Highly disappointed with Demon Cycles out of Pompano.
They sent me a completely incorrect order. Not just "grabbed the wrong color / model" wrong, more of a "I have no ability to read what this order is and would probably mail a puppy in an airtight box" wrong. Upon informing them of this, the first person I talked to said that it was no big deal; just mail it back. When I told him that doesn't solve my problem, he said that they'd deal with sending my order after they got their mis-sent parts back. I further asked how the parts were being returned and was told that it was my cost, and would not be reimbursed.
At which point I called shenanigans and asked to speak to the supervisor.
Al, the supervisor was much easier to talk to, but stuck to the company policy. I get that they want their product back in hand before sending my order out: it protects them from fraud. I don't like the delay, but I can deal with it. What I can't accept is the idea that they ship me the wrong item, I send it back at my cost, and they don't reimburse me when they have their goods back in hand. This mistake was 100% theirs and somehow I'm expected to help you clean it up out of my pocket? I get to pay to do you a favor and have a delay in getting my (already paid-for) order?
Over the course of the remainder of the week, I never heard from the owner, but heard from Harry occasionally. His e-mails were brief with no usable information and too poorly constructed to be considered passable as customer service. For example, my request:
"Harry -
I have been notified that Demon's Cycle is now in possession of your mis-sent order. Please see the below confirmation from the US Post Office:
{shipping info redacted}
Delivered POMPANO BEACH FL 33069 06/22/12 1:26pm
Please provide the tracking information for my order, the estimated date of delivery, and confirmation that my order has gone out prior to close of business today.
Further, when should I expect to see the reimbursement for shipping in the amount of $10.65 credited to my account?
Respectfully,
{My name redacted}"
His official reply:
"Hello
248768415399963 06/23/12 it went out today .
We do not pay for shipping ."
No contact info nor closing was provided. The date of the 23rd is the date they notified FedEx; the shipment didn't actually go out until Jun 25, 2012 5:21 PM (POMPANO BEACH, FL/Picked up - verified by FedEx).
The refusal of the company to assume liability for their mistake, their act of holding my paid-for goods hostage until I paid to correct their mistake, their poor customer service and refusal to direct a very valid complaint to the appropriate level to resolve all assure they will never receive my business again. Regardless of the quality of the products they provide, their utterly ineffective and arrogant customer service and policies which punish the customer for mistakes made wholly and solely by Demon's Cycle should be enough to warn any future customer away. They had five separate opportunities (at the time of this posting) to resolve the issue, and instead of making progress, their attitude and action continued to degrade. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend their business to anyone.
Respectfully,
Disappointed Customer M.F.
*****
Update 1 - I submitted a claim through Paypal. In it, I requested reimbursement of $10.65 for the shipping costs I incurred to return their mis-sent item, and the same 19% fee that they reserve the right to charge were they restocking a return at my request. I felt this to be a valid request, after the inconvenience and arrogance that I've dealt with. The total requested was $22.05.
The utterly substandard answer received is shown below, as copied from the Paypal record:
* 6/26/2012 06:24 PDT - PayPal: Demon's Cycle South Inc. denied Michael Faulkner's request for a $22.05 USD refund.
* 6/26/2012 06:24 PDT - Seller: Corrected order has been shipped out with... fedex, 248768415399963 tracking number shows eta delivery Wednesday. Thank you.
* 6/26/2012 11:15 PDT - Buyer: Your response does not address the additional shipping you extorted from me, nor the additional 19% that I am requesting for the increased burden upon my time. Your answer is not complete, and not acceptable as it stands.
* 6/26/2012 11:18 PDT - Buyer: This seller has continually made this transaction more difficult, and has required more of me than they were willing to provide in order to correct a mistake that is entirely their fault. Please note in their last response, they didn't even address the issue that I brought up to them. They show no willingness to accept responsibility for their failure, much less the financial impact they extorted from me in order to get my paid-for order sent. I request the partial refund listed above, for the reasons listed in the prior communication. Respectfully, Michael Faulkner.
* 6/26/2012 11:18 PDT - PayPal: Buyer escalated this dispute to a Claim.
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