ComplaintsforHeartland America

• Initial Complaint

  10/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ordered august ******* two items ,received part of order,called 6 times to either get rest of order or refund .customer service did not return call as promised. put me on hold 25 to 30 minutes, and hung up on me. I was never rude and have 4 people here at home to prove. they just keep hanging up and refuse to return my money.

  

  Business response

  10/07/2024

  Dear Diana,
  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration you experienced with your recent order.
  Upon reviewing your order placed on August 20, 2024, we confirmed that we do not carry the requested tarp size of 30x40, which is why we were unable to fulfill this part of your order. As a result, a refund in the amount of $42.39 was issued via check (#12431949) on September 25, 2024. You should receive the check in approximately two weeks.
  We regret to hear about the negative experiences you had while trying to resolve this matter, including the unreturned calls, extended hold times, and call disconnections. We understand how this would be frustrating, and we assure you that this is not the level of service we strive to provide. We are committed to improving our communication and customer service processes to prevent this from happening in the future.
  If you have not received your refund within the stated timeframe, or if you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you better in the future.

  
  Sincerely,

  Holly Vonberge

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

• Initial Complaint

  09/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 25 July 2024 heartland america charged my CITI card twice for $48.58, totaling $97.16. I don't use this card and and on 15 sept I received notice that my payment was late to **** on a charge I didn't know I had. **** also charges a late fee of *****. I contacted heartland america on 16 Sept and after being on hold for 50 minutes was told I'd signed up for TWO memberships, and they had automatically renewed. I talked with two representatives, and was told they had emailed me about renewal, which I feel is not a sufficient way to inform anyone about any pending charges. This is a scam, and I was told by both **** that nothing could be done. This may affect my credit, and I've had to cancel the affected card due to fraud. I've canceled my Heartland America customer account, and told.them I'd be contacting the BBB. Their address is **********************************.

  

  Business response

  09/25/2024

  Dear ****,
  
  Thank you for reaching out to us, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience youve experienced.
  
  After reviewing your account, we can confirm that a refund of $97.16 was issued to the card on file, covering the charges related to your two memberships. Additionally, we have canceled both memberships to ensure no further charges will occur.
  
  However, regarding the $30 late fee charged by your credit card company, we regret that we are unable to issue a refund for this amount.Since we are not responsible for how credit card payments are managed, any fees related to late payments fall under the responsibility of the cardholder and the credit card issuer.
  
  We understand that you may have missed the email notifications about your membership renewals, but please note that by signing up for the memberships, you authorized these automatic renewals. We sent you email reminders prior to the charges in accordance with our standard practices.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. We value your business and sincerely apologize for any confusion this situation may have caused.
  
  Thank you for your understanding.

  ***** ********

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

  Customer response

  09/25/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

• Initial Complaint

  09/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I placed an order with Heartland America for multiple items. Upon receipt, on of the bicycles had a broken component (the bell). We reached out to customer support and they assured us they would send a replacement part. After several weeks, we called back and they informed us they were still working on the replacement. This repeated a few times. Finally, when the return period was almost up, they told us they would be unable to replace the component. They informed us we'd have to return the product. However, being an oversized item, the return shipping is over 100 dollars. We requested them to pay for return shipping and they refused. We feel they should pay for the return shipping because the product was damaged before shipping, not during shipping. This is evidenced because the broken off part was not even in the box and there were no holes in either of the two shipping boxes. It was broken at the manufacturer or, more likely, a previous return that was defective and shipped to us. We tried multiple contacts and no response. When filing a credit card dispute, they point to their return policy, accused us of trying to steal the product, and said we never tried to contact them. I would like for them to provide a replacement product, including return shipping, replace the broken bell, or provide adequate compensation for a sub standard product. Every business has a duty to provide the products they are selling in proper condition. The bike is advertised as new and should not arrive broken.

  

  Business response

  09/05/2024

  Dear **,
  I hope youre doing well. I wanted to follow up on our recent conversation and confirm that weve put everything in motion to resolve your concern with the red bike. As agreed, weve arranged for a free return label, which has been sent to you. Once the red bike is returned, well process the exchange for the blue bike as requested.
  Im glad to hear that youre satisfied with this solution, and I will personally handle your order from here to ensure everything goes smoothly.
  If you have any further questions or need assistance at any point, please feel free to reach out to me directly.
  Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to completing the exchange for you.

  
  Best regards,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

  Customer response

  09/06/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ******** and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I appreciate the attention the company gave to this matter.  They both made the situation right as well as ensure that their support staff is trained for handling such cases in the future.  This is an example of how a business should be and I would definitely say this is a good company with which to do business.

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have not ordered from this co. In over 2 years and had this charge for a membership fee. I don't keep $ in this act. Which caused an overdraft.

  

  Business response

  06/13/2024

  Dear ******,
  Thank you for reaching out regarding the recent charge on your account.
  I wanted to inform you that a refund of $48.72 was processed on June 12, 2024. Please allow 5-7 business days for the refund to reflect in your account, depending on your bank's processing time.
  I apologize for any inconvenience this charge may have caused, especially given that you have not ordered from us in over two years. I understand that this unexpected charge resulted in an overdraft on your account, and I regret any frustration this may have caused.
  If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to contact us.
  Thank you for your understanding.
  

  Best regards,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace and Customer Experience Specialist

  Customer response

  06/13/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

• Initial Complaint

  03/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received a charge for $73.26. They said that a salesman contacted me and I agreed to this charge. I have no idea what this Heartland Premium dues is. Thats how its listed on my bank account. I called and spoke to a representative and was told the charge would be put back into my account by the 10th of March 2024. I check each day and I have not received the $73.26 back as of today.

  

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  Dear ****** ,
  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you've experienced regarding the charge listed as "Heartland Premium dues" on your bank statement. However, after thorough investigation, we couldn't locate any account associated with your information in our records. Our representative attempted to contact you on March 14th, 2024, at the number listed on the complaint, but unfortunately, we didn't receive a response.
  To resolve this matter promptly, we kindly ask you to contact our customer service team at your earliest convenience. Our dedicated representatives will assist you further in investigating this issue and ensuring that any erroneous charges are addressed accordingly. We understand your concerns and appreciate your cooperation in resolving this matter.
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we look forward to assisting you in resolving this issue promptly.
  Best regards,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Company charged me for a membership program I did not sign up for. I uncovered this by accident while looking for confirmation of a charge amount. I called and they said they would refund the membership charge on 3/4/24 (awaiting refund to post), they would not refund the 3/6/23 renewal charge and told me to call the **** I am looking for all membership charges to be refunded, $89.97 for 2023 and 2024.They did send one renewal email prior to the charge, however the amount of solicitation emails sent buried the one renewal email. They send at least one email a day, some days there are as many as four in a day. There are no options to cancel within any of the emails the renewal or solicitations, there is no option to cancel on website, the customer service rep informed they only take orders after 5pm and cant cancel membership have to call between 9am and 5pm to cancel and none of the other emails mentioned the upcoming renewal.

  

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  Dear *****,

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience caused by the charges related to your membership. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we deeply regret any frustration this situation may have caused.
  I'm pleased to inform you that we've processed refunds for the membership charges pertaining to 2023, as well as those for 2024. You can expect to see these refunds reflected in your account shortly, though the exact timing may vary depending on your financial institution's processing times.
  Regarding your concerns about the renewal charge from 3/6/23, I assure you that we take such matters seriously.  While we strive to provide clear communication regarding renewals and membership terms, it's evident from your experience that we fell short of our standards in this instance.
  We acknowledge your feedback regarding the frequency of our email communications and the lack of clarity regarding cancellation options. Your insights are crucial for us to improve our services, and we will be reviewing our communication practices to ensure they are more transparent and user-friendly moving forward.
  In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me directly if there are any further concerns or if you require assistance with anything else. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we are committed to resolving this matter to your full satisfaction.
  Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience this situation has caused. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to rectify this issue.
  

  Best regards,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace and Customer Experience Specialist

   

  Customer response

  03/12/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 

  The company read and addressed my complaint promptly.

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Feb 6 my credit card was charged for a "membership renewal" even though I had emailed in January and told them that I wanted to cancel all memberships. They told me when I called on the 7th that they did not take cancelations via email, only phone call and they would refund a partial amount. I told them no, they would refund the whole thing. Finally they did agree and did run the full refund on Feb 7. Today it is Feb 16 and they have charged my credit card again today for $44.98. This is wrong. I am 83 years old. I think they are taking advantage of an elderly population and this needs to stop. I called today to get a refund and they weren't taking calls 'but I could EMAIL!!!! or they would call me back'. WHAT??? email would work? This company is shady and taking advantage. Any help would be appreciated.

  

  Business response

  02/19/2024

  Dear ****,
  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the recent billing issue with your membership renewal. It's truly regrettable that you had to go through such an experience, especially considering your clear request for cancellation.
  Please rest assured that we have promptly processed a full refund for the erroneous charge made on Feb 16. You should see the amount credited back to your credit card shortly.
  We deeply regret any distress or inconvenience this *** have caused, and we want to assure you that this is not reflective of the standard of service we aim to provide. Your concerns regarding the billing process have been duly noted, and we are taking steps to ensure such mistakes do not occur in the future. We understand that regaining your trust *** take time, but we genuinely hope you'll consider giving us another chance in the future. Your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us.

  Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience caused and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

  
  Sincerely,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

  Customer response

  02/20/2024

   I am rejecting this response because: Here is the email response I got from them...they are saying they will not refund but will cancel. I am done with these people. They are taking advantage of the elderly...I 100% told them to cancel ALL memberships.

  Dear *********************,
  
  Thank you for contacting Heartland America. My name is ******* and I'll be glad to assist you today.  
  
  We show you cancelled your Elite Membership previously. The recent membership is for the Priority Plus Membership. 
  
  We have cancelled the PRIORITY PLUS renewal per your request. This membership will not be ************ can enjoy the membership discounts until your membership expires. 
  
  For future reference dues, once paid, are not refundable during a membership year, as they are allocated to the various costs of providing our services and benefits. If the dues include an enrollment fee, the enrollment fee is also not refundable. By renewing your Heartland America membership, you agree to the terms and conditions. All memberships include the Automatic Renewal feature. You must notify us if you'd like to cancel your Membership by emailing Heartland America at ******************************* or calling ************** before the renewal takes place. ?
  
  If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this email and we'll be happy to assist you.
  
  For easy reference and to avoid delay in handling your inquiry, please include the contents of all relevant emails when you send us further email on the same issue.
  
  Customer Number: *******
  
  We appreciate your business and value you as a Heartland America Customer. Please visit us again at ******************************.
  
  We hope you have a wonderful day!
  
  Best Regards,
  *************************************

   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Heartland America charges your debit card ***** a year if after they send you a membership renewal card and you dont get back to them, they charge your card without you knowing it unless you look at your account activity which is how I found out about it this morning, looking at mine. I knew I did not charge anything from Heartland America so I called them to inquire about it and found out this is how they scam people (my words) out of their money yearly from people that dont check their accounts. HELP?? ******, Operator 335 at Heartland told me they would refund my money, and I told him that I want for this Feb 6,2024 and last year too. Scammers is what they are, stealing peoples money like that. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR LETTING PEOPLE KNOW?? I to,******** that I wanted my money back for 2023 also.

  

  Business response

  02/14/2024

  Dear ******,

  I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to confirm that both of your Heartland America memberships have been successfully refunded. One refund was processed on February 8th, ****, and the other on February 14th, ****.
  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. It is never our intention to disrupt our members' experiences, and we deeply regret any frustration this situation has caused.
  Regarding your concerns about the membership renewal process, please allow me to clarify that our system is designed to automatically renew memberships for the convenience of our members. However, we understand that this may not align with everyone's preferences. We appreciate your feedback on this matter and will take it into consideration for future improvements.
  I want to assure you that your trust is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to providing you with the best possible service. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
  Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience, and I thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

  Warm Regards,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

• Initial Complaint

  02/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered a countertop oven from Heartland America It arrived broken in early December. I emailed the company with my complaint. I received an email that stated only that my email ha been received. That email from the company is dated December 9. That is the last I heard from Heartland America regarding this defective product.

  

  Business response

  02/15/2024

  
  Dear *****,
  I hope this message finds you well.
  I wanted to follow up with you regarding the damaged Air Fryer & Toaster Oven you received from Heartland America. Firstly, please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you. We always strive to deliver products of the highest quality, and it's disappointing to hear about your experience.
  Upon receiving your complaint, we immediately initiated an investigation into the matter to ensure such incidents are addressed promptly. After thorough assessment, we've concluded that the best course of action is to issue a refund for the defective item.
  I'm pleased to inform you that the refund process has been successfully initiated, and you should see the refunded amount credited back to your original payment method shortly. Please note that depending on your financial institution, it may take a few business days for the refund to reflect in your account.
  Once again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If there's anything else we can assist you with or if you have any further concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we're committed to ensuring a positive resolution for you.
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and we appreciate your understanding and patience throughout this process.

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

• Initial Complaint

  02/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  BBB NOTE: Complaint given by phone to BBB staff.Consumer says he placed an order through Heartland America in early December -- mailed a money order for $40 (serial #**********, purchased 12/7) to Heartland for the item.Says was then informed by Heartland that he needed to pay an additional $17.30 for the item, so purchased a second money order (serial #**********, purch 12/20) and sent it to Heartland.When he hadn't received the item by mid-January, he got in touch with Heartland. determined that the second money order had been cashed on 12/29, but Heartland told him it wasn't cashed / received by them. Advised customer to go back to currency exchange to investigate.******** says he called ********************** as recently as Friday (2/2) to discuss, and spoke briefly to a ******. ****** said she'd need to speak to her supervisor and get back to customer on Monday (2/5), but customer has not heard back yet this week.

  

  Business response

  02/06/2024

  Dear *******,
  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the discrepancy regarding your recent order with Heartland America. We are writing to inform you that we have thoroughly investigated the matter and located the missing money order associated with your purchase.
  Upon investigation, it was discovered that the money order, serial number #**********, was indeed received by us but was erroneously applied to the wrong customer account. We have rectified this mistake immediately and ensured that the additional funds have been correctly applied to your account.
  As a result of our investigation and subsequent correction, we are pleased to inform you that your order is now scheduled for shipment today. You can expect to receive it within the estimated timeframe provided at the time of your purchase.
  We understand the frustration and inconvenience this situation may have caused you, and we sincerely apologize for any distress it may have caused. Our team is committed to providing excellent customer service, and we have taken steps to prevent such errors from occurring in the future.
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your understanding and patience throughout this process. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

  Thank you for choosing Heartland America. We appreciate your business.

  Warm regards,

  ***************************

  Heartland America Marketplace & Customer Experience Specialist

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩