"Do a Google search of Smart Subs Fraud and you'll find many negative reviews.

Smart Subs is a drop-shipper - when you place your order, they then order your item from another retailer, typically an Amazon seller, then it comes from that source. So they have no control over when it actually ships and there are often problems with this step - delayed orders, shipped to billing address, etc... And if there are problems, you'll have a hard time getting someone to answer their phone or return your message left. If you do reach a live person they will basically just tell you anything to placate you and keep you from canceling. Keep in mind you cannot order more than one item at a time from Smart Subs - each order comes with its own free trial and can't be shipped together because they don't come from the same source.

The subscription offer is really not hard to handle. The companies they deal with all allow you to cancel the free subscriptions - it's just a hassle to deal with. Since the companies expect a lot of cancellations, the process of canceling was easy in my case and in others I've read about.

I had no problem with receiving my item in a timely fashion - the #1 complaint I've read about. The problem came when I had to return the item because it didn't work consistently - this was a cable modem. The website doesn't allow you to get an RMA and you have to call to get a return authorized. I got through to a live person without problem (apparently a rare occurrence) and he did send the email promised with a shipping label. I simply boxed it up, applied the label and took to Post Office - the label included prepayment. The label doesn't send the item back to Smart Subs of course, but to the original Amazon retailer and their name is coded so you don't see it. I used the tracking info online but was surprised that no progress was shown - it just says when the item was picked up for delivery.

And I wait. A month passes and no credit on my card - which I finally notice. So I call and again get right to a live person - which seemed normal to me as I hadn't researched company. The person tells me that they're very sorry about the delayed credit but they had changed credit card processors and that 'somehow' my credit had dropped out of the system. He promises to send a check right away and confirms my mailing address.

The statement about the cc processing change rang some 'scam alert' bells for me and I finally looked up the company's reputation. Oh man oh man - not good at all. You can read many poor reviews about them - mixed in with a few 5-star obviously shill reviews. Most had problems with receiving their order - it comes very slowly, never arrives or is eventually canceled before being shipped. Clearly some folks had a lot of trouble ever talking to a live person at Smart Subs. I actually didn't find anyone who had tried to return an item but what I read was enough to worry me.

So I kept a close eye out for this check they promised to send. Nothing. I wasn't too surprised about this - mainly due to the suspicious 'you dropped out of the system' type answer they gave about my credit charge. After a month, I contacted my credit card company and filed online for a dispute - giving all the details: dates of each contact, names and promises. I was very surprised to get my credit within 24 hours - I guess they know all about the problems with Smart Subs and didn't even bother to contact them for an explanation. This to me really seals the bad rep the company has.

So... conclusions! If you want to actually receive the product you order, don't get it from Smart Subs. And if you anticipate being able to return it or deal with Customer Service - think again.

Pay the market price and save yourself a lot of hassles!
"

"SmartSubs.com is a scam. I ordered from them on Nov. 30th. After a week of "processing", I e-mailed them and talked a Live Chat representative from the company who told my order would ship the next day. It NEVER did. Two more e-mail later, and I finally received a response from SmartSubs. I was told they no longer offered both of my items, but they could replace one of them with a cheaper version. I declined. The only thing SmartSubs.com was able to deliver on was two free trial subscriptions. I have since filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Internet Crime Complaint Center. I should have known the offer of cheap prices and free shipping was to good to be true. Stay away from this company. In case you are wondering, look up "smartsubs, inc" on the Better Business Bureau. They company has been given a grade F. "

"This site has good prices, but slow (free) delivery. My webcam did arrive after 13 business days, and works great. I did send one communication through the customer support link on the site and received a reply within 2 days. I was not in a rush to receive this item, but the website delivery tracking process does need some work. When I went to track the item the number provided for the USPS was not valid. I would buy here again, with patience. If they fixed their delivery/tracking on the website, that would help.

[The item was delivered from Amazon.com]"

"My experience with smartsubs was good. The item i ordered arrived in 4 days and works great! the prices on smartsubs are the best i've found online. i will definitely shop at smartsubs again..."

"We ordered a lifetime update card for the Garmin Nuvi from them. The order was placed August 13, 2009 and didn't arrive until August 27, 2009. I called to ask where it was and no one answered the phone- all you get is an answering machine and a call back if you're lucky.

The price for the Garmin card was really good but they forced you to sign up for a "Real broadband essentials" subscription (free for 30 days then they start billing you). That was REALLY annoying. We cancelled the subscription the day after we placed the order and now have to wait and make sure they don't bill our credit card.

Pros: Good price

Cons: Poor service, slow shipping, forces you to subscribe to some crap to get the price."

"I placed my order over 5 weeks ago. Status is still order confirmed. I emailed them to find out if they plan on shipping it, and its only a dvd, but after 3 tries no reply yet. Still waiting, will let you know if it comes before the end of the year. Also before you can order a product, you have agree to sign up with some sort of real player free trial that begins charging the credit card you gave to smart subs, at the end of the month free trial. AFter thinking about it, and seeing the lack of customer service, i am starting to think they dont even have products, and this page is a front to get people to sign up for real networks. They do not even plan on shipping anything, and its also why they never charge your credit card. Just a theory. So basically if you do make the mistake of ordering from this website like i did, then maek sure you call real networks and cancel your account right away."

"Stay away from this store they are a scam! They advertise low prices contingent on the fact that you have to sign up for subscriptions to services such as real network, blockbuster, etc. signing up for the subscriptions would not be such a big deal if you actually received what you ordered from the company. I ordered a glass mousepad from the company and three weeks later recieved a rubber floor mat from Amazon.com that had been ordered by smartsubs.com and shipped to me through Amazon. I contacted the company through their phone number which goes to a recording that says it is disconnected and to contact them through email. I contacted them three times and never received a reply back. My only course of action was to return the floor mat back to amazon as a gift and pay return shipping to amazon for a gift card refund that took two weeks. So now I do not have the item I ordered and lost out on $7.50 for shipping to amazon for smartsubs.com's mistake and have a giftcard to amazon.com for less than I paid to smartsubs.com originally. This website is a scam stay way!"

"Summary: DO NOT ORDER FROM SMARTSUBS!

Details:

Ordered an item from Smartsubs, and they are slow - they took 6 days before they shipped the item.

They also enrolled me in the Real Networks Broadband Essentials trial, which was easy to cancel (must call Real to do that).

But now I want to return the item I ordered, and Smartsubs has not responded to my email.

I also tried calling the number listed on smartsubs.com, and got a message saying their phone service is not available.

AND MOST DISTURBINGLY - I had placed my order using a credit card that I rarely use. A few days after I ordered from smartsubs, another charge appeared on my credit card for " CARE FOR ISRAEL AFIKIM BROOKLYN NY" for $360. I never made that charge. And the fact that I had only used the card for the smartsubs order makes me think that someone at smartsubs used my credit card to make an unauthorized charge. I had my credit card company close the account.

BEWARE!!!

EDIT: Now I have just received an automated email from SmartSubs, asking me to fill out a survey - they want to change their company name and are looking for suggestions! Hmm, I wonder why!!"

"This company sent my order to my billing address not my mailing address and then did not answer my emails and phonecalls regarding the issue. Their phone line is always answered by an answering machine that states their hours of operation, even during their hours of operation. Their "Live Chat" feature does not work; I've tried from multiple computers using multiple browsers from multiple locations. I've called my credit card company to remove the charge from SmartSubs because I am unable to get in contact with SmartSubs about the wrong address they've sent my order to."

"Wow... where do I begin...

I found this company via a Google Products search for a Linksys Wireless Range Extender. They were the first result with the cheapest price. After 45 minutes of trying to figure out how to finish the checkout process, I called their support line. The customer support rep explained to me that it is _IMPOSSIBLE_ to order more then one of the same item (can you believe that?) and that I would have to place 2 orders to receive both of them.

I explained to him that it was insane to think that I would have to pay for shipping twice just because their website is broken, and he then gave me two coupon codes for free shipping.

At this point I was somewhat upset, but nothing compared to what was to come. After placing my TWO orders for one of each item, I checked my email for a confirmation.

After reading the email I came to find out that I had been scammed. Since I was FORCED to place two orders, I had also been FORCED to subscribe to a $12.99/month service for something I didn't want / need / intend on buying in the first place!

I called customer support back within 5 minutes of the first call, and of course it went straight to their voicemail.

I went back to the checkout page to see if it said anything about hidden subscriptions, and SURE ENOUGH after clicking on the "I agree to 'these' terms and conditions" link, I was taken to a page that explained that in order to buy from their company I would have to agree to sign up for this $12.99/month service.

So now I am stuck paying 25.98 PER MONTH JUST FOR BUYING FROM THIS COMPANY!!!!



I would avoid these people at ALL COSTS! I am going to be posting this review on EVERY company ratings site I can find, as I would hate for anyone to have to go through what I've gone through with these SCAM ARTISTS!"

"Our order was placed on Mar 02. It has been over a month now, and the order has not been received. They immediately acknowledged the order and enrolled us in a photo club we really did not want, but was part of the deal to get their "bargain" price. I was able to cancel the membership the next day, so that part went as it had been described. Since then, I have sent numerous emails to their "contact us" email address, but SmartSubs has not acknowledged or responded to any of them. The web site does not list a phone number as a contact, so we're just sitting here with no way to cancel the order, and wondering it the order will ever be filled. "

"I made a purchase from smartsubs.com on December 18th at 10:30 am. Never Again. As with all my internet purchases, I expected a confirmation and order number forthwith. Well here it is Monday the 22nd and still no notification. The only thing I received was a confirmation that I was signed up for was something that I did not want which was enrollment in TechOnCall 24-7. This is a shoddy way to do business, requiring a purchaser to enroll in something not wanted.

I called their ***-***-**** number this morning and only got voice mail. I left a detailed message as to my concerns. I then used their ****@**** and got a non delivery return as there was no such address.

I tried the 866 number again and a real person answered. I explained my problem. Upon her checking the order had been placed, but “due to the Christmas rush” It had not been processed or shipped. I advised her that I had ordered numerous other items at the same time from all across the country, and every one had arrived or was in transit.

I strongly recommend that unless you absolutely have to, avoid at all costs SmartSubs.com due to their unethical business practices as well as their lack of attention to customers.

"