HARTLAND — Robert Couchman thought he was doing something good when a Facebook ad caught his eye. The ad appeared to tell the story of a North Carolina woman selling some of her final handmade creations near the end of her career. He ordered two bee houses for about $80.
But when the boxes arrived, something didn't add up.
"Right away, my antenna went up," Couchman said.
Couchman studies native pollinators. He says what he received wasn't just disappointing, he believes the products could actually harm bees.
"They've left all kinds of raw splintery edges on both the entrance and the exit, and that would mean that any of these bees going to lay eggs inside these tubes would undoubtedly injure their wings coming and going through that," Couchman said.
TMJ4 started digging into the company, which describes itself as a home for independent makers and artists, with products coming "directly from their hands to yours." But the company's website return policy directs customers to an address in China.
The Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker shows more than 50 reports from consumers describing concerns about product quality and what they called misleading advertising.
The BBB says shoppers need to slow down before clicking buy.
"You can't just click on links and see a product on a website and assume that it's legitimate and move forward," BBB's Lisa Schiller said. When asked whether shoppers can trust what appears in their Facebook feed, she was direct: "No."
The BBB recommends taking a few minutes to research a seller before you buy, reading the return policy, checking reviews, and paying with a credit card when possible for added protection. If something does go wrong, your credit card company may be your best option for getting your money back.
"Well, you know that all depends on what method of payment you used," Lisa said. "Your best recourse will be with your credit card company who will hopefully go to bat with you and try to help you resolve the situation."
Couchman has disputed the charge with his credit card company. He also filed a complaint with the BBB. TMJ4 reached out to the company where he purchased the bee houses but did not receive a response.
For Couchman, the experience came with a straightforward lesson.
"The marketing was very smooth, right? And I probably should have seen some dissonance in that," Couchman said. "It's amazing how easy it is to do the research."
If you have a consumer question or a Buyer Beware problem you'd like Andrea Albers to look into, go to TMJ4.com/ask.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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