'MyPillow' Gets 'F' Rating From Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau announced it has revoked MyPillow's BBB Accreditation and lowered the Chaska, Minnesota-based company’s BBB rating to an F.

Why an "F" rating, which took effect Dec. 15? At the heart of the issue for BBB are MyPillow's buy-one, get-one-free offers and some advertising the bureau says is confusing.

“Among other issues, BBB has attempted to persuade MyPillow to discontinue their 'buy one get one free' (BOGO)/other discount offers without success,” Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota, said in a statement.

“Continuous BOGO offers, which can then be construed as an item's regular, everyday price, violate not only BBB’s Code of Advertising - which all BBB Accredited Businesses agree to abide by - but also other state and national organizations’ rules.”

The BBB says its "Code of Advertising is very clear on free, discount or BOGO offers," which states that the offers need to be extended for a limited time or it becomes a continuous offer and therefore the normal price of the product – not a sale price or free offer. In the case of MyPillow, the BBB says the "deal" never ends, which means the two-for-one is actually the regular price, despite advertising claims that buyers are getting a special deal.

In response to BBB's advertising challenge, which was issued formally in August of 2016, Mike Lindell, the owner of MyPillow, stated he would not be able to stop the company's BOGO offer at this time but would look at making changes in 2017.

When pressed on what type of changes the company would make, Lindell was non-specific.

In a news release, the BBB said other issues brought to MyPillow’s attention were:

• “As Seen on TV” claims are sometimes listed on MyPillow boxes where the content is NOT the same as seen on the company’s TV ads. The company has made an effort to remove this, but it can still be seen on third-party seller packaging (Walmart, Target, etc.)
• Photos of MyPillow on some boxes show the premium, gusseted pillow, when the box actually holds its standard pillow. The company has made an effort to correct this, but it can still be seen on some third- party seller packaging.
• Claims of offering a “full warranty” when the warranty was not full (customers need to pay a fee to return the pillow).
• A pattern of complaints filed against MyPillow has been identified by BBB regarding customers’ understanding of the buy one/get one free offer. A substantial number of the 232 complaints filed against the company regard confusion on the offer.

MyPillow has run into issues with its advertising before. In October 2016, the company was sued in California for making claims that MyPillow helps with health conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, fibromyalgia and Restless Leg Syndrome, yet these claims were not proven with scientific evidence.

The company settled the case and paid $995,000, as well as an additional $100,000 to shelters for homeless people and domestic violence victims.

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