Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Better Business Bureau Followup

I received an email from the Better Business Bureau today. It contained a special link to my complaint, and I had to provide my email address at that link to access their response. Here is the BBB response to my complaint in full (changed only to remove my identifying information:


BBB of Detroit & Eastern Michigan

26777 Central Park Blvd, Ste. 100

Southfield, MI 48076-4163

Phone: (248)223-9400 | Fax: (248)356-5156

www.easternmichiganbbb.org
12/29/2010

Dear redacted:
This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on redacted against Glittersniffer Cosmetics.  Your complaint was assigned ID redacted.
Your complaint has been reviewed by the BBB and added to our files regarding consumer experience of a business, consider contacting the Attorney General / Health Department.  If applicable, your complaint will be passed to the business for information purposes only.  BBB will not take any further steps with regard to this complaint.

Regards,
Rebecca Gohlke

The Better Business Bureau

Fax: 248-356-5156

I have mixed feelings about this response. On the one hand I am pleased that the complaint was added to the database so that others may review it prior to purchase, but I am a bit disappointed that the BBB will not be acting on my behalf to help me obtain resolution.

At the link, under the Actions tab, it states the BBB closed the complaint as it was beyond their purview. I do find it very telling that they referred me to the Attorney General/Health Department. It would seem that they deem the complaint sound enough that it should be investigated by state agencies.

I had not thought to contact the Wayne County Health Department. I am breaking my moratorium on filing complaints to research and file if necessary.

7 comments:

  1. I contacted the BBB as well. I got the same response. So, I went to the Attorney General of Michigan's site to find the complaint form. It's pretty easy to fill out and attach documents. A call was placed to the Health Dept. in the county where GS is and they are closed until January 4th. I filled out my MedWatch form and printed it out. It's ready to mail tomorrow!

    Thank you for this blog. It is awesome. All information is perfectly presented.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you very much. I am trying my best to catalogue every experience I have so that I can keep track. I had no idea there were so many consumer resources out there.

    I agree about the AG site. I wish they were all as easy. That MedWatch one was awful. I hit up the website for the Wayne County Health Department and there is no online complaint form, so I was going to place a call on 1/4/11 as well.

    It has made my day to know that someone out there is filing as well. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. The MedWatch was awful! I'm so glad to read someone else has filed with MedWatch. There are a lot of resources & I'm glad. The sale of these products is insane - unsafe, improper labeling, hygiene issues during production, cheating charities, cheating customers...what else!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My past experience with the BBB was not a positive one. I filed a complaint many years ago against a local car dealership that was jerking me around about my new car and it's problems. I was encouraged, as they were a BBB company, to enter mediation. I did, and the mediator clearly was on the side of the dealership from the get-go and ruled that I had no recourse. When you go into mediation, you basically sign papers saying that what is agreed to in mediation is final and you can't sue. So, I was stuck and they didn't do anything positive to help my situation.
    When I saw that people had gone to the BBB, I cringed because they won't do anything but handle (and file) the complaints. If (and that's a BIG if) someone goes to their site to see what GS's reputation is, then they see your complaint and can make a determination based on what you've complained about. Chances are most of the customers of GS aren't even thinking of, or know anything about, the BBB.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MakingItUpbyJersey- I just hope that people are able to find some peace of mind in all this. Did you keep your pigments like MedWatch asked?

    Vampyress-I know exactly what you mean. I feel like the BBB could have been more responsive, but that's why I took the extra step of filing complaints with everyone I could.

    A bit obsessive, I suppose, but if even one more person hears about this and protects themselves, then all the time was worth it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I also received a follow-up from the BBB today which told me my complaint had been sent to GS and to let them know if we "reach a resolution". I knew there was a good chance of the complaint being sent to GS but to be honest I only filed it to make others aware of the risk, I wasn't banking on "resolving" anything as I already tried that via email and it didn't work.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Blucalamari- Yeah, over the course of the last 24 hours my aim is more raising awareness than getting back my money. I mean, I won't refuse it if it's offered, but I'm not holding my breath either.

    I'm glad that you had a positive response from the BBB. Hopefully the avalanche of complaints will do some good as far as awareness goes.

    ReplyDelete

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