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Company Labeled Ogre for Selling Half-Empty ‘Disney Princess’ Kits Here

San Diego officials tell $250,000 in costs, penalties against Horizon Group USA Inc. of New Jersey.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — A $13 “Disney Princess” jewelry kit left the mother of a 6-year-old girl unhappy when it was found to be half-empty.

Now a New Jersey company that marketed the kit in California will find its wallet $250,000 lighter.

The company must pay $225,000 in costs and penalties for distributing deceptively packaged jewelry-making kits marketed to California children, city and county officials announced Thursday.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis filed a consumer protection case with the San Diego Superior Court against Horizon Group USA Inc. of Warren, NJ, after the City Attorney’s Office received a complaint from a woman who bought the “Disney Princess” kit for her daughter, 6, later to find that half the package was empty.

Stickers covered empty compartments and only those filled were visible.

“I can’t even imagine the disappointment of … probably a young lady who picks up one of these things expecting to have a full box of beads and things to play with, and really the fact of the matter is they're just getting gypped,” Dumanis said.

More than 16,000 of the $13 kits were delivered to California Target, Walmart, Toys “R” Us and Michaels stores and were sold online.

They have been taken off the market, said Assistant City Attorney Tricia Pummill.

The city attorney’s Consumer & Environmental Unit investigated the complaint then joined with the District Attorney’s Office for action.

“It’s our responsibility to protect consumers and this was misleading, aimed at children and its not going to happen in San Diego, or for that matter California,” Goldsmith said.

Prosecutors alleged in the civil complaint that the kits “were packaged in containers that were constructed or filled as to facilitate the perpetration of fraud, in violation of state consumer protection laws.”

Horizon cooperated with prosecutors and stipulated to the entry of a judgment without admitting wrongdoing. Judge Judith F. Hayes signed a stipulated final judgment that required the company to pay $225,000 in costs and penalties and prohibits similar future violations within the state.

Disney was not part of the case.

Dumanis said the judgment was a warning that companies “will be held accountable for deceptive business practices that violate the law.”

Deputy District Attorney Tom Papageorge said consumer fraud was preventable by a well-educated populace.

He advised consumers to do research to make sure a product was not too good to be true, ask a salesperson what was included in the package and ask about return policies.

A Better Business Bureau website gave Horizon Group an A-plus rating.

The site said: “BBB has determined that Horizon Group USA Inc. meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.”

—City News Service contributed to this report.

Bob H November 17, 2012 at 05:26 pm
Common Mickey, you can't be that hard up. ARE YA????
Richard Oh November 17, 2012 at 07:42 pm
We expect this from the Chinese not an American company.
Joe Papierz Jr November 17, 2012 at 08:14 pm
Bob H, please read the article again. The mouse is innocent.The Horizon Group obtained a license to produce Disney Tradmarked products and screwed up by selling half empty Disney Princess jewelery kits. San Diego officials fined them $250,000 in court costs and penalties. It was the faullt of The Horizon Group USA Inc. of New Jersey Not the Disney Corporation.
miss burdines@aol.com November 17, 2012 at 08:38 pm
Disney should be held liable also. If, they allowed the Horizonal Co to market their brand.
Carole Kurzawa November 17, 2012 at 09:19 pm
But do the kids get anything back or the rest of the kits as described?
Ned November 17, 2012 at 09:41 pm
And people wonder why I have lost faith in big business and their New Republican supporters.
Ken Moore November 17, 2012 at 09:57 pm
please stop blaming Obama and the Republican's for every dam thing wrong in this country try looking at the real problem THE BANKS OIL COMPANIES businesses who mislead consumers just like this one leave the mouse alone also they just allowed them to use their name 99.9% chance they did not even look at what they lent their name too
Al Smith November 17, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Get somebody to read the article for you.
Vickie Wurst November 17, 2012 at 11:33 pm
From what i can tell in the photo, they are getting the kit "as described". The contents of the kit were listed on the outside package. As long as the kit contained those items, the kit is complete. Do people complain when the bag of chips they buy is "half empty"?
christinedahll November 18, 2012 at 02:36 am
I'm so happy someone finally did something to a company selling deffective products, deffective maybe the wrong word. When you sell something that appears to be one way then when you get it the item is totally different. I bought a set of 4 reading glasses, when I got them they all broke within 1 week almost at the same place. At first they weren't going to do anything then my 2nd email to them I explained they either at the very least REPLACE the item or I would take my case to the AZ Attorney Generals office. Surprise Surprise I got a refund immediately. Right now I'm going through a problem with 3 pairs of pants my son bought on line. 2 of them split in the same place. He didn't do anything in either of those pants that he does not do every day in his other pants. I'm waiting for their reply. I'm sick of being taken for granted. I'm 62 and it seems it is the norm to try and swindle people in the 60's and up!!
poriland4 November 18, 2012 at 02:40 am
Check the cereal boxes nowadays and you'll find them half full.
poriland4 November 18, 2012 at 02:42 am
Blame it on the president.....
Ken Moore November 18, 2012 at 02:56 am
poriland4
Cereal is sold by weight not volume what else is new just blame everything on Obama people need to start using their own minds and smarting up President Obama inherited all this BS he did make it worse by bailing out the auto industry but he did save a hell of a lot of jobs and they paid back their loans The banks made this mess and soon as they got the bail out money the top jack azz's got their millions in bonus's which was not suppose to happen The President should have let the banks all fail President Bush is the one who deregulated the banks and he is the reason gas is so high not the current president christinedahll it is not just people that are older than 50 it is everyone companies are taking advantage of everyone
Mike Frate November 18, 2012 at 03:10 am
Mike F
Right. The list of what is included appears to be there. They screwed up packaging the contents in a larger than needed container. Should have included in the description that they were giving you a larger box to give you extra storage space and then it would be impossible to argue that people were getting ripped off. There were over 16,000 delivered so I'm sure there have been 100's or more already sold and 1 person complains out of all the people that have bought them because they can't read what the contents are and can't count to see they really got everything. Then leave it to a bankrupt corrupt California to sue and get money that they keep and the supposed wronged consumers get nothing and then one more struggling company ends up sooner or later going out of business. This is just 1 small example of what is destroying this country. Sueing by everyone and anyone to make a quick buck destroying people and businesses in the process. Now you've got state gov. getting in on it. Why in the world do they deserve $250,000 when the dumb ass lady probably would've been happy getting a refund even though she got what she paid for in the first place. Unbelievable!
Dave November 18, 2012 at 03:18 am
Blame OBAMA it is his fault the country is the way it is and companies need to skim on their products or they can't make it and go out of business....
Dave November 18, 2012 at 03:19 am
Good example....Twinkies!!!!!!
Edgar Morris Leonard Sr November 18, 2012 at 04:27 am
Too much of greed, and anything else, is more greed. When will the greed stop.?
God bless the legal system to take the appropriate and effective action against such deception and intolerable heinous greed. True Faith Minister.
Dennis Hull November 18, 2012 at 04:54 am
Greed lives in all countries of the world (and in comfort I must say)
MiMi November 18, 2012 at 10:02 am
The kit was probably made in China....this company should have to pay the damages....it doesn't matter....so many companies try to scam people these days....it is sad that this is just the *TIP OF THE ICEBERG*.....it is sad that such as this goes on in this world today....too many CROOKS, CORRUPTION AND COVER UP....throughout our country and the world as well....
David Smith November 18, 2012 at 12:12 pm
First I certainly don't blame President Obama, Clearly it is the Fault of the American government and its corporate leaders and their greed. And to the comment cereals are sold by weight, really thanks, they just want to impress the public with a large box - certainly a better product, more hot air. I began to think that's why everything purchased today is sold in odd weights & sizes, so consumers can't compare pricing simply between items example ... Coffee at 31 to- 39 oz containers and have prices different at different locations, surely different sizing promotes cheaper box cost ? Yes, our children can start off the day (Children are the primary consumers of cereals) WITH A BOWL OF HOT AIR & CEREAL each morning always thinking of America. Good for southern California, fine should have been million.
OH, this from a republican, and really what do people have against the oil companies ?? remember this is a capitalist society and they did pay billions in taxes last year and the year before & before that while others like GE paid none, moving to china and giving them technology that will allow them to go into competion with American Airplane Manufactors, Yep and Auto industries not far behind.
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