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Am I being an Ahole? Update Page 7

What would you do?


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ACAD_Cowboy

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Speaking as a previous business owner who made very bespoke items, communication is key. Speaking as the spouse of the owner of a small family business, communication is key. Speaking as a human who buys things from other humans, communication is key.

By way of example, I recently had to order some relatively trick parts from a manufacturer of such offroad doodads, what I needed some some specific modification from their standard offering, doable but it would require taking a shelved part and taking it apart to make the needed mods then reassembling and bench testing repeat as needed. So far so good, we all felt confidant that this would be an easy peasy thing. Here, have my bag of money, I'll await the box in 3-6 weeks.

During the lead up to transaction it was the Dennis Quaid 50,000w smile and the George Clooney charm, even the tech doing the build was a pleasure to talk with. Then the delays... oh the shop that makes our reservoirs had a bad batch, the in house welder for the bracket quit, fedex must have lost the package... 3-6 weeks was stretched into almost 8. A box arrives... and only half the stuff is there, enough to work with but the reservoir and the trick wunderfluid are not... Oh and once the pump went on but the bracket isn't too terribly square, the stock belt won't work despite all the assurances and no, they don't know what size you "should" need... sigh. Oh and they are making the reservoir now, should ship end of week.

Jump forward 6 months. In the meanwhile I've done some tweaking to the pump and bracket to square it up, figured out what size belt is best belt and where the hell is my reservoir and fluid? Oh man, they must have lost the package again but that's okay because we redesigned the reservoir to make it even more trick but the fluid... somehow the drum got speared by the forklift and we have 55 gallons of it everywhere, we are expecting more and will ship it all together, like a week. Lies. So three weeks after that another box shows up with the reservoir and 4 quarts of GM steering fluid. But guys, you tell everyone how your proprietary monkey snot fluid is like GM but like quadruple the additive package and specially formulated to cure cancer. Oh well we sent you the GM because it's faster. Lies.

Everything leading up to handing over money was warm and charming and loaded with communication, everything after was surely not. And to me that's the real problem, you have my money and I do not have my product, you should be sending me photos of every step of production and emailing me to let me know it shipped and then following up with me once big brown or fedex reports delivery. You should be making me avoid your calls not the other way around. I should feel ashamed that it's not installed yet. I should feel so stuck up my own ass proud to have this gem of a thing on MY rig and the WHOLE WORLD needs to know how pimp it is.
But no. Sadly we get guys who may be very good at building or solving problems but they are worse than herpes when it comes to running a business. Working for a business is not the same as running a business, owning a business is a third step removed and even less the same. What makes you a good worker isn't what makes you a good manager and what makes you a good manger is not always what makes you a good owner.

To the OP, as you have already done, now is the time to invoke the demon AMEX and let the business owner that you've been patient and it's time to put up or shut up and give me back my money. To the others, it's not exactly the place for a dog pile, as pointed out life happens and often not in the best ways. But again, communication is key. I don't mind emails telling me it's delayed or things broke or got lost or that the powder coater blew all the money on drugs and hookers... it's all okay... just figure it out and get me my shit. The more you communicate as one human to another, the less likely I am to demand my money back, if it's late but I know why and it's a reasonable reason, done't even need to make sense just be reasonable, it's okay, only fools make travel plans around parts they don't have yet. I got a call one day telling me that my new super trick dust collector was involved in an accident, my trucker was hit by another trucker who had fallen asleep and the collector was spread across I80. Well... that's what insurance is for and AMEX and making a phone call.

As for not smearing this shop, mixed bag, obviously if they are having problems the buying public needs to know they are not a recommendation but at the same time the nature of the problems may be transient and temporary, an employee who sucks and needs to go, a subcontractor who had a major fire or it could be they grew too fast and accepted far more orders than they could fulfill or worse overestimated their ability to complete and the schedule is a train wreck. Could be any number of big or little things, a dog pile of fuck him with donkey dicks won't help the OP get their stuff. And I know we all want to get on the bully pulpit and beat it with our shoe while screaming about how they suck but it won't help the OP or the shop. I'd recommend a full autopsy once the money or product is with the OP, then lay it all out in cold clinical analysis as it's possible that by then situations have changed. Or not and then we can all yell until we are hoarse.
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KC_H

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What would you do in this situation.
On Feb 12, I ordered a bedrack and some extra parts from a small shop that is not local to me. The rack fit every need I had. One of the reasons I picked this place was the owner answered his personal cellphone on a sunday to answer my questions.

After I ordered I didnt get a lead time but I figured it would be 6-10 weeks like every one else in the industry so on Feb 26th, I reached out just to get an expected date, not solid, just what are we looking at and was told "youre already at powder coating, shouldnt be long". Awesome, I'm thinking these guys are rockstars, rack is almost done.

Talked to him again on March 22nd and the "powder coater lost some of your pieces", which I guess means they need to refab them and send them again. No big deal, they had the first pieces to powder coat in 2 weeks.

Talked to him again on April 12th and he said he was picking up my pieces at the end of the week. SInce that was the case, I needed an RTT and since I like buying from small business, I bought an RTT and an Annex, so another 2 grand. RTT and Annex has arrived, it was shipped from the manufacturer.

However, April 12th was the last time he would answer a call, email or text. I wasn't calling every day, I'd check in with him every couple of weeks. I've tried all methods of contact since that time with 1 text returned that said I'll call you later.

I found his partner through Instagram, asked him to check on MAy 24th. On the 25th, the partner told me my stuff "Should be shipping out next week". Awesome.

Now June 9th, and neither one will return a call or a text.

I'm thinking, screw it, its perfect for what I need but I'm not even sure I'm going to get it. I needed it for a Colorado trip in July, but now I just need to get some molle panels or something to hold me over until i can find another appropriate rack.

Should I call AMEX and dispute the charges and get my $ back? What would you do?

I wont put the business on blast, I'm not that guy. yet.

TLDR: Ordered a bed rack on Feb 12th, been told multiple times its shipping next week, never has, company wont return calls texts or emails. Should I get my money back?
YES YES YES, dispute the charge with AMEX!!! Regardless of the reason these guys are jerking you around.
 

jwilson2899

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Iā€™d already be on the phone to Amex to start the dispute and move on.
 

en2dirt

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Yes, contact AMEX. I had the same issue with some lights I ordered a few years back and they took care of it. Refunded my money after they had no success in contacting the vendor.
 

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5JeepsAz

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Meanwhile do a bunch of searches for whatever widgets which will solve your problem while logged in. That tasty algorithm will supply you with endless options going forward.
 

Terry

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What would you do in this situation.
On Feb 12, I ordered a bedrack and some extra parts from a small shop that is not local to me. The rack fit every need I had. One of the reasons I picked this place was the owner answered his personal cellphone on a sunday to answer my questions.

After I ordered I didnt get a lead time but I figured it would be 6-10 weeks like every one else in the industry so on Feb 26th, I reached out just to get an expected date, not solid, just what are we looking at and was told "youre already at powder coating, shouldnt be long". Awesome, I'm thinking these guys are rockstars, rack is almost done.

Talked to him again on March 22nd and the "powder coater lost some of your pieces", which I guess means they need to refab them and send them again. No big deal, they had the first pieces to powder coat in 2 weeks.

Talked to him again on April 12th and he said he was picking up my pieces at the end of the week. SInce that was the case, I needed an RTT and since I like buying from small business, I bought an RTT and an Annex, so another 2 grand. RTT and Annex has arrived, it was shipped from the manufacturer.

However, April 12th was the last time he would answer a call, email or text. I wasn't calling every day, I'd check in with him every couple of weeks. I've tried all methods of contact since that time with 1 text returned that said I'll call you later.

I found his partner through Instagram, asked him to check on MAy 24th. On the 25th, the partner told me my stuff "Should be shipping out next week". Awesome.

Now June 9th, and neither one will return a call or a text.

I'm thinking, screw it, its perfect for what I need but I'm not even sure I'm going to get it. I needed it for a Colorado trip in July, but now I just need to get some molle panels or something to hold me over until i can find another appropriate rack.

Should I call AMEX and dispute the charges and get my $ back? What would you do?

I wont put the business on blast, I'm not that guy. yet.

TLDR: Ordered a bed rack on Feb 12th, been told multiple times its shipping next week, never has, company wont return calls texts or emails. Should I get my money back?
Sounds like they have nothing to powdercoat let alone ship. Send them a registrered letter tellng them they have not met the conditions of the sale and then call AMEX , provide them with your documentation and get your money back.
 

Terry

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What would you do in this situation.
On Feb 12, I ordered a bedrack and some extra parts from a small shop that is not local to me. The rack fit every need I had. One of the reasons I picked this place was the owner answered his personal cellphone on a sunday to answer my questions.

After I ordered I didnt get a lead time but I figured it would be 6-10 weeks like every one else in the industry so on Feb 26th, I reached out just to get an expected date, not solid, just what are we looking at and was told "youre already at powder coating, shouldnt be long". Awesome, I'm thinking these guys are rockstars, rack is almost done.

Talked to him again on March 22nd and the "powder coater lost some of your pieces", which I guess means they need to refab them and send them again. No big deal, they had the first pieces to powder coat in 2 weeks.

Talked to him again on April 12th and he said he was picking up my pieces at the end of the week. SInce that was the case, I needed an RTT and since I like buying from small business, I bought an RTT and an Annex, so another 2 grand. RTT and Annex has arrived, it was shipped from the manufacturer.

However, April 12th was the last time he would answer a call, email or text. I wasn't calling every day, I'd check in with him every couple of weeks. I've tried all methods of contact since that time with 1 text returned that said I'll call you later.

I found his partner through Instagram, asked him to check on MAy 24th. On the 25th, the partner told me my stuff "Should be shipping out next week". Awesome.

Now June 9th, and neither one will return a call or a text.

I'm thinking, screw it, its perfect for what I need but I'm not even sure I'm going to get it. I needed it for a Colorado trip in July, but now I just need to get some molle panels or something to hold me over until i can find another appropriate rack.

Should I call AMEX and dispute the charges and get my $ back? What would you do?

I wont put the business on blast, I'm not that guy. yet.

TLDR: Ordered a bed rack on Feb 12th, been told multiple times its shipping next week, never has, company wont return calls texts or emails. Should I get my money back?
Businesses and PEOPLE like this shouldn't be in business, they should be out of business. Tell us who they are and save some other poor bastard the heartache
 

Blade1668

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I've been though a S### show like this on my XJ rear bumper years ago and I paid way more than it was worth. The company that built it is out of business now but they did the same B.S. and even tried to say I had not order anything from them... Until the C.C. charge back came up, then they "found my order and it was out getting powder coated too" I was going to get their front bumper until that. The reason I went with Tompkins front bumper on XJ then on my LJ great service and prompt service " I called Tompkins and surprising got him on the phone directly" I had the front bumper in the same week. Back when it was a small business. FYI another company took up the first company's product line and successfully still building them.

Running a business is a PTA but in this day and age you can't F### over or around your customer(s) for long. There is a few shipping companies that are screwing up other businesses by dropping the ball.
 

Dqban

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Let amex handle it...its the whole point of using a credit card. Amex is considered a premium card with premium features, time to put that to work. You could of had a rack custom fabricated in less time. Dont feel at all bad. They had to know this was coming.
 

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HouseOfWolves

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Your frustration is 100% warranted.

This is probably very much after the fact, as you have decided that you do not want the company's gear on your rig.

I do applauded you for wanting to do business with small, US-based business.

Nevertheless, I would have given them a suspense date -- say a week or two from notice -- to receive delivery of the items. If you do not receive your order, you will dispute your charge with your credit card company, and you will report their dealings to the better business bureau, and the larger jeep community. The BBB has teeth, but takes a while to intact -- post some bad business on a Jeep forum, and shit goes sideways immediately.


This is not meant to be a Monday morning QB thing -- we are all here to help one another.
 

Vtur

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It might be tough for the OP to dispute with Amex after more than 90 days. Hopefully it will all works out.
 

salvino

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fuck that asshole. Get your money back.

-send email outlining your concerns and ask for your money back.
-if you dont get a refund in 2 business days, build out your timeline and begin dispute claim with card company.

man these lazy ass business using covid as an excuse for everything is absolutely unacceptable. BBB him, google review him, cancel your order, and hope he goes out of business. Do your part to shut these companies down and put these people on the street.
Donā€™t hold back, tell us how you really feel.
 

texanjeeper

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It might be tough for the OP to dispute with Amex after more than 90 days. Hopefully it will all works out.
Not if he hasn't received the merchandise and can't contact the seller. At some point, they consider it fraud and that's a nasty word in the banking business.
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