Quandary: I need your thoughts

chuck_roxas45 · #21

Thanks guys. I did not keep any documentation because I have done business with the guy before and the transactions went well those times.That was before he started exporting his stuff.

For sure he won't get any business from me again. Another thing I'm going to do is to document opening of the package. I have totally lost any trust I have for this individual, and with the way he has acted I wanna be sure that the opening is documented in case what is in the package is not what he said would be in the package. As for posting in a local forum, 95 percent of the guys in the local forums are from one place and are all buddy-buddy and they regularly meet(they live near each other and they started the forum). This individual is pretty sweet and in with that group. I'm not in that clique because I live in a different region.

Evil D · #22

I wouldn't do any more than meeting him half way, and that's only if you're really happy with the product. Like everyone said, it's one thing to charge you twice what you were quoted, it's another thing to just go ahead and ship them to you without notifying you of the price increase and then expecting payment when he probably knows all about your shipping issues.

Pinetreebbs · #23

I would send this in a letter:

We agreed on a price a price of $50. I am willing to pay the original price, however you sent the items and then asked a higher price. If the original price is not acceptable, please let me know and I will hold the items for you to pickup at your convenience.

angusW · #24

I would send them back to him. For him to say $50 and then turn around and say they are $200 and they are on the way is a strange way to do business. He's dishonest and not worth the time no matter the quality of his wares. It's a business man's responsibility to price his articles/services appropriately ahead of time. If he realizes it should cost more after the fact then that's his loss.

Pinetreebbs wrote:I would send this in a letter:

We agreed on a price a price of $50. I am willing to pay the original price, however you sent the items and then asked a higher price. If the original price is not acceptable, please let me know and I will hold the items for you to pickup at your convenience.

Good point PT. Chuck shouldn't have to pay to return the items.

Don Ellis · #25

chuck_roxas45 wrote:Now comes the complication. The items have been shipped to me ...

You don't say if you have received them. Since you posted yesterday, it sounds like you haven't so just don't accept them. The post office will have to ship them back. If his products are so popular now, he shouldn't have any trouble selling them (although that's not your concern).

chuck_roxas45 · #26

Don Ellis wrote:You don't say if you have received them. Since you posted yesterday, it sounds like you haven't so just don't accept them. The post office will have to ship them back. If his products are so popular now, he shouldn't have any trouble selling them (although that's not your concern).

I just went to the Post Office this morning and the PO guy told me that this indeed, is an option. I communicated to the guy and now he says he is not the maker but just coordinated with the smith and it was the smith who raised prices. He now agrees that what the smith did is not right but that the smith seems to be a betting man(cockfighting afi).

He offered to ask the smith for a discount and I refused. I said I had lost all interest in doing business with a man with no word of honor. He said for me to handle the items and if I wasn't satisfied to ship back the items. Sounded like a ploy to me, so I said no thanks, but the items are getting sent back to sender. I offered to reimburse shipping cost.

I guess that's problem solved. Thanks a lot gentlemen. Your input helped me stiffen my spine on this. It did feel a little satisfying to be a hard ***. :D

Stuart Ackerman · #27

Any business transaction is one where both parties, the seller and the buyer, both think that they have had a great deal...
A contract in my book, verbal, a handshake, or written...is binding, unless both parties agree to change the details...

Don Ellis · #28

chuck_roxas45 wrote:I just went to the Post Office this morning and the PO guy told me that this indeed, is an option. I communicated to the guy and now he says he is not the maker but just coordinated with the smith and it was the smith who raised prices. He now agrees that what the smith did is not right but that the smith seems to be a betting man(cockfighting afi).

He offered to ask the smith for a discount and I refused. I said I had lost all interest in doing business with a man with no word of honor. He said for me to handle the items and if I wasn't satisfied to ship back the items. Sounded like a ploy to me, so I said no thanks, but the items are getting sent back to sender. I offered to reimburse shipping cost.

I guess that's problem solved. Thanks a lot gentlemen. Your input helped me stiffen my spine on this. It did feel a little satisfying to be a hard ***. :D

You did good ... especially avoiding that "handle them" bit.

And your offer to reimburse for shipping was very (and unnecessarily-but-good-for-the-soul) generous. Also nice of the post office person to tell you your options rather than trying to get you to take them.

chuck_roxas45 · #29

Don Ellis wrote:You did good ... especially avoiding that "handle them" bit. And your offer to reimburse for shipping was very (and unnecessarily-but-good-for-the-soul) generous. Also nice of the post office person to tell you your options rather than trying to get you to take them.

I did try to do the right thing knife bro, and happily things just fell into place. :D

I have developed a good relationship with the PO guys because of buying knives. I gifted some of them some knives and some chinese 18650 batteries for their lights and they seem to appreciate my gestures.

BAL · #30

We've always known that you a little "hard *** " in you Chuck. :) Good job. I have a bit of an issue with that at times, but other times it just comes out. Sometimes you just have to make a stand.

chuck_roxas45 · #31

BAL wrote:We've always known that you a little "hard *** " in you Chuck. :) Good job. I have a bit of an issue with that at times, but other times it just comes out. Sometimes you just have to make a stand.

Hehehe, I'm just a hard *** when it comes to discussions. That's why I let my wife handle the finances. :D

jackknifeh · #32

chuck_roxas45 wrote: My quandary now is do I pay the $200 that he is asking? Or do I just pay him the previously quoted price?

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Pay the original price discussed. Pay it immediately if you are happy with the items. Then discuss it with the guy as to why the increase and go from there. He should have let you know about the difference in price before shipping the tools. If he didn't do that he has no right to expect more than the original quote. One thought, was the original quote a set amount of an estimate? Either way you should have been notified before the shipment was made. How well do you know this guy? Friend, aquaintance, business only, etc.? I ask because I'd wonder (from my shoes) if he would ship the items before naming the new price so you would feel obligated to pay it. If you are happy with the tools maybe split the difference in price. You have several options but as far as what I think you are obligated to do is pay the original agreed upon price (since no notification was given of increase).

Just my opinion.

Jack

chuck_roxas45 · #33

jackknifeh wrote:Pay the original price discussed. Pay it immediately if you are happy with the items. Then discuss it with the guy as to why the increase and go from there. He should have let you know about the difference in price before shipping the tools. If he didn't do that he has no right to expect more than the original quote. One thought, was the original quote a set amount of an estimate? Either way you should have been notified before the shipment was made. How well do you know this guy? Friend, aquaintance, business only, etc.? I ask because I'd wonder (from my shoes) if he would ship the items before naming the new price so you would feel obligated to pay it. If you are happy with the tools maybe split the difference in price. You have several options but as far as what I think you are obligated to do is pay the original agreed upon price (since no notification was given of increase).

Just my opinion.

Jack

I know him just from the local forums Jack. I have bought around 3 items from him and only one was worth it. The others were on the expensive side but at least he kept to the original agreement. Items from him are usually priced from $40 to $50 only. I asked several time before when we had just started talking about having the 'hawk made and he said that price would be around the equivalent of $50 dollars. The pakal knife was ordered several months before and he still quoted his usual price of around $50 dollars. I had no idea things would be different because during those previous transactions, when he said around $50( actually Php 2,500), that's the price that he always asked for the finished product.

Anyway, I communicated to him earlier today in strong terms and he tried to wiggle around(as mentioned in a previous post) but I was having none of it anymore. I posted in the local forum and it seems a couple of his out of town(out of his town and circle)customers have been unsatisfied with his products but kept their peace because of his status in both the largest of our local forums.

Another guy(guy 2) from the local forums has recently conducted a major sales campaign for local products and I guess that this guy(first guy, the one I transacted with) may have been looking at the prices of guy 2 and decided to up his prices to guy 2's level. That would have been fine if he had notified me early on. After all, it took around 6 months for the knife and 4 months for the hawk. He had a whole lot of time to inform me of any prices increases.

enduraguy · #34

I'm sorry, but I would not pay this joker any more than what you were originally quoted. You simply do not as a "business man" quote me one price, pop your merchandise in the mail to me and THEN tell me "hey the items on are their way, by the way you owe me much more than I originally quoted you....". BULL#$@! If I cannot return your merchandise because of my circumstances, it is YOUR LOSS not mine. My conscience would be more than just fine in a situation like this. This guy messed up and he should pay for it, not you.

Evil D · #35

You definitely made the right choice.

So let me get this straight, are you saying the guy who you thought was making this stuff is more or less just a vendor?? That's shady in itself.

chuck_roxas45 · #36

Evil D wrote:You definitely made the right choice.

So let me get this straight, are you saying the guy who you thought was making this stuff is more or less just a vendor?? That's shady in itself.

Yep, he seems to be just a middle man.

Evil D · #37

chuck_roxas45 wrote:Yep, he seems to be just a middle man.

Man screw that, for all you know he might have increased the price on his own to take a little off the top. I definitely wouldn't do business with this guy again, that's shady.