No More Means NO MORE! The Kits Kept Coming Until We Canceled the Credit Card.
ProActiv
My then 20-year-old son suddenly started breaking out. Never one to have any sort of acne problem before, he freaked. He tried Murad's system and it was OK but, like his Mom, an infomercial got to him. It was for the ProActiv line.
He has his own credit card but asked me to sign him up. I was leery but it was his card and they did promise all sorts of money back guarantees and such so I signed the kid up for regular shipments of the ProActiv system through the Proactiv Online Store.
They delivered as promised. Then wouldn't stop. For months. The boxes piled up until I finally had to go to extremes to stop the company from sending more. On a somewhat upbeat note, I sold all of my son's unopened ProActiv on eBay for as much or more than he paid for it and kept half the money. Ha!
What the Site Sells
This site sells the ProActiv System which consists of a three-step approach to dealing with acne and blemishes. The usual shipments have cleanser, toner, and lotion and arrive every 60 days. The first kit has a couple of little extras and subsequent kits are sent automatically and charged to the credit card on file.
Navigation
There isn't much to navigate. The site focuses on the system, products, "real stories" of success with the products, celebrity endorsements, and a message from a couple of dermatologists about the products.
If you have seen the infomercial that is on at least 400 times a day on every channel, you pretty much know whether you want to try the products or not.
To order, you start by getting an introductory kit. There are a few to choose from consisting of five, four, and three product 60 day kits or a smaller three product 30 day kit. We opted for the three product system that renewed every 60 days.
Ordering is way too simple. Just click on the kit of your choice and pick a shipping option. There are three speeds and prices of shipping you can choose.
Fill in your personal details and supply a valid credit card and expiry on the same page and, before you know it, you are in a spiral that you can't get out of.
Your first shipment will arrive in a few weeks if you choose standard shipping and faster if you pay extra for expedited shipping.
Subsequent orders will arrive every 50-ish days. I don't know how it works if you buy the 30 day supply. I assume you will become a full-fledged "Clear Skin Club" member and you will receive a two month supply in 30 days.
Our Experience
The first box of the system appeared on our doorstep about three weeks after ordering. It is an unobtrusive small white box with fairly small amounts of products in it. There is literature about the products and directions for use. The first shipment had a mask in it as an extra as well.
My son tried it and gave it a fighting chance but it didn't do a great job on his skin. Later, we found out that was because he didn't have acne; he really had an infection called folliculitis that needed to be treated with long term, low doses of antibiotics.
At any rate, he used his first kit and the next one came promptly. He was charged $39.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling.
At this point, he was ready to cancel so he went to the site and asked how to go about canceling his subscription (or whatever it was).
He got no reply and, being a flighty 20 year old, forgot about it and used the ProActiv now and then and eventually just discontinued it as the doctor said he was "murdering" his skin using the chemicals on it. He suggested Unscented Dove soap and nothing else along with the antibiotics and the special prescription cream he was to use.
Another kit came and he was charged.
He wrote again, telling them to cancel his subscription effective immediately.
Time passed. Another kit came and he was charged.
I noticed these little unopened white boxes stacking up and told him he was throwing good money out and to cancel the stuff. He said he did at least twice.
He called their toll free number, explained the situation, and asked to have the kits discontinued. They said they would but he was not eligible for a refund on any of the other kits even though he asked to be canceled and he did not open the boxes.
Fine. Money spent for his laziness.
Then a kit appeared on the doorstep.
Now I was mad! I was right there when he called and had his cancellation number.
I called them myself and told them, in no uncertain terms, that my son wanted the kits stopped and that he could not use the products.
They said he had to call himself. I put him on the phone and he went through the whole thing with them again.
Another cancellation number was issued.
Another kit came.
Livid, I called and told them if another kit came, it would be considered a gift and I was going to dispute the charges on the last two kits. They would not talk to me because I wasn't the cardholder. My son got on the phone and said the same thing.
A cancellation number was issued.
We immediately notified my son's credit card company and told them we needed to stop these people. They suggested canceling the card and getting a new one reissued. A pain for sure but anything to stop the charges. The credit card company did try to pursue refunds but the people at ProActiv vigorously denied any knowledge of my son wanting to cancel despite the cancellation numbers we provided.
We ended up with six (!!) unopened kits that my son had to pay for.
His card was canceled and another one issued.
When ProActiv tried to send another kit and the charge would not go through, they emailed my son for the correct billing information.
Unbelievable!
Long story short, as far as the products go, they may or may not work for you. They are very harsh.
If they work for you and you want the shipments, you should be happy with the way things work. If you want to cancel, well, good luck.
I can't believe what a hassle it was to cancel this system especially after explaining that my son had an infection that was not treatable by the chemicals in ProActiv.
Customer Service wasn't rude. They just agreed and then did nothing to cancel the kits.
I sold all his unopened kits to people on eBay for good prices. I guess others don't want to be caught in the trap we were in but want to try the product.
Luckily, we didn't lose TOO much because of reselling the products but no 20-year-old kid should be stuck for thar kind of money when he did everything he was told to do to cancel the shipments.
I am totally disgusted with how this whole situation was handled and I caution everyone to be firm and take action immediately if you cancel your shipments and they keep coming.
Conclusion
These products may clear normal acne and work for you. They really should be a last resort because they are very harsh and could just add to your problems.
If you decide to join "the club", watch your credit card carefully and, when you want to cancel, make sure you call them, get a cancellation number, and a follow up email (which they promised but didn't send). If you find they are still shipping you kits after you cancel, call your credit card company right away for assistance.
I give this site 2 stars. Everything is easy until you want to STOP. Then it all gets hard to the point of nearly impossible.
Proceed with extreme caution.
Recommended:
No
