***I HAVE POSTED PHOTOS OF THE MAJORITY OF MY TEXT THREAD WITH THIS BUSINESS OWNER. THIS REVIEW GIVES YOU THE CONTEXT FOR THOSE PHOTOS. READ AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF IF YOU WANT TO BUY FROM HIM*** Note the time stamp on the communications. Ex: payment Feb 19th, and still no agreement for a timeframe for receipt of table and it's April 13th. Gaps in communication from March 3rd to March 24th, etc.
I found Todd Harrigan's online shop, YGB Customs, via Craigslist. Called up and spoke with Todd at length, listened to his story of how woodwork is his passion, how he makes tables with his daughter. It all seemed pretty wholesome. I told Todd I would very likely be placing an order with him in the next few days. We hung up.
I started receiving text messages from Todd saying he ordered my wood and was awaiting my official payment online. Chipper, friendly texts wherein he would offer to throw in extras like a shelf or two from the spare wood. "Why not?!" he wrote "No use in wasting the extra wood!"
This should have given me pause as I had said on the phone I was very close to certain I would be ordering but I never said yes. However, I started to second guess myself and think maybe I should have been more clear with this man. He ordered the wood already! Wow. He seemed so nice, I thought I better send this man money (he said he had to order quickly because the wood has to dry and altogether it could take 6 or so week to get my table, 8 at the very most). This is how I rationalized his hasty behavior. I paid him. $625 on February 19th, 2017 in exchange for his agreement to make me a 7 foot farmhouse table.
That was the last time I heard from Todd without having to first initiate contact. Mind you, in the handful of days between our initial sales conversation and me actually sending money, he had contacted me several times to pursue payment. Now, after paying, it was silence from Todd. Unless I wrote to him. He did reply each time I wrote, but never with any specific information and often the communication was some form of put-off or delay. Still, nothing from him unless I reached out.
This was all via text. For calls, he would not call me, even though I asked him to. Only texts. When I told him I was getting concerned he blew me off "Why are you concerned Liz? I cut and stain wood 16 hours a day, it's hard to return calls." Um...maybe because I sent a stranger from the internet hundreds of dollars and communication has been shady/spotty ever since?
I began pursuing a reliable timeframe for receipt of the table from Todd, again via text. I asked him for a receipt via email. He would provide neither. Instead, he began mansplaining to me the nuances of woodwork (drying time, etc). I stated that I did not need a lesson in woodwork, I was instead pursuing any timeframe whatsoever for receiving the table I paid for. A receipt. A phone call.
He put me off and put me off. More than once he told me he had to go "test the wood again" and would get right back to me. Then I would not hear from him at all. I went back to his website where I had paid him and it's now locked. You can't get in without a password. ***Please note, today is April 13th today and I paid Todd on February 19th.
Today, I finally called my bank and had them put the money back into my account. I texted Todd to inform him that the money is back in my account and since he did not want to talk to me, he can now talk to the bank. They will be calling him to get their money back. Then I blocked his number.
Do I think he would have eventually sent me a table? Maybe. Can't be sure really. But this man is arrogant and condescending to his customers. He gaslights you, not taking ANY responsibility for his behavior and then trying to twist it so that you feel crazy.
Do not buy from this vendor. read more