Reviews often describe breakdowns in shipping, returns, and warranty support. Many customers mention surprise recurring charges linked to a rewards program. Product feedback splits between items arriving broken or cheaply made and a smaller set of long-term positive experiences. Communication issues include silent support channels and repeated unwanted emails.
Examples from available reviews (Jul 2017 – Mar 2026).
Unexpected recurring rewards charge appeared after opting for shipping discount.
“checked a box for a discount on shipping. Since then we have been charged $118.65 at $16.95/month.”
Order never arrived after months, company did not deliver purchased item.
“I placed an order June 29th, and today, October 2nd, still nothing.”
Beware! This company is a scam. It claims to be an American company but everything I bought cam...
“Beware! This company is a scam. It claims to be an American company but everything I bought cam...”
Reviewer praises consistent quality over ten years of purchases.
“I love the quality of the items I have ordered through Hammacher Schlemmer over the past 10 years.”
Many reviews describe orders that arrived late, were canceled, or never shipped at all. Several customers say refunds were held back, returns were logged as not received, or warranty requests were denied after changes in ownership or timing. A few reviews mention fast, helpful service, but they are outnumbered by complaints.
Some reviewers report unexpected monthly recurring charges after opting into a rewards program, with checkout details described as unclear. Others point to high restocking or return fees and prices above mainstream retailers. A handful of positive comments say certain long-term purchases felt worth the cost.
Customers mention items shown as in stock that were not, mixed messages in order updates, and missing parts that left products unusable. Several describe checkout as making it easy to accidentally enroll in a paid program. A smaller group reports smooth exchanges and helpful front-line staff.
Many reviews say items arrived damaged, low quality, or not as ordered, including broken products, corroded batteries, and furniture that needed rework. Some customers report big differences between what arrived and the website photos. Long-time buyers also describe reliable quality and lifetime guarantees, though those comments appear less often.
Reviews often describe emails that went unanswered, phone calls that were not returned, and missing updates on backorders or returns. Several customers also report ongoing marketing emails even after unsubscribing. A few reviews credit staff with quick fixes, but those cases are uncommon.
Reviews show a sharp split: many low ratings tied to shipping, billing, and support problems, and a smaller group of long-time satisfied customers. Billing and refund disputes stand out as key drivers of negative feedback. Positive experiences mainly show up in isolated quick resolutions or purchases that held up over time.
For each review, the core experience based on original source reviews.
Sources: Trustpilot (54) · Reviews (17) · resellerratings.com (15) · Reviews (1) · Quotes shortened · As of: March 2026
Warranty claim required costly return and then company ceased communication.
“I never heard back from Customer Service despite multiple emails”
Company repeatedly sent unwanted emails and ignored unsubscribe requests.
“No matter how many times I unsubscribe or block their email, they keep sending.”
Partial shipment of low-value item and company refused to explain balance.
“they only shipped a $12.48 stuffed dinosaur.”
Product failed and company refused to honor warranty after ownership change.
“will not honor any warranties”
Paid orders never shipped and new owner refuses refunds or records.
“items I ordered and paid for have never been sent to me but they have kept my money”
Order canceled and company refused refund claiming ownership change.
“Now claim different owner and no access to previous records.”
Multiple orders delayed or never received and refunds not issued.
“It took months to receive some of the items and have not received many other items as of yet.”
Items canceled and refund withheld due to alleged company acquisition.
“I was not getting my (roughly) $150 refunded because a new company acquired Hammacher Schlemmer.”
Refunds and lifetime warranty not honored after ownership change.
“new owner bought brand and not operations so they can’t help me.”
Many items late or missing and customer service was unhelpful.
“I’ve received 2 of my ordered items.”
Items were made in China and low quality compared to expectations.
“everything I bought came from China”
Charged for items not received and customer service unresponsive.
“charged for 3 but only received 2.”
Refund check bounced causing bank fees and poor customer support.
“the check bounced AND that my bank was charging me $16.00 for the bounced check.”
Faulty products and no responsive customer support for replacements.
“They will not honor returns or exchanges due to faulty products.”
Company failed to honor returns and provided unresponsive customer service.
“They will not honor returns or exchanges due to faulty products.”
Return processed slowly and company delayed refund processing.
“It appears they are holding up the return process!”
Return processing was delayed and refund not issued as promised.
“the returns for 9/26 are being processed now!”
Customer service nonexistent and order status information missing on Shop app.
“The customer service is non-existent.”
Company fails to inform customers and provides no return updates.
“The customer service is non-existent.”
Order never shipped and company held funds without delivery.
“I placed an order June 29th, and today, October 2nd, still nothing.”
Order never arrived after months, company did not deliver purchased item.
“I placed an order June 29th, and today, October 2nd, still nothing.”
Return policy charged fees and prevented refund for wrong size.
“there was a $13 return fee and I would need to pay postage.”
Company did not respond to emails and failed to provide service.
“They do not respond to email or queries.”
Order marked delivered elsewhere and company refused to replace it.
“UPS said it delivered it, not to my address but to some address 155 yards away from Mine.”
Product failed and company refused warranty assistance two days past coverage.
“I was outside of the 30 day warranty by 2 days and they would not replace it.”
Unexpected recurring rewards charge appeared after opting for shipping discount.
“checked a box for a discount on shipping. Since then we have been charged $118.65 at $16.95/month.”
Recurring $16.95 monthly charge for rewards was not clearly disclosed.
“this $16.95 was a recurring monthly charge on my credit card”
This page combines submitted experiences with public reviews from platforms such as Google, Trustpilot, etc. Recurring points are summarized without changing the content of reviews.
Hammacher Schlemmer runs an online store and mail-order catalog selling consumer goods and specialty gadgets. Common categories include electronics, home and outdoor items, toys, and personalized gifts. Product pages show warranty and guarantee information along with shipping choices. The company offers a paid rewards program and provides email and phone support for orders, returns, and warranty questions.