Important information
- Customer Complaint:
INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS:
Cancellations for subscription website/app products: If a purchase was made through an independent student representative for websites/apps (Global Academy & LEAD products), please note this is a month-to-month subscription. Monthly subscriptions can be cancelled anytime by request of the consumer who made the purchase by contacting the company and requesting the subscription to end. The subscription begins immediately with the input of the order. Customer Service: [email protected]Book purchases: By Federal law (FTC Title 16, Chapter 1, Part 429, Sections 1 and 2), consumers who purchase Southwestern Advantage books from an independent student representative has THREE (3) days from the date of purchase to cancel the order. Saturday is included by Federal law as a business day. Customer Service: [email protected]
Delivery of Product: The delivery of product may be delivered at the time of sale, at the end of the summer, drop-shipped if paid for, or drop-shipped after all payments set up with an independent representative are made.
After ordering products, be sure to keep the sales receipt given to you by the independent student representative or sent via email. It is a binding contract with the student of your intentions to purchase the product. If in rare the event you do not receive the product you ordered, Southwestern Advantage guarantees delivery of the product, reach out to the Customer Service team at [email protected].
Please note, Southwestern Advantage is a third party to the contract between the independent student representative and the consumer. Southwestern Advantage offers the services of a Customer Service department to provide product information, verify independent student dealers, and answer questions. Southwestern Advantage can only act on the student's behalf within the Federal three-day cooling-off period for purchases of books.
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS:
Students are interviewed and recruited by Southwestern Advantage Sales Leaders and local student leaders during the fall and spring. If selected for the program, the students may begin initial training to know what to expect, and informal product training on products and the cycle of selling. Students, although legally classified as adults, are typically endorsed into the program by their parents through a parental support letter.
The students attend a five-day training course in Nashville, Tennessee that covers business management, product knowledge, sales presentations, success principles, safety, and ethics among other things critical to running a successful business. Utilizing a direct selling business model, students are independent contractors, NOT employees of Southwestern Advantage. After training they are provided with a suggested sales area from which to operate their business. They typically live with a host family and 1 to 3 other independent student representatives of the same gender. While Southwestern Advantage employs a Host Family Coordinator that maintains and sets up host homes throughout the year, housing is not guaranteed. As independent contractors, the students do not have to live at recommended host family homes. Students receive continual training and advice from the company. Many host families do house year-to-year and consist of both alumni and non-alumni. Students are financially responsible for their lodging, food, and travel expenses during the training and summertime. The company does subsidize their hotel stay during training in Nashville and sales kits and training materials are provided for free.
Southwestern Advantage suggests students bring approximately $500 with them to sales training. The total expenses incurred throughout the summer vary according to the individual, but range from $1,500 to $3,000. Students generally pay their expenses from down payments collected from sales of products and remit the rest to the company where it is recorded on their company account to cover the wholesale cost of the products.
The most successful student dealers work a rigorous schedule of 72 or more hours a week, Monday through Saturday, typically 8 am to 9 pm. The students talk to families in their homes through cold calls and referrals. Although students work independently during the day, a student leader is close by to mentor, support, answer questions and even follow or be followed to offer advice from his/her previous experience. Student leaders meet with the students each Sunday and someone from Southwestern Advantage calls each host home at night to collect stats for inventory and make sure the students return safely.
There are no sales quotas set by Southwestern Advantage, as the representative is an independent contractor running their own business. At the end of the summer, students deliver the product to their customers, collect the balances due and return to Nashville to reconcile their accounts. They remit the remaining money, return leftover product for full credit, and receive their credit balance.
Due to the volume of complaints filed against this business, BBB only publishes the details for 40% of the total complaints filed.
Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 96 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 27 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/09/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Wont allow me to cancel . I am making payments and havent received my order but they wont cancel. Ill be speaking to my lawyer friend but makes zero sense if order hadnt even been shipped to cancel
Business Response
Date: 07/11/2025
The consumer entered into a sales contract with an independent student representative for educational books and a subscription website on June 21, 2025. The student purchases from our company, as the publisher of the products, at wholesale and generates their own customer base, selling the products at retail. The consumer and the student agreed to a payment plan for the products (as outlined on the contract attached). The consumer contacted our corporate offices on July 8, 2025 requesting a cancellation and refund. This was after the Federal three-day cancellation period as noted on the receipt/contract. While we did not cancel the books, the subscription was able to be cancelled due to the contract. We have reached out to the student dealer to help resolve the matter with the consumer.Initial Complaint
Date:07/04/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was sold an educational book set by a Southwestern Advantage *** who used deceptive and high-pressure sales tactics. He refused to return after I said I didnt have the money and needed time. Instead, he opened the books and handed them to me without consent, making me think I was just being given time to decide. I later found out cheaper options were available, but these were never offered to me.Southwestern Advantage has since refused to cancel my order, claiming they are a third party despite the *** using their materials and acting on their behalf. Ive sent multiple emails explaining this, but they continue to send automated ***lies and are ignoring my concerns. Im requesting a full cancellation, return instructions, and a written statement that I wont be charged or sent to collections.Business Response
Date: 07/10/2025
On 6/25/25, the consumer entered into a purchase contract with an independent student dealer for the purchase of educational books for her children (see attached copy of contract). The books were delivered at the time of sale by the student and a payment plan was set up with a credit card provided by the consumer. The first payment was returned due to insufficient funds on 7/4/25. The consumer emailed on the same day to cancel and was advised our company is the publisher of the products and the sale was between her and the student. As it was after the Federal three-day cooling off period, the cancellation request was denied. To be clear, the dealer is running his own business selling products that he purchases at wholesale and sells at retail. During a thorough demonstration of the products that includes establishing the needs of the family, the student shows the products that may fill those needs. Each family may see different product options based on the ages of the children and current educational needs in the home. It has come to our attention, the independent dealer has contacted the consumer and come to a resolution.Initial Complaint
Date:06/14/2025
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a set of books on May 29 2025 I did not get them until June 8 2025. I was not happy with the purchase, I was not able to look at the books before purchasing since the "door to door" salesperson did have them on hand. They were very expensive and I am not happy with what I received compared to the price I paid. I contacted the company to initiate a refund and was told that I only have a 3 business day "cooling off period" to cancel my order and they do not accept refunds. I feel this is a terrible business practice aimed to take people's money and give them no recourse if they are not satisfied with the product. The cost of 9 books was $512.18. All I am asking for is to return their merchandise brand new unused for a full refund. I have attached the correspondence between myself and the business.Business Response
Date: 06/17/2025
The consumer entered into a purchasing contract with an independent student representative on 5/29/25.According to both the contract and the Federal three-day cooling off period,the window for cancellation is three days after the contract date of the sale. As seen on the attached contract, above the signature is the information about the three days cancellation period and Saturday being a business day. The student is running her own business selling products she purchases at wholesale and selling them at retail to families through cold calls and referrals. The books purchased from the student was an eight volume set called The Family Bible Library and a book by National Geographic called The Biblical World: An Illustrated Atlas. We have shared the wishes of the consumer with the student who sold the products.Customer Answer
Date: 06/17/2025
Complaint: 23467969
I am rejecting this response because:The student did not have the books in her inventory and they were shipped directly to me from Southwestern Advantage. The 3 day cooling off period should not apply because I did not have a chance to fully review the set of books and was not told that they could not be returned. I was told I had 3 days to cancel before they shipped to me. All I am asking is to return the unused books that are still in the exact condition they were in when I received them for a full refund of my purchase price.
Sincerely,
****** *********Business Response
Date: 06/25/2025
The attached screen shot shows a text between the independent dealer and the consumer dated July ******* at 7:33 am. The initial complaint looks like it was filed with the Better Business Bureau July 14, 2026. The dealer shared the books were shipped from our warehouse in ********* and received a favorable response from the consumer.This was followed by a reach-out the next day from the consumer wondering if the dealer was in a nearby community, to which the dealer stated it was her roommate. The consumer asked for the cancellation after the three-day cancellation period, to which our company is a third party and cannot legally authorize because we were not the seller of the product, the dealer was.Customer Answer
Date: 06/25/2025
I submitted a statement back to the last email declining acceptance for the claim. I do not have a digital record of this and was checking to see if it was received. Thank youCustomer Answer
Date: 06/30/2025
Complaint: 23467969
I am rejecting this response because:I did reach out to the agent before I knew that the policy was she sold them independently. None of this was disclosed to me. She is a young girl working this summer to help earn money to cover her college tuition. This large company takes advantage of people and have set their business up to make it impossible for people to return their products for any reason. If they had been damaged, they would refuse return. I feel this is a horrible business practice. These books are not worth anywhere close to what was paid for them. They did not even ship until after the 3 day period was over so there was no way for me to view the books or even cancel them. I am not asking for anything other than them to accept the books returned to where they shipped from and my money refunded. I do not feel like that is an unreasonable request in any way. If I had known the full policy, I probably would not have purchased anything. I would just like my money back. If you research them online there are people trying to offload these books for a small fraction of what they paid for them. Their selling model is also to sell door to door, talk really fast and only give you the most basic information and then not give you an option to get your money back. Every avenue is "Sorry, it is past the 3 day cooling off period". I just find this not acceptable for consumers. This is why I got the BBB involved.
Sincerely,
****** *********Business Response
Date: 07/15/2025
This order was cancelled on 7/3/25 and a prepaid label has been sent to the customer. Once the books are returned, the refund will be processed.Customer Answer
Date: 07/16/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
****** *********Initial Complaint
Date:06/12/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I made a purchase on Tuesday 6/11 with a Student Sales Representative from Educational Materials Company Southwestern Advantage. My salesperson was excellent. I was informed that I had 3 business days to cancel. I did chose to pay via ACH. The full amount of my order $511.30 pulled entirely from my Bank Account (Security National in the early morning hours of 6/11, not even 24 hours after I made the purchase). I was very surprised since I was still within the 3 day cancellation period. I decided to cancel my order on Thursday 6/12. I have been told that it will take ***** business days to post to my account from the time the refund is issued. My complaint is that the money is pullled so quickly under 24 hours, even before the free cancellation period has passed, but it takes so long to get a refund. Something seems improper here. My suggested resolution is that they son't ACH pull purchases until after the 3 day cancellation period and that they process refunds quicker. They say that my money says still in process on their system, but , it completely left my bank (not pending) on 6/11. I discovered this early in the morning on 6/11. Thank-you.Business Response
Date: 06/17/2025
The consumer entered into a purchase for educational products with an independent student representative on 6/10/25. Just as the consumer says, she requested a cancellation within the Federal three-day cooling off period, as is her right. The timing for the withdrawal from the account and the return of the money to the account is entirely in the hands of the baking institution. A refund was issued as soon as she made the request. It may be sooner than the ***** days she was told by our customer service department, however, each banking institution is different. The payment is processing and the consumer should see the refund soon.Customer Answer
Date: 06/19/2025
Complaint: 23461506
I am rejecting this response because: The essence of my complaint is that SW withdraws ACH monies for products within hours of the order, even before the 3 day right of cancellation is up, but it takes many days/weeks to get a refund. I feel this is a BBB issue that should be attached to the company BBB rating. They say it is banking but the same banking withdrew money from my account within hours, not pending, not processing, totally and completely gone, YET they say that due to banking they cannot return the money for a cancellation for many days even weeks. Other consumers need to be warned. Their answer is just a standard one to alleviate them of their very poor way of handling refunds. At the very least, no ACH funds should be withdrawn until after the 3 day cancellation period.
Sincerely,
***** ******Business Response
Date: 06/20/2025
The banks are the ones that release the money and put it back upon cancellation. While the money shows as a charge on the statement, it was approved after the sale. As soon as the money changed hands for the sale (it was a bank draft, not a credit card), the refund was initiated.Customer Answer
Date: 06/23/2025
Complaint: 23461506
I am rejecting this response because: BBB I need you to take this seriously and put on your BBB website that for this company if paying with ACH they will IMMEDIATELY PULL THE MONEY FROM YOUR BANK ACCOUNT , EVEN WAY BEFORE THE 3 DAY RIGHT OF CANCELLATION (THEY PULL MONEY IMMEDIATELY AS I SAID) BUT TAKE WEEKS TO REFUND IT TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. Consumers need to know this and it is a BBB concern that should warrant a BBB website complaint. Consumers need to be able to reference BBB and get an accurate picture of how badly cancellations are handled on ACH purchases.
Sincerely,
***** ******Customer Answer
Date: 07/07/2025
Only a partial refund was issued finally after about 3 weeks. I had to contact them again to receive the rest of the full refund, and will be waiting another about 3 weeks. Again BBB I would think you would have a problem with a bz that pulls ACH money within 12 hours of the purchase, even before the 3 day right of cancellation but takes a very long time to get the money refunded...in my case a full refund will take about 6 weeks. Buyer Beware. Don't see how they have no complaints on their file. Consumers need to know this. At the very least, they should never pay via ACH unless they can wait a very very very long time for a refund, and they should be prepared for the ,money to leave their bank account much faster than I have ever experienced in all my years. CarolInitial Complaint
Date:04/25/2025
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 3-Aug-2019, my wife, ***** ***** of *************************************************** ********************** purchased books for $482.34, from ****** **** of Southwestern (SW) Advantage (order no. 163, remittance no. ********, dealer acct. no. ********). In March 2025 I learned that our credit card was being charged $19.95/month since Sep. 2019 for access to web tools we never requested. I called SW Advantage on 27-Mar-2025 and requested a receipt, with my wifes signature, as evidence of her web tools subscription purchase. They shared a receipt of the book purchase with her signature; no $19.95 monthly charge was on it. I called back on 31-Mar-2025 and mentioned this. They sent another receipt of her book purchase with her signature, but now listing a $19.95 monthly charge. My wifes signatures are absolutely identical on both receipts. She did not sign two different receipts with perfectly identical signatures. She also never intended to buy web tool access. She was only interested in the books. It appears that SW Advantage used my wifes signature from the original receipt and modified it, afterwards by inserting the $19.95 monthly charge. Thats easy to do on a pdf. This is fraud. *** cancelled this subscription we never signed up for, and SW Advantage refunded three payments of $19.95 to cover 2025 charges. However, they still owe us a refund for sixty-four charges of $19.95, incurred from Sep. 2019 to Dec. 2024, totaling $1276.80. Our case is similar to other cases Ive found on the BBB website. Thus, they have a pattern of this fraudulent behavior. We want our $1276.80 refund. Please help us. Sincerely,**** D. ***Business Response
Date: 04/29/2025
The consumer purchased educational products from an independent student dealer on August 3, 2019. The order that was made in real-time on the dealers electronic device and included collected payment information for a product called *********** Entrance Advantage and the recurring monthly subscription.
There seems to be a misunderstanding with the two receipts sent by customer service which were attached to the complaint. One shows the original order and the other is the updated receipt showing the consumer the online subscription product was cancelled per their request.
This subscription was on the monthly statement of a card used for the purchase ending in 1588. Our company is a third party to the sale. As a goodwill gesture, 3 months was refunded. We will further assist by refunding 9 more for a full year.Customer Answer
Date: 04/29/2025
Complaint: 23251921
I am rejecting this response because:We maintain that we never intended to buy web tool access. We were only interested in the books. We vigorously deny authorizing a recurring monthly payment. The receipt with my wifes signature came via email (see attached SW Advantage email from ****** ****,received 27-Mar-2025). The email states Hello *****, Congratulations on investing in your family's education. Attached (42276636-PointOfSale) is your receipt and details of your purchase. That receipt does not show any recurring $19.95 charge. I assume this was the original receipt since it bears my wifes signature. Im sure SW Advantage knows that altering a signed document, without the signatorys authorization, is fraud.
They have stolen $1276.80 from us in unauthorized charges. Frankly,their first "good faith refund" of $59.85 and their offer of a second good faith refund of an additional $179.55, are insulting. They stole $1276.80 from us and are offering back $239.40; they still owe us $1037.40. This is the game they play with folks that complain about them with the BBB; the information is available on your website. We demand a full refund of the entire $1276.80.Business Response
Date: 05/06/2025
On the contract, the word subscriptionimplies that it is a monthly or other recurring charge. The PAYMENT DETAIL on the contract below the signature shows one product purchased using a credit card and, additionally, the Adv. **** At a recurring charge of $19.95 that started 9/1/19, a month after the sale. Again, as a third party to the sale,this is what the consumer signed and was recorded electronically in real time at the point of sale, as submitted by the independent student dealer. The charge was also on the credit card or bank statements since 2019. In order to assist the consumer, we have consented to their desired settlement.Customer Answer
Date: 05/06/2025
Complaint: 23251921
I will leave the status of the response as rejected until full payment has been received.In the meantime, I will address a a few points. Since the business received payment from our credit card, theyre accountable for resolution; I reject their claims of being a third party in this transaction.
The business implied we should have noticed this recurring credit card charge. It appears as SW Advantage on our credit card account. I thought it had something to do with an airline mileage club.
Finally, since my wifes original signature has been used on more than one form, I forcefully reject any insinuation as to what was actually on the original form that she signed. The business has no credibility to make any claims as to what was on the original receipt or agreement, such as rec. pymt. or recurring payment, when I have presented documented evidence that she signed an agreement only once, but that identical signature appears on two different versions of the same document. Its like receiving a signed check from someone, in electronic pdf form for $400 (four hundred dollars), then editing the pdf and changing the value to $1400 (fourteen hundred dollars) and depositing it. Thats illegal.
Sincerely,
**** D. ***, *****
Customer Answer
Date: 05/22/2025
We have been refunded the full amount that we requested. We are satisfied with this outcome.Initial Complaint
Date:03/16/2025
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I just looked into a code that pops up from time to time on my checking account for what I thought was a legit payment because it was getting charged directly to my checking account. It turns out, I had bought a set of kids' educational books from someone who came to the house literally years ago. This was so far back I don't even know the date, have a receipt, even know which check I used, etc. At least 2020. The person had the books right there to hand to me, so I bought them because how dangerous can a set of books be, right? Southwestern Advantage books.They apparently stole my checking information off my check and have been charging me $19.95 monthly since I bought the books. I looked at the Better Business Bureau website, and apparently this is what they do. They sell you books and then "sign you up" for some sort of subscription that's assigned to an email address you don't own or have access to and then charge you a fee that you don't even realize you're paying. And as swamped as I was with a pandemic, two kids to keep up with as a single parent, changing jobs 3 times, and then finding cancer in my breast, that ball simply got dropped, and I missed what those charges were.They have stolen approximately $1000 from me over the course of 4 years, and that's just as far back as my bank's online portal will show me. I'm angry at the salesperson. I'm angry at the company. I'm angry that they haven't been shut down yet with so many complaints. I want that money returned.Business Response
Date: 03/25/2025
From researching our records,the consumer entered into a contract for the purchase of educational products with an independent student dealer on August 14, 2018. The order, as written up, consisted of three sets of educational books and a monthly online subscription service made up of educational websites and apps. According to the contract (attached), there was a deposit for the books for $122.77, a **** card provided for two scheduled payments for the rest. Information for an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from a checking account was used for the subscription which is not unusual pending the consumers permission. On March 17, 2025 the consumer contacted our customer service center via email. A copy of the contract was sent and the subscription was cancelled per her request. We have reached out to the consumer via email to assist her with her issue.Customer Answer
Date: 03/29/2025
Complaint: 23072009
I am rejecting this response because:First of all, that contract is clearly false, as I was handed the books that day by the seller, so there was no shipping charged or necessary. Also, there are additional dates at the bottom, and the only interaction I had with the seller was on the original ****** date. It was for one charge for just the books.
Additionally, I have received a separate email from Southwestern Advantage, admitting that I did not purchase the online subscription, that they will be mailing a check, and that they will be looking into the incident further. So I'm not entirely sure why the response here is different.
Sincerely,
***** ******Business Response
Date: 04/02/2025
As a third party to the sale, we must assume the information turned in my the independent dealer on the electronic order form at the time of sale is accurate. In looking over the matter and seeing an inconsistency that was pointed out by the consumer, we have reached out to the consumer and rectified this for her.Customer Answer
Date: 04/02/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***** ******Initial Complaint
Date:03/14/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I bought books from a foreign exchange student. He signed us up for the apps. This was end of August 2024. The books are paid and the app is monthly. I've contacted the student since December to make the app payments stop and he said the books would be don't and paid end of December. He will not respond and is now stealing from our bank account. I've reported this to the bank. We don't even want any of the books and would like all the money back and send the books back. I want a full refund. I feel very scammed.Business Response
Date: 03/17/2025
The consumer entered into a purchase agreement with an independent student dealer for educational products for $1,380 that included four reference books regarding subjects taught in the classroom, a kids book set, and Family Bible set. Included in the purchase on the contract signed by the consumer and turned in by the student at the time of sale, was a monthly subscription for educational websites and apps. Attached is the contract. A payment plan was agreed to and set up with text payment reminders sent prior to each charge for the books. It was broken into nine payments from the date of sale of 9.12.24 to 12.31.24. On both the contract and text emails, the contact for customer service is available for questions and service. Because the international students return to their respective countries to pursue their education, we have a customer service center that assists their customers. There is a three-day Federal cancellation period for the books purchased, of which the consumer has taken ownership of and had in their possession. The monthly subscription in cancellable anytime,though only by contacting our customer service department, at ************** or ************************************************************,to make these wishes known. As a goodwill gesture to the consumer, we are in the process of refunding four months of the monthly subscription fee.Initial Complaint
Date:01/21/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was sold educational books via international student from this Company. She showed me the people who also bought books in my area---their names and addresses. I agreed to buying a set of books which was paid by installments. To my surprise I was enrolled into an online subscription which cost nothing BUT had monthly automatic withdrawals from my bank acct.I feel I was not informed at all about this online enrollment and rec'd no email stating I was enrolled. I have never ever signed in or used this *************** online acct shows ******************** bus as monthly debit so I assumed it was a bus pass we paid for our child going to Work/School. I contacted my bank and business.I feel very uninformed and this was a really tricky and sneaky tactic! I would like my money backBusiness Response
Date: 01/23/2025
The consumer entered into a purchase agreement with an independent student representative on June 13, 2018 for four sets of books and an online monthly subscription for websites and apps. Attached is the contract.The process for the subscription is that there is an activation email that is sent to the consumer so as to proceed with a charge for the subscription. Our company is a third-party to the sale, processing the order turned in by the student in real time and signed by the consumer. The payment detail on the contract and receipt details the payment plan and the recurring charge for the subscription.The subscription has been cancelled per the wishes of the consumer. Our company is refunding 12 months as a goodwill gesture toward the consumer.Initial Complaint
Date:11/09/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I had a door to door salesman show up to my home relentlessly. After the 3rd time I broke down and bought books from him. One set of the books were religious based. They did not align with my beliefs on the Bible. I emailed the company and asked to return them. They said they couldnt per the contract. I dont have a copy of a contract. I had a man show up, force books down my throat, and now insists I still owe him almost $300. They call and text relentlessly for this money, for books I do not want, I am not using, and again I was never given a paper copy of this so called contract. I dont even have proof of the money I have paid. I would like them to send me a box, so I can send these books back and be left alone!Business Response
Date: 11/12/2024
The consumer has been contacted via email, as the independent student dealer was able to authorize and provide a solution.Initial Complaint
Date:11/04/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have been trying for months to get a refund from this company and to cancel my subscription. When I finally got into contact with someone a month later I was told I can not cancel my subscription. My job has been cutting hours and Im now making half the money Im making I cant pay my bills. And now my account is in over draft because I cant afford the payments. Now its either I pay the overdraft and I allow my car insura To lapse or I have no cell phone or my rent will be short. To be honest I dont even have the money to pay all those things and the fact that I have to pay for books I dont even have in my possession over my car insurance is crazy to me. I would like to speak to someone who can help me because now its affecting me and my kids lives.Business Response
Date: 11/05/2024
The consumer entered into a purchase contract for educational products from an independent student representative on July 27, 2024 for $716.88. The consumer agreed to six payments as follow: 8/2 $119.88; 9/2 $199.45; 10/2 $119.45; 11/2 $119.45, and 11/16 $119.The first three payments went through. The second two payment did not. A payment on 11/2 is still being processed. The day before a payment was to be processed, the consumer was sent a text letting her know the payment would be charged on 8/1, 9/1, 10/1, and 11/1. The consumer is after the Federal three-day cancellation period. As a third party to the sale, our company cannot refund the product. We will check with the student representative and see if product for the amount paid can be sent and cancel the rest of the order. Though, this is a decision to be made by the representative and not our company. The contract is attached.
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.