I received a few requests to do a review of a program called StoresOnline. Apparently, it’s a company that sells eCommerce websites and training. They advertise seminars that are taking place all over the world and they invite you to come in, have some lunch, receive a free MP3 player, and listen to their pitch on how they’ll set you up with a profitable website.
- Inbox Dollars - Get paid to check your email. $5 bonus just for signing up!
- Survey Junkie - The #1 survey site that doesn't suck. Short surveys, high payouts, simply the best.
- Nielsen - Download their app and get paid $50!
They are a very intimidating and pushy bunch and try and convince you that you NEED StoresOnline if you want to have any shot at making money online. After the presentation, you’ll be forced to talk to a closer who will try and scare you to signup on the spot with the company. He or she will promise you that the company will build a couple websites for you and help you maintain them. Total cost? $6,000 plus monthly fees for website maintenance.
Yes, I did just say $6,000.
Is StoresOnline.com a Scam?
Unfortunately, this is one program I won’t be able to try personally. I simply don’t have the time to attend a conference, listen to someone spout nonsense, and decline a pushy sales person. So, I’ll be outsourcing the majority of the review.
Let’s start with their BBB report…
BBB Rating for Storesonline Inc
Based on BBB files, Storesonline Inc has a BBB Rating of F.
Factors that lowered this business’ rating include:
- 807 complaints filed against business
- Government action(s) against business
- Business has failed to resolve underlying cause(s) of a pattern of complaints
807 whopping complaints. This is the most I’ve ever seen against a single company. Plus the government is taking action against them and they have a history of not responding to customers. At this point, the review should be done, but I have to continue with a few customer horror stories.
MARJOH at scam.com writes…
I am very upset, it’s been a year that I felt for this…I went to the seminar and at that time I believe that it could be a good opportunity for me! but after a year of trying to make my website with no luck, I know that they are such a lie…I paid for the package $6k a year ago, and now they are calling me saying that if I need to get started my own business, they can help me if I invest from 9k to 10k, can you believe that? A year ago I didn’t have the 6k I used my cc to pay it and now with no business, with this economy they are asking me for more!!!!! I just want my 6k back and I don’t know what to do, I already called them and asked that if they don’t give me my money back I will sue them because they promise things that never happen!! and they didn’t care! I am out of 6k and don’t know what to do…Any advice will be appreciate it, thanks.
After taking $6,000, StoresOnline wanted an additional $10,000. Seriously.
goodpasture writes…
Stores Online is definately a scam everybody. I went to their free lunch and it cost me over $4000. My credit card won’t even allow me to back out. And yea they gave me that 3 day crap as well. Stores Online is the biggest wate of money ever. Plus let me mention that it’s not only $4000 for their ‘software” but they have all other additionals that they try to high-pressure you into buying and if you ever want to go live with your $4000 websites you just purchased did I mention there is a $29 PER MONTH PER WEBSITE fee for hosting it and you have to host it on their server or you lose half the stuff that their software does for you of course.
mmtrem writes…
About a month ago I received a postcard in the mail about attending a seminar to make money online from home. StoresOnline was the company holding this seminar that offered a free lunch. So, I held my spot to go and check it out. Most of the stuff they covered I have already known but they were offering another class for an 8 hour session for $99. They said the class was to learn about SEO so I was very interested in going. It was offered for the $99 for two people. So my friend and I went to this all day class. They never taught much of what they said they would but only to talk about how much money other people have made with the services they offered. I did learn a few things that will be of help to me in the future… however, they were selling two different packages, A Silver package for $3,400 and a Platinum package for $6,000 and then $29.95 a month. Whoa! Hold on a second… For real?
And I could go on and on and on. There are thousands of these reports out there. Don’t fall for the hype of the free MP3 player they offer for attending the seminar either. There are more complaints regarding not receiving the MP3 player than there are against the company itself.
Oh, and everyone says the lunch sucks.
So what do I suggest? It should be fairly obvious but stay as far away from StoresOnline as possible.
If you’ve had any experience with the company or even attended a seminar, let me know what you thought in the comments below.
I am still hoping I will get my money worth from stores online. I paid hard, and I will like to get my money back.
I feel like such an idiot! All I wanted to do was work from home. I spent 1 $10,000 in total. Is any one trying a law suit? I’m still paying on the last $ 5000.00 There are so many scams. All I want to do is work. & make an honest living.
Its been almost 7 years now and i still cannot build a decent website on the stores online platform. I am sure they will make it out to be your fault.i bought 3 they wanted to sell me 5. tha pitch sounded great at the time now one else was doing this now everyone is selling website,but the catch is they want to build it for you, thats where th cost to you gets really intresting,and they have not change the website builder it the same Designs. Now i find the sales agents the sales agents are getting real impatient with you. I am still trying to get my moneys worth, Still trying to build that elusive website.
.
My wife and I attended seminar between 06 and 09. Due to hecktick personal
schedule on our part we only paid into SOL about 1k.
Did nothing with the site(s) what so ever. Something made me look up SOL. Saw all the complaints, lawsuits and etc. NOW WHAT? I know it’s been along time since even thinking of SOL but still had money invested
I attend a Seminar in 2008 in Georgia sponsored by StoresOnline. A fax number was listed on the contract to cancel within a couple of day. I did just that, but they still has me owing them $6,000, even though the fax number did not work. After I find out the fax number did not work, I called them to cancel. I never even got started on the website. They are surely a ripoff and should be sued and shut down as soon as possible. They still have this $6,000 on my credit report from 2008. I would like to join any complaint or lawsuit against them – and keep them from taking money from innocent and poverty stricken people, by give them false hope, but really push them further under the bridges and on the streets. God does not like ugly!
I fell into storeonline back in 2011. It was very convincing, I started to pay a a month by month basis, but then I stopped, because it wasn’t working. I recently sent back all the software all new, it was sent back to me, the address did not existed. I’m trying to get a different address, they changed it or something happen. Does anyone have more information.
My son and I bit on this SCAM several years ago and opted to confront the StoresOnline people with a refusal to pay and treats to turn it over to the NYS Attorney Generals Office. The result is less than pleasing with the account turned over to a collection agency, who refuses to discuss the issue in a rational manner. My son is now having difficulty getting a car loan because of it. STAY AWAY FROM STORESONLINE!!!!!!
I might add, how is it that america allows this company to continue, are there no laws in the us protecting consumers and stopping these sorts of con artists from setting up shop? I am very surprised they are still in business
Dont give them your card details. I had a website for 3 yrs and then sold it, after 6 yrs it is still published so remained published since i purchased it, yet now i want to use one of my other licenses they are telling me i have to pay all these fees which were never in my receipt of purchase. Each site cost over $1000 and my receipt says i can access them without paying any fee until published, that they do not expire and that my $24.95 monthly hosting fee is ongoing, perpetual. Now i cannot access my licenses under any of these terms by which i paid for them! It is all clearly stated on my receipt of purchase yet they happily are defaulting on this which is illegal. That is how they treat paying customers, with complete disregard. They refuse to answer how they can refute everything in my receipt of purchase and they say they will phone and then that no one answered yet my mobile clearly shows no phone call ever existed. They are absolute liars and con artists even to those who have been paying them on a regular basis. Steer clear of this company, i am taking this to the securities commission in australia where i bought my licenses, they have already taken them to court and won because of their lies to customers
I want to put my experience out there, just to make sure that fairness prevails. I don’t in any way claim that any of the above is untrue (or true). I purchased a website from the original owner and creator and it is done in StoresOnline. This means I did not experience the initial sales pitch or sign-up process, but the former owner doesn’t have anything bad to say about the process. Our website is working quite well and I find the tools to maintain and add to the website work fine (I have no website background, FYI). They have phone support during business hours and instant messaging support 24/7. I have found both to be effective and I have never been told that there is a limit to the number of calls or minutes of support I can use.
So what I’m saying, for what it’s worth is that my experience with StoresOnline up to this point (about 7 months) has been positive.
As V.C. Swindell said above, you need to have a good product, competitive pricing and a solid marketing campaign. We have these three things in play and as a result my wife, who was a full-time mom for the past 12 years is managing a business that makes about what she’d make in full-time outside employment.
I finally paid SOL off and have no website, I have nothing for the, well over $6000 that I had to pay with 18% interest for the last 3 years. It was a very expensive lesson that I will never forget. If it sounds too good to be true, IT IS! I will thoroughly investigate anything else I might decide to do especially if it costs $6000.
Storesonlines (SOL) Markets its tools that allows the customer to set up an e-commerce site in which to sell the products of the customer choosing, they also market workshops to help get you started. IS this a SCAM…NO. The simple face is NOT EVERYONE CAN SELL PRODUCTS, NOT EVERYONE is an over night success (99.99999 %). Does the presentation make it seem like you can become a millionaire by next month…it does if you don’t listen closely. I’ve been to two of their seminars…they DO tell the audience that it depends on their products, site traffic, and marketing..but just like AVON, MARY KAY and AMWAY. But they are their to SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. Building a business depends on how much sweat equity you are willing to put into in…all people who go to these seminars seem to hear is how much money that can (potentially) make.
So if you know nothing about Internet marketing, Branding, or want take the time to learn…you are are not going to do well. Now is this really SOL fault. How many people try and fail at AVON. And year..$6000 is no small amount to invest is something you know nothing about, and not willing to learn.
Over 50% of business fail in the first year…and internet business are no different. Yes you can buy the full package…yes you can build a web site…but if you don’t do any marketing..and learn all the tricks that Amazon, and e-bay learned…NO you want be the next Anthony Morrison.
SOL provides you exactly what they promise you..but they can’t make you successful…that’s on you. 5 blocks from me is a restaurant building that has gone under every year…it is sitting in a row of fast food chains…unless the new owner does something ‘differnt’ to draw people to his restaurant..people will go elsewhere. Having a web site is like that…you have to have to complete for business..just cause you have a web site..does not mean you are going succeed. But it is far easier to people to say they were scammed..than to say they were just stupid.
I live in Bedford and I bought the multiple website in 2008. I also spent roughly £3500 plus some training for another £2500 or around that amount.
I am on the same boat as you all, guys but I don’t live in America as they came here in the United Kingdom back then.
Please advice…
Thank you.
Used to work CS there. I quit, like many others, because it was all shady. We had to deal with the lies the salespeople would tell the customers and we were left basically with the responsibility of either selling more or telling them they’ve been robbed. I’m glad I quit and so is everyone else I advised to join me.
I also paid storesonline I did not want to ruin my credit so I paid until my last payment went through my account, now because of ALL the FALSE INFO I encountered, I want my money back, has anyone out there actually gotten all of their money back? If so how did you go about it?
BEWARE! They are now doing business in Tempe, AZ as Crexendo, Inc. 602.714.8500 x 3517
As of an email received yesterday (12-12-11) from StoresOnline, they are now requiring that all licenses on one account be billed the monthly fee of $29.95 to one credit card. I have different people that pay for the monthly fee with their own credit card and I don’t have to collect from them. Now I have 2 choices being forced on me: 1) I can pay the monthly fee on each license and then collect from the other people, or 2) SOL will give them new accounts not connected to mine and they will be billed directly. They will have EVERYTHING I had to pay $6K for for free! Really???? So why can’t I do that and get my $6K back???? This is total CRAP! I will be posting this on as many fourms as I can find.
I have just filled a complaint with the CA State AG office. I think that if everyone that has been scammed by this company (and I use that name loosely) we could get something done here in CA.
They were already hit here once by Ventura County. We need to do it again and again they take money from everyone and give nothing in return. I don’t usually fall for scams but I got sucked into this one for 6K and after 1 yr of trying to work with this so called easy drag and drop website creator i had not finished it and so at that point they locked me out of my account. Unless I get screwed for more money in the amount of $30 a month to have the right of using this piece of crap software. I say everyone unite call your State AG, Call the Feds, I have contacts in the FBI, and contact your local News to put the heat on. i am on a mission and will not rest until I have an effect on the owners of Stores on line bank accounts
Basically if the government goes after them it has to be the state that you live in because each state has different laws about doing business and such. So you need to contact your local attorney general and file a compaint with them. I filed back in November and just heard back this week. I too am still paying them beacuse I as well dont want to ruin my credit. Like I said, try contacting a local news station and see if you can get them to attend a seminar and do a story on StoresOnline. That ultimately is what got enough people in Colorado to file a compaint and get the Attorney general to investigate. Good luck!
if the government is going after them, please let me know who to contact to file a complaint. I’m still paying them because I don’t want them to ruin what little credit I have left.
Here at seminar while reading scam. He is saying everything you all are saying. Going to stay just to see how pushy he gets. I’m here with friend we are Registered nurses.
I live in Colorado, so I wouldn’t be able to help in New York. I am hoping the get them shut down as well. I think that if we could get every state to go after them we might have a shot! Have you tried contacting a local news station to see if they would help you?
Marisa, I did all that and more to no avail. However I did get out of their supposed contract and on that note you have to watch them as they out source that to another company to. I am hoping that the New York State taxation and Finance will get them as they were supposed to collect taxes from them for each sale they did in NY.I want this company shut down and am doing all I can by word of mouth and sites like these. Do you live in New York Marissa if you do I would like to contact you as the only letter I got from the Attorney General stated that the problem was solved . Yeah! right to storesonline satisfaction not Mine.
Contact your state general attorneys office and file a complaint. I did this in November and was told that there had not been enough complaints for them to do any investigations, but about 2 weeks ago a local news station did a story about Storesonline and also told them to file a complaint with the attorney general and low and behold a got a call back today! They are finally investigating! You may also want to contact your local news stations and see if you can get them involved!
I was promised that they would build an entire web site for me, as soon as I got the information they wanted, I found that they would only put in 25 products. Tyler the slick sales man said they would take care of everything for me.
They sure did, they took my money and I fought with my credit card company to get it back, but all I had was his word which did not amount to anything because of all the misleading information he poured onto me. It is a rip off.
Now I am scrambling to try to possibly break even which is going to take a lot of work! I believe I learned a lesson the hard way!!!
I am just trying to find a way to get the stuff cancelled ,i am trying to support 7 on,,we’ll under 700.00 a month I can’t afford for them to take out a penny,I am disabled..
I to fell for the sales pitch on February 5,2011. I should have known better but it all sounded good . Their AAA with the BBB and the no jobs out sourced over seas. Well I did my homework after they doubled billed my account for the down payment of their platinum package. their electronic check hit twice. Their one supervisor that I finally got to talk to after a number of complaints laughed about my account being in the red. This company is a scam and I say enough shut them down. They even lied to the BBB board of Utah. They told them(BBB) that they would stop doing the seminars. They need to be sued in the highest court of the land and they seem to like the elderly and people on limited income. Shut This Company Down complain to the consumer fraud department in your state as well as the Attorney Generals Office in your state Together we Might get them shut down.
My wife and I got suckered in to the tune of $11,000 (yes that’s eleven thousand dollars) total, about 5 or 6 years ago. We had the two websites and I actually had mine running. But like everyone else I found that they wanted more and more money to “optimize” my website. So the little money it did make wouldn’t even cover the monthly costs.
My wife wanted to create her website and they promised to have a mentor to help her. The first one didn’t know as much about the set up as my wife did (and my wife was just learning how), so the girl had her supervisor/mentor help my wife with the set up. This new woman called and set up phone appointments with my wife for an hour at a time. She frequently called late and still call it an hour session. She would get mad and insult and then hang up on my wife. Needless to say this was an expensive lesson.
Another note, we received a package about a class action law suit against them, it turned out that out of the eleven thousand we would be refunded about 250 dollars, if we could prove that we didn’t receive all the training that was guaranteed. We had already written it off as an expensive lesson so we never pursued it.
I went to a Storesonline workshop in August. I was high pressured into the $6000 pkg. Being a novice of the internet. I thought I had all the details that I needed. I bought 2 websites that would be programmed by one of their professional programmers and I had 6/mon of free hosting which I was lead to believe that would start when I got my sites up and running. They forgot to disclose that I only had 90 days to get my info to the programmer for the first site and 180 days to get the info to them for the 2nd site to be programmed. Meanwhile this180days IS the free 6/mn of hosting,oh, did I forget to mention that the free 6/mon included my access to the site. So at the end of 6/mon I no longer have access to my site to change anything unless I pay $30 per month. About their 24/7 support, it would really be helpful if they trained everyone to at least give you the same answer to your questions, because I got a different answer everytime I called or went to the chat. If I wasn’t confused by the information they gave me in writing I certainly was more confused after I talked with someone. There is no way that you only have to commit to a couple hrs. a day to so this, especially if you don’t already have a product. No wonder they only used 1 example of someone who succeeded. This is deffinately NOT a step by step program! They will also give your phone number to their affiliates who will call you day in and day out to try and get you to spend more money on things that you aren’t going to need for the rest of your life. I don’t know where to go from here because I can’t afford to pay them the loan and pay to keep access/hosting, and advertising to my site. All because of a FREE MP3 player and FREE lunch. (Don’t go! they’re good at what they do, DECEPTION!)
I bit, hook, line and sinker, at one of Stores on Line seminars; and no, I didn’t get an mp3 or anything else for my trouble. I did get fleeced for approximately $10,000 by the time I was done. I stayed and followed all my “coach’s” instructions; I had two websites and was able to name them, add my own content, along with my inventory. What they don’t tell you up front is that you have to market the sites by purchasing ads all over the internet, place newspaper ads, etc. I worked so very hard and was so proud of my sites/stores. After almost 2 years, I had made one sale. It was a very bitter pill to swallow; I finally realized it wasn’t anything I did wrong or something I didn’t do right – it just takes a mound of money to create, advertise and sell on the internet.