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Family Pool Fun


Country United States
State Minnesota
City Browns Valley
Address 316 Broadway
Phone 320-695-2899
Website http://www.familypoolfun.com/

Family Pool Fun Reviews

Most Useful Comment
  • May 19, 2018

Read this before you buy from this company

On March 14 I ordered and paid for a swimming pool kit to be delivered to me. They made sure to take full payment from my bank account promptly. The pool kit was shipped to me a couple of days later. Since I am physically unable to do the assembly myself, I hired a local licensed contractor to assemble the pool and build a wooden deck. When the pool kit arrived, we discovered that the floor padding was not on the pallet. Since the padding goes down before the pool can be assembled and filled, this stopped the construction while I contacted the vendor to get the padding shipped to me. That took a week. Now that the pool is assembled and all boxes have been emptied, we noticed that the Automatic Floor cleaner has not been shipped. I contacted the vendor again and was told that I needed to fill out a form (which was not sent to me either at the time of purchase or since) and return the original to them (no faxes allowed). Two weeks later and I still have not received the form. I contacted them again about the missing item and was told they would be shipping it to me the next day. At that time I asked if I could upgrade to a better cleaning system and pay the difference. I was told that could not be done. It is now 2 weeks after THAT attempt at resolution and the missing piece still has not arrived.

I received a call from Andrea at familypoolfun.com. I told her that in a previous conversation with Ann I I tried to upgrade the pool sweeper since it had not been shipped and was told by Ann that I could not get an upgrade. Andrea said I could, but she preconditioned shipping ANYTHING to me on my removing my complaints as posted on various web sites and with the Minnesota Better Business Bureau. I stated that my complaints were about non-shipment of merchandise previously paid for and I will not remove or modify any complaints until I actually receive the product. Ann refused to accept that, even going so far as to tell me that the Better Business Bureau requires removal of the complaint as a precondition of your company being allowed to ship product that had already been paid for.

I spoke with Margot Moore at the Minnesota Better Business Bureau and she informed me that Ann's statement about their policy is patently false. I also own a business and my business is an Accredited Business with the BBB of Southern Arizona and I also knew when she told me about the supposed BBB policy that what Ann told me was patently false.

If they are to lie to me about these things, why should I believe a promise to ship product I have already paid for that should have been shipped two months ago will be carried out?

I am continuing to leave reviews of my experience with Familypoolfun.com with any and every consumer comment board I can find.

Mark as Useful [1 vote]
  • Aug 27, 2020

Buyer Beware

First of all access to Customer support is poor at best.

Second we bought a an above ground pool deck and it was delivered damaged. We opened a ticket with Customer support and heard nothing. Installer though perhaps it was used not new. So buyer beware, not much more I can do but leave this review.

  • Aug 18, 2020

Do not order!!! buyer beware!!! i ordered my pool on june 22, 2020 and was called the next day to confirm order. The lady i spoke with told me it would be delivered in exactly 4 weeks. As it came closer to 4 weeks i heard nothing so i contacted the company. You cannot get through on their phone numbers so i emailed several times. The owner jay called me and berated me on the phone for basically inquiring about my order. He then proceeded to raise his voice that i had given him the wrong number to call and then he said and i quote, "go back! go back and look at your email!" after we hung up i did go back and look and i had given him the correct phone number. I was dumb enough to allow him to talk me into proceeding with the pool order because he assured me it would arrive the first week of august. As you can imagine, that time came and no pool arrived. He then told me 2 more weeks. The emails he does actually answer normally have a copied and pasted section about covid and the warehouse missing the shipping schedule. In his emails he explains that some companies are taking 6 to 8 weeks to process orders yet his company Familypoolfun) is not. But here i was at week 6 and told 2 more weeks. I hope he realizes people can do simple addition. I demanded my refund. I emailed after several days to check on my refund and he then told me he told the warehouse to cancel my order. My pool was never even at the warehouse according to previous emails! he then actually tried to convince me to put a pool on lay-a-way He said other customers are choosing to do lay-a-way) since pools will be more expensive in 2021 due to the shortage this year. He sent me a cancelled invoice and told me 3 to 18 business days for my refund to process. I received my refund 9 business days later Which is today). Surprise! he retained $85 of my money as a "cancellation fee". A fee for a product he never had!! he has very poor business practices. He claimed he had merchanise in stock only so people would purchase. There really is a pool shortage, you can look it up, but he saw the opportunity to line his pockets and he took it by claiming he had what others did not. Then people began getting wise and demanding to know where their orders are and wanting refunds. He does not update you until you actually slam him with emails and then he spins another story of the warehouse missing the delivery deadline. He commented on someone else's review that he was allowing orders from his website in order to place customers on a waiting list. It does not state that on his website, it says the items are in stock and that is false! he seems shocked that people are angry. No wonder - customers believed he had the products in stock and many of us spent hundreds to thousands to prepare our yards where our pools were to be installed - yet there is no pool! he rarely communicates and when he does, he lies and comes off incredibly disrespectful. Please listen to me and to everyone else who has had the headache of dealing with this business. Shop elsewhere!!!

  • Aug 17, 2020

Angry in NC

They promised a pool and we set up financing and waited, and waited. You can't reach them by phone, the Facebook does work but they just have a generic response nothing real and the support site where you post your activities has no real responses, they just say resolved.

When you get them on the phone, they are rude and lie. 2 months later than the original date we were supposed to/ promised to get the pool and we have nothing but "resolved" activities and no pool or help.

FAMILYPOOLFUN YOU SUCK!!!!!

  • Jul 22, 2020

Typical behavior of this Trump period, another elected Government official running a shady small business on the side with his twin brother, Jay Backer , doing the dirty work for him. Myself and at least 10 other unsuspecting customers paid for above ground pools back in May 2020 and were promised delivery within 4 weeks and it's now nearing August 2020 and no word from this Devil found company.

The Devil himself would have rather just gotten the paid for pools delivered compared to the hell this company will be facing if they rip off all us customers when we file a class action lawsuit against Family Fun Pools, Family Go Kart and B.W. Incorporated, the official name of these companies in the corporate world.

Maybe Jeff Backer thinks he can sneak this one past the judge since he is an elected official in the Minnesota House of Representatives, but you can't get past a group of people filing the same complaints about this company in a Federal Court. You can't take peoples money under an assumed business name and not deliver. We will come get you, I promise. Jeff Backer and Jay Backer are not above the law, and if they are then I will have to take things into my own hands because I do not accept that kind of behavior from any business let alone a politician.

I gave their pool company $3000.00 back in May and I expect delivery of the product I paid for ASAP. It's been long enough with your covid 19 excuse, or any other excuse at this point. Man up Jeff and Jay Backer or you will have to pay the consequences of the people you screwed.

  • Jul 8, 2020

Stay away. By far the worst company i've had to deal with in a long, long time. Yes, everyone's experiencing covid issues this year. But this goes well beyond that. There is no customer help at all...Customer service number goes straight to voicemail. They take on too much and then can't help anyone. They send out random emails that contradict each other and then when you email back or call and leave voicemails, no one gets back to you. My order was moved a month, twice, then cancelled. I called and called and emailed and emailed and no one bothered getting back to me throughout the entire process aside from a generic email here and there saying "check your latest email" or "thanks and be patient"...Nothing whatsoever that answered any of my actual questions. I've since had to dispute the charge with my bank to get my money back and also have reported the company to the better business bureau.

  • May 13, 2020

Buyer Beware. Do not buy from this company. I ordered a swimming pool cover from Jay in November. I gave Jay the pool and patio deck measurements and was reassured they would return it if it didn't fit. The pool was finished in December and the swimming pool cover was too big and could not be installed. The pool cover was never taken out of the box.

After several requests to start the process of return early January, I finally received an email from Jay the end of January. He stated that he would have to contact the manufacturer and I asked me to submit pictures of the pool cover to show that there was no damage to shipping box and cover. I sent pictures showing that the pool cover has never been out of the box and the shipping package was intact. After months of weekly emails and phone calls, Jay continues to use stall and delay tactics.

In May, he finally told me that Andrea would take care of the issue. Every time I call the company and ask for Andrea I am told that she is on the other line and they will take my information and she will call me back. Andreas has never has returned my call. The staff is rude, disrespectful and from my perspective very dishonest.

  • Dec 8, 2019

Before i ordered a pool pump on friday, nov. 29, i called to make sure that it was in stock, and i hoped that it could be shipped that day. I was ok with the promised monday shipping. I was shocked and bewildered when i got a call late tuesday afternoon wanting to verify my address, which was exactly as ordered.

If that really was an issue, i should have been called monday before the promised shipping. I was concerned about their stalling tactics, and called them wednesday morning, and again wednesday afternoon, wanting to know when and if it would ever be shipped.

Members of staff told that only jay could answer that question, and that he'd call me. Of course, he never did, and i cancelled the order that night. After waiting four more days trying to get my $475 refund, i finally had to get it through my credit card company. Next time i order from an unfamiliar company, i'm reading the bad reviews.

I would have seen all the complaints to the better business bureau, scamion and trustpilot. I would have known that their "address verification call" is commonly used for stalling. I'm surprised that jay can get his employees to buy into his crookedness. Jay has proven once again that "one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel."

  • Jul 17, 2019

Jay backer ripoff people at familypoolfun will get you finance after timepayment pay it off mr backer nut ball will not help you . at familypoolfun are not nice people i tell mr backer about the leak my 5 years old son want to get in the pool backer say who care what your son want thats not my kid , whats wrong with people at familypoolfun i will not buy a pool from familypoolfun no more are with timement.

  • Jul 1, 2018

I am a Christian Grandma that wanted to purchase a swimming pool for my grandchildren. I looked online and found Family Pool Fun, Incorporated. They had only good reviews and at the bottom of their homepage was Focus on Family. Seeming to be a Christian Business, saying we could leave prayer requests and such. This was what sold me on purchasing from this company.

I purchased a Tempest 24' Round 52" Deep Above Ground Pool from Family Pool Fun on 7-7-'17, it included a Premium Upgrade on the Pump & Sand Filter System. On my Receipt of Purchase it was supposed to be a Waterway 1 1/2 HP 22" Pump & Sand Filter System. I did finance this pool with Time Payment Corporation. Jeff Backer, one of the owners of Family Pool Fun, sold me this pool over the phone and during the sale was very nice. After the sale, it was turned over to Jay Backer, also an owner of Family Pool Fun.

I was given an Order Number on 7-7-'17, the day of purchase and the day the finance company had gotten everything straight. This was a $3,800.00 investment for me and I was feeling good for my family and grandchildren. During the next two weeks, I kept inquiring when I would receive a Tracking Number from UPS for the delivery of the pool, both by email and phone. I was told over and over that it would be sent out soon. I began to feel uneasy. Then on 7-26-'17, the 1st. Shipment was delivered. I was told that I had 3 days to open and check all pieces to make sure nothing was wrong, damaged or broken. I immediately opened and checked the packages and found one Top Pool Cap broken. I went straight and called Family Pool Fun and emailed Jay about the broken cap. He told me that a new one would be sent out immediately. Well, it is now, July 2, 2018 and after dozens of phone calls and dozens of emails, I have never received the new Top Pool Cap.

During these phone calls to Jay, he became rude, chastising and talking to me as if I were stupid. He was insulting and at times unbearable to talk to and yet, I felt I needed to keep on this company to do the right thing. I've never dealt with a company or a person like Jay, during a purchase of such a large amount of money and all by phone or website. I was told to put Gorilla Tape on the broken Top Pool Cap, as if I didn't mean a thing to this company now. I was talked down to and made to feel small.

After inquiring over and over about when our 2nd. Shipment was coming, it finally got to us on 8-8-'17, it had the wrong Pump and Sand System and I had to call Jay again and by now, I was beat down by having to deal with him. He knew in my voice that I needed the new pump immediately, so on 8-10-'17, we did receive a New Upgraded Pump and Sand Filter System, but not the one that was on my Original Purchase Receipt...the Waterway. Jay had sent us a Tidal Wave 1 1/2 HP Pump and Sand Filter System and told me on my Original Receipt, they had it wrong. Yet, I had looked up my Tempest Pool Complete Kt and System and it did say we were to get the Premium Upgraded Waterway Pump & Sand Filter System. We did not fight it, we accepted the one sent because it was large enough for our pool.

Well, we used the pool from 8-10-'17 until 9-25-'17 and then we closed it. We reopened the pool this year on May 1, 2018, it did fine until June 15, '18, then this Tidal Wave Pump 1 1/2 HP motor stopped working...only making a humming sound. Our Warranty is in full effect for this pump until 8-8-'18, so, I have emailed, called and been in touch with Family Pool Fun and Jay Backer and still have not gotten any response other than, "We have told the vendor to get this fixed.", from Jay. It seems like we are pulling teeth to get Quality Consumer Satisfaction from Family Pool Fun, Jay Backer, and all concerned. I'm sorry but this company should not be in business. I truly thought that this was a reputable company, well it is not. They advertise the 'BBB' on their website, well, I don't believe it at all. The Better Business Bureau would have done something about this by now, if that were so. If there is anyone...Attorney, Advocate, etc. that can help me or the many others I see that have sent in their horrible problems with Family Pool Fun, please, please get in touch with me/us. Something truly needs to be done to prevent this from continuing to happen to other people. I live on Social Security and I did not expect to pay my loan off and have gotten nothing for the loan. This is sad. Family Pool Fun and Jay Backer are a Fraudulent Business and Company.

I still have a broken Pool Pump and a broken Top Pool Cap.

Family Pool Fun, Incorporated - 316 West Broadway, Suite B, Browns Valley, Minnesota, 56219, US - BW Incorporated - Backer Wencell, Incorporated - [email protected] - [email protected] - www.familypoolfun.com - Phone: 1-800-250-5502 - Text: 701-361-1909 - Local Phone: 320-695-2899

Thank you... This is truly a BIG Consumer Fraud - Please help me and others...

  • Jun 10, 2018

We spent a year saving to get a pool for this summer. Finally, in May we were able to order. The reviews I read all seemed fine and so we went with it. We prepped the land, bought stones, sand and wood to build a deck. When we began unpacking the pool we realized everything but the liner was wrong. Right away my husband contacted them, and nobody replied to us. Finally, after calling three times a woman told him it was a busy week and that everyone had been off for various reasons. She said she would "look into it"... nobody called.

Finally, by week two my husband was fed up. He emailed and was told in response that the person dealing with it was not in, so he called and who answered? The person dealing with it. He (my husband) was chastised like a child and told he should have kept everything packaged. But we had no way of knowing it was wrong and were attempting to install it when we realized it. He (my husband) was then told to 'calm down' because the man didn't care for his tone. Instead of apologizing and offering up a solution he told my husband he would send us a shipping label so we could ship back the CORRECT pool liner.

Once the liner was recieved by them, they would then send us the smaller liner that fits the incorrect pool parts sitting in our yard and we would be refunded $325. So, they offered us a solution that was easy for them, forget the customer!

Their response time and customer service has been absolutely awful! We are now without our $2200 and without our 12X24 pool that we paid for and left with a 12X20 pool that is incomplete. It is nearly mid-June at this point. My son's birthday had to be canceled because you can't have a pool party without a pool can you? No apology, no sincerity, nothing! Of course we could dispute the charge, but they we are responsible for shipping it back which means money lost for us. So our only option is to take the runner up pool they've dumped on us and they pocket this money with no repercussions from their error which now I see they do VERY often.

I'm convinced this is a scam, they intentionally send you the wrong pool. It's probably a clearance pool or an overstock they are trying to get rid of. They know it's impossible to just ship back an 800 pound package once you've opened it. He (the owner) thinks he is slick but I plan of reporting this EVERYWHERE! I am not happy with the "Solution" offered. I want what I paid for and I think it's only fair at this point that I get an upgrade of some sort or some money back for all the time lost and aggrevation because of this.

I've never in my life dealt with such terrible customer service, not in the U.S. or in other countries. I hope other people read this and consider this before buying!!! NOT worth it. Take more time and do better research than I did. This company is TERRIBLE!

  • Jul 8, 2017

I ordered a diving board on June 9th. It was to be delivered in 7-10 business days. When I didnt get it I called and was told they would call me when they had the tracking number. a few days passed no tracking number called again same person said she was the only one there so I couldn't speak to a supervisor and they didn't have a tracking number yet. Jay, who I later found out is the owner called me on Friday June 30th and said there was a problem with the shipping address and that he straightened it out and I'd be receiving the board on Monday July3rd. On July 5th I still hadn't received it so called once again and was told it was probably because of the July 4th holiday. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told Jay was on the phone I offered to hold but was assured he'd call me back after he got off the phone. Of course no phone call, no tracking number no nothing. Don't make the same mistake I did. Read the customer reviews before dealing with a fly by night joke of a company like this. I saw in the reviews that he's played the same game with the "wrong shipping address" before.*

  • May 9, 2016

Familypoolfun.com - BUYER BEWARE.

This narrative might be a little long, but you would be wise to read it if you are considering a pool purchase from this company.

I purchased a Tempest 52" Above Ground Pool from this company in August 2013. Prior to purchase, I had several conversations with Mr. Jay Backer who is, apparently, the only sales rep for pools (and owner) for this company. He will talk to you like he is your new best friend, and he will tell you what you want to hear.

My concern before purchase was my proximity to the ocean and the effect of possible rust on the pool structure. I clearly expressed this to Mr. Backer. He assured me that he sold these pools to people like me all the time and never had a problem. Plus the pool had a 25 year warranty. So, I purchased the pool, and it was the best investment for my kids that I ever made.

Unfortunately, by early December 2015, I had serious rust starting to show along the top railings of the pool. The rust had actually eaten through from the bottom side of the metal on several panels, creating holes visible from the top. I contacted Mr. Backer about the situation and he requested photos. After approximately a week, he responded that he did not get the pictures so I resent them, and called several days later to confirm. Mr. Backer said that he had received the photos, but it would take 2 months to work with the Canadian company that made the pool. I thought this a little strange. He informed me that the company was very difficult to work with when it came to warranty issues, so it would take that length of time.

By mid February, I sent an email to Mr. Backer requesting an update on my pool situation. Two days later he ask me to resend the pool pictures again. This is now two months after I had sent the original pictures. I tried calling Mr. Backer several times, but the answering secretary would always tell me that he is on the phone with another customer. He did not return my calls. By mid March, I had not received one email or return phone call about my pool warranty. I then sent an email to Mr. Backer reminding him of my warranty and that if the pool company that made the pools was so difficult to work with, then perhaps utilizing the Minnesota Better Business Bureau might be an option. Still no response from Mr. Backer.

I then attempted to call him directly, but only got his phone secretary once again. I clearly explained my situation to her and she said she would pass on my message. Within 5 minutes, I received a call from Mr. Jay Backer. He immediately began to berate me, non stop, for contacting him about my pool which he said he was working on.

I AM THE CUSTOMER.

I tried to explain that I was simply asking for an update, but he refused to let me speak and continued to berate me. He told me that I could contact who ever I want, the Better Business Bureau, or even the President of the U.S. and it would only make him put my problem on the “back burner”, his exact words.

When he finally finished his narrative, I would try to explain how the rust was getting worse, but he would immediately accuse me of "talking down" to him, and once again continue to berate me. He finally said goodbye and hung up on me. Never have I had a vendor speak to me the way Mr. Backer spoke. This was familypoolfun.com customer service.

After several days I finally decided to contact the company in Canada that sells the pools to familypoolfun.com.

I explained my situation to them about Mr. Backer with whom they were quite familiar, and I was promptly informed that they no longer did business with him. The Canadian company was also disturbed that Mr. Backer had sold me the Tempest pool because it was not approved for homes near the ocean. I should have been sold a resin coated pool. When I asked why he would sell me a pool that I clearly explained would be near the ocean, it was suggested that, perhaps, Mr. Backer was trying to get rid of Overstock.

The lady I spoke with at the Canadian company was very nice, said I could get the rusting panels replaced, but that they to would eventually start to rust. She informed me that my best option was to purchase a resin pool which is compatible with my environment, and that is what I will do. And I will also purchase it directly from the Canadian company at very acceptable pricing.

CUSTOMER ADVICE. Before you buy from familypoolfun.com, do your research. Start with Mr. Jay Backer’s view on his supposedly excellent customer service and his justification of why his company is not in good standing with the Minnesota Better Business Bureau. He will try to impress you with his online site, “Where’s the BBBeef” narrative. He throws out a lot of funny numbers and sugarcoats deficiencies trying to prove why his company is so good and has great customer service.

But the bottom line speaks for itself. There is a good reason why familypoolfun.com has an average to below average rating and is NOT accredited by the BBB. His company, B.W. Incorporated (Backer Wencel Inc), has received 2.64 out of 5 stars based on 5 Better Business Bureau Customer Reviews and a BBB Rating of C. This apparently applies to many of their products, and not just their pools.

Mr. Backer just doesn’t see it, or want YOU to believe it. They have far more complaints than positive reviews.

Here is just one website of many:

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