Saw an ad for Bell & Howell Torchlite on television. I wanted to know more from the website, so I checked it out.
Just when I thought I might order a set, I noticed an up sell to the Bell & Howell Torchlite "Deluxe" for an extra 10 dollars for two. I was curious what the up sell to deluxe consisted of, but could not find any info about it.
So I thought I would send an email to customer service asking what the deluxe version had that the regular version did not have. No such option existed.
Yes, there is an 800 phone number, but most likely that is a fulfillment number that simply takes orders. Is the Torchlite Deluxe version a trade secret they don't want out on the internet? I don't want to be forced to call an 800 number to find out even if the fulfillment phone number representative can explain what the deluxe option is.
If the fulfillment department knows exactly what the deluxe version is, why am I forced to call an 800 number to find out? The act of calling that number will most likely then record my phone number (because it is a "free" 800 call" they get a list of every phone number that calls in) which can then be sold as a "list" to phone sales companies if the company marketing this product wants to.
No thanks.
As a video consultant, I would have advised this company to have a separate website page that highlights what the deluxe model has that the regular model does not, especially since the differrence was not explained on their commercial.
Based on the commercial, another thing I did not like about the Bell & Howell Torch Lite is that it requires 3 batteries. I would much rather have a built in lithium battery option, maybe that was the deluxe version? Or maybe the deluxe version offers a built in charging unit in case I want to use rechargable batteries? If so, I would have bought it, but not if I am forced to call an 800 number to find out what the deluxe option is.
Products that simply put out a boilerplate "sell only" website, which at the moment of this writing is what I believe this website to be, annoy me no end. Maybe I'll wait and one day see this product in the one-dollar store instead.
There are two other possible oversights that I won't get into at this time. A good consultant will always save a company more money than they are being paid, I am skeptical that the approach being taken by the website is both penny wise, and pound wise as well.
info at alexlogic.com
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