Food/Groceries

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The Sensa Weight Loss Potentially Costly “Free” Trial

You may have seen a full page ad in Parade magazine yesterday promising a 30-day free trial of Sensa, a product that claims you can “lose 30+ pounds without dieting”. You supposedly just sprinkle the stuff on everything you eat “to help reduce cravings, curb your appetite and help you feel full faster.”

When you visit their website from the link provided and click on the free offer, here’s what you see:

It looks like they have upped the offer because they are now going to send you a “free 2-month starter kit*” when you agree to pay $7.95 shipping and handling. There is also a smaller representation to “try Sensa Free for 30 days*”. If you follow the asterisk to near the bottom of the page, all is explained, or is it?

*MOUSE PRINT:

“*Product is Free to try for 30 days! Pay only a small shipping and handling fee.”

Out of curiosity, MrConsumer clicked the “terms and conditions” link at the very bottom of the page. Normally this contains information about website usage, copyright infringment, etc. This time, however, it revealed the true nature of this offer.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Terms of Offer
You have a full 30 days to try your SENSA 2-Month Starter Kit. If you enjoy SENSA, do nothing and you will be billed for the 2-Month Starter Kit one low payment of $89.95 at the end of the free trial on 10/25/2011. That’s a 35% SAVINGS off the retail price! If you decide to keep your 2-Month Starter Kit, you will be automatically enrolled in our SENSA AutoShip Delivery Service. As part of the SENSA AutoShip Delivery Service, you will receive a fresh 2-month supply of SENSA every 60 days at the low price of only $89.95 so you never run out. You will be charged this price every 60 days, billed to your credit card, plus $7.95 shipping and handling.

Someone who just blindly ordered from this “free offer” without paying attention, would likely get an expensive surprise on October 25 when their credit card gets charged $89.95 (not even a full 30 days after they receive the magic powder). Worse, two months later, they will get another shipment of the stuff and another charge because of the automatic shipment plan they may have unknowingly entered into.

It is high time that companies like this became straight forward in their advertising, and told you upfront what the deal really is. NOTE: We did not go through the ordering process to see what disclosures, if any, are given before and after entering one’s credit card number to cover the shipping and handling charges.

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Detergent and Cookies Downsized

The latest products to downsize have keep the same old package, but decided to put less product inside.

P&G has just downsized its largest containers of Cascade dishwasher detergent ActionPacs.

*MOUSE PRINT:

In surprisingly large print, the company decreased the number of loads you get from each container from 110 to 105. The trouble is that most consumers have not memorized the number of loads that each size container of Cascade provides, so they are not likely to recognize they are now getting less for the same price.

Also downsizing but keeping the package the same is Mrs. Freshley’s.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Here, instead of getting 12 Buddy Bars in each box (six packages of two), you now get only eight (four packages of two) — a decrease of one-third! Most people, including MrConsumer would not have noticed this because the boxes are the exact same size. Mrs. Freshley’s indicated that in fact they make both eight bar and 12 bar products, but that it is the retailer who decides which to carry. In this case, it was Dollar Tree which apparently decided it could make more money selling the eight pack for a dollar.

Thanks to Cathy B. for spotting the Mrs. Freshley’s change. She also notes that Mrs. Freshley’s Swiss Rolls are being cut similarly, but the box is smaller.

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Extreme Couponing Backlash: Manufacturers, Stores Limit Coupon Use

If you have ever watched “Extreme Couponing” on TV, you know that shoppers on the program demonstrate how they received hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of merchandise for only a few dollars (if that) by using coupons. They will buy dozens of the same item, using dozens of identical high value coupons (often doubled in value by the store) to accomplish this feat.

Now some manufacturers and retailers are fighting back. Look what P&G is now printing on its manufacturers coupons.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Here the manufacturer is imposing a limit of four identical coupons that can be used when buying the same product. But now some retailers are getting in on the action too.

*MOUSE PRINT:

“Rite Aid may accept up to 4 identical coupons for the same number of qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers within the store manager’s sole discretion.” – Rite Aid Coupon Acceptance Policy, May 2011

“You may double a maximum of 4 identical manufacturers’ coupons. For example: if a customer purchased five boxes of Cheerios and presented 5 manufacturers’ coupons for 50¢, the first four coupons would be doubled to $1. The fifth coupon would only be redeemed for 50¢. Up to an additional 12 identical manufacturers’ coupons/items will be redeemed at face value for a total of 16 identical manufacturers’ coupons.” — Stop & Shop and Giant coupon acceptance policy.

If these practices are actually enforced, and other companies jump on the bandwagon, extreme couponing may become a thing of the past.