The New Zealand story so far...
It is often asked why we need a website like this in the first place. Surely there are laws that stop rip-off artists in most countries. Considering this is essentially a health product we are dealing with here, you would think some effort would be mandatory by our authorities to protect the consumer. In N.Z. the industry is flourishing and without a doubt it is more popular per capita than anywhere else in the world.
So how have our authorities handled things so far....
Well they have basically done nothing. After multiple consumer complaints for over half a decade to the Commerce Commission, by different parties, some from within the industry itself, others from the general public. Their actions have amounted to ZERO.
The first formal complaint was laid by myself against Power Plate when I refused to lie for them and work for them any longer, attained evidence and left.
This is the basic list from 2004 .......
(1) Faking specifications / Engineering tests from another machine used to fool consumers.
(2) Cleaning off all identifying marks from China, and giving all sales staff orders to say they come from Europe.
(3) Trying to sell broken demo machines to the disabled / Fake disabled endorsements
(4) Attaching awards to machine that have not won that award.
(5) Fake academic endorsements.
The list of dishonest and unethical trading has gotten considerably longer since then. With Power Plate even going so far as selling Franchises, guaranteeing sole rights to the machines in certain areas. When in fact they were about to be sold to anyone on TradeMe. Millions were taken in fees and then basically made worthless overnight.
I made it very clear when I first contacted the Commerce Commission that if we did not act now, they are dooming thousands of people to be fleeced. I was very vocal about it ( unusual for me ) and was willing to give them all the evidence they needed. Very little actual work was going to be needed by them. Since than my prediction has come true and multiple companies took the Commerce Commissions lack of action as an invite to a free for all.
Has anything changed...?
Recent complaints about Gym Form Vibro Max in 2010 are almost identical. Fake specs, and If you ring them up on the phone they will tell you the machines are built in the U.S. Nothing has been done to protect the consumer and these companies have nothing to fear from the Commerce Commission, and they know it .
So who was seemingly behind this lack of action, the people that are paid to protect us and yet made the decision to do nothing ?
The communication we have has has been with Melissa Hoffman , Stuart Wallace , Diane Gibson and Jim Tapp. The reason I actually named the individuals involved to date, is because I want people to know none of this damage to our industry was enabled by some faceless corporation. People have scammed and are scamming other people right now, and certain "people" put in a place of trust, choose to watched it happen. In the future I want it on record we tried to help and were severely let down.
Why do they ignore the issue...?
Frankly I do not care. Maybe they only have so much time ( you would think 5 years + would be enough though ) Or maybe they have no-one on their team who understands Vibration Training, and they are simply too lazy to learn.
What I do know is they have obviously put it in the" too hard basket" and have forgone their job of protecting us. So our online campaign to name and shame all dishonest traders and their enablers will continue.
