Weight Watchers Review #72 by JANE on February 22nd, 2011 at 2:35 PM CST

Name

If they change the plan, they should make sure everything is right before rolling it out. The method for finding out points in the new book is different than the $10 calculator they almost make you buy. The WW person said when told about this Oh yeah, the book is a little off. What??? Um, finding out how many points you're eating is pretty important. Also, when you put your info into this $10 calculator to find out how many daily points you are allowed, mine came out different than the points total on my weigh-in sticker they put on your book. The calculator was a point higher. So, if I go by that, I'd be eating an extra 7 points a week. I think the whole thing is messed up. They needed to make sure everything was calculated right. Also, the weekely booklet I got last week gave you a web site to go on, because in their haste to roll out this new plan, they calculated some of the food incorrectly! Way to go! Seems like it is not up to par yet.

If they change the plan, they should make sure everything is right before rolling it out. The method for finding out points in the new book is different than the $10 calculator they almost make you buy. The WW person said when told about this Oh yeah, the book is a little off. What???

Um, finding out how many points you're eating is pretty important.
Also, when you put your info into this $10 calculator to find out how many daily points you are allowed, mine came out different than the points total on my weigh-in sticker they put on your book. The calculator was a point higher. So, if I go by that, I'd be eating an extra 7 points a week.

I think the whole thing is messed up. They needed to make sure everything was calculated right. Also, the weekely booklet I got last week gave you a web site to go on, because in their haste to roll out this new plan, they calculated some of the food incorrectly! Way to go!

Seems like it is not up to par yet.

Weight Watchers Review #71 by Kari on January 13th, 2011 at 4:48 PM CST

Name

DO NOT JOIN Weight Watchers online it is a scam. They say you have 7 days free but you really only have 6. When I cancelled on the 7th day, they charged me $65.00 for 3 months. When I called to ask for my money back, they would only refund $5.00 but I could still use it online, and they were sorry…what a joke. The online program is also confusing and lacks the information you really need to be successful.

DO NOT JOIN Weight Watchers online it is a scam. They say you have 7 days free but you really only have 6. When I cancelled on the 7th day, they charged me $65.00 for 3 months. When I called to ask for my money back, they would only refund $5.00 but I could still use it online, and they were sorry…what a joke. The online program is also confusing and lacks the information you really need to be successful.

Weight Watchers Review #70 by salsa432 on September 15th, 2010 at 7:07 PM CDT

Name

It's difficult to rate Weight Watchers. I have been on the program for two years. I believe (I do not know for sure because I have not seen any studies) that it's program promotes good health overall. I know that the program works for some people some of the time, ie they lose weight and keep it off for a period of time (again I've not seen any studies of it's effectiveness overall). However, I have concerns about how WW handles the financial end of things. 1) The program is expensive. 2) WW pushes their food products at meetings; members are surrounded by piles of WW food products in the meeting room and are offered free samples. Most of these samples are junk-food type products. A conflict of interest for sure. 3) A number of plans are offered with complicated rules, which are confusing to members and to staff alike. I've asked meeting staff and also phone staff the same question and received different answers. WW changes these payment plans from time to time making it even more confusing. I've been told joining would cost a certain amount in one meeting and then told the next meeting (when I came to pay) that it was much more expensive, by the same staff. 4) Recently, WW started a new monthly payment plan which requires members to sign up by credit card and then validate by internet. This was the least expensive way to join. Members who a) have no credit card, b) don't want to use a credit card c) don't have or use a computer (ie. older or poorer people), can not take advantage of the least expensive way to join. 5) If you cancel the monthly payment plan after paying for the first month, but before validating on the internet, you are in "no-man's land". You are told you are not yet a member and therefore must pay for each meeting until you validate. If you choose not to attend meetings until you validate, you are charged for missed meetings as if you were a full member -- this is contradictory and makes no sense. 6) WW charges people $5 for refunds,regardless of the reason for the refund, ie if a WW product is defective. 7) Furthermore, to obtain a refund, one must fill out a form and then wait several weeks for a cheque to arrive from WW in the mail, regardless of how you paid (ie by credit card). 8) Employees are underpaid. See glassdoor.com for their comments on the organization. Until WW does better on the financial end of things, I will not be rejoining. I am not giving up on losing weight, but I don't need WW to do it.

It's difficult to rate Weight Watchers. I have been on the program for two years. I believe (I do not know for sure because I have not seen any studies) that it's program promotes good health overall. I know that the program works for some people some of the time, ie they lose weight and keep it off for a period of time (again I've not seen any studies of it's effectiveness overall).

However, I have concerns about how WW handles the financial end of things.

1) The program is expensive.

2) WW pushes their food products at meetings; members are surrounded by piles of WW food products in the meeting room and are offered free samples. Most of these samples are junk-food type products. A conflict of interest for sure.

3) A number of plans are offered with complicated rules, which are confusing to members and to staff alike. I've asked meeting staff and also phone staff the same question and received different answers.

WW changes these payment plans from time to time making it even more confusing. I've been told joining would cost a certain amount in one meeting and then told the next meeting (when I came to pay) that it was much more expensive, by the same staff.

4) Recently, WW started a new monthly payment plan which requires members to sign up by credit card and then validate by internet. This was the least expensive way to join. Members who

a) have no credit card,

b) don't want to use a credit card

c) don't have or use a computer (ie. older or poorer people),

can not take advantage of the least expensive way to join.

5) If you cancel the monthly payment plan after paying for the first month, but before validating on the internet, you are in "no-man's land". You are told you are not yet a member and therefore must pay for each meeting until you validate. If you choose not to attend meetings until you validate, you are charged for missed meetings as if you were a full member -- this is contradictory and makes no sense.

6) WW charges people $5 for refunds,regardless of the reason for the refund, ie if a WW product is defective.

7) Furthermore, to obtain a refund, one must fill out a form and then wait several weeks for a cheque to arrive from WW in the mail, regardless of how you paid (ie by credit card).

8) Employees are underpaid. See glassdoor.com for their comments on the organization.

Until WW does better on the financial end of things, I will not be rejoining. I am not giving up on losing weight, but I don't need WW to do it.