Researching how a product performs and reading reviews on a product before purchasing it is a standard for me. Especially when it comes to purchasing a product that is expensive. This is the same for most people, communicating about an experience with a product is crucial. Well, imagine if you couldn't find negative reviews on products because companies don't want you to know their product may fail. People would never know if a product is not worth purchasing because unsatisfied customers would not be able to communicate their negative experiences. This is exactly what "SmileDirectClub" is doing.
Two years ago, Taylor Weakley, had decided to order from SmileDirectClub to fix some crowding in her teeth after seeing an ad on social media for the teeth aligners. The aligners cost $1,850, which is less than the cost of visiting an orthodontist for braces. But, the aligners failed to correct Weakley's teeth. She had asked for a refund but was faced with something she wasn't expecting. If she wanted to receive a refund she must sign a nondisclosure provision as part of a general release form, which she agreed to. The agreement prohibits customers from telling others about the refund as well as not allowing any negative social media comments or reviews.
SmileDirectClub wants to limit negative information from unsatisfied customers. That is why the company's website claims to have a 4.9/5 customer rating. Weakley is not the only person to face this problem, seven others told New York Times the product was not effective for them either. Four individuals even needed to visit a dentist to fix problems the aligners caused.
Personally, I find this extremely alarming. SmileDirectClub advertises to many different target markets, myself included. I have seen their advertisements on my Instagram feed and other platforms a countless number of times. Not allowing customers to communicate their negative experiences can put others at risk and makes customers feel lied to.
After reading this article, I am left wondering how many other heavily marketed products are causing harm to people but nobody knows about it because the company silenced them.
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