Video Professor's So-Called Free GiftsThe Video Professor has been offering in-home computer training lessons longer than most other companies offering anything similar. The company was founded in 1987 by John W. Scherer. You've doubtless seen him numerous times on late-night infomercials, asking you to "try my products."
Scherer has been selling lessons / tutorials on numerous computer subjects under the Video Professor brand. The company markets programs for learning such diverse subjects as Windows, Photoshop and even eBay.
On the positive side, the Video Professor company has done much to help charities throughout the globe. They give out a ton of money for college scholarships and donate thousands of computer lessons to nonprofit groups. They've also been instrumental in launching computer literacy programs, and sometimes donated complete computer labs.
The darker side of Scherer and Video Professor, though, comes from his TV and Internet offers of a free tutorial for just a $6.95 shipping cost. Most people neglect to read the fine print of how the offer works. This free tutorial is actually more of a trial offer so that the buyer can check out how helpful the products will be. When he fills out the application, the customer is sent three CDs. He then has 10 days after they're shipped to decide whether to keep the lessons or return the extra ones (one free was offered, the other two are, then, on "loan"). If the customer keeps all of them, he is charged $89.95.
The Video Professor's return procedure was another area that caused many consumers some angst. It's not enough to simply return the company CD's. Rather, the unhappy customer is required to call their customer service line and get a return authorization number from them. A lot of people became bewildered when they sent the CDs back and yet still got charged for them.
And finally, the Video Professor's business model is to make use of a strategy termed a "continuity program." This is a method used by many companies and is legal. Under a continuity program, once a person becomes a member or a paying customer, he is sent more of that product each month at full price. He is billed for these and expected to pay for them unless he notifies customer service of his desire to discontinue the service. This is the model used by book-of-the-month clubs and CD / music clubs.
So is Video Professor really a scam? Not in the harshest sense of the word. They operate within the conditions and terms outlined in their own documentation, and well within the requirements of the law. True, they are probably deliberately vague on many points in order to bring in as much money as possible. Therefore, it's important that the customer understands their policies and how they can avoid being charged for the lessons that they don't want. If a person knows how the Video Professor's system works, he can proceed to safely and confidently deal with the company.
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