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AlphaPhiReefer 05/09/2005 07:15 PM

BUYERS BEWARE of Caesar777
 
BUYERS BEWARE of Caesar777

I recently received a CRUSHED Acrylic Aquarium from Caesar777 (slight exageration). The top of the tank is broken and the tank has has cracks going down the rear...

Caesar777 insists that I should file a claim with the shipper. The only problem with that is, I don't know what condition the tank was in when it was shipped. I could be subjecting myself to "insurance fraud" by attesting that the tank was not cracked when it was shipped. How do I know it wasn't cracked, I did not see it before it was shipped.

Caesar777 says I know it was not cracked because there is a picture in his/her gallery that shows the tank. True, but the picture is BLURRY (uh-oh there's that word used again...), and does not show the top nor the back of the tank which is where the damage is...

Caesar777 claims to have sent me pictures showing entire tank with top and back intact and uncracked. Odd that I never received pictures and Caesar777 will not/can not forward a copy of email sent with these pictures because they don't exist and no such message was ever sent.

Please view my picture gallery for Caesar777's "BLURRY" picture which do not show the damaged top nor back of the tank and also view my "after" pictures showing damage...

I specifically asked Caesar777 about the top of the tank prior to purchase, because picture was BLURRY and I could not see it from the angle in the picture. Of course I was told that it was in excellent shape and in one piece. Based on that I purchased the tank, trusting Caesar777's representations.

Not only is the tank top broken and the back cracked in several places, bou the tank is cloudy, not clear acrylic...
definitely not in excellent condition as claimed...

I attempted to reason with Caesar777 but that didn't work...
Caesar777 believes it's buyer's remorse to want at least a partial refund for damaged tank. I purchased what was going to be a display tank, now it will be used for a sump if I can fix the cracks in the back so that this thing will at least hold water without leaking...

Please view my picture gallery of Caesar777's "BLURRY" before picture (that's right, just 1), and my after pictures and you decide whether you believe I am reasonable to request a refund of at least part of sales price. I think it would even be reasonable to expect a 100% refund and return the damaged tank.

If this forum is to have any tyoe of reputable existence, then the members must hold other members accountable...

Hobby Experience: 2 years

Caesar777 05/09/2005 07:32 PM

Look, I've been trying to resolve the matter with you, but you've been EXTREMELY unreasonable.

Number ONE: Bad pics are because I have a crappy camera. I don't have $400 or more to spend on a good camera, unlike some other people who photograph things as a business, like the bigwig coral retailers.

The tank was NOT cracked when shipped. I'll find a pic and show you.

The tank was in good condition. Granted, it wasn't like new, or I'd have said so, but it's in good condition.

A full refund? You saw a pic of the tank before you bought it. If you were concerned about the condition, why didn't you ask any questions, or ask for more pics? I'm always willing to take more pictures for people, the best ones I can. The photos are blurry but large.

Here's a pic of the tank when it was temporarily housing a large plecostomus and reptile. (Of course I know the fish was too big for the tank, but it was that or be dumped by his original owners, and he's since been put into a large pond.)

[IMG]http://tinypic.com/513okl[/IMG]




And here's the tank a few days before it was sent out.

[IMG]http://tinypic.com/513oup[/IMG]

Does that look like a blurry? Does the top look completely smashed? Or the back? NO, it's not broken at all, not a crack, or I'd have MENTIONED that minute detail! And, for that matter, does it look clear-as-new? Not quite. But it's very clear, and crystal-clear when filled. I stand by that. Besides, who would buy something--especially something of such value--without a photo, or with only a blurry photo?

Nevermind YOUR attitude. I've tried to be polite and helpful, and you've been nothing but rude and vindictive, as well as calling me a LYING CRIMINAL! I've had plenty of GOOD experiences with people here and on Nano-reef.com, and I stand by my good feedback. But I can't work magic. I packed the tank well, but nothing is 100% when shipped. Sometimes, nomatter how well-packed something is, it gets broken. It's like with corals--nomatter how much experience you have shipping corals, you'll occasionally have a DOA. It happens. That's why there's shipping insurance.

As far as buyer's remorse, that's absolutely what it is. You say the tank isn't to your liking, so I'm supposed to refund as much money as YOU see fit? You bought a tank for a specific price, and that's that. You don't buy something from a store, then decide that they were asking too much and demand some or all of your money back. That isn't how things work. And besides, I'm not a store! I'm trying to be helpful, and be realistic. But if Fedex broke the tank, it's their fault, not mine. They admit that by having insurance! And they're the ones that broke it!

Insurance fraud? Don't be so melodramatic. The tank was in good condition when it was shipped, and certainly NOT broken. Just file the damn forms, and you'll see. There's nothing I can do, here, except help you file the forms. I'm supposed to send back the ENTIRE cost--which went toward rent, by the way--and INCLUDING the $40 it cost me to ship it to you? How is that reasonable AT ALL?

Ereefic 05/09/2005 09:15 PM

I hope you guys can work something out. Not taking sides here, only making an observation but in the second pic you posted Caesar, the back top of the tank looks kinda bent up to me. That would of had me asking questions.

Caesar777 05/09/2005 10:16 PM

The top was very slightly warped, so little that it doesn't matter. But either way, that's the pic I showed to everyone. I'm going to look for my other pics of the tank, if they weren't deleted from my camera.

Caesar777 05/09/2005 10:28 PM

What do you know, more pics of the UNBROKEN tank. Just let it die, AlphaPhi--it wasn't broken before it was sent. You just want to find excuses for something that happened that was beyond anyone's control. Note the clean reflection of the sun off the top, showing that it's NOT broken.

[IMG]http://tinypic.com/5159b7[/IMG]

NewMariner 05/09/2005 10:42 PM

Sorry Bud...but your second pic tells everything....along with your first pic....if I am correct that is a reptile heat lamp sitting on top of the tank. Amazing how the cracks in the tank seem to originate from that same area where your 2nd pic shows it is bent.......

Was the tank broken when you sent it? Probably not....but the tank was bent due to the extreme heat of the light you had placed on it. Which deformed the acrylic in the area that the cracks are in.....

Sorry Ceasar, but I believe you owe this man an apology, and a refund. Your tank broke during shipping, due to your neglect over the reptile light you had placed DIRECTLY on top of the tank............

Caesar777 05/09/2005 10:56 PM

NewMariner, I disagree. While it is slightly warped, the breakage was Fedex's fault, not mine. That light was only there temporarily, soon mounted above. And regardless, it was Fedex that broke it, and it was during shipping. That's how their insurance works; if something wasn't broken before they sent it, and when it's recieved it is broken, then they pay for the damage. Whether or not it was more fragile because of the heat lamp, it was NOT broken when sent and it WAS insured. Besides, he's seen both those pics. He'll deny it to the end, and, again, my hotmail doesn't log attachments, just text, but he's seen the photos.

Daveyboi 05/09/2005 11:24 PM

I could be wrong here, but isn't the shipper(person who packages the item and takes it to Fedex)the one who starts the claim process??

:D
Dave

Caesar777 05/09/2005 11:28 PM

Well, considering that Fedex will want to see the tank, packaging, etc., and [I]he[/I] has all of that...

NewMariner 05/09/2005 11:50 PM

Actually, when you buy something from a company and it is damaged by ups/fedex.... the company will usually replace the item, get it to the customer to take care of the customer and then take up the issue for reimbursement with ups/fedex.

Now, Im assuming Ceasar your not a business, and dont have anything to send out as replacement to AlphiPhiReefer. However, you are the shipper, you are the one that packaged the tank, you are the one who paid for the insurance. You are the one needed to contact Fedex to make the claims. Fedex will want to see the damage/packing and everything, but they will get someone in the buyers location to go and take a look.

If you dont want to go through the hassle of this, I would advise a full refund, the buyer ship the tank back to you and take it up with fedex, or you and the buyer come up with an alternative amount of money to be paid for the tank.

#1 Priority is to take care of your customer...and quit blaming someone else.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 12:04 AM

Look, it's not as though I don't want to file the claim--he offered to file it himself; I never refused to do so. It wasn't until recently, when he started accusing me of insurance fraud, that he said,

"You should be spending your time on this problem, NOT ME. Unless you are willing to pay me the $200 per hour which I stand to lose for each otherwise "Billable Hour" to my clients that I spend on this... "

Nevermind the abrasive tone that's been prevalent in ALL his emails--I never refused to file! I only suggested that it'd be easier if he do it, as I explained above, and so he agreed. Now all of a sudden things "look fishy" (haha) and he thinks I'm some kind of scam artist. I've been openly willing to do what it takes to fix the problem, but only something reasonable! I've been nothing but polite and he's running off at the mouth, completely [I]obsessed[/I] with the idea that there is some grand conspiracy in all of this. Is it really that strange that an aquarium broke in shipping?! It happens a lot--it's a risk you take.

Of course I want this to be worked out, but a refund is both unreasonable and impossible--again, the money went toward more important things. I have a life outside of my aquarium, if you can believe that! As far as a [I]partial[/I] refund, that's just ridiculous. He saw the condition of the tank. He saw those photos! If you buy something and decide that you were charged too much for the item--in [I]your[/I] opinion--well, that's how it is. It happens a lot, that the buyer and the seller have different opinions of what the item is worth. But that's how it works, especially online, and especially if you've SEEN the item. Those were not blurry photos--they're pretty clear to me, and I have extremely poor eyesight.

If you talk to the other people I've dealt with here and on NR, you'd see that I'm absolutely concerned about customer service. I treat my customers with respect, and keep a straight face and a polite demeanor even when they're screaming in my ear about my tank-crushing conspiracies and calling me a liar. I've been trying to do what I can, but as I've been very patient, so should he!

NewMariner 05/10/2005 12:21 AM

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Caesar777 [/i]
[B]

Is it really that strange that an aquarium broke in shipping?! It happens a lot--it's a risk you take.

He saw the condition of the tank. He saw those photos! If you buy something and decide that you were charged too much for the item--in [I]your[/I] opinion--well, that's how it is. It happens a lot, that the buyer and the seller have different opinions of what the item is worth.
[/B][/QUOTE]

If he saw the pics in the condition in which you showed the pics, that tank still was not broke. It is now broke. Regardless of anything else, it is broken, something you have stated you did not sell, something the buyer has stated he did not buy.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 12:30 AM

So what's your point? Look, I'm not a store, I'm a hobbyist. I'm doing what I can, but a refund is completely unreasonable, especially since Fedex will be paying for the damages that [I]they[/I] incurred. You point out exactly [I]my[/I] point: that I did not sell a broken tank, and he did not buy a broken tank. It broke somewhere in the middle, in Fedex's hands. And they're the ones who are taking care of it. That works out [I]exactly[/I].

Caesar777 05/10/2005 12:32 AM

My point above, "He saw the condition of the tank", was in reference to his request (read: DEMAND) for a partial refund. He felt that, regardless of the breakage, the tank is not worth what he paid, and so I should refund the difference of what he thinks would be a reasonable price. Excuse me, but he saw the condition of the tank--the clarity of the acrylic and what not--in the pic, so he knew what he was buying. If he changed his mind later on, that's buyer's remorse.

RicksReefs 05/10/2005 12:54 AM

fedex only works with the shipper for claims,
they won't deal with the customer filing.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 12:56 AM

Well, they've been working with him. Plus, I've called them before, and they said that either person could file a claim.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 12:57 AM

For example, I had a shipment from a reef company arrive late, and I did all the claim filing myself. I had an entire conversation on the phone with them, and they guided me through it. They faxed me the necessary forms, filled out some stuff themselves, and gave me some other info.

RicksReefs 05/10/2005 01:13 AM

i'm not looking to argue. i ship fedex every week and any time
there was a claim to be filed they're always directed back to
me to file a claim. dunno

good luck working it out.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 01:16 AM

Hey, I'm not arguing with you--I'm just saying that they've been working with him and that I've filed claims as a buyer before.

mcox33 05/10/2005 01:40 AM

Well IME the seller/shipper must file the claim, then the company contacts the reciever, checks it out and pays the shipper. They will not pay the reciever as the shipper might have already replaced the item or refunded the sale price. Shipping companies say that the insurance only covers the person who paid the premium at the time the shipment was sent, not the buyer who paid the sender for the insurance.

Been there done that. Would not even accept the reciept that was sent by seller. I gave up and ate the loss, I was just the buyer of the product not the shipping companies services.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 01:47 AM

Well, that's not what Fedex says. We'll see. If it causes problems, then I'll do it. But he's already submitted all the forms and everything. I'm not sure why that's even a topic of discussion...

Boy, human nature, eh? Nobody cares about the good-guy posts, but they see "BUYER BEWARE" and know there's some juicy gossip to read. All I'd like to say is that just because somebody posts something like that, it doesn't make it so. Sometimes they jump the gun or exaggerate, or even create a problem that never existed--like the pre-broken tank conspiracy. The fact that he was so adamant about that just shows what a melodramatic person he is, bent on making a mountain out of a molehill. I used to know people like that, who had a NEED for drama in their lives. They just got bored too easily.

Caesar777 05/10/2005 01:48 AM

"Sometimes I feel like a fire hydrant staring at a pack of dogs." (Guess who?)

NwG 05/12/2005 06:42 PM

"I'm supposed to send back the ENTIRE cost--which went toward rent, by the way--and INCLUDING the $40 it cost me to ship it to you? How is that reasonable AT ALL?"

I don't care about the condition of the tank, or what has happened between you two...

But yes Caeser you are required to give him back everything he paid you.. including shipping... The item was broken during shipping, so fed-ex will give you your money back.. It depends on what state you are in as to how long you have to do so....

Caesar777 05/12/2005 07:36 PM

Look, here's the issue: HE has filed for the claim with Fedex, so the money will be given back to HIM by Fedex. He'll be getting his money back within time. It's not as though mister big-shot $200-an-hour accountant (read his above comment) needs the money right this minute, whereas I have put it towards rent. I know it's an issue of principle, and not just money alone, but that's exactly it. I've done everything that I can for this man, and he continues to make me out to be a monster.

Besides, considering his character--trying to intimidate me, insulting me, and flat-out lying (saying that I demanded that he mail me cash[?!], among other ridiculous claims and accusations, not to mention his wild conspiracy theories)--how can I be sure that he'll return the money to me after Fedex returns it to him? It sounds to me like he just wants a free tank AND $200.

Besides, that's why Fedex has insurance. It's Fedex's insurance, not my personal insurance. I'm not a store, and don't have some constant flow on money to be refunding people. You can save money by buying from a person, or you can pay more for the services that stores provide, including brand-new merchandise, PAID customer service, and returns/refunds to be paid for by the store. You forget that you pay more at a store for all of those things, things that you can't reasonably expect from an individual.

I've been polite, curteous, and helpful through this entire thing, and yet I've been treated like some kind of scum. I don't have to do any of this--I do it because I value customer satisfaction. But there are some people with some kind of mental disorder that simply can NOT be pleased, regardless of what you do. You can bend over backwards for them, and they'll still complain, demand, slander, and fly off the handle. Every seller has come across these people--you try your best, but there's nothing from here to high Heaven that you can do to fix the situation.

The bottom line: HE'LL BE GETTING HIS MONEY BACK FROM FEDEX!

Caesar777 05/12/2005 07:43 PM

I don't even see the point of any of this ridiculous arguing. He bought an item online. He saw several photos of the item. It arrived broken by Fedex--which, by the way, before he came up with his elaborate "pre-broken tank" theory, he said himself that it was obvious that it had happened in shipping, and we all have seen the proof that it was Fedex. Like with what happens when you buy off of Ebay or any individual here, you file the insurance claim, and the shipping company that broke the item--in this case, Fedex--reviews the case and refunds the claim amount. It's simply an unfortunate circimstance where something broke in shipping. IT HAPPENS! That's why there's such thing as shipping insurance!

Besides, in the beginning, everything was fine. He said, "You got insurance, right?" and of course I had, for such a fragile item as an aquarium. I suggested that he file the claim, since he has the broken item, all the packaging, etc., and so he agreed. I sent him shots of the reciept and shipping forms to submit.

This is all a normal situation--EXCEPT that he's taken a NORMAL SITUATION and BLOWN IT OUT OF PROPORTION! Everything is about elaborate conspiracies involving insurance-fraud and NASA-technology-doctored photos, ill-intent, foul play, and whatever else. It's absolutely ridiculous.


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