Consumer Tips for Free Trials

First, I would like to point out that Free Trials can be a great way to try out new health and beauty products for a low cost. In my case with ordering some Free Trial teeth whitening products, it was more like Free Trial and Error! I wanted to share my experience ordering Free Trial teeth whitening products and offer some useful tips in general to help you have positive online shopping experiences.

Tip #1
Before you place any orders online or anywhere for that matter, sign up for a free email address on Yahoo or Google. Any time you make a purchase from a new vendor, give the free email address, it will cut down on spam and unwanted email from your "real" email account.

Tip #2
Use a credit card for purchases instead of a debit card whenever possible. This helps you in a couple of ways. You may earn points or money for using the credit card. Credit cards usually offer more protection if you need to dispute a charge.

Tip #3
Always read the Terms and Conditions or Policy before you place your order. When I placed my order, I thought I would be paying about $7.95 or so, but since I did not read the Terms and Conditions, I ended up paying about $168. The Terms and Conditions clearly stated if I did not cancel within 7 days, I would be charged the full amount. Also, it stated they would continue to send me their product once a month, if I did not cancel within the specified time period.

Tip #4
While reading the Terms and Conditions, write down all of the details. Keep a piece of paper handy and record the company name, company phone number, the date you ordered, the amount of the order, and the date required to cancel the order so you are not over charged on your credit or debit card.

Tip #5
Write the date you need to cancel the Free Trial and the phone number on your calendar. It is a good idea to cancel at least 3 days before the due date in case you have difficulty canceling the order.

Tip #6
Call the phone number listed on the Terms and Conditions before you place your order to make sure it is a valid number and someone is available to take your call. When I received my credit card statement, I tried to call the phone number listed. I kept getting the message that their mailbox was full. I was never able to reach anyone at that number, even after trying for several days.

From now on I will adhere to my own tips when ordering Free Trials. Also, I will never offer either of those teeth whitening products on my website. One of the Free Trials took me 2 days to cancel!

I hope you find these tips useful and helpful for becoming an informed consumer when shopping online. I also hope you are now fully prepared to have many positive online shopping experiences!

Take care!
--Carla