Scent-Sations

Review: I entered and won a giveaway sponsored by this company on their website. When I entered the giveaway, it was for 1 free 16 oz candle and 1 free Bella Bar. When I received my prize, I got 1 9oz candle and 1 Bella Bar. I contacted them to let them know of their error and they blamed it on an IT error stating that the prize had changed. They admitted that what I entered to win and what I got did not match but refused to fix the issue. I found this response insufficient and unethical. I entered to win one thing and the prize received was worth less than what I entered to win. I requested that they send me an additional 9oz candle to make it fair and they refused unless I was willing to pay to ship what they already sent me back to them. I did not feel it was ethical to expect a prize winner to pay to ship a prize back to the company. I was treated rudely and banned from their [redacted] page as a result of just wanting them to make good on their giveaway offering. For weeks after, while I was trying to get this sorted out, they were still promoting the same giveaway with the same prize. They only recently updated their website to reflect the new prize. After a month of back and forth, I received nothing further and was simply treated horribly by the owner, [redacted]. [redacted], who was my initial corporate contact, did all she could for me, but her hands were tied. I have the complete email and [redacted] transcript for your consideration and to supply much more detail but your form will not allow me to attach it. Suffice it to say, they were more concerned with saving themselves the cost of a 9oz candle than making a customer happy and fulfilling their possibly legal obligation. It was truly pathetic.Desired Settlement: All I want is what is due me as the prize winner. I want another 9oz Hot Apple Pie candle mailed to me free of charge because this is fair and ethical and not unreasonable to expect. An IT error on their part should not constitute a prize winner not receiving the prize she won.

Business

Response:

Please see attached response

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

I am going to respond to their response by using numerical bullet points where I quote their response and then respond in kind.

1) "Scent-Sations opted to make a change in the free products being sent out due to the increase in postage. The warehouse was made known of the change and the data was

entered into the warehouse computer. Unfortunately, the IT team was a bit late putting the new data on the website. [redacted] was sent a box of FREE products. She was under

the impression that she was receiving the products that she saw on the website prior to the IT team posting the new products." RESPONSE: That is all correct. What I

don't understand is why an IT error on the company's part constituted a lesser prize on my part. When I entered the contest, when I won the contest, when I contacted the

company, the prize posted to the website remained the same: 1 16oz candle and 1 Bella Bar. It should never be the problem of the winning contestant or customer when the company's

employees do not perform their jobs timely. It is the company's responsibility to fulfill their obligation as indicated at the TIME of the winning draw. At that time, as

well as at the time of entry, the prize was 1 16oz candle and 1 Bella Bar. I was not under an impression. I entered to win a specific thing, I won that specific thing,

and I received something else. Plain as that.

2) "[redacted] sent many requests to our company asking that we send an ADDITIONAL package to her which would include a 16oz candle and Bella Bar." RESPONSE: I never asked

for a 16oz candle or ANOTHER Bella Bar. If you will look at my original complaint, I explained exactly what I requested in great detail. I also have a complete transcript

of all the emails between myself, the sales rep, the CSR, and [redacted]. I received a 9oz candle and Bella Bar. I only requested a 2nd 9oz candle exactly like the

first sent to me and NO 2nd Bella Bar. I was very happy with the Bella Bar and 9oz candle I received and expressed this. I felt that requesting a 2nd 9oz candle was a

fair request, since the company does not sell 7oz candles and I was supposed to have received a 16oz candle to begin with.

3) "The package we shipped to her has a retail value of $23.90. The package she wanted has a retail value of $29.90 (a difference of $6)." RESPONSE: The package you

shipped to me has a retail value of $22.90 and the prize I won had a retail value of $28.90, actually. That is a difference of $6.00; you are correct. But that is not the

point and you know this. The point is that I did not receive what was advertised as the prize for this drawing at the time of entry, winning, and contacting you. It is

not about the money; it is about the principle that you did not fulfill your obligation to me.

4) "[redacted] wrote to you...'I was treated horribly by the owner, [redacted].' At no time was [redacted] treated with anything but respect. We answered her

professionally...[redacted] was told something other than what you she wanted to hear, and this became her version of 'horrible treatment.'" RESPONSE: I will admit to the use

of catastrophic language with the adjective "horrible;" however, I would not say that I was treated with respect or professionalism. To be asked to pay, out of my own

pocket, to return a product I was happy with in order to get what I should have gotten before is not professional. I have worked with a lot of companies and won a lot of

prizes. NEVER have I had a company make a mistake and expect me to eat the cost. Never have I had a company ADMIT to making a mistake but not be willing to fix it in a

way that makes the prize winner happy. Never have I corresponded for over a month with a company only to have the owner of that company sign off on an email with the words

"PS, this is my final email. I am putting this situation to rest." But that is what happened here. As they stated, the difference in price was $6.00. And yet a company

that makes over $5 million annually per several business websites would rather fight with me than make good on their own obligation? Why? Why lose a potential customer and

tons of good social media publicity over a 9oz candle?

5) "[redacted] has gone online to berate our company and has posted negative reviews about us despite her receiving $23.90 of FREE products. We do not feel that we OWE her

more FREE products." RESPONSE: I have shared my experience concerning this event with my friends and followers on social media, this is true. If you have bothered to

read the posts, you will see that I indicated that I was not upset because I received something I didn't like or didn't

appreciate. I indicated that it was not about greed on my part that I was complaining. As you stated, you shorted me $6.00 worth of retail price. What my online reviews

HAVE been about is how your company chose to deal with me AFTER sending me the lesser prize. ALL my complaints have been about your lack of professionalism and poor

customer service. I never once complained about what I DID get. I loved it and told you and many others this over and over. You DO owe me more though. I won a 16oz

candle and a Bella Bar. I received a 9oz candle and a Bella Bar. If you want to get technical, you owe me 7oz of candle. That is all I ever wanted and all I ever

requested of you. Your company refused to meet their obligation and made the whole experience of being a winner unenjoyable. I felt that my friends and followers deserved

to know to steer clear of your company. If this is how you treat a prize winner, I cannot imagine how you would treat an unhappy paying customer. Your company told me in

one of their [redacted] comments to me that "The giveaway is a FREE giveaway that is meant to allow potential customers to try some of Scent-Sations products." I WAS an

potential customer. But you did not treat me that way. You treated me like an unreasonable child. To expect a company to live up to its obligation is neither childish

nor unreasonable.

In closing, I would still like to offer you a chance to make good on the original obligation. I do not want more than what I won. In a 2nd look at your site, I see that

you offer boxed votives at $3.00 a piece. A more fair prize substitution would be for you to send me two of those boxed votives that would total $6.00 retail. Your $10

coupon is not fair to you, so thank you but no thanks. I want this to be fair to all involved. I would love to have 2 of the Apple Cinnamon Boxed Votives, if that is

possible. I am sorry that I did not notice these in previous contacts with your company. I don't know that it would have made a difference, but I am offering this

resolution to you now.

Regards,