I own a company that manufacturers unique, one of a kind assisted living devices that assist the elderly and mobility challenged pull on and take off their shoes, boots, etc, with no bending or reaching required. Our Shoe Boot Valet is currently being sold both domestically and internationally. We have two more patented items coming out in 2017 and I decided in 2015 to transition from full service to manufacture and marketing only. I let it be known that I was looking for a qualified retailer type to take over the sales, administration and logistics in the US and I would concentrate on container load size sales to foreign distributors and other large volume users. Louis Orloff, owner of Active Forever called me and said he was interested and asked if I would send him a sample unit to test and approve. I sent them one and he contacted back and wanted to work a deal and we did.
Louis immediately increased the price of the product 20% from $39.95 to $49.95 even though I told him it was being sold on the internet at S39.95, including Amazon. I contacted some of the reps back and they got nowhere with Louis and most didn't even receive replies - one good rep could sell his entire inventory.
I started checking out the reputation of his company and it was horrible (check Active Forever, rip offs, fraud, scams). Yelp alone has 35 reviews stating AF is the worst customer service they have ever experienced. On 10/16 I emailed him how he has done nothing we contracted for and I was going to find a new partner and take him out ASAP. He emailed me he would get me a check for units sold the next week and didn't. That was the second time he had promised a check and never sent it. On 10/26/15 I received a email from a large volume buyer in Canada stating he had contacted AF 3 times to buy samples to show to his corporate clients- "Second, I have tried three times now without any response to get samples from Active Forever. This is disappointing in so many ways, but I feel it is important for you to be aware. I have offered to pay for the samples and still no response. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions." August 20th I received a call from the medical division of the Veteran's Administration asking to buy the product for disabled veterans. I told them I was not an approved vendor as yet. They told me they wanted my product and would rush my application through and get it approved in weeks instead of months. There are 8 million disabled vets in the US alone. I immediately informed Louis of this VA contact. With that and what was happening with AF I decided to disassociate myself with this unethical situation with Louis and get a real partner who I could trust and had the contacts to get these products out to the millions of people and veterans who needed them.
I did as I promised and completely redid the website and face book and started a Google boosting program that sent a short demo video out with text to different target markets every other week. Each boost reached 50,000 plus potential clients and over 20,000 people viewed the video per boost according to Google We were their number one viewed on their boost media marketing program and have been ever since. Nothing changed on his website; no exposure whatsoever and I spent over $10,000 marketing for him. Our calls increased dramatically and the VA called me twice more wanting to sell my product and the sock device I was bringing to market in 2017. I got nothing. I believe for some reason he intended my destruction from the start. Why else would he buy my entire inventory and not put it on his website and market it for people to see? That is beyond stupid, it is calculating. In 35 years of business I have never met the likes of him and pray to God I never will again. He is not only possibly causing my destruction but depriving millions of disabled and mobility challenged people the knowledge of a product that is very unique and will be very beneficial to them and/or their loved ones. The thing that bothers me the most is his depriving millions of vets who served and suffered for our country and could have these devices through the VA program. All is documented. read more