December 23, 2019, I posted “Percussion Massage”. I had high hopes for the massager I purchased. Honestly, it was great—until it stopped working. It stopped on May 15th—not even 5 months after receiving it. As I stated in the original post, the percussion massager was purported to be “backed with a ‘30-Day Complete Money-Back Guarantee’ and an 18-month replacement warranty, which gives (gave) me some comfort.” Unfortunately, my comfort has dissipated.
Buyer beware. I researched. I thought my risk of getting scammed was slim. As I wrote previously, the model I purchased was “remarkably similar to the Hypervolt”. I considered that it might be identical and was just rebranded and sold at a much lower price. I also considered that it might be functional but below Hyperice’s quality control standards. (I later realized that it operates (or should I say operated) with a 12-V motor—rather than a 24-V motor.)
It is difficult to know just what you are getting. YouTube influencer, Mark Freedom, demonstrated how the same massage gun can be sold on Amazon at a wide range of prices under different brands.1 This complicates the already challenging task of product research. On one hand, you might be saving hundreds of dollars on a quality product. On the other hand, you might be paying too much for a defective item. There is really no way to tell.
The product I purchased was labeled under the brand name “Booster” (www.boosterguns.com). I paid $99 for a product that was listed for $349. It (the Booster Base) is no longer available, but there are several other models that are available (e.g., Booster Pro 3, Booster Pro 2, and Booster E)—all of which are discounted between $74 and $150. Each of these is also sold under multiple brand names.
I reached out to Booster on May 17th regarding the warranty. After receiving no response, I tried again on the 21st. I received a response from “Aya” on the 22nd. (Now, I understand that the current quarantine conditions might delay response time due to short staffing—Booster claims a 24- to 48-hour average response time—but five days is pushing it.) I was told that I needed to “provide a video showing the damage or defect on the product and send it to our IG PAGE @BoosterGuns”. I am not social media savvy, so it took me some brain power to figure out that I had to go through Instagram. It still seems odd to me that I was referred to a “Social Media Team” rather than Customer Service, but…. So, I posted a video (which I shortly thereafter deleted because I realized it shared personal information) on Instagram. Then, I shared the video via an Instagram message. I have still not received a response. The company’s email would not accept a file emailed to them (“too large” apparently). So, here it is May 28th, and I have still not received a response.
It is unfortunate that most reviews are from the first days of ownership. There also seem to be a disproportionate number of favorable reviews. This is especially true on YouTube. I don’t think I have seen a single video in which the influencer concluded that this is “a piece of crap”. The water is muddied further when they review multiple look-alikes and conclude that there is no difference. The best, overall, reviews I have seen have been by Best Massage Tech2. There seems to at least be an impression of no bias. He compares a few “look-alikes” that are clearly different (e.g., Addaday BioZoom v. LifePro Sonic and Jawku Muscle Blaster V.2 v. NoCry Massage gun). In these examples, there are distinct feature differences that justify the differences in price and warrant consideration.
When there are no distinct differences, how is one to make a decision? If the features are reported to be the same, one has to assume that the products are produced in the same plants (albeit, possibly, assembled in different plants) in China. They are all made in China, as far as I can see. So, it comes down to the reputation of the seller. LifePro, for example sells models that are similar to—if not exactly like—other popular brands. VYBE is the same. Most likely there are little to know differences.
The Jawku Muscle Blaster V.2 and NoCry Massage gun are appealing models. Jawku is certaining stronger—at a much higher price point. NoCry stands out with its 4-year warranty and extensive owner’s manual. NoCry also sells a variety of power tools and safety items. Both companies seem to have good reputations and customer satisfaction ratings. While the Jawku Muscle Blaster V.2 stands alone among the competition (with a 14-16 mm stroke length), the NoCry has similar features (and the 12 mm stroke length is better than many top brands). The NoCry massage gun is similar (identical) to a number of other brands (e.g., SAFR, VYBE, LifePro Sonic X, AccuMed, et al.) The prices are variable (<$160 to >$220). This is really not a tremendous difference when compared to percussion massagers that can sell for up to $600.
Considering that Booster is seemingly unwilling to honor the warranty, I have been looking at replacements. (After all, I really do feel the recovery benefits of the massager.) I like the shape of the Muscle Blaster V.2/NoCry/Sonic X/etc. It is really coming down to price and trust. Reputation is essential.
I haven’t made a decision, yet. Friends swear by their Hypervolts, but its price is too high considering that some lower-priced percussion massagers actually score higher (and there are much cheaper models with the same technology). What I do know is that I will only buy from a seller with customer service. (If Booster turns around and surprises me, I will share in an update. I’m not holding my breath, though.)
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5w6NJj3DVI
2 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgtsd4oYrCLgfS0OvVtl8UA
UPDATE:
Well, it has been a month now and still no replacement. I trust I will ultimately get a replacement, but it hasn’t shipped, yet. It will take 2 weeks once it is shipped–i.e., it is being shipped from China. I am convinced that few of the available “brands” are actually manufactured by the seller. I am dealing with an online company that is operating out of a home in Kentucky. I can find no evidence that “Booster” is an actual brand. You can find “Booster” product at AliExpress, but you can take that for what it is worth. I was told that my replacement order was sent to the “shipping department”, which is, of course, laughable.
Here is the timeline of Booster Gun’s responsiveness:
Sunday, May 17th–emailed info@boosterguns.com…no response.
Thursday, May 21st–emailed, again.
Friday, May 22nd–received the following response from Booster: “Can you please provide a video showing the damage or defect on the product and send it to our IG PAGE @BoosterGuns? Please don’t forget to put your order number so our Social Media Team can easily verify which order the video is for.” (What customer service department operates via Instagram??)
Video has been sent via Instagram. (Two, in fact. One, posted to the page; one messaged. Unsure that I sent it correctly, I also included a copy via email.)
Tuesday, May 26th–Booster: “Hi, Please connect with our social media team through Instagram as they would be able to asses and confirm. Unfortunately the video you sent us was rejected by the system due to size. Best route to get this video reviewed ASAP is through our IG account.
We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. Please connect with our social media team. Thank you!”
Social media team???? I responded that I had not heard from the “social media team”.
Thursday, May 28th–emailed again to ask….
Friday, May 29th–Booster: “I will take a look on this matter with out social media team.
(That was the last e-mail.)
Monday, June 1st–Social Media Team: Receipt of the video was acknowledged and “we absolutely honor our warranties and we apologize you have experienced this with your gun.”
I had to push for information on what to do next.
“To engage the warranty we need the defected unit sent back to our U.S. location including the full kit. Once we receive it we can send a brand new kit!”
My response: “Well that could have happened weeks ago. How so to?”
I had to push for a return address (a house in Nicholasville, KY)
I asked (June 1st) How mine was going to be replaced if the Booster Base is no longer available for sale.
June 4th–I got a response: “We have a limited stock for replacements” (emphasis mine).
June 10th–receipt was acknowledged (after prompting–it was received on the 9th).
Saturday, June 13th–I requested an update.
Tuesday, June 16th–(After another request for an update) Social Media Team: “The new order is still processing….” (pandemic blamed).
I asked for clarification on what “processing” meant.
Saturday, June 20th–“Sorry…It means we’ve sent it to our shipping department and they are preparing it for shipment!”
I asked for a timeline.
Monday, June 22, I was told that “once shipped it will take about 2 weeks to receive”. (At least responses on Instagram are coming quicker!)
So, what is clear is that I am dealing with a seller who is not a manufacturer and has no product stock–or staff. Hey, I am okay with that. I am all for small businesses and the “social media” person may be home with small kids in quarantine. What bothers me is that these products are presented as brands. The consumer has no way of knowing what they are getting. I can’t even trace the source of my massage gun to confirm what I am actually getting. Few brands are sold in box stores (e.g., Hypervolts are sold at Best Buy). On the outside, many of the massagers look identical. If you look closely, you might notice subtle differences (e.g., on the cheap end Accumed offers a massager that looks like the Jawku V.2 on the high end–the most noticeable difference is the stoke length, 10mm v. 12mm, respectively). There are several “brands” in between that appear identical. The difference is price. There are subtle warranty differences. (If you want my sentiments on “warranties”, watch Tommy Boy.) This leaves customer service trust as the most notable factor in brand selection. Most are a website with no notable headquarters address. Some brands will note that they won’t honor warranties on products purchased from other sellers. (In other words, they are acknowledging the just because it walk like a duck and quack like a duck does not mean it is a duck.)
I wish I could offer solid advice and recommendations on available products, but I can’t (I won’t). I honestly liked the “Booster Base” while it worked. It seemed of reasonable quality. It was a little under-powered (It had a 12-V motor unlike the 24-V motor I expected–though the website was sufficiently vague on the details of the product.) I suspect that the seller wasn’t even knowledgable of what I was getting. I only paid $99 (supposedly on sale), so I didn’t expect a $400 Hypervolt. I still think it is possible that a buyer can get a unlabeled Hypervolt for cheap. Afterall, the manufacturing rules in China aren’t like they are in the U.S.
So, the only advice I can offer is weight the evidence that is presented. If all the company offers for contact is an info@ email address, beware. If the price seems too good, then expect less. I would not assume that price is the best indicator of quality. I would also look at products that have a number of doppelgangers with some suspicion. Look carefully at stroke length, battery life, motor features, warranty information, etc. Reviews are probably not the most informative. Take them with a grain of salt.
I am disappointed with my purchase. I can not recommend the Booster brand (if such a brand really exists). In the end, I don’t know that any brand really stands out to me. There are features I like in some. There are features I don’t. Somethings are like buying apples. They all look the same and they all look good until you get ’em home and bite into ’em to find the bruise or the worm.
Honestly, if Booster Guns had just responded quickly, told me where to return the defective product, and been honest about the process, I would be more tolerable. It is clear to me though that they don’t have “limited stock for replacements” and that they are looking for a comparable replacement from whomever has a similar device. Hopefully, once the replacement does arrive, I will get more than 5 months of use out of it.
UPDATE, July 4, 2020: A replacement has FINALLY been shipped. Perhaps, the demand for a refund lit a fire under someone. It appears that there was a change in the social media/customer service team–I am told there was. In any case, I was actually able to have an exchange in real-time instead of waiting days for a response. The internal communication might still need improvement, but hopefully this is a sign of a change for the better. In any case, they are honoring the warranty, and I should have a replacement in 2-3 weeks! I’ll update from there.