Yesterday I got this postcard in the mail:
Out of curiosity, I scratched off the square on the back to see how much I was “pre-approved” to borrow. $4800. Like I have the ability to pay back $4800!
I checked out the site to see what kind of scam they’re pulling. Apparently Emporium is kind of like Rent-a-Center for people who want gadgets they can’t afford. A few of the “deals” they feature:
An iPad 2 16GB with Wifi. Only 24 weekly payments of $41!
Those payments add up to $984. For a product you can buy directly from Apple for $499.
A Panasonic Lumix 14.1 megapixel camera in Pink! Just 8 weekly payments of $32!
So $256 for a camera that costs $137 on Amazon.
How about this lovely 11-piece Paramount Asbury Park queen comforter set for 12 weekly payments of $28?
That’s $336 for a comforter set you can buy for $182 online.
I noticed a few interesting tidbits while browsing the site.
- The site boasts of a 30% early payoff reward. You don’t get this money taken off the total you owe. That would be too easy. Instead, you get 30% off a future purchase.
- Your payments must be auto-deducted from a checking account or credit card.
- The return policy: You can return within 14 days minus a 15% restocking fee and shipping/handling. Unless it’s furniture, TVs over 26 inches, and multiple other excluded items. Oh, and you won’t get the refund for 6-8 weeks.
The real kicker is the tiny little disclaimer hidden among the FAQs:
The purchaser is granting Emporium a security interest in the merchandise purchased. In the event of noncompliance with the multipay terms or fraudulent use of funds, Emporium reserves the right to appear at the purchaser’s premises without prior consent or notice in order to take possession of said merchandise.
That’s right – if there is no money in your account when your auto payment is scheduled, Emporium will show up at your house and demand their stuff back.
So why in the world would anyone fall for this?
Emporium is the type of website that preys on the financially clueless. By showing the “low weekly payments” people can make, they are hoping no one will take the time to figure out how much they’re actually paying. And to be honest, ten years ago I probably would have ordered all kinds of stuff because I was so flattered to get the offer in the mail. How is that possible, you ask?
Because the card (and the site) are plastered with all the catchphrases that broke people love:
- Low payments!
- No interest or fees!
- Designed for less than perfect credit!
- Get the brands you want today!
- Shop now, pay later!
- An easy way to get the things you want and deserve!
Just picture it: You desperately want a flat screen TV, but you don’t have the money to buy one. Along comes this postcard, telling you that your credit doesn’t matter and you can get a TV now for this low payment and no interest! You deserve it! Hopefully my readers are smarter than that, but a lot of people aren’t. Sometimes wanting prevents us from taking the time to look over the fine print or bust out a calculator to see how much we’re really paying.
Not all companies are a snake in the grass. While I certainly advocate for saving and then buying outright, I do recognize that everyone has different needs and finds themselves in different financial situations. For these people I would recommend FlexShopper below. Obviously those with bad credit still need options, and they at least have a LARGE selection of items to choose from. Just because you can’t visit your local electronic store and buy on credit doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have similar options and competitive prices to boot.
Now I understand the reluctance of many people to use companies that haven’t previously heard of before, so let’s not forget about The Home Shopping Network. HSN has long been a household staple of purchasing consumer items. Fortunately, they offer flex pay options along with routine deals and discounts on just about any item you can think of. Check out their options below.
If you have the money in your account which you should if you have a job and understand the financial obligation you signed up for, then there should be no problem using their site.
Like any other buy now pay later company, and any company in the world… they are in existence to make money! Yes this place will charge you much more than you’d have to pay if you purchased outright BUT if you need affordable payment plans to pay for an item then they give you an option to do so.
If I lent you something and you didn’t pay me I’d be at your house too. If you are on a quest to find a similar company without the interest rates, wake up. That’s what they do. Hell that same item you claim you can just just go buy for $150 is still marked up for retail. It was probably worth $50 wholesale anyway. We are consumers and they are ALL out to get our money. That’s their mission.
The only reason the stuff is priced so high is for insurance purposes. Like any company they have the right to repo their property if not payed for. That property is not yours till its payes off that’s why they say do not sell trade or pawn. Would be considered steqling. Me my mom and my dad an few friends have been going through aarons for years ya the payments add up a lot but did yoh know if you pay the item off before your end lease date for that item you only pay what the product is worth. I know cuz I’ve done if. You make payments to get you started while saving money up an when you have enough saved up even if its half way or less through your lease then pay it off an get more.
I’m with Kelsey. If you cannot afford something out right but can make larger monthly payments then what they ask for then why not go for it? I don’t have great credit so I can’t purchase an iPad outright or get credit through Apple’s website so a site like this would allow me to purchase one, make the same kind of payments I would at Apple and have this thing paid off in no time not owning more than it’s worth.
They don’t give you the option to pay more per month. They take the minimum out of a checking or credit card.
You have the option to pay it off early.
so $400 shipping costs on an envelope sized item, thats reasonable cost for insurance, or $421 shipping on a video game? Then $2,400 to ship a set of bed sheets for a C. Queen bed? All of which on items they already charge a markup between 50% to 20000% (I kid you not, had this on a set of bluetooth speakers the tried to charge 3k for a $16 speaker).
I just figured that since they qualify it as a “shipping cost” they get to submit it cheaper on their tax reports that way. I mean, $2,400, that’s literally the cost to ship a FedEx Freight from Saginaw Michigan to Denver, CO. Something I know from personal experience.
Go on, add this to your cart Emporium!!!
emporium.com/products/info_by_code/EM219413
emporium.com/products/info_by_code/EM114063
Or try shopping for some $500 a plate flatware!!
I do not believe that at all $400 shipping LOL ok…. I’ve used them before – it’s higher priced but no more than Aaron’s and I’ve used them a lot too!
I agree 100%. It”s like taking out a loan to purchase a home..duh?! This blogpost to way too biased and is too one sided.
No mam there is a problem those are huge payments $24.00 a weeks adds up to $96.00 a months by no means that is a low payment. So that is deceit one.
The second is those items are over priced way over. So only desperate idiots will summit themselves to such torture. It is a bussiness and a way to make money out of suckers, but not this lady and I hope not too many for for that trap.
Going to the persons house to pick up items? Well its kind of inmoral we are humans and anything can happen my daughter went for vacation to Mexico 3 weks later her account was cleaned of over $7,000.000 dollars all her payments failed. So not for regular people if somebody is super financially standing yeah we will go somewhere else.
how long does it typically take for merchandise to be delivered
My husband fell for this. His first payment came out on the 22nd of June we just got the item just before the next payment date of 16th of August. Which his payments are set up for monthly on the 16th.
Sooo they really send the items and it’s not a scam ??
Did they actually show up at your house?
Do you remember what day he ordered the merchandise? I ordered on Nov 30th. Still they haven’t taken the 17$ down payment and every time I call they just say it’s pending at my bank. Today is December 6th. I was hoping to get this item before Christmas. I’m so nervous it’s not gonna happen.
I cancelled my order. I ordered it Nov 11 and as of yesterday it still had not been shipped. I was told it would take another 7-10 days to get authorization from my bank and then another 7-10 days to ship. I too wanted it for Christ,as so I just cancelled because obviously it would not make it in time.
Sounds like we all have the same issues. I ordered on the Nov 13 and I haven’t received anything, cancelled order on Nov 30th but I sent an email on Dec 6 saying item would ship 3-5 days I called and told them I cancelled the order. I got an email about payment had to call my bank and the company again stated they didn’t have record of cancellation. This is the worst mistake ever
Does anyone have a phone number that actually works
Please let me know if u find one that works
In an email I received the phone # is 855 245-3510.
You do get 10% off on your first order so check your email before ordering. Also if you don’t get approved it’s because you have to gross 1,500 a month and have a checking account. Just a response to another comment. ⤵
I tried to apply and they denied me. When they say no credit needed. All credit accepted. I saw there website and to my belief they overcharge on their merchandise.
Is this paid weekly or monthly like for a playstation 4 for example
You pay every week so you most have the money in your checking there constantly.
If you buy something with a credit card, you pay interest. Maybe its just me but that is basically the same thing. Unless you have cash to pay outright you are paying the same as if using a credit card. And, its paid for in a year or sooner, if, again, you pay cash. I dont this place a rip off at all. Actually, they are much lower than a rent a center or aarons.
yes i agree i have there web site so far they really dont have any thing that interest me there jewlery looks cheap the furniture looks sucky so far i dont think im odering fr0m them now flexshopper is pretty good the only bad thing about them is they can take money out of your account when they feel like it in may 2016 they took out 97.00 50.00 75.00 and two 40.00 40.00 i was trying to find out y i had no money in my account the lady at the bank said u have had flexshopper took out your money they where only suppose to take 40.00 20.00 60.00 so there was way to much money taken out you get your item but u have to becareful
so based on my experience with the company, besides the fact that the repayment method is ridiculous; two weeks after the first payment has been taken out of my account, i still don’t have any merchandise, no tracking number, and nothing that is saying that the merchandise has even been sent.. as a matter of fact, many representatives has said that they are not going to send it.. i definitely would not recommend using them in any circumstance..
I bought my girlfriend a diamond ring from there. I was approved and they took the first payment and the second payment before I got the ring and I didn’t even think they were going to send it. Because when I looked at my order history it never showed up. But we did get it. And it was beautiful.
I agree with the blogger on this. The store may not be a genuine “scam” since they apparently do send the merchandise. But they are preying on the financial naivety of some consumers. They’re selling luxury items. If you want a $140 camera, and can afford to pay $28/week, you can have it outright by waiting 5 weeks and paying cash. At $41/week, that $500 ipad is yours outright in 3 months if you save on your own. As for getting a credit card, there are ways for people with poor credit scores to do that too. Open a savings account at a credit union. It doesn’t have to be huge, a couple hundred dollars will do. Then get a low limit credit card (e.g. $250 limit) from that bank. You won’t have a ton of credit to play with, but making small purchases and paying on time will improve your credit. Rent-to-own and buy-now-pay-later has a place in our economy. But people with limited income and poor credit often do more damage to themselves with these options.
I placed my order on August 25th, I made a down payment of 27.93 on all my stuff. Here it Sept 7th and my account still says pending. I have called 4 different times in the past two weeks and get a different story every time. The first time I called they stated they were waiting on me to fill out a docusign to approve my checking account to have automatic withdrawals from it. I was transferred to there so called credit department where they told me that I would get an email in 24 to 48 hours with the form and to fill it out and send it back.. I got nothing in those days so I called three days later and was told that I don’t have to do the form that when I filled out my information initially and that my deposit was taken from my account already I was all set. I called again two hours later because of the wrong information I was given in the past and asked if that was true and they said it was true and that I should get my stuff in 7 to 10 business days…(That Was Yesterday) Today I received an email with the docusign for ACH withdrawal that I had to fill out. SO i did and then called the company back and they said the same thing that I should get my stuff in 7 to 10 business days from yesterday and she transferred me to the shipping department which led me to a voicemail and then I couldn’t leave one. SO I got on http://www.emporium.com and clicked on live chat and asked them for the shipping number and the person who responded could not spell anything right and made me feel sketchy about there business. She told me that they don’t have access to that information and were unable to provide that to me. I will keep everyone posted on whether or not I get my stuff.
did you get tour stuff?
Emporium.com is the same company as venue.com. they screwed me big time and then out of business. I can’t believe they are using another name trying to sell me their shit again!! crooks. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/venue.html.
This company is a scam, I cancelled a day after placing a order and they still keep trying to take money out my account every week or so. I keep getting the runaround from customer service. The number they keep giving me for billing is a non-working number. Buyers beware, not worth the hassle later.Save to buy what you need.
i payed the down payment and never got the stuff…..and no one can tell me when it will come out can i stop payment on the ach at the bank
I ordered stuff from them on the 17th of this month! They told me something about my bank and the ACH and its been already 7 days….. Then sent me an email saying Your current EMPORIUM account is now available to view online at http://www.privateloanservicing.com.
Anyone can reply??? Saying they received there items.
Well emporium gave me a thousand dollars credit and I ordered the first account didn’t verify th as t is what they said. I used my second account fill out an ahc giving them permission to auto withdraw and now they have taken there down payment and first payment and late fee and still have shipped my order yet….. THANKS DAVID
I ordered a apple iphone on June 25, 2016 i never received the order they have been taken money out of my account the last few months i called maybe over 100 times to have this cancel they told me it takes a week for the account to be cancel and a refund will be refunded in 2 weeks by check why should i wait to weeks for a check i didn’t send them no check my money should be refunded to my account this is the worst company ever i spoke with different reps who lied to me this transfer me over to a non working number they told me no supervisors are available i just wanna cancel and get my refund than on top of that they sent me a text saying my account is pass due…
it may cost more but have your bank stop the money taken out or credit card wich ever u used tell them u odered something from this company and u have not recieved it yet the bank will do thatfor u
I agree that this type of credit arrangement has the potential to cause more harm than good. With that said, I wouldn’t put them in the same category as rent a center. You will often pay as much as 3 times the merchandise value with them. That doesn’t seem to be the case with these folks. I also noticed that they offer 90 day to 12 months same as cash. One last thing, please don’t use HSN as an alternative. Yes they offer discounts but their cash price is usually 2 to 3 times that of any other decent online retailer…that’s crazy even with flex pay.
Oh yes, you lose credibility when on the one hand you demonize (even though they deserve it) a company for their predatory lending practices while at the same time recommending a company with an almost identical business model. You recommended flexshopper as an alternative to Emporium.com. In doing this it’s reasonable to think that they offer a similar service for the credit challenged but at more favorable terms. Out of curiosity I checked out their site only to find that rather than offering 6-8 week leases like emporium, customers are locked into a 52 week lease. Flexshopper is also a lease, so just like Emporium consumers don’t own the merchandise until the lease ends or the borrower takes advantage of the early buyout. As a blogger I’m sure you’re paid when people click on a vendor’s site and make a purchase. Writing an article shaming the predatory lending practices of one company while advertising for a company with the same practices IN THE ARTICLE is shady at best; hypocritical at worst. I have been receiving emails from emporium and decided to check them out. Thankfully I’m not credit challenged but that doesn’t mean I like the idea of others who are being taken advantage of. I was in total agreement with your article until I checked the company you recommend as an alternative and thought it would be prudent to let others know that flexshopper is no better than emporium.
TJ Johnson,
Good read! I was also in agreement with her statement and thought it “was nice” to list another site, for people whom were skeptical of Emporium, due to these comments and experiences others had with their site. That is, until I kept reading and came across your comments. Very kind for you to post and I hope people reading these reviews, read them all.
I would like to try emporium out, but it seems most complaints are similar- in that they auto withdraw from your checking account TWICE and these people still had yet to receive their items – &even after ‘down payment’ and two additional payments being wirhdrawn, still no product was received??????
Not sure what to think about that factor alone…
Any suggestions from anyone?
I placed my order in July, didn’t had any problem getting it, my problem is that one of the item I purchased is a treadmill, since mid October I’m trying to return it as I can’t use it and every time I call or email customer service is the same game they will be sending me a return label and I’m still waiting, In the mean time they got the payment for November, December and soon January, my plans st this point is the o close my bank account that way they can come and repo it..
don’t know what else to do! For sure I will never order from them again
i cancelled my order and did get the run around for a few days on the cancellation but low and behold they sent me a check for my refund about a week later. . whether it clears or not is another story. lol stay tuned.
Had to give these guys a thumbs down .. have a look how they treated me 🙁 ::: I was going to give them a shot despite the terrible reviews .. but after speaking with them // I’ll have to avoid these guys.. totally sketch!
CoryMinimize End conversation Info at 1:28, Oct 29: Thank you for choosing to chat with us. An agent will be with you shortly. Info at 1:30, Oct 29: All agents are currently assisting others. Your estimated wait time is 1 minutes and 30 seconds. Thank you for your patience. Info at 1:32, Oct 29: All agents are currently assisting others. Your estimated wait time is 0 minutes and 30 seconds. Thank you for your patience. Info at 1:33,
Oct 29: You are now chatting with Cory.
Cory at 1:33, Oct 29: Thank you for choosing Emporium’s Chat Support. How can I provide you with excellent service today? You at 1:33, Oct 29: hi . thinking of signing up / can you tell me more about how credit worthiness is determined without a credit check ? // also , are the discounts on these items listed for first purchase ? or if paid within a certain period of time ?
Cory at 1:33, Oct 29: May I have your first and last name?
You at 1:33,
Oct 29: I am not a customer yet – these are general questions
You at 1:33, Oct 29: could we go without credit details ?
Cory at 1:34, Oct 29: Emporium makes shopping easy with low affordable payments. No Annual fee no set up or Membership fee. And unlike credit cards you will not be charged interest; instead you’ll pay a recurring rental payment with no additional costs. As an example a $100 item will cost you less than $5 per week†. You also have the option to pay off your balance whenever you like. The sooner you pay, the more you will save. The terms will be determined at the Check Out Summary as it will depend on the total amount in your Cart. It can range from 12-36 months. There is no long-term commitment. You can return your product at any time after your initial term or own your product after completion of the lease term. Lease terms run from 12 to 36 months. Your payments will be automatically deducted from your checking account. But before that you in order to know if you can qualify, you will need the following: Verifiable monthly income of at least $1,500. An active checking account (As we will deduct the monthly payment here) To be employed or receive retirement/pension or SSI/disability income Proof that you are 18 years of age or older The great thing about this is that it only takes 60 seconds for you to know if you will be Approved and how much Spending Limit you will be granted but please note that it will be valid for the 1st 30 days and you need to use it within that time period. You at 1:34,
Oct 29: If you could pleasse just answer my questions You at 1:34, Oct 29: i have read that already
Cory at 1:35, Oct 29: Emporium’s lending company does a soft inquiry when checking your credit standing, it will not affect your credit score You at 1:35,
Oct 29: nevermind those question // how about could you tell me how payment is allocated .. for example .. i have 150 of items in my cart — and i pay 50 per month .. do the 20 items get paid off first , or how is that determined ? You at 1:35, Oct 29: it’s ok i found the answer to those questions on the site
Cory at 1:36, Oct 29: We try to provide you with different payment option frequency, when you fill out the application you will also have different payment schedule to choose from. Weekly – Paid the same day every week Bi-Weekly – Paid every other Friday Semi-Monthly- Paid on the 1st and 15th of every month Monthly – Paid the first day of every month Cory at 1:36, Oct 29: In reference to this inquiry, for further assistance, please call BILLING / PCG Calls: 866.283.3896 They are open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Eastern time You at 1:36,
Oct 29: ok .. so it’s viewed as the balance in entirety – so i couldn’t pay off the 20 dollar item // i have to pay off everything within the 90 days to get the discount , correct ?
Cory at 1:38, Oct 29: as much as i would like to assist you wiht this inquiry, we have limite information here and in reference to payment it will be explained by our partner pcg, please call BILLING / PCG Calls: 866.283.3896 They are open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Eastern time
You at 1:38, Oct 29: aw … it seems like an easy question
Cory at 1:38, Oct 29: im sorry for any inconvenience
You at 1:38, Oct 29: well . . can you comment about customer reviews ? — i am concerned about my information being sold to third party companies .. is this valid or heresay ?
Cory at 1:39, Oct 29: We’re legit and we have a very secured platform. Our site is covered by Verisign and once the bank info placed, it’ll be encrypted You at 1:39, Oct 29: they said employees like you are extremely intrusive requesting credit info and then marketed by email and phone .. – You at 1:39, Oct 29: is that true?
Cory at 1:40, Oct 29: For further enquiries you may call us at 855-245-3510 or http://www.emporium.com for more details You at 1:40,
Oct 29: oh wow . are you a human or a robot ?
Cory at 1:41, Oct 29: im a human.,
You at 1:41, Oct 29: why dont you want to talk to me then .. i am very interested – but getting turned off by your dismissal You at 1:41,
Oct 29: :(Cory at 1:42, Oct 29: im very sorry for any inconvenience . i understand your frustration, it’s just were very limited with information
You at 1:42, Oct 29: // well , i guess that’s all i need to know – think i’ll avoid your company = regards / thanks for your time ‘
Cory at 1:43, Oct 29: You are most welcome 🙂 We value our customer like you. Thank you for choosing Emporium have a great day
They are the biggest scam ever. I had money in my account and they said I didnt. So they charged me 25 plus the payment. 3 months later I still dont have an item, I call to cancel the account only to be transferred to another number with full mailbox. I have been told I would be transferred to shipping and cancelations, they are the same line. I told them not to put me on hold, they did anyway and transferred me. Now getting calls and letters saying its past due, of course it is, I have been trying to cancel for 2 months and refuse to pay for something I will never get. Well with this first letter after 3 months and finally getting an account number I will be contacting the Attorney General since nobody in this company knows how to cancel an account. I will not cancel my bank account just to stop them from drawing.
Just do this , Money Order. Or buy A prepaid Card and keep money, on it. There problem solving. So you can now keep your Banking,Credi Card information safe.
Apparently this option is not acceptable. I had been approved for a $1200 credit limit and, after selecting the items I wanted, I tried to put in the information for a prepaid card and it automatically kicked it out after that. Now it’s saying that my credit line was denied and the only option I’d have now is to pay the entire amount upfront.
Same thing happened to me i called and some asian lady i was totally pissed off because she kept asking me if i were approved and i said yes with 1800 limit then she kept telling me i need to put my credit card information or bank account i think its a scam
Thanks for all that good information. Welled needed.
anyone have a promo code for shipping?
or any promo codes for emporium?
Beware of Emporium.com I placed an order on November 10th, was willing to pay the monthly payments but upon submission of my order, the terms and conditions with your payments that pops up on your screen was changed; the payments were higher. I immediately contacted customer service and asked them to cancel the order and explained why. The first person, Joseph, said no problem and that he would cancel everything out and that I would receive a cancellation email within 24-48 hours. Well, that never happened so I contacted them again because I wanted to make sure that it was indeed cancelled. This time I spoke with Noel. who looked into it and said that Joseph didn’t cancel it but that she would and she would also make sure I received the cancellation email. So, of course, after waiting 72 hours this time, nothing. I contacted them again just to be told that they were not showing any cancellation request and that I should speak to the billing department. Now, on the day I do to call the billing department, I receive a notice from UPS that I have multiple packages coming and guess what, they are all from Emporium so while on an extremely long hold for the billing department, I recontact customer support and was able to speak to Noel again; I asked her why she didn’t tell me the items had just shipped and she tells me that it just now popped up on her screen, apologizes, etc blah blah; cause now I know things aren’t right. She also tells me just to refuse the delivery and that once items are received back, I will be refunded and everything will be cancelled properly. I tell her that I didn’t pay anything nor did the company attempt to take any money yet so I’m not sure why the orders shipped out for one, order was cancelled a week prior to them shipping out and second, they told me that all customers must pay a minimum of 100 dollars down before any items will ship. I stop chatting with her and speak to billing department who makes me repeat everything I’ve gone through and they agree that things shouldn’t have been shipped and that my order should have been cancelled with confirmation but surprise, they can’t help me because now it’s the fault of the cancellation department and the shipping department; communication hasn’t been going too well among the various departments; well I’ll be, why couldn’t I speak to them then? No valid reason and am told they will now make a note in the computer and see to it that it is handled. So, later that day I actually receive one of two emails, one from someone stating that my order cannot be cancelled since the items shipped out, so sorry and the other saying they were following up in regards to my phone call but there is nothing they can do to cancel anything cause of things being shipped but refuse delivery and once received back, i will be credited, order will be cancelled, etc etc.
It gets even better now folks because I did refuse the delivery, merchandise was sent back the way it came and was received by their company on November 23rd, and so I’m thinking that any day now, I’m going to get that cancellation email that is so difficult to obtain right? Guess again, just a couple hours ago I received an alert from UPS saying I have packages coming and guess what? They are from Emporium! They actually had the nerve to replace the order and resend merchandise out and upon me just speaking to customer service again; I am left in same position I was the first time around; they are unable to tell me anything, they are unable to help me, their supervisor/manager is not around just like before and once again I am told to contact billing department. I told Cory that doing so would be useless as they say they don’t handle the shipments of products nor the cancellation of orders and Cory says he didn’t know know that so he’s going to take it upon himself to let their most “Superior” (his word exact) know of the situation and that I should receive a phone call; I wont hold my breath of course. I have recorded all conversations, taking screen shots of all chat conversations and have copies of all emails sent and received.
Now I’m not sure what to do; I know I should definitely open a different checking account that’s for sure cause I really am starting to believe they are doing this just as a means to be able to extract some money from me but please, no matter how tough times may be or whatever any other reason, stay away from this place; doesn’t matter they shipped the items out or not, they shouldn’t have to begin with and if you read your terms and conditions prior to submission of order, you best check your contract out again after you submit your order; don’t be surprised if you see a totally different agreed to amount. Unlike me though, copy the first agreement you think you are agreeing to and then copy the one that it actually becomes because you just may need it.
Contact the BBB and the Attorney general… Look into anyone else that could be helpful… Hell I’d contact an attorney at that point even… Good luck hopefully you can get things resolved…
I did contact the BBB; not only did I describe my complaint/problem but I also attached copies of all my conversations I had with them through their chat service as well as named every single person I spoke with on phone and through chat, and attached copies of proof of delivery receipts from UPS showing everything was returned, to whom and dates/times. I really liked that BBB had this option. I also made sure that I mentioned in my complaint/resolution that I did not want Emporium to reply with “give us your name, email, phone, order number and we will look into it,” because I seen they were giving out this reply to so many others on the BBB site; I stated that they already had this info and anything else they needed they could obtain from the BBB.
While I still haven’t heard anything from the BBB, the company did send me emails and I’ve had three phone calls from “Ernie” who was handling it; the first was that he was contacting the billing people to stop any money coming out of account, the second was getting with the shipping department and making sure they updated the computer that they had all merchandise and the third was him telling me that everything was now taken care of and my order and finally been fully cancelled.
So far nothing has came out of account and hopefully it stays that way. I really do hope people understand that if they get involved with this company they too may face a long and negative experience and no matter how desperate you may be, I’d stay away.
What is the shipping time frame for these orders? I have read various reviews and just want to know if anyone got their orders and how long it took to receive them? I ordered some items as gifts for Christmas for my husband and was told they would be shipped in 3 to 5 business days, but am now being told it could take up to 19,
i just had my “little experience” with this internet site. what happened with me is that i was referred to them in a manner of speaking, as a result of thinking i was communicating with government people about my financial hardship. somebody, or something, sends out emails for us to check our resources they have listed. this one was for hardship people who needed christmas money. i didn’t really need anything for christmas because i am not having anything closely related to a christmas this year but i do have things i need and want and i am looking for ways to prove myself credit-worthy. but i only have a debit card and after days of “shopping” thinking and deciding, when i tried to check out, they asked for my bank information. not with a live person, just on the page i was going through. so i don’t have any banking information. then i went about my way attempting to find out what to do and this is when things became obvious. obviously crooked. the live chat option allowed me to wait “in line”, giving me 13 minutes to wait. then, 9 minutes to wait. then, there was “nobody home”. and i tried this couple of times, tried sending message. i then noticed that the message i sent, plus a couple of others i had sent previously, had all been returned to my email box. and saying something like i was “off line” when my request went through? no. so then i did a quick search, found others with problems, and here i am! wish i had done this part first.
terrible, terrible service, my daughter ordered something and never got it. six weeks later they are still taking money out of her bank account. in my opinion these people are crooks, they gave her the runaround every time she called and tried to cancel. finally, after having her bank investigate it, she has been advised to turn it over to the attorney general and to proceed with legal action. she cancelled the order and after the order was finally cancelled, they still tried taking more money out of her account. the lesson my daughter has learned is to investigate and read All reviews!
Scam scam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Emporium.com has over 122 ripoff reports against them!!!!
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/specific_search/emporium
This “business” is horrible and corrupt. It was mentioned to me as a credit rebuilding idea. I trusted the informer and unfortunately did not read the reviews. It took several weeks after placing my order for the items to be shipped. Two of the items I never got because they required a signature and like most working single people no one was there to sign. A month after the items are returned and I am still being charged even though they said they showed the items where back in the wharehouse. I have spoken to customer service 7-8 times and there is never a supervisor there. They gave me a service number to call but also told me no one ever answers that line. When I did try to call it was an automated system with a full voicemail box. The payment department said there was nothing they could do I have sent ten emails asking for assistance and they have been ignored. I’m finding every outlet to voice my issues and to warn others to never do business with emporium or private loan servicing.
Do they report to the 3 credit bureau s.. got a 1600 limit and was going to buy a 50 dollar item, it shows like 9 bucks monthly for 12 months.. planned on linking a rarely used checking account for the payments.. the plan is if they report and show my available credit is 1600 and I make the monthly payment, it will help boost my score..
I submitted an order on 12/22/16 and have NOT received my order, as of to date. Everytime I contact customer service, ironically they have no updated information for me. I have contacted them about 15 times and only to receive the same information, that the order is being processed. I have interacted with many companies and none have provided with such poor excuses for the HORRIBLE service.
Emporium.com aka Trevor Ashcroft, Ruben Salinas, Ron Drori (the so-called “Chairman of the Board” as he writes in his emails.
Emporium.com / Pacificcredit.com Fraudulent Operation / Steals Personal information and bank account information. No intent to ship any merchandise.
This is a laughable new operation that has referalls all over the internet to gain access to personal information of people with bad credit, providing $1000-$5000 Instant approvals for brand new high end electronics, like $1,000 Apple iPhone and iPads, without “harming their credit” making a credit inquiry.
The emails and phone calls from the teenagers running this show are laughably unprofessional and extremely idle considering the size this business must be by now. Infact the flagrant emails I got all but told me they stole my information, one person (Trevor) would say we shipped it, the next email would come from a (Ruben) asking for my zip code to ship it. We expect your contract for you to sign in 30 min, by the next morning, by the end of the day, it shipped, what is your zip code, phone rings, can i have your address (though it was already provided 15 times).
These are clowns. They will only flagrantly gain access to your personal information but you wont receive anything. I even got an email from the “Chairman of the Board” at Pacificcredit.com, ironically both companies named group, saying I’m approved. Sick.
I have since noticed all kind of fraudulent accounts opened on my credit report.
I don’t feel better noing that im not alone in this. I placed an order Dec. 14, 2016. Hoping to get my kids game system ny Christmas. After entering all my personal information. I get a red message reading will not arrive before Christmas. So i called. I get oh dont worry call billing dept. And they will expedite it . ….wrong. First off, they had no information of my order. Ok call back. Then i get a delivery date for December28/29th. Said i will receive tracking information. After informing my kids of the delay, they were excited to hear it will be here a few days after Christmas. Oops wrong again. Another disappointment. Called over 10 times after that conversation and the same mess. My bank. So full of it. I told them they needed to change their greeting. Because its definitely not excellent customer service. I emailed them to get a reply from Charles their so call corporate office. Sorry for delay. Will process shortly was the get authorization from bank. Same message the customer service gave. So i waited a few more days. Called back to be told again waiting on my bank. I stressed i gave all my personal information and all i get is i will contact corporate office again. I emailed them . still one day from three weeks of placing my order. Still when i called the same message. I told them to cancell my order. Yet i still have not received an emailbof cancellation. I told them i will be reporting them. They are so apologetic but still me no merchandise. Just cancell my order. Now i have to call them again to make sure its cancelled. I will make sure to advise others of this company and the scheme the company is running. And will be reporting this company to BBB.
The messed up part about this article is that Andrea talks about how bad these ‘rent to own’ services are (and she is right), but then at the end of her posts put people toward FlexxShopper, which is another rent-to-own website charging as much or more to consumers than Emporium does.
I dont advocate spending money when you dont have it…but if most people are going to use a service like this in general, then at least go with one that has a better selection, better pricing, and a tiny fraction of the complaints that Emporium does
Thank you everyone for the information. Their card kept coming up on my credit as a good card to rebuild my credit. I was looking into applying but I had to look up the reviews first.
What if i told you that i work for Emporium and i have a lot of answers to your situations?
I’m listening
Me too.
I have never ever bought anything from them, I don’t by thing’s that way ever. I am not that stupid to by thing’s that way anyway.emporium keeps calling me and saying important to call them back in a rude way saying something about jail time if I don’t call them back that I just have been ignoring, because haven’t heard anything about this place so I went to check out the site where I found out was a scam, because I didn’t want to fall for this scam which it sounded like to me s scam! That is not how I buy things anyway because I like to save money and when I was buying things was at because I had the money to do so and not pay for shipping I anyway I would never ever buy things withouthaving to pay for interest I never ever buy things that way! I was waiting for them to call me again so I can have them take me off there list I am about to have more back surgery and I have Huntington’s desiease and want to be Left alone! And my brother died also on March 4th this year from Huntington’s desiease, we both have it. So I getting very annoyed by now when I have done nothing wrong.
I have never ever bought anything from them, I don’t by thing’s that way ever. I am not that stupid to by thing’s that way anyway.emporium keeps calling me and saying important to call them back in a rude way saying something about jail time if I don’t call them back that I just have been ignoring, because haven’t heard anything about this place so I went to check out the site where I found out was a scam, because I didn’t want to fall for this scam which it sounded like to me s scam! That is not how I buy things anyway because I like to save money and when I was buying things was at because I had the money to do so and not pay for shipping I anyway I would never ever buy things withouthaving to pay for interest I never ever buy things that way! I was waiting for them to call me again so I can have them take me off there list I am about to have more back surgery and I have Huntington’s desiease and want to be Left alone! And my brother died also on March 4th this year from Huntington’s desiease, we both have it. So I getting very annoyed by now when I have done nothing wrong. I don’t use credit cards
Completely Scam and fraud!! Check out all these ripoff reports about Emporium.com
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/search/emporium.com
The Emporium, use to be a reputable Departmemt store that we all lobed to shop at with quality merchandise. While reviewing my credit report, Credit Seseame’s website recommended The Emporium Black Card. I applied, received 4,000 line of credit, supposedly. I ordered 114.00 worth of merchandise, to meet the 100.00 limit for purchasesing. Terms were 90 cash pay. First withdrawal was 8/16, nothing for Sept, then 10/16, 11/16. At that point I attempted to find the pay off balance for my account. I was referred back amd forth between the finance mngt company and The Emporium. Being told I could access the balance online, that I needed to request the payoff via email and told both by phone and email that it was being researched and someone would get back to me. It never happened. On 12/9, I made a direct larger payment for 30.00 in an effort to get closer to the payoff once my Dec payment was taken out. Prior to the Dec payment I started receiving correspondence from another finance co. Monterey Financial. Turns out the rigjt hamd doesn’t care what the left hand was doing prior to taking on my account. Seems all the payments I made from August through December aren’t applied to my account. I have what The Emporium referred to as the financed amount. There is no reasoning with them over what happened to all of my initial paymemts. I have alao never had any assistance from Monterey Financial to resolve the fact I made payments prior to the receiving my account. So for a less than 40.00 balance it seems they have possibly doubled the payoff. Even after being told it was being taken care of it really was’t. Unfortunte for The Emporium to jepordize their good standing and name for such false practices. I have all of the emails and log of calls made in an effort to resolve this balance prior to the end of Dec and from Jan thur the current. I have continued to hope the The Emporium would do the right thing before I am forced to resolve in small claims court. They should know that once their false claims are out if the bag their business will decline. I have notified Crefit Seseame of their practices as well. They should not advertise their products.
Whoever gave the super smart suggestion about FLEXSHOPPER is fucked up. I just went on there and saw that a Galaxy s7 cost over $700 bucks and the cost of the RENT-TO-OWN bullshit was well over $800 for a total cost of over $1600 bucks for a phone you can get for around $500 bucks. Sure, they are way better. Fucking morons.