3 replies to this topic

[E.T.]

I received a coupon from Life Extension Foundation. The paper I received is titled "Life Extension Hotlines, Summer '08. The coupon says that members who use this coupon can get 4 bottles of Fast-Acting Joint Formula at $27 a bottle. The coupon says that I should order now because the coupon expires on Sept. 29, 2008. The coupon mentions a discount code.

So, I decided to look up the product on their website, and here it is: http://www.lef.org/n.../item00965.html As you can see, the regular price for members who buy 4 bottles is also $27 per bottle, so the coupon does NOT offer any discount.

I called LEF customer service and inquired about the deception. The man said that he does not know much about the coupon. I asked him if he can find out about it and call me back. He agreed. That was two days ago. I have not received a call-back or an email. So, today I called LEF again. A woman answered. I mentioned the coupon. She said that if I use the coupon, I can get the special price of $27 per bottle. So, I then asked her: "What is the regular member price"? She looked it up and says "Well, it appears the regular price is also the same as the coupon price." I asked her "So then, what is the purpose of the coupon"? She says, well, err, hmm, well, err, err, err, well, you know, err . . . " I then interupted her mumbling and said "So the coupon is pointless, just an advertisement trick." She responds "Well, err, you know, well, err, um, hmm, err, err, um. . . " I then interupted her mumbling again and said "The coupon even says that it will expire and that I should hurry and buy soon or I will miss the discount." She responds: "Yes, the coupon will expire, but the price will be the same." So I asked "Is the coupon a typo?" She says "No." I then thank her for her help and end the call.

Make of this what you will regarding the integrity of the Life Extension Foundation.

[Mind]

Are you a member? That would be some important information to know in this case. You didn't say.

I am not a member of LEF and I have never ordered anything from them, but come on, one coupon! One coupon and you want to disparage the entire organization and everything they do.

Maybe it was a advertising gimmick, who knows, but LEF is a fairly large organization, sells a lot of supps, and has all kinds of promotions, it is not out of the realm of possibility that it was either a misprint, or mailed to members by mistake. The secretary might not have had any clue about it. I find coupon and labeling mistakes from time to time at my local grocery store. I talk to customer service, they correct it, and I still shop there.

Members here seem luke-warm on LEF as far as buying supps, but they know that LEF is most definitely on our side as far as life extension advocacy goes.

[E.T.]

Yes, I am a dues paying member of the Life Extension Foundation. I asked the customer service representative if the coupon applied to non-members, in which case it would indeed be a discount. He said that it only applied to members.

LEF endlessly comments on how dishonest the FDA and mainsteam medicine is. Therefore, I expect LEF to be 100% honest.

Edited by E.T., 01 August 2008 - 09:02 PM.

[E.T.]

So you believe I should give LEF the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I should forgive them, in hope they will make a public apology.

I wonder if they are doing the "$49.99" thing, where it would be more efficient to just price something "$50.00," but they say "$49.99" instead just to trick people into thinking they are paying less. I just got the latest LEF magazine, and they have priced their new alpha-lipoic formula for $49.00. Why not just $50.00? Perhaps the $49.00 is just coincidental and was not meant as a deception.

I know that all private companies use this pricing trick, but LEF takes the moral high ground and claims that they are pretty much the only honest health company. When they take such a position, I must be picky about every action.