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Brian T.

2
Level 2 Contributor

Contributor Level

Total Points
636

5 Reviews by Brian

  • Rakuten

5/26/15

I've used Ebates for several years now and have received $296 cash-back. Ebates is a solid organization all around. The business-model fits perfectly because it benefits both the site and the consumer simultaneously. Their referral promotions are more than generous. They cash-back site options are the most extensive of any of these types of services. Customer service is top-notch.

As a poor, deal-hunting student, Ebates is an awesome service. The percent-back may not seem like much (usually 2-5%), but given the fact that this stacks with any coupon code you may find, it's free money that actually adds up quickly. Browser extensions make activating cash-back super easy, and I've never once failed to receive the cash back in a timely manner. Incorporate into your online shopping routine to save a few dollars here or there for very little hassle. Highly recommended.

Tip for consumers:
Awesome service. Incorporate into your online shopping routine to save a few dollars here or there for very little hassle.

Service
Value
Quality
  • TravelPony

5/26/15

I read about TravelPony on a Lifehacker blog written by a travel expert that said that TravelPony found cheaper hotel rooms more often than Hotels.com, Expedia, etc., so when my wife and I needed to book a hotel last week, we tried TravelPony. The site is well-organized and easy to use, and while it doesn't always find the absolute cheapest option (none of these sites ever do, so it's helpful to cross-reference when booking), booking was a breeze and we saved an easy 12% on our room!

TravelPony uses its advertising budget to offer exclusive discounts, which is unique in the booking world, so it's definitely worth checking into!

Tip for consumers:
Search TravelPony in addition to other hotel-booking sites for the best chance to snag a good deal.

Service
Value
Quality
  • DealMac

5/26/15

Dealmac is a deal aggregate offshoot of dealnews.com that focuses on technology: computers, peripherals, cases, mobile, video games, etc. The staff does the work of digging for deals for you so that you can save the greatest amount of money on a purchase, while they get a cut from the sale for referring you. Good for both parties.

I check dealmac almost daily, and have utilized "deal alerts" multiple times, which are customizable and notify you when a desired item drops below a designated price. It's super easy to save money on just about every tech purchase by simply being patient.

The items the site features are well-varied, and there's definitely something for everyone.

Tip for consumers:
Always check dealmac before buying anything tech!

Service
Value
Quality
  • ABCmouse

5/26/15

I'll be honest, I can't speak to the actual educational value of ABCMouse.com. I signed up for ABCMouse.com through a reward program in order to get points, with the intention of canceling the trial before being charged. Unfortunately, what should have been a quick 5 minute cancellation process turned into 3 hours of digging and researching, because the site is rigged in such a way that cancellation is almost impossible. Based on the experiences of myself and hundreds of others, I can only conclude that this is intentional, and that ABCMouse is a fraudulent site.

First of all, it is extremely difficult to find the subscription cancellation option on the website. If you finally do, however, the site "glitches" when you try to submit the cancellation, kicking you back to the home screen. I did this about 15 times before giving up. While the account process requests your email address, there was absolutely no correspondence about charges, account registration, or account cancellation. I never received any indication that my account had actually been cancelled, leading me to keep screenshots of me canceling my account in case I had to refute recurring charges. Customer service was entirely nonexistent, as I have yet to receive any response to my emails (several months later), and all calls using the given phone number failed to connect.

Fortunately, I was never charged for the subscription after my trial ended, but I have read far too many horror stories of people who were not so lucky. Even if ABCMouse is legitimately educational, the inner workings of the business side are incredibly shady, and it's better to stay away completely. There are plenty of other educational options out there.

Tip for consumers:
STAY AWAY!

Service
Value
Returns
  • ConciousBox

9/16/14

The idea is a good one, expose people to new, eco-friendly, body-friendly products without making them do any work. However, the result is a glorified box of should-be-free samples that customers pay outrageous prices for. I bought a 3-month trial for 50% off through Livingsocial, and I still felt very ripped-off.

Even worse, while the company made it clear that they are auto-renewal unless manually cancelled (not uncommon for subscription services), they do not notify customers when the auto-renewal is coming up (apparently hoping customers will forget), and WORSE, they give no notification at all when a renewal occurs, even though there is a bank account charge!

I submitted a refund request after the auto-renewal because the new subscription hadn't shipped yet, and $56 is just stupid for 3 months of samples. It is not 10 days since that request was submitted, with no word at all. I just finished submitting a claim through the BBB. Do not do "business" with this company.

Brian Has Earned 16 Votes

Brian T.'s review of ConciousBox earned a Fraud Buster vote

Brian T.'s review of ConciousBox earned 6 Very Helpful votes

Brian T.'s review of ABCmouse earned 7 Very Helpful votes

Brian T.'s review of DealMac earned 2 Very Helpful votes

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