MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Speaks Out On BBB Accreditation Loss
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- While they have sold 25 million pillows, the Better Business Bureau this week rated MyPillow with an F.
"The problem happened when MyPillow started to advertise buy-one-get-one free and didn't stop, so it became a continuous offer," said Barb Grieman, senior vice president of the Better Business Bureau in Minnesota and North Dakota.
The offer violated BBB's code of advertising that says "The 'free' offer should be temporary; otherwise, consumers may view it as a continuous combination offer, no part of which is free."
Mike Lindell, inventor and CEO of MyPillow, expressed disappointment in the F rating.
"Are you kidding me? I can see maybe a B or a C," Lindell said.
Related: Calif. Attorneys Reach $1M Settlement With MN-Based MyPillow
The BBB approached MyPillow in August about the violation.
"They wanted if off by Jan. 1, but we missed that day," Lindell said. "The BOGO offer will probably not be an offer we're going to do. We like to change it up, but this was so successful we ran it longer than we would normally run."
MyPillow's BBB accreditation has now been revoked.
"There's two reasons this is important. One, the consumer needs to know what they are saving. Two, businesses need to be protected," Grieman said. "If they are in that industry, it's very hard to compete against misleading advertising."
The 2-for-1 pillow special still exists as of Tuesday night, and is being advertised on MyPillow's website.
The BBB says the F rating is not a product issue, but instead an advertising issue.
