“Plain and simple, it worked.“
“This product definitely does not work.“
How bad is pain? I personally know a man who injured his neck in a high school wrestling match, entering a lifetime of chronic pain. He got addicted to opiates. Then he stole a gun from a friend to sell for money to buy drugs. Then he went to jail. Given enough pain, people will do anything for relief. Buying dubious patches over the internet doesn’t begin to touch what they might do.
When a reader asked me about Kailo patches, I started my usual routine, awarding or taking away points in this little scoring game that I made up five years back, half in jest; and I was disturbed. I read heartrending stories by people who suffer terrible pain. This isn’t about a cloth for removing headlight scratches. It’s not about a mold for making spherical ice cubes to show off at a house party. Maybe I shouldn’t write this? And I didn’t like some of the scores I came up with; but this is about pain! This company is trying to help people!
But I also recognized some of the classic behaviors of the sleazier sort of web merchants I’ve reviewed in the past. This company has people over a barrel, and it looks like they know it. Their product is expensive for what you get. And while some people say they’re getting relief from it, others say they’re getting ripped off. Despite the urgency of their customers, their customer service is no better than that of a hawker of “tactical” flashlights. So, humbly, I’m posting this review in hopes that it may help people in pain. I wish you luck in your quest.
Thanks to alert reader Joe Flazhman for sharing this offer.
Suspicious Address: False (+1):
Brand: Kailo
Company: GoKailo.com
Address: 8184 S Highland Dr, Suite D1 / Sandy, UT 84093 / USA
Email: support@gokailo.com
Phone: ?
Website: Kailo
The Google camera truck didn’t go close enough for me to get a good look. But it’s in the US, and it’s not a UPS store or a virtual office. So, looks okay.
Ridiculous claims: Undetermined (0):
“Originally developed for nanotech military communications equipment, the Kailo technology was later developed into a pain patch to help reduce pain.” “Nanotechnology” and “military” should trigger a penalty point. But maybe they’re true? I couldn’t find out any more about this. I didn’t find any lies; so, I will just note that this language is typically used to impress and deceive.
Onerous terms: False (+1):
| guarantee days | guarantee starts when? | ok to open the package? | ok to try the product? | ok to use the product? | restocking fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | ? | yes | yes | yes |
- You can’t sue them, join a class action suit or a group arbitration. You can only request an individual arbitration.
Ads, spam, robocalls: TRUE (-1):
| “do not track” setting | email ads | robo-calls | “do not call” registry | text ads | junk mail | share your data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yes | yes | yes |
Lying and deception: False (+1):
None found.
Chicanery: TRUE (-1):
- Bulletins about other people buying patches.
- A giant coupon covers the web page 10 seconds after I start reading it.
- Terms are a painful 12 pages long, 4,181 words. Sections are in upper-case, making them harder to read.
Phony reviews: TRUE (-1):
- Websites with more than 3 reviews automatically fail this test. Kailo has 10, counting the video.
- Paid reviewers include Digitogy SFExaminer AdvancedLiving
Crummy product: Undetermined (0):
- From Reviewopedia: “This product definitely does not work. Will be calling them.”
- “I bought the Kailo patch and after a really painful episode that the TENS didn’t relieve, I put on the Kailo patch. Plain and simple, it worked. You do have to move it around a bit to find the right spot. I’ve got it on right now and my back no longer hurts.”
- “I bought 2 of these and they do not work. I tried it in many different places.”
- “I am using this for leg pain which is completely stopped as long as the patch is located in a specific area of my thigh. I wish I could reach behind me and place one on my back. My spouse cannot see to help me and the patch has not worked for her shoulder pain.”
Overpriced: False (+1):
| Seller | item | Rated | price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kailo | Kailo pain patch kit | $119 | |
| Amazon | Kailo pain patch kit | ***’ | $119 |
Bad service: TRUE (-1):
I see Kailo replies and resolutions to several complaints posted at the Better Business Bureau. If you’re having trouble contacting Kailo, try posting there.
- From Reviewopedia: “After I requested a refund and returning the whole product within the 90 days money back guarantee period they do not even respond emails, have no phone number to contact and basically ignored my requests.”
- “I returned everything just as they told me to. They then email me that the patches were not in envelope. Their way of not paying refund.”
- From PainReliefPatchReviews: “I successfully received a refund from Kailo via their Amazon store. No complaints there, but I clearly still wouldn’t recommend it!”
- From PissedConsumer: “I purchase this kailo pach in the hopes to alíviate my wife shoulder aches, which did not work at all, and they offer a 30 day refund guarantee but theres no way I can contact them for the return, the website they offer http://www.gokailo.com/learn which simply does not exist, so I need to return the merchandise for a complete refund.”
- “Hi. I need to speak with customer service about the Kailo patch. Im not getting consistent relief and I have questions about placement and length of time it can be worn and still be effective.”
- “Not getting answers as to where my shipment is. I would like a contact phone number as they are telling me by email that my shipment is in transit when the shipper is telling me they have no record of it. The only information I have is that the shipping label has been printed.”
- From Trust Pilot: “… I wanted to say what excellent customer service they provide. I returned my patch as instructed and had a refund in my account within 3 days of them receiving it. They provided all the help and advice I needed and answered e mails very quickly.”
- From Better Business Bureau: “I sent 3 emails requesting instructions for returning both patches and getting a full refund ($156.38). No response has been received and there is no phone number for me to call to follow up.”
Total score: 0
Unauthorized charges: I found no complaints about this.
Advice: Consult a doctor.
- PainReliefPatchReviews: “Kailo; an independent review“
- Reviewopedia: “Kailo patch reviews; legit or scam?“
- Honest Brand Reviews: “Kailo review“
Scoring: There may be nothing illegal or wrong with the above business practices. But they suggest to me that the seller is not to be trusted. I’m using my Trustworthy scoring system; -1 means true (bad), +1 means false (good), and 0 means undetermined. The practice scores total to a Trustworthy Score between +10 and -10. I consider the seller responsible for paid reviewers’ statements.
Web Scammer Jammer 