Warning About Purchasing Mail Order Hearing Aids

Are you considering purchasing hearing aids via mail order?

Recently there have been a number of new websites offering to sell sophisticated, top-of-the-line hearing aids direct to consumers thus by-passing the local audiologist. At HearingPlanet, we receive calls from potential customers every day asking us why they shouldn't buy direct and cut out the "middleman" (the audiologist). Here is what we tell customers:

What to Consider Regarding Mail Order Hearing Aids

Today, a consumer has more choices to purchase hearing aids than ever before.  One choice is HearingPlanet where all local services are included with the hearing aid purchase.  Another purchase option is “mail order” in which a few companies (many in business for a short time) are willing to sell hearing aids without any local services for follow-up programming and counseling. On the surface the price is definitely lower and this grabs a person’s attention.  Unfortunately, what the typical customer doesn’t know is the following:

• In 11 states (including Florida, Texas, California, Washington, and Missouri) it is against hearing aid licensing regulations to ship a hearing aid to your home by-passing the hearing professional whose responsibility it is to test, diagnose and program the hearing aids to your unique hearing loss.  Do you really want to work with a company who willingly sells against these laws?  What does this say about their integrity?
• With the complexity of today’s digital hearing aid technology that includes directional microphones, numerous personalized listening programs, use of remote controls, different levels of noise reduction settings, etc., trying to achieve a proper fit through the mail is quite a challenge.  At HearingPlanet, our customers are fit by a local, licensed professional you physically see at your appointment. In addition, this professional is trained by the manufacturer in fitting the hearing aid recommended. With mail order, how can you be sure the hearing aid is programmed by a properly trained and licensed professional?
• Finally, over the years HearingPlanet has spoken to numerous patients who ordered hearing aids by mail, found a local professional to provide follow-up services, paid several hundreds of dollars for those services, and then returned the devices to the mail order company due to lack of benefit.  Yes, they received a refund for the hearing aids, but they did NOT receive their money back from their local provider.  It is important to understand that money spent for professional hearing aid services provided to you without a hearing aid purchase are not obligated to be refunded under state laws.

Please feel free to call our V.P. of Sales and Audiology, Steve Eagon, should you have further questions.  He can be reached at 1-800-264-7180 between the hours of 8am-5pm Central T ime .