on which I landed [!] by phone (got a busy signal) and by chat. "Contact Us by Chat" instructions were very clear; however, none of the "Contact Us by Chat" links were clickable.NEVER AGAIN.There are now several other "CR"-type websites that are better, and—more importantly—available for support questions.It's rare that I take the time to compose reviews; however, this case warranted my efforts. Hope it helps others.
I can't understand why they are misleading consumers like me. I tried several of their top recommended products, but later had terrible experiences with nearly all of them. In most of the cases, CRs ratings are not matching the basic features and parts of products. It means CRs doesn't physically touch many of these products before giving them ratings. Based on CRs rating, I ordered a dehumidifier, wifi-extender, router, modem, monitor, and many other products. They didn't have several features and even parts that I had seen on CRs. Later, I locked myself into a contract in an awful cell phone plan, which is still on the top of the list of CRs. It’s still being recommended by CRs.Meanwhile, they also rate products that aren't yet out on the market or just came out to the Market. It clearly shows that they are literally fortune tellers. Their ratings are only based on their guesses. They do not do any professional experiments and testing. Otherwise, how is it possible to rate products that aren't out or just came out?More importantly, they don't archive their ratings. It means that if products became so notorious like the display, wifi-extender, router, and dehumidifier I ordered, they would simply delete that list or edit it. CRs should be ashamed of what they have been doing. They not only help consumers but also mislead them. It costs consumers like me hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It’s my last year that I pay for their very useless subscription. I would rather believe a product's manufacturer claims than CRs ratings.
I began my subscription with Consumer Reports approximately 11 months ago. A few months into my subscription, I received an email from Consumer Reports, stating that I would receive a discount, if I would renew for an additional year, which I did. To me, that means that I now have the remainder of a two year balance on my subscription. However, after the end of my original year, my checking account was deducted by Consumer Reports for yet, another year. When I called to inquire about this withdraw from my account, the representative, who only chose to talk over me, rather than listening, stated that I now had 12 months remaining on my subscription. At this point, I should now have had the balance of two additional years. Ultimately, due to these seemingly wrongful business practices, culminated by the rude customer service agent, I chose to cancel my subscription.I know that the information provided by Consumer Reports, concerning many different products, has real value, but I cannot tolerate seemingly bad business practices, nor bad customer service.
I subscribed to consumer report in the hope to access relevant informant, and contribute to an independent source of information.Instead, most of the many email I received from CR was spam to have me pay more. This was really too much and today I hate CR for that.I cancelled my membership, and hopefully one day I will have clicked "unsubscribe" enough times not to ever see a CR email anymore.
I'm sorry to say this organisation is awful.The time came for me to renew.I did this by following the link on their renewal email. Then, I got the message 403 error "This request could not be satisfied" - even on a mobile phone with no VPN and no Wi-Fi.I tried the webform at cr.org - this was refused as I had no valid zip code. AMAZING - If you are not in the USA, they don't want you to contact them!If I reply to the renewal demand email, I get a further email saying they do not respond to emails at this address.I phoned the USA office - a friendly guy said I need to switch off VPN, I tried this and still got 403 error messages.Also, I don't want to continue if I must switch off VPN every time I want to read a report.I totally give up on this organisation.
Whatever you do do not give them your CC info. They kept charging me even though I told them I only need a ONE Year SUBSCRIPTION! and even when I confronted them and showed them my e mail and they agreed to a full refund they still didn't reversed the CC charges. They must be desperate and short of money. I spend so much time trying for them to reverse the charges finally I had to involve my cc Company involved. This kind of behavior is unbecoming of any legitimate company let alone a company that pretends to be in consumer advocacy field!
Oh boy, another one of those "Last chance, FINAL INVOICE" CR scams to renew my current subscription for $26, sheesh! I still have almost a year left per the date on my magazine shipping label and have been getting these for months. "Immediate payment REQUIRED NOW" they say. Here it is August 9, 2021. The notice has a tiny script that reads "EXP MAY 22" at the top. Can you say FRAUD? I knew you could, Dawn Nelson, Senior Director.CR no longer represents honest businesses and don't conduct non-partisan "reviews" as in years past. The product reviews aren't accurate or correct in many instances and that includes the vehicles. I won't be renewing.
I had used Consumer Reports for years and then abandoned them after two expensive items I bot which they recommended which turned into poor and very poor purchases. I have recently, again employed them in evaluating various items - but now follow them with much caution.They recommended the Honda HRX217K5VKAA Lawnmower at a cost of $630.35. It is an adequate mower except for several major flaws. It is very difficult to adjust the cutting height of the rear wheels and it is too heavy. One must use a pry-bar to raise or lower the rear wheels. Front wheels are easily adjustable as any other lawn mower. Also, as the mower is used the force required to pull the mower backwards is exhausting (requiring 30 to 50 pounds of force and is no way solvable without a major overhaul). The mower is heavier than average but powerful and self-propelling. It is not suited for the average female because of the forces needed to operate. At best it is tiring for the average man to mow a quarter acre unless the lawn is flat and without shrubs and other impediments. The second, and more costly item Consumer Reports recommended is the LGWT1001CW washing machine. Its poor cleaning abilities and overall damage expense that can be caused by the machine's operation resulted in LG withdrawing this model from its LG washing machine line after the first year of introduction on the market (with no damage compensation or returns to the consumer) . It was carelessly evaluated by Consumer Reports as superior but as far as I, an electrical engineer with 25 years of clothes washing experience see it, there are two major and costly flaws. 1. Adding bleach, as directed is obviously damaging the washed clothing. It stripped the color from expensive shirts, pants, towels and other costly and old, favorite and valued articles. The remedy is to dilute the bleach before adding as LG directed.2. In addition, in spite of the excess and wrongly applied bleach - the whites came out dingy. After many disasters, I finally developed the correct procedures and operation of the machine. I finally can get an acceptable, undamaged wash-load from this poorly engineered device. But this “LG” machine is definitely an expensive lemon - foisted on me and the public which Consumer Reports should have caught if not for their repetitive “assembly line” evaluating procedures. They didn’t deliver the service I paid them for but they are the only and best evaluators out there!
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