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Monday, October 19, 2009

Is Udder Covers A Scam?


After writing my first post about Udder Covers where I shared a promotional code for free nursing covers, I received a comment warning me to check into the legitimacy of Udder Covers. I found that as this person reported, there is negative feedback out there about Udder Covers. Upon further investigation, though, I'm happy to let you know that I'm 100% confident in ordering from Udder Covers. Here is what I found:

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Milk Bands, LLC (who DBA "Udder Covers" since this is just another product that they make) has been accredited since 4/21/2009. They have an "A" rating on an A+ to F scale which is very good (they only miss the A+ because they haven't been in business long enough). The company is family owned and operated out of UT and produces/runs the Milk Bands company (which you are probably familiar with) and the Udder Covers company (which you may not be so familiar with). In the last 36 months, Milk Bands, LLC has received one complaint with the BBB in regards to a delivery issue. This issue was resolved and has not affected their standing with the BBB. You can read the full report by clicking here. What does all of this mean? That the BBB says they're okay.

I asked Udder Covers about their relationship with Milk Bands, and this is how they explain it:

My husband and I started Milk Bands LLC in 2005 and invented a breastfeeding bracelet to help moms track the sides that they nurse on, what time and how long and other various things that moms observe and record especially with a newborn baby. We've put our life savings into that company and have now built up a name for ourselves across the globe and are being carried by some larger household named companies here in the US and in Canada as well. Last year when I had my 4th child, we decided to expand our product line and begin carrying breastfeeding covers and pads. We began selling them privately to different clinics and agencies as well as test the waters with the public market by selling "kits" that contained a cover, a set of 4 pads and a breastfeeding bracelet on eBay. We got a 100% positive feedback on that and at the end of last year, we began focusing our time and energy into creating a site for the Udder Covers.

Next, I visited and read through the posts at http://community.babycenter.com/ which seems to be the location of much negative conversation about Udder Covers. At first, you'd think things are horrible and that people aren't receiving their covers after paying for the shipping. If you read on, though, you'll find that everyone does receive their orders (it seems to take about 2 weeks from what the posts say). Some people did mention that when they called the retailers listed as carriers of the product, the retailers didn't know what the consumers were talking about. Another person also mentioned something about getting their CC number abused after placing an order with Udder Covers. To check out these claims, I myself called many of the retailers listed on the Udder Covers website and had the same problem that others did...so I contacted Milk Bands, LLC to see what they had to say. Here's what they answered regarding the "store locator" option their site not matching up when people actually contact the store about Udder Covers:

The store locator shares the Milk Bands™ list. That's why right now you're only getting stores that carry Milk Bands™ when you try calling them. We're working on getting it separated as more Udder Covers™ are out in stores but some do carry both. It's just a matter of time and money before we can get that taken care of.

So far, everything seems to line up...but we still haven't dealt with the credit fraud issue! I asked them about that and received an interesting reply...which you'll just have to come back and read another time since this post is getting pretty long. :-)

Be blessed!

41 comments:

  1. I ordered Udder Covers with just the free shipping and did receive mine! It took quite awhile to receive them, but I was happy when I received them!

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    Replies
    1. Anyone can still order these and get the latest coupon code promotion by going to: http://freeslings.com

      freeslings.com has the latest "free" coupon codes for the slings and the covers!

      Delete
    2. bought from website, not amazon (regret it very much). Takes for ever to deliver, no one tells you why. It doesn't even show the estimated shipping until you pay for it and even then, it keeps being postponed, no reason, no one knows anything. Never got my product (left the hotel i was at because it took so long) and even though I paid full price they didn't want to give me a refund. They don't answer the phone and the email responses are very bad (stalling you so you don't get an proper answer). I believe they must not be doing very well because of the way they treat clients over 30-40 dolars. And after viewing some of these reviews I'm glad I never got their product because they seem cheap in every way.

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    3. I have a feeling it takes so long to get what you ordered because they drop ship from the plant that makes them. Most likely overseas.

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  2. I too ordered an Udder Cover with the promo code that you had posted, and I had no problems. It took me just over 2 weeks to recieve it, but that's not that bad for shipping time as far as I'm concerned! :)

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    1. I just ordered from Freeslings.com (they have the free sling and the cover!) Awesome baby wearing for free!

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    2. It not free it 11.90

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  3. i had good luck with mine too, i don't remember how long it took, but i remember i was pleased with it so it wasn't TOO long :-)

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  4. I ordered one a week ago but have just had 2 shipping charges on my credit card. I have emailed them to ask for a refund of one of the charges, so will see how long it takes to resolve.

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  5. I ordered one with the promotional code and recieved it in just a few days, I was really Happy with it!

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  6. So...I ordered one and my CC # was stolen and over $300 worth of purchases were made. My bank told me that this is what scammers do...make a small purchase over the weekend to see if it's caught and if they are in the clear they'll make the big purchase. Thank goodness I checked my account before they did more damage. I KNOW it was Uddercovers that did this bc I NEVER shop online. I do know that if you use PayPal they cannot do this. Of course, when I contacted them they did not answer their phone and wrote a nice long email explaining that their site is secure and that it is the competitor writing these lies or gossiping moms...of course they are going to say this! I laid into them about blaming moms or the competitor. Obviously they only do this to a limited amount of people...less likely to get caught and they are still sending out their cheap product. It makes me sick to think that there are companies out there that are doing this! Good luck and purchase at your own risk. P.S. This product isn't that great to try your luck...I could make a better "hooter hider"

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    1. Hey, for what it's worth, I'm in banking and work with fraud on a daily basis. One of our biggest culprits is waiters/waitresses. They manually write down the number of your card and then use it a week or two later...so that you never make the connection. Think of everyone that saw or ran your card for the month PRIOR to your purchase from udder covers.

      My wife got one of these coupons FROM HER DOCTOR. To sum it up, fraudsters don't typically advertise.

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    2. Yeah we got our bank card duplicated and it's a huge scam business businesses "swipe" your card but it's a card reader. it copies your number then they make a credit card out of hotel cards or use it online. We had purchases made in California and hadn't used the card online and we lived in SC at the time!

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  7. I'm totally appalled that anyone would buy from a company that refers to women as cows. This is very rude and demeaning.

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    Replies
    1. Seriously? Lol we give milk to our children... Who cares? It's endearing. No one is calling anyone a cow!

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  8. I ordered my free udder cover and seven sling (plus s&h). I received both in about a week. However I did noticed that the products are actually MADE IN CHINA. Both products are made of a very thin cheap material. I would not pay retail for either one.

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  9. i ordered a gift set with a promo code i recieved from one of my mommy groups. recieved the product in the mail within a week and was very happy with it. not sure the cover is worth the 32.00 or whatever it is at full retail price, but have been very pleased with the product. have had no issues at all with my CC.

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  10. great.. now im really worried i was really excited about this offer and told all my friends.. 12 of which are expecting or have a newborn at home .. guess i should have done my research before ordering 3 and telling everyone else to order!

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  11. I have ordered products from the site with the promo code on 3 separate occasions. It did take a while to receive my order each time, but I live in Canada and it tends to be a bit of a crap shoot with customs timewise. I have had no issues with quality and for the cost of shipping this is a great deal. As far as CC issues go: I have had my bank call twice in the last year to tell me they were issuing me a new CC as my existing one was "compromised". On the last call I asked them what website I was going to that was causing the problem and they told me that it was not web-related at all but that there are often skimming machines set up at retailers (usually by employees of the store) and once they get a report from the police about an investigation they have to recall all cards used at that location within a certain time period. Point being, don't be so quick to blame websites (as I was) for CC issues as it may very well be a problem with a real store that you shop at!

    Oh, and the comment about it being demeaning to buy from a website that refers to women as cows? Where's your sense of humour? Life is too short my friend.

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  12. I ordered mine without issue. However the quality of the fabric is poor and I'm glad I didn't pay for the item.

    Also you have to be careful about BBB. 20/20 recently did an expose about them. The famous Chef Wolfgang puck has a C rating. No complaints. He was told the only way he can get a better rating is if he buys their membership.

    As a test several bloggers registered a few hate groups including a white pride group, and Hamas. They bought memberships for each group and the groups each had an A rating....

    One small shop owner had a long resolved issue still posted on her BBB account and they said the only way they'd give her a good rating and take off the complaint would be if she bought a membership.

    Also they found this "nonprofit" group actually pays it's employees a good deal of money many of the heads of offices earn a 6 figure sum. The LA office's head does and makes more than the guy who's the head of the entire BBB operation.


    Anyway I doubt it was the website that scammed you. There are scammers in actual stores. Udder covers has a high tech security for purchases on their site.


    I would not pay retail for any of their products. In fact even only paying shipping I feel ripped off getting the udder cover. So thin you can see through it with minimal light. It's very poor quality

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  13. I ordered mine through a special that was going on. I got it free and just paid shipping. I would not pay full price for it, but think it's a great idea and product. It is good quality and definitely does the job.

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  14. I hate to say it, but you get what you pay for. Anyone expecting a high end item that the company is "giving away" for $10 is in for a surprise! I ordered this product and it did take a long time to receive. I never had a problem with my CC number. The fabric is cheap, but the concept is awesome. I love it. Would I pay $32 for it-NO!! On a recent trip to Sea World in Orlando, I actually saw this product in a vending machine for $8.

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  15. I got a coupon code from a mommy group I'm a member of (which made me think it was safe to order from them). Yesterday, I ordered an udder cover & the bra pads for the price of shipping. I got the pop-up for the seven sling website & ordered a sling for the price of shipping too. After reading a bunch of comments, I'm really woried!!! I sure hope this doesn't blow up in my face. :( I'll re-post to let y'all know how it goes.

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  16. Hey, it's me again (#15). (I posted on April 19th.) I placed my order on Monday April 18th and received my items on Friday April 22nd. It was sent first class USPS & the price for shipping was printed on the stamp as $2.27 for both packages. (I live in WA so UT isn't too far.) Obviously Udder Covers made a few bucks, but I don't feel there's anything wrong with that. I got what I ordered in a very timely manner and I'm please with the product.

    I have yet to receive my sling from Seven Slings. It was not on back order, so I hope it will be here soon. I'll post when my sling arrives.

    As far as the remarks by #11 about CC #'s being stolen, I keep an eye on mine & have not had any unauthorized activity to report as of late. I did find another mommy blog & noticed the exact same post by #11 (word for word). I find it odd that poster decided to spread negativity about Udder Covers & conveniently suggest an alternative product. (Maybe they are the competitor just looking to prey of consumers' paranoia.)

    Anyway, I wouldn't pay $30+ for an udder cover or the bra pads. However, I am fine with paying the $9-$10 in shipping.

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  17. Hey, it's me again (#15 & #16). I got my Seven Sling on Saturday April 30th. It was exactly what I ordered & what I was expecting. Nothing special and looks just like the pictures on the website. It was worth the "shipping" price of $9+, but not the listed price of $40+. I certainly would not pay more than what I did for this item. I can comfortably say I'm happy with my purchase.

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  18. I have been looking at these and I just found this blog today. Also when I attempted to go to their website today I got this message.

    You have asked Firefox to connect
    securely to www.uddercovers.com, but we can't confirm that your connection is secure.
    Normally, when you try to connect securely,
    sites will present trusted identification to prove that you are
    going to the right place. However, this site's identity can't be verified.



    What Should I Do?

    If you usually connect to
    this site without problems, this error could mean that someone is
    trying to impersonate the site, and you shouldn't continue.






    Technical Details




    I Understand the Risks

    First time I have seen this error. Now I don't want to order.

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  19. I have more of a problem with their advertising methods. I see these people spamming every maternity/pregnancy message board as well as Craigslist CONSTANTLY. They have repeatedly been asked to stop, but continue to post unwanted advertising. If they want to get their product out there so much, do what everyone else does and support these sites by buying advertising!

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  20. I nursed my 2 little ones for 13 months each and LOVED my udder covers! I have ordered multiple times over the years (for myself and for gifts) and have had no problems! I think it is a great deal with the codes! If we had a third I wouldn't hesitate to order again!

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  21. They are made from cheap material with very poor quality. Don't waste a penny on this crappy product. I used it for less than 6 months and the hard and very sharp plastic bone came out of the neck ring. I contacted their customer service and they said it is normal wear and tear and would not exchange it.

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  22. I ordered one with the promo code, and I loved it. Not sure about the reports that they are see through, that wasn't my experience. The material is thin but I liked that because I knew it was breathable.

    If I was handier at sewing I could probably make my own and I don't know that I would pay full price. There are constant promo codes though so you only pay S&H.

    In my opinion the quality was good. I used it through 2 kiddos (6 months with the first and 11 months with the 2nd) and multiple trips through the washing machine. Still very much usable if I decide on any more children.

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  23. I ordered all 3 as well and only received 2 of them. I called and spoke with a "manager" about the issue. She told me that put the wrong address on the form so it was not their problem. It was my problem I explained I received 2 (so my address was correct somewhere) of them and used paypal that confirms my address. She was rude and not the least bit interested in providing customer service. I would NEVER recommend this company.

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  24. Go to ---> FreeSlings.com





    They regularly cost $48 bucks (are currently on sale for $39) but if you enter a code you get it for free!! (almost)

    The code takes off the full price of the sling, but not the shipping ($9) or tax ($3)

    So you end up paying just $12 instead of $60something

    That's a good deal in my book!!

    Grab one for yourself or a new mom / mom-to-be that you may know.

    The Coupon Code is "Free" — http://www.freeslings.com

    You're Welcome! hehe

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  25. I ordered through seven slings got the free promo code I enjoy both products. If you are really worried about fraud use a prepaid card.

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  26. Udder Covers is a scam! I wish I would have done my research before I placed an order. I payed the $11.90 shipping fee but never received my order. I went back on the website to get the phone number to inquire about my order but now they have posted on there website that they are in the process of moving there office, that the phone lines are currently down but feel free to email us and well get back to you, LOL. Funny, I have yet to hear from them.

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  27. They are scammers. Everyone should know this by now.

    Pay now...get ripped off and spammed even more later.

    Do a search of Google Treasure Chest. The domain name was owned by the same people and the FTC shut it down, (it was a work from home scam).

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  28. Caveat Emptor!!

    Tell them to take their cheap Chines crap and stolen credit card numbers to prison with them!!

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  29. I ordered an udder cover. It's cute, functional, and I was really looking forward to using it. I tried it on, and was overcome by the smell of it. It took me a second to identify the smell. It reminded me at first of cats, then I realized it took me back to junior year in high school when we dissected cats in anatomy class. That overwhelming smell was unmistakably formaldehyde. Checked the tag- made in china. Of course.

    Also, $12.95 to ship a lightweight envelope is ridiculous. It could have been shipped and packaged for less than $5. Last, with basic sewing skills, one could easily make this product from non toxic materials...

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  30. I have just ordered my cover, I hope it is better than all of these comments.

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  31. *Use coupon code Save50 it makes all their products Free!

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  32. You guys better look at what the Better Business Bureau says now!! They've just been delisted!!

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  33. I ordered the udder cover and got it promptly. I also got a fraud notification from my credit card company saying my credit card number was used for $900 of services I didn't buy. Don't be fooled by the "positive" side of this scam debate- I was definitely scammed along with many others. And, if you think your card is safe if you go through Paypal, think again.

    ReplyDelete

incredibly interesting comments!