Pimsleur Approach Reviews
The Pimsleur Approach (PimsleurApproach.com) is a foreign language course that promises to teach you the basics of your chosen language within 10 days using proven methods created by Dr. Paul Pimsleur and used by the FBI.
When you order the Quick & Simple program, you will receive 4 audio CDs with 8 lessons, each 30 minutes in length, and you are scheduled to listen to only one lesson per day.
The entire program is 100% audio based so it can be listened to in the car, the home, or downloaded and played on an MP3 player. The Quick & Simple program is currently priced at $10.00, with free Shipping & Handling.
What is “The Pimsleur Approach”?
The Pimsleur Approach to learning a foreign language is to teach adults a language the same way babies learn language – orally. According to them, learning language begins with learning sounds and pronunciations, not with grammar rules or vocab lessons.
The Pimsleur Approach works on the idea that you should absorb grammar rules through understanding how conversation works orally, just like you did when you were learning your first language.
The website says that while there are over 1 million words and phrase in the English language, there are only 2500 that we use consistently and that we need in order to communicate with the average American.
The Pimsleur Approach identifies these same language building blocks for foreign languages and only concentrates on teaching you those, so that you can quickly be conversational in your chosen language.
The Cost
The Quick & Simple program does cost $10.00 and comes with a 30 day trial, where you can receive a refund if you return the program in excellent condition. However, you are automatically enrolled to get subsequent programs sent to you.
These subsequent programs, if not returned with 30 days, will cost you 4 payments of $64, or $256, and depending on the language you have chosen, you can receive up to 4 additional shipments.
With each additional shipment, you have 30 days to return those and cancel the charges. You can also call 1-877-802-5283 to cancel future shipments in advance at any time.
The initial $10 is worth it, but if you don't cancel the subscription, they start charging you credit card hundreds of dollars.
They rely on you to forget about cancelling!!!
If you are looking to do a language with the Pimsleur method go to their official site Pimsleur.com (NOT Pimsleur Approach). This site is through Simon and Schuester (you know, the major educational publishing house). The are legit. Prices are clearly set out and there are more languages available. In addition, you are able to listen to a free lesson in the language you chose. The Pimsleur Approach is a scam. Please look at the legit site. Before, anyone makes the statement - I have nothing to do with either company and make no money from this. I have examined both Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone. Both are good in their own way. Pimsleur is probably the most effective.
This $9.95 dollar course ends up cost well over $1000.00 dollars. Beware its a trick to suck you in and you cannot get out of it!
OMG I was about trying. Thank God I searched before do it. Thanks a lot everybody for this big help
They need to be reported by everyone on here!
This product is misleading and its bussiness practices are without morals and substandard at best....Watch your pocket book!!!
Report them! That's the only way to get them to improve their practices!
Just don't do this. Save yourself from a headache that will never leave your credit card account alone. It is just a scam - they just want to take over your credit card with unwanted charges. It is not that great of a product - move on - don't make the same mistake I made I wish I would have NEVER purchased the simple series - seemed so simple, but it is
not.
Keep looking there is nothing wrong with wanting to learn Spanish, but this scam trick is not the place.
There should be room for negative stars I would give them a negative 10.
Make sure you read the fine print. They automatically enroll you in the highest level product and keep sending you a set of CDs. Each set of CDs is automatically deducted from whatever payment method you selected originally. 4 payments of $64 each month. They keep sending sets of CDs and you are obligated for another 4 months of payments.
VERY EXPENSIVE and not very forthcoming. Poor model.
Buy direct from Simon and Shuster or try Rosetta stone.
I purchased the $9.95 cd and although I don't remember entering any long term agreement, I received the first pack of cd's. I listened to the first few. They were way too basic for my level and there was no way that I would be able to learn from them.
I called customer service and they told me to "just send them back if they don't work out." In this conversation, they never told me of any required shipping procedures. The packing slip in which it came with had no required shipping procedures. They just said, "just send them back, no obligation!" So, I sent them back in the exact same box with the exact same packing slip with all of my information. I also included a letter explaining my decision and a phone number if there were any concerns.
Four months later, a $64 charge appeared on my credit card (the one I authorized for $9.95). I called Pimsleur and was told that my account was in collections for another $128. I was irate. I had not received any notice from them for over four months and my account was in collections? I told them that I mailed the cd's back. They said they didn't have any record of it. Their question, "Do you have the tracking number with UPS?" I told them that I had a receipt from the U.S.P.S. They said they were unable to refund my money and that there was no way of proving that I sent the cd's back in.
Sorry for your financial loss but want to thank you for the warning. Wonder if you had disputed your charges with the credit card co, you should have been able to win.
purchasing the 9.95 CD was entering into a long term agreement read the site
Total scam. Charged w/o ordering. Misrepresented 100%.
DO NOT sign up for their "free" anything.
I just convinced my dad to buy this for me. and now i am reading these reviews and i am scared that i just costed my dad $400.00 for no reason. It better work OR ELSE!!!!!...................................
get the program, put all the info on file and send it back, not difficult to do, the company obviously will try to keep you on board but they will cancel everything,
They billed me the $9.95 four times, for just the intial order. When I called to receive a refund, they told me they gave it to me. A month later I still have the charges, four calls and five emails later I still have no refund. When you call in they act like they can't find your account, they say they never billed you anything. What a joke...they should get their business license taken away!! DON'T EVER USE THIS COMPANY.
Thanks for your comments Math, won't go near those folks!
Would be easy enough to go to your bank to have fraudulent charges removed.
They must have specifically hated you or you came off like a dick or something, I ordered it, received it cancelled it, learned a language, cost me bout 5 minutes of my time and thats all
We are going through this right now. Hopefully the BBB will back us on this. Very upset with the unethical procedures.
Like many have mentioned, they start sending you a bunch of other stuff, then you are stuck repackaging, and PAYING to send it back otherwise they charge you rediculous chargers for the garbage they sent you without asking. Perfect example of a company trying to scam people to get money for something they know is not worth anything.
they dont have to ask, read the site, you said you wanted them to keep sending stuff by not cancelling... this is common business practice. People and companies have been exploiting money from others who dont pay attention for decades, probably centuries...instead of complaining read thru the offer, dont order anything without a money back guarantee
This fraudulent company is smart....it sucks you in with a well put together video on how to learn a new language quick and easy. You have to put your info in (name, credit card #, etc.) first and then it brings you to another advertisement page.
Like everyone else stated, you get sent a bunch of other shit you didn't order or want. My advise, start a claim for dispute with your bank ASAP!! Contact the shitty fraudulent company via email or phone to get the process started of cancellation.
www.Stroll.com is the culprit of this scam....give them a friendly call @ 866-204-7139, 8:30am-8:00pm m-f, or email them @ customer care@stroll.com
GOOD LUCK
Can you list contact info for every other company that does business this way too "scamming" as you put it money from people and also can everyone send me 10 dollars then after you do ill tell you why
Watch out getting the 9.95 "suck-you-in" special - you automatically get the deluxe version sent and your credit card gets billed. If you don't return the deluxe package within 30 days you're stuck with it!
.@PimsleurTweets is a total scheme. I ordered one set of CD's, only to be charged for an entire course, 20x the cost. Don't use this service
I truly wish they would make this illegal.
They use a well known "magic trick" in which they get the human brain to focus on a single task,which it is really good at, unfortunately can screw you in the end. In this case it's learn a new launguage for $9.95. You get you to watch the 1hr long, or whatever, annoying, repetitive preview which focuses you on that task. Multitasking for the human brain is a virtual impossibility.
Very few people can catch the "opt out" before handing over thier credit card # cause they've got 95% of human beings focused,so don't feel bad if you got caught, just realize if you want to learn Mandarin Chinese you will, but it will cost you $1033.95 with the Pimsleur method.10 bucks gets you nothing useful except sucked in, and it will cost you more money to send the cd's back as they want a tracking number.
Another reason I don't buy any USA products or services anymore. Schemes like this make me say "Go China Go".
Your ignorant not to read the fine print.
Don't be so stupid. Scammers are everywhere, not just the US.
Sorry, that was meant in response to the first comment, not Katherine's comment.
Everyone is complaining about the charges, but did it actually work for anyone?
Also, in today's economy, everyone should have a separate debit card for online purchases only. (this will save you from billing scams like this one, and hackers getting your information)
I was going to use mine and put 10.00 on there and order this, but does it work? They cannot bill me for the extras or the gold set, if i dont transfer the money.
Disappointing: gives 3 stars out of 5, but does not mention at all if the program worked for her. Does Kristie speak a new foreign language now ?
I heard Kristie that it is no better than many cd sets that are available free at your local library!
Glad you have common sense. I was thinking the same thing.
But they can still ruin your credit even if you don't pay them
don't do that. They will send to collection agency and it will effect your cridet in ffuture. I think !! Good luck
The original CD's sent with your Pemsleur Quick & Simple are very typical of any other auditory language program on the shelf. Each Lesson: Listen to this conversation. Repeat. Break if apart, repeat. Listen again. Respond. etc. There is nothing remarkable about the program itself. If you practice with your CD's you will learn your lessons...
or the more important lessons you will learn are LOOK for the small print. SEARCH for the hidden. If it sounds too good to be true - IT IS! duh!
Yes, the Pimsleur Approach DOES work. It is an excellent program in it's entirety. I do however, recommend purchasing from Simon & Schuester rather the affiliate companies who do not provide valuable customer service.
If you are looking to learn a language, this is just as good as any other. I am now fluent in French after 2 months. It takes time, practice and energy, but in the end, I am greatly satisfied with the product!!!
You pay $67 for the 30 CD's, however they do not tell you that each box of 30 CD's is over $200. Thinking of sending them back? They still bill you.
Please stay far away. Learn to speak a different language in any other way but this one.
Thanks, but it's too late for me. If anyone is unhappy with your trial, send it back well befor the 30 days are up.
I totally feel for you ! The saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true..... I got into something like this once as well. The comment about having a seperate credit card (pre paid type) is excellent advice, I seriously need one of those.!
Not only do they make it impossible to cancel without making payment, but they also over-billed my credit card from the amount due on the account. The payment due was $192 and they billed me $256, now no one takes my call when calling in.
NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS COMPANY OR THEIR PARENT COMPANY, STROLL, LLC.
They scammed me---but only for $16.95. I cancelled my debit card making it obsolete and had Bank of America issue me a new card. It is a small inconvience(approximately 4-5 days) but saved myself from alot of hassle. Now I have the cd's and I'll still get to see if their scamgam works.
can we copy them for 8.95
The company offers a Free Trial for $9.95 shipping and then sends products not ordered and threatens to bill your credit card for four payments of $64.99. You then have to pay to return the product to avoid the charge. This is a scam at best and very manipulative. They require the shipping payment on the initial order so they can get your credit card information. I had hoped such scams and companies were a thing of the past. I was wrong. Before purchasing, I carefully read all over their website, looking for fine print. I did not see anywhere where it stated I would be receiving additional material. They did not list, nor inform their customers of the "gold" products that would be sent to them month after month where they'd have to pay 4 "easy" payments of $64. I am in the process of trying to rid myself of them and the threats they make.
Even if the product was a quality product the hassle and manipulative methods they use will prevent me from ever ordering from them again.
I wonder that since this company has such bad reviews why this review site posts an add for them???
I am having the exact same problem. I notified my credit card company that I was being sent then billed for items I did not order. I sent an email to Pimsleur stating not to send me any more product and that they did not have permission to charge my card, but that did not stop them. Now the company has mailed me a letter stating there must be a problem with my credit card. How do you get rid of them? I wonder if this is some type of mail fraud?
'Pimsleur Language Programs' are the guys who sell the real stuff, it seems to be...
simple and well said... certainly not the only company making money that way
We canceled, sent the programs back. Now they are saying they never received it back. They kept charging the card even after being told it was sent back. Now we are being told it probably got put in the dead warehouse. What the heck?