Deceptive Online Shopping Sites?

[SunshineGirl]

Just wanted to post about this in case anyone you know is telling you to be careful of using a site like Sunshine Rewards. This was all over the news tonight:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/17/ptm-scams-scamville-rockefeller-senatehearing-wallofshame/

Basically it is talking about those opportunities you get to join "shopping clubs" where your credit card gets billed every month.

We are VERY careful at SR to help our members make sure that they are not signing up for something that they do not want. We never take your credit card number or cell phone number. We invite feedback on all offers and merchants and if we get reports about shady practices, we post warnings or pull the offer/merchant altogether.

My philosophy is that I wouldn't tell any of you anything to do that I wouldn't tell my own friends or family to do. I'm open about how I feel about all of the offers and merchants.

If you have any questions at all about what is going on in Congress, with these "loyalty sites," or pretty much anything else(!), don't hesitate to ask me. I'll answer as best I can. :)

[Blessing and Miracle]

Thanks for posting this. Just shameful. We all know that SR is a moral, legitimate and outstanding company! And if any newbies question the legitmacy of SR, just a little search through the threads would add validity to any doubts. Many of us have posted about our goodies we've earned through SR!

Keep up the good work! :)

[faithhope]

Thanks Tricia!
That is why even though there are other reward sites... SR is the one for me.
:clap::sunshine2:

[mollyeilis]

Oh gosh, if anyone questioned me about sunshine, I'd have an earful for them!

I watched that report, and *right there, visible on the screen*, is, paraphrasing, "get $10 off your next order for joining" blahdeeblah. Not sure how it could be more obvious that you're joining something.

I actually just ordered some pictures, and they have the "get $10 off" line, and I've seen it a million times and read it the first few times, and it's obvious IMO.

The report stopped for some reason with the web usability guy, and I just wanted him to tell consumers to READ what is on the screen as they are buying it, but as far as I got it just seemed he was blaming the companies...sigh. Just go slow, and when money's on the line, read before you click.

And none of that even has anything at all to do with sunshine! Thank you for making us aware of it, so we can get ourselves ready. :)

[sunshinecindy]

Ya, well, I don't think we'd have Sunshine meetups face to face with our members if we were trying to be deceptive at all. Our lives are pretty much an open book and anyone could track us down.

I'll be the first to admit that I HATE that some of our more popular merchants have that "save $10.00 the next time you shop with us" coupon crap for signing up for a club after you make your purchase. Not sure how anyone talked them into that, except, I'm sure they get a kickback. Tricia and I even talk to merchants when we see that "hey wait, don't go someone wants to talk to you" popup and ask them to remove those hokey things.

[Hedy]

Ya, well, I don't think we'd have Sunshine meetups face to face with our members if we were trying to be deceptive at all. Our lives are pretty much an open book and anyone could track us down.

I'll be the first to admit that I HATE that some of our more popular merchants have that "save $10.00 the next time you shop with us" coupon crap for signing up for a club after you make your purchase. Not sure how anyone talked them into that, except, I'm sure they get a kickback. Tricia and I even talk to merchants when we see that "hey wait, don't go someone wants to talk to you" popup and ask them to remove those hokey things.

Thank goodness-I was getting sick of those.

[SunshineGirl]

There are definitely some really big names on that list. Some of them are merchants that we really like working with and it doesn't impact our affiliate relationship at all. But it is good for everyone to understand what those shopping clubs are all about and how they work. And to know to be careful when you do see those popups up the end.

[OhMari]

It's wierd, because there is a big one not on the list, and many times, we ask that you get the merchant-JCP.
I got caught up once after I ordered something and it said takek $10 off your order. I found out they take $10 off your credit card each month. I had to fight tooth and nail to get them to get me out of the program.

[~Kathie]

I'll be the first to admit that I HATE that some of our more popular merchants have that "save $10.00 the next time you shop with us" coupon crap for signing up for a club after you make your purchase. Not sure how anyone talked them into that, except, I'm sure they get a kickback.

I never understood why merchants do that except for the kickback. Just goes to show you.......money talks!

[askomsky]

Just wanted to post about this in case anyone you know is telling you to be careful of using a site like Sunshine Rewards. This was all over the news tonight:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/17/ptm-scams-scamville-rockefeller-senatehearing-wallofshame/

Basically it is talking about those opportunities you get to join "shopping clubs" where your credit card gets billed every month.

We are VERY careful at SR to help our members make sure that they are not signing up for something that they do not want. We never take your credit card number or cell phone number. We invite feedback on all offers and merchants and if we get reports about shady practices, we post warnings or pull the offer/merchant altogether.

My philosophy is that I wouldn't tell any of you anything to do that I wouldn't tell my own friends or family to do. I'm open about how I feel about all of the offers and merchants.

If you have any questions at all about what is going on in Congress, with these "loyalty sites," or pretty much anything else(!), don't hesitate to ask me. I'll answer as best I can. :)


Ya, well, I don't think we'd have Sunshine meetups face to face with our members if we were trying to be deceptive at all. Our lives are pretty much an open book and anyone could track us down.

I'll be the first to admit that I HATE that some of our more popular merchants have that "save $10.00 the next time you shop with us" coupon crap for signing up for a club after you make your purchase. Not sure how anyone talked them into that, except, I'm sure they get a kickback. Tricia and I even talk to merchants when we see that "hey wait, don't go someone wants to talk to you" popup and ask them to remove those hokey things.

Just two of the MANY reasons why I/we :love: :love: :love: :sunshine: SR!!

So open and honest and why I trust you guys.:sunshine:

[MdCaterer]

It's wierd, because there is a big one not on the list, and many times, we ask that you get the merchant-JCP.
I got caught up once after I ordered something and it said takek $10 off your order. I found out they take $10 off your credit card each month. I had to fight tooth and nail to get them to get me out of the program.

I hope that I just did not end up as one scammed! I just placed an order on Vista and you know how they offer you a zillion things extra before you get to the end of your order. At the bottom of one page it had continue but right above it was how to save $10 on your next order. I clicked it thinking it was to proceed with my original order. As soon as I saw what it was I closed the window. I am now just wondering if I am hooked into this scam or if I was able to back out in time?????

[spring]

I hope that I just did not end up as one scammed! I just placed an order on Vista and you know how they offer you a zillion things extra before you get to the end of your order. At the bottom of one page it had continue but right above it was how to save $10 on your next order. I clicked it thinking it was to proceed with my original order. As soon as I saw what it was I closed the window. I am now just wondering if I am hooked into this scam or if I was able to back out in time?????

I don't think you have to worry. I get these messages quite frequently and I have reviewed the offers in the past. I just don't do anything other than read the offer. I haven't had any problems with just doing that, so I think you are fine.

[OhMari]

I hope that I just did not end up as one scammed! I just placed an order on Vista and you know how they offer you a zillion things extra before you get to the end of your order. At the bottom of one page it had continue but right above it was how to save $10 on your next order. I clicked it thinking it was to proceed with my original order. As soon as I saw what it was I closed the window. I am now just wondering if I am hooked into this scam or if I was able to back out in time?????

Your probably okay, because you just read the offer. I remember clicking and accepting the offer. Then I got the 3-mail welcoming me to the monthly newsletter and fees.

[MdCaterer]

Thank you for the replies and information. My biggest concern was that I had clicked forward after my credit card info had been given for the order and I was afraid they could just access that information. I did not accept anything or agree to anything so hopefully I did back out fast enough! On the bright side, I have not received any emails welcoming me to anything new. Thank goodness, it still is scarey how easily you can get scammed online.