01/31/2009
Better Business Bureau of the Southwest (BBBSW) is warning consumers to be
wary of online ads relying on celebrity endorsements to sell acai-berry related
weight loss products. Better Business Bureaus across the nation have received
thousands of complaints from consumers who thought they were signing up for a
free-trial offer of acai-berry weight loss products that were supposedly
endorsed by Oprah, Rachel Ray and other celebrities; in the end, the free trial
cost them, month after month.
The acai berry has been featured on national TV shows and praised by doctors
and celebrities for its high level of antioxidants. Marketing claims about the acai include that it fights cancer and
aging and promotes dietary health and weight loss - and these claims are
working, with sales of acai products approaching $15 million last year, up from
$500,000 per year in previous years.
Producers of acai-berry supplements, juices and tea have been very successful
peddling their goods in ads on the Internet and on social networking websites
such as Facebook. In November alone,
more than 1.5 million people searched for the term on Google. Online ads and websites often include a
photo of a celebrity, such as Oprah, and claim that she endorses the acai as a
weight loss miracle.
"BBB can't speak to the restorative or weight loss properties of acai-based
products, but we are taking companies to task for their misleading sales and
marketing practices," said Jerry Shipman, BBBSW
president.
"Many businesses across the country are using the same selling model for
their acai products: they lure customers in with celebrity endorsements and
free trial offers, and then lock them in by making it extremely difficult to cancel
the automatic delivery of more acai products every month."
The complaints against these companies all tell a similar tale of how
difficult it was to contact the company and cancel the subscription - including
enduring 75 minutes on hold.
Additionally, consumers complain of unauthorized charges on their credit
card or bank accounts for products they did not order. "These companies are simply abusing general
acai-berry endorsements from well-known, trusted celebrities by using it as a
tacit endorsement of their company and products specifically," added Shipman.
"Consumers trust Oprah and unfortunately, if they are tricked into
believing that she is putting her stamp of approval on a product then they are
definitely more likely to purchase it."
Before purchasing acai products, BBB recommends checking out the seller
first. BBB maintains a free online
database with more than four million reports on businesses at www.bbb.org. Additionally, consumers shopping online
should look for the BBB seal on websites and click on the seal to confirm its
legitimacy. And of course, consumers can always contact their local BBBSW
directly with questions, concerns and complaints at (505) 346-0110 (Albuquerque),
(505) 326-6501 (in Farmington), (970) 242-2512 (in Grand Junction), or toll-free at (800) 873-2224.
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