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Royal Prestige cookware, water filters and other household goods are manufactured by the Hi Cite Corporation and sold through a nationwide network of distributors, who use the "party plan" and "person-to-person" methods -- meaning bridal fairs, "seminars" and so forth.
The company says it has instituted new policies to prevent unsavory practices by its distributors and has submitted a statement explaining its policies and practices (full text of the company's statement).
It's up to consumers to make the right decision. The company says it has improved its practices, but some consumers are still unhappy. Here are a few of the more recent complaints (and compliments) we've received:
Renee of North Vancouver BC (03/06/09)
I attended the seminar in Ocotber of 2008. I was excited to receive the free gift and thought that i was I was smart enough to resist a high pressure sales pitch. Boy do i regret it all now! They sold me the 10 peice set plus free gift knife set. i received vouches for 'free gifts'. they all require a 50 or more payment of some kind before you get your free trips. I specifically asked the sales person how much the interest rate was? he said 2%. It is 2% A MONTH! for a total of 24%! i have excellent credit and definitely would normally qualify for a better rate than that.
I called them when the pots would not clean. they are heavy and too expensive and I wanted a refund. The US people said call the Canada sales office. I called Kari in Canada, she said to return the affected pots for review and they would tell me what is wrong with them. I don't want to know what is wrong with them. they burn my food and take 20 mins. per pot to clean and dont' get clean in a dishwasher. I want my money back!!
Kari told me not to send the pots back to the office as they would just send them right back to me. No i can't decide what to do. Do i pay out the balance to my low interest credit card?? do I fight the charges? Do i continue to return the damaged pots over and over? I wish i had all day and all the money in the world to take themn to court for selling crappy products and lying about them. Also, my payments per month are 130. of that 65 is admin fees and interst. I have not seen the remaining balance move yet.
Also, my payments per month are 130. of that 65 is admin fees and interst. I have not seen the remaining balance move yet. TOTAL REMAINING BALANCE ON MARCH 6, 2009 IS 3000 Amber of Des Moines, IA February 21, 2009
Amber of Des Moines IA (02/21/09)
I too was contacted that I had won 3 wonderful prizes. My fiance and I went to the presentation expecting this cheesy and not good product. While there is got on my blackberry and confronted the sales rep with all the questions that people were complaining of. Most all complaints that I read were that people couldnt afford what they had bought in the first place. No one should make a commitment that they are unable to make. I have not yet recieved my cookware that we ordered but I look forward to it.
We spoke with the sales rep, who was very polite and honest. He was thrown off by some of our questions but was honest throughout. He reported that there was no return policy. If you buy them than you are stuck with them. He also told us that depending on our credit is what our interest rate would be. He said the intrest rate is usually between 12 and 27%. Hugely high but he was honest. We asked how things are handled if we have a complaint. He stated that there is an office here in our town that would handle the complaints. Not some foreign country. He said that as long as we watch the DVD and follow it, we should have no problem. If we do have a problem, they will try to fix it over the phone then they will send someone out to try to help us. If something changes after the time we get our cookware I would be glad to post something different but from what I can read from the complaints posted here is that people got in over their heads in the first place or didnt know how to use the product.
Ingrid of Los Angeles, CA February 17, 2009
Ingrid of Los Angeles CA (02/17/09)
they put my account in collections, for non-payment. But I still have the company's representative(the one that sold the product) outside my house Harrassing me for payment. He's always parked outside waiting for me to come home.the other day he saw me and said that the company sent him. I'm already in collections, so I dont understand why they still come by? He tried to work out paymt arrangements, so I gave him a post dated check which I will be cancelling, just so that they will leave me alone.
I'm willing to return the mechandise if they are willing to remove me from collections. all I want is to stop coming to my house and harrassing me. thanks hope you can help. Theresa of Superior, WI February 17, 2009
Theresa of Superior WI (02/17/09)
2/16/2009 I was just contacted by a person that works for Prestige Bridal. They stated I had won a free trip, knife set and pots and pans. They left a message on my cell. I called them back because I remembered that I did attend a bridal show about 2 months ago. I called the 800 # that was given to me and my Reference # to claim my prize which was (D1). When I called the number back a women was told me the 3 gifts that I had won. I then was told I had to go to Holiday INN in Duluth to attend a seminar about the cookware but didn't have to buy anything. I actually had plans for that night and told her I would have to decline.
I then just looked the company up just now on the internet to see what I had missed out on and found all of these complaints online on the same company with the same story. Alot of these complaints were from years ago and I wanted to let everyone know this is still happening in 2009. I was very lucky per the comments and stories I have read. Just beware! Its a total SCAM!
Steffen of Moline, IL February 13, 2009
Steffen of Moline IL (02/13/09)
We sat through a presentation after almost being told we couldn't attend because both of us weren't there at the exact time of the meeting (we were the only couple that showed up) and my fiance was going to be about 20-30 minutes later. After 10 minutes of the sales guy disappearing and telling me someone was getting fired for telling us we could come, he let me in to show me the product. i only came for the free trip and other gifts, none of them are valid or even close to what we were told. After all is said and done we might end up being able to get one free picture taken that was offered... maybe. I agree that the product was decent (not worth the 3200 it would have cost after 150 shipping, tax and an undisclosed interest rate of 24%!). These products go for about 300-500 on ebay.
During his presentation he told us directly and with laminated foldouts about the health benefits of the pans over others, and that if we bought them we would lower our risk of cancer, heart disease and save money. We even watched a company provided video about the health benefits of these products. There is a direct quote from the president of this Hy Cite Corporation on this site that states the salesmen our not to pitch the product as a health benefit, and that their interest rate is meant to be disclosed. This salesperson insisted he did not know what the interest rate was.
The main tactic is that most people my age (21) getting married have not heard of Royal Prestige or Hy Cite and therefore have no good or bad impressions. When you are in the room you obviously don't have internet access or a reliable source so they can say anything they want about how amazing the company is. That is how I got stuck putting a down payment on pans and after researching the next day immediately canceled my order and canceled the card I used to pay with so they could not take even the down payment.
When I called to cancel the person I talked to barely spoke English and told me he could not transfer me to the department that handled cancellations and I would have to call a different number. I assure you we are dead set on attending another seminar and recording the entire thing in detail and putting it up to the values described within quotes from the companies president. If i could assist in any way in regards to a legal matter opposing this company I would be a glad volunteer. Thank you.
Had to cancel my bank card with ties to all my billing in order to keep them from taking a down payment and getting me tied into 3200 worth of debt. Wasted a lot of time! April of Blue Springs, MO February 9, 2009
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If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.
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