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WARNING! Fill In the Blankie Should NOT Get Your Business ~ Here’s Why…

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It pains me to write this post, since I pride myself on keeping this blog upbeat, positive and drama-free, but I have a responsibility to report to you a recent disappointment that happened concerning a sponsor I've worked with in the past, Fill In the Blankie.

Back in December, I hosted a review/giveaway for this company whereby I received an Ultra Personalized Baby Blanket to review and one lucky reader of mine was going to be awarded the same thing.  The winner was drawn and promptly responded to confirm her win, but Fill In the Blankie CHOSE TO NEVER COMMUNICATE WITH EITHER HER OR I AGAIN, so the winner has not received her blanket.

When the winner informed me that she hadn't received any reply from the sponsor regarding her prize, I immediately sent several emails which also didn't get a reply.  I then sent over 10 emails to every address I could find for Fill In the Blankie, as well as posted on their Facebook page, sent Todd Lilly (President of Fill In the Blankie) a message on his own personal Facebook page, sent them direct messages via Twitter and called their company's phone number 5 times and left numerous phone messages.  Not one person bothered to respond which makes me extremely angry that they would choose to treat people this way.

I recently discovered that unfortunately, this is how they treat most of their customers and not just me and my readers.  I received a message from an angry customer of theirs on Facebook stating that she actually PURCHASED a blanket of theirs back in early February and has yet to receive it.  She's sent numerous emails, phone calls and faxes and hasn't received a response and has since been banned from posting on their Facebook page.  This is abhorrent and these people should be ashamed of themselves for the crooked operation they are running.

There's also proof that these recent events aren't isolated ones, but rather a consistent history of how Fill In the Blankie operates, as shown by their "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau:

http://www.bbb.org/dallas/business-reviews/services-general/sonya-bebeblankee-in-dallas-tx-90022957

It is my job to inform you of all the wonderful family-friendly products I find, but I feel it is also my job to inform you when a company has this level of blatant disregard for their customers.  I have NEVER, in my two-and-a-half years of blogging, had a sponsor not fulfill their obligation to award a giveaway prize, before this occurance with Fill In the Blankie.  I am genuinely sorry that a reader of mine will not be receiving the prize that they rightfully won and I wish there was more that I could do to rectify this situation for her.

 

Fill In the Blankie, I've got a few choice words I'd like you to "Fill In the Blankie" with!

 

If this situation bothers you too, then by all means, take the time to make your voice heard and warn others about their horrible practices.  Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, etc.  We can make sure that this never happens to another customer or blog giveaway winner again!

 

Melissa @ Mommy Living the Life of Riley: I'm a former 7th grade Science teacher turned stay-at-home mom that lives in Houston, Texas. I am married to my college sweetheart and have a beautiful daughter named Riley, that definitely keeps me on my toes! I am also involved in starting a small business which would both manufacture and sell an invention that I've patented, called Toothpaste 2 Go. I love interacting with my readers and hope to learn as much about you as you learn about me!

View Comments (64)

  • Proud of you for writing this. :) Thank you for being transparent, and for putting so much effort into getting the prize for your reader! You inspire me to work harder on all of the giveaway stuff. Be blessed.

  • Wow! I feel your pain! We have had a few sponsors in the past 2 1/2 years we have been review blogging stick a couple of our readers. It is terrible when they do that because some readers can get pretty upset with us (even though it's not our fault) when sponsor's stiff on prizes.

    Shameful of that company to be stiffing winners and more importantly, stiffing customers who paid them. Terrible! I won't do business with them!

    • Thanks Shelly! Yeah it definitely is terrible and I hope our readers all know that we most certainly go to bat for them. I don't know why a company would act like this in the first place...absolutely NOBODY wins this way. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

  • I've seen posts like this a few times about this company. Glad people are speaking up. Thanks for the post!

  • WOW this is crazy.. i actually won a giveaway a while ago from fill in the blankie, however i DID receive it. They must have just recently stopped sending out prizes

  • Wow so they still haven't learned their lesson. Geeze. I worked with them in March of 2010
    http://www.leslielovesveggies.net/2010/03/fill-in-blankie-personalized-baby.html
    http://www.leslielovesveggies.net/2010/05/what-do-you-do-when-company-disappoints.html

    After months of his shenanigans he FINALLY fulfilled the prize and the only reason I even wrote on the post that he did was because after he fulfilled he continued to hound and pester me to take my post down, in almost a threatening way. I did NOT remove my Facebook post. This company is a sham. I am so sorry you have to go through this. I am going to tweet for you. I would say to tweet, FB and do NOT give up. This guy is a total creep.
    xo
    Leslie

    • Leslie, I'm simply stunned that he's pulled this with you as well TWO YEARS AGO! I guess some people just don't learn. Well, I am doing everything in my power to spread the word about this crummy company so that no one else will get burned either by buying one of their products or by believing they will actually fulfill a giveaway prize.

      Thanks so much for helping to spread the word too and for sharing your experience with Fill In the Blankie. I really appreciate it! Have a great day!

  • I am going to put a link to this article on my blog, I had never thought to look up companies at the BBB before I work with them but it's so smart and easy. Great idea!

    • Thanks so much Michelle! I really appreciate the support and help spreading the word. Have a wonderful day!

  • That is ridiculous! It's bad enough to not send winner's their prizes, but not sending customers what they paid for? I hope nobody orders from them again (and I hope bloggers won't work with them). They really don't know how to do business, do they?

    • So true Jen! Kind of makes you wonder why they would ever agree to work with bloggers to begin with? I guess they didn't plan on being called out if they stiffed a winner, but as Leslie already proved to them two years ago, that WILL happen. Very puzzling...and ridiculous!

  • I'm sorry to hear that happened to you and your winner. I've lost my share of unredeemed prizes :(

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