After three failed setups due to various company oversights and a product which has not run a single day and is at this time still a paperweight, I decided I was done and no longer want their product, only to be told "too bad."
Found their product during the winter while deciding on a bug-zapper replacement. The technology made sense, and the gurantees and customer support policies were reassuring. Bought the product "Commander" in spring, April of 2015 as warm days were beginning. Over $1000 but various reviews and videos made it look like a sound purchase.
Upon receipt in April, I read their instructions and FAQs on trap setup, the first question "When should I start my Mosquito Magnet?" - "when the temperature reaches 50 degrees for several days." At that time in my region, temperatures were still dropping below freezing most nights, and days were not always getting above 50 degrees.
This recommendation is based on lack of mosquito activity prior to those conditions. So I set everything aside to wait for the RECOMMENDED setup time according to the company.
In late May, weather is finally warm enough to justify setup and it is the first signs of mosquito activity in my rural area. I plug in the battery to charge, there is an audible crackle and zap from the charger and a distinct 'ozone' smeel, and no charging occurs. I call customer service and they immediately have a new charger sent to me.
Once the new charger arrives, I begin setup again after charging the battery. Setting up according to directions provided - step 1, set up Wireless Access Point (WAP), but there is not much greater detail. I attempt to use the WAP detailed setup instruction provided by the WAP manufacturer, and setup repeatedly fails. The WAP manufacturer instructions ultimately direct me to do a factory reset, which I do and am finally able to complete WAP setup, but then cannot complete the Commander wireless setup.
After a helpful call with customer service, I discover the WAP factory reset wiped out customized non-manufacturer settingson the WAP and the Commander can no longer be connected; the WAP must now be replaced. While I on the phone I ask customer service about msialignment of the trap LCD screen which has left electronic areas open to weather. They request photos, which I send at once. They say it definitely looks wrong but will get back to me. Meanwhile, I recieve an RGA for the WAP and send it back. It is mid-June.
When the WAP returns, it is an obviously different model than the one I sent in. I call service to ensure there are no setup mistakes this time, and ask about the different WAP. They are surprised and say I have been sent an older version of the WAP, and it is incorrect: I should have recieved the same as I sent in. They process another RGA for the WAP. I ask again about the LCD misalignment on the commander and this time get an answer that I ought to send it in for REPLACEMENT, and an RGA is setup for that. I send both components in, and new components are sent. I reassemble the unit, but am not free from work during customer service hours for almost a month before attempting setup again.
In early August, I get a chance to setup and call customer service. Wireless connection is finally complete but I notice several signs of wear and tear on the returned unit: bugs in the LCD, scratches on the labels, and a ripped MAC address label re-written in pen. I ask if I was sent a used or refurbished unit in replacement, but customer service cannot tell me. During registration for wireless setup, it is discovered that the original bad unit was refurbished rather than replaced, and internal components were changed out, resulting in setup not being able to be completed again. The one person who could address the problem is gone for the day.
I decide after FOUR failed setups due to the company's OWN oversights and poor warehouse QA, I'm done and no longer want a $1000 paperweight, only to be told, 'Sorry, but the refund 30 day window was 30 days from original purchase, not 30 days of operation' which expired prior to the initial setup attempt.
But let's pretend I ignored their OWN RECOMMENDATIONS and set it up at once in the cold weather to burn propane prior to mosquito activity. Their product says in many places "Allow 4 weeks to significantly reduce the mosquito population in your yard." So if you set it up the day you receive it, allow 4 weeks as recommended, and are still not satisfied, you will already be out of time for refund and are stuck with the prdouct.
I have a $1000 product which has operated for exactly ZERO days. Never even been hooked up to a propane tank. It is in mint condition except for the company's own refurbishment work to fix a defect that never should have made it out the factory door in the first place. According to their product literature, even if I get it running as early as tomorrow, there may not be enough warm weather remaining to determine if I am satisfied with the performance. I followed company dierections and customer guidance at every step and am incredibly dissatisfied, but they tell me tough and I'm stuck with a prodcut of theirs I've not yet even used.
I could understand refund only within first 30 days of operation.
But there should be a great big warning on the product page "DO NOT ORDER IN THE WINTER IF YOU EXPECT TO USE THE 30 DAY GURANTEE!!!"
Also, "DO NOT FOLLOW SETUP RECOMMENDATIONS AS THEY MAY USE UP YOUR REFUND PERIOD WITH THE PRODUCT NEVER OPENED."
This is why it is a ripoff. If you follow their guidelines in good faith, you are stuck with whatever faulty product they have sent.
Mosquito Magnet Reviews
After three failed setups due to various company oversights and a product which has not run a single day and is at this time still a paperweight, I decided I was done and no longer want their product, only to be told "too bad."
Found their product during the winter while deciding on a bug-zapper replacement. The technology made sense, and the gurantees and customer support policies were reassuring. Bought the product "Commander" in spring, April of 2015 as warm days were beginning. Over $1000 but various reviews and videos made it look like a sound purchase.
Upon receipt in April, I read their instructions and FAQs on trap setup, the first question "When should I start my Mosquito Magnet?" - "when the temperature reaches 50 degrees for several days." At that time in my region, temperatures were still dropping below freezing most nights, and days were not always getting above 50 degrees.
This recommendation is based on lack of mosquito activity prior to those conditions. So I set everything aside to wait for the RECOMMENDED setup time according to the company.
In late May, weather is finally warm enough to justify setup and it is the first signs of mosquito activity in my rural area. I plug in the battery to charge, there is an audible crackle and zap from the charger and a distinct 'ozone' smeel, and no charging occurs. I call customer service and they immediately have a new charger sent to me.
Once the new charger arrives, I begin setup again after charging the battery. Setting up according to directions provided - step 1, set up Wireless Access Point (WAP), but there is not much greater detail. I attempt to use the WAP detailed setup instruction provided by the WAP manufacturer, and setup repeatedly fails. The WAP manufacturer instructions ultimately direct me to do a factory reset, which I do and am finally able to complete WAP setup, but then cannot complete the Commander wireless setup.
After a helpful call with customer service, I discover the WAP factory reset wiped out customized non-manufacturer settingson the WAP and the Commander can no longer be connected; the WAP must now be replaced. While I on the phone I ask customer service about msialignment of the trap LCD screen which has left electronic areas open to weather. They request photos, which I send at once. They say it definitely looks wrong but will get back to me. Meanwhile, I recieve an RGA for the WAP and send it back. It is mid-June.
When the WAP returns, it is an obviously different model than the one I sent in. I call service to ensure there are no setup mistakes this time, and ask about the different WAP. They are surprised and say I have been sent an older version of the WAP, and it is incorrect: I should have recieved the same as I sent in. They process another RGA for the WAP. I ask again about the LCD misalignment on the commander and this time get an answer that I ought to send it in for REPLACEMENT, and an RGA is setup for that. I send both components in, and new components are sent. I reassemble the unit, but am not free from work during customer service hours for almost a month before attempting setup again.
In early August, I get a chance to setup and call customer service. Wireless connection is finally complete but I notice several signs of wear and tear on the returned unit: bugs in the LCD, scratches on the labels, and a ripped MAC address label re-written in pen. I ask if I was sent a used or refurbished unit in replacement, but customer service cannot tell me. During registration for wireless setup, it is discovered that the original bad unit was refurbished rather than replaced, and internal components were changed out, resulting in setup not being able to be completed again. The one person who could address the problem is gone for the day.
I decide after FOUR failed setups due to the company's OWN oversights and poor warehouse QA, I'm done and no longer want a $1000 paperweight, only to be told, 'Sorry, but the refund 30 day window was 30 days from original purchase, not 30 days of operation' which expired prior to the initial setup attempt.
But let's pretend I ignored their OWN RECOMMENDATIONS and set it up at once in the cold weather to burn propane prior to mosquito activity. Their product says in many places "Allow 4 weeks to significantly reduce the mosquito population in your yard." So if you set it up the day you receive it, allow 4 weeks as recommended, and are still not satisfied, you will already be out of time for refund and are stuck with the prdouct.
I have a $1000 product which has operated for exactly ZERO days. Never even been hooked up to a propane tank. It is in mint condition except for the company's own refurbishment work to fix a defect that never should have made it out the factory door in the first place. According to their product literature, even if I get it running as early as tomorrow, there may not be enough warm weather remaining to determine if I am satisfied with the performance. I followed company dierections and customer guidance at every step and am incredibly dissatisfied, but they tell me tough and I'm stuck with a prodcut of theirs I've not yet even used.
I could understand refund only within first 30 days of operation.
But there should be a great big warning on the product page "DO NOT ORDER IN THE WINTER IF YOU EXPECT TO USE THE 30 DAY GURANTEE!!!"
Also, "DO NOT FOLLOW SETUP RECOMMENDATIONS AS THEY MAY USE UP YOUR REFUND PERIOD WITH THE PRODUCT NEVER OPENED."
This is why it is a ripoff. If you follow their guidelines in good faith, you are stuck with whatever faulty product they have sent.