Be wary of SMALL JOES website. Bad customer service.

[The shep]

Hello everyone,

I'm posting this not as a form of ill will towards the website but as a cautionary tale to all other collectors. This is just my encounter with them, that's not to say you will have the same problems, but I thought I should let fellow collectors know.

I recently bought a soldier story army saw gunner in Afghanistan. The newer one in multicam. It was my fist modern military figure and I decided to go with the website small joes. They had him at a good price so I pulled the trigger and was very excited to get my modern military collection started!!

I spent the extra $20 on the shipping to get it in 3 days. I filled out my billing info, and my shipping info since I wanted it to be shipped to a different location. So I wait. When the day comes I see that the item has been shipped to the billing location when I asked and filled out the shipping info to the different location. I was a little upset as, on a more personal level, I have had a pretty nasty falling out with some family members that live in the billing info location. Unfortunately I hadn't had the chance to Change all my info to the address I reside in now. So the item was shipped there and it would probably not be easy to obtain.

After I saw this I contacted the website telling them of the situation. Explained it to them, just like I'm doing here. I even said on the last line that I don't mean to be rude, I'm just trying to see how we can fix the situation. I knew it would become a mission to get this figure.

The response I get from the costumer service was something I didn't expect. He basically said that since the billing info was from that location and I had a bad falling it out with family that lived there, that it's safe to say that I'm not authorized to be using the card that I did to buy the figure. And he finished off with a very sarcastic "is that about right?".

I was a little upset at this as I felt instead of actually saying oh man I'm sorry for not looking at the proper address, it was a mistake and we apologize, I was accused of committing credit card fraud!! I was a little upset and so I answered simply by saying wait a minute this has nothing to do with me being the right user of the card or not. An error has occurred on your part and I'm a paying customer trying to express that fact. I sent them a picture of the screen where it has that I filled out the shipping and billing info.

I have gotten no response from them after that and I even tried to log onto the website to see if maybe I got a message there, but they have locked my account.
The figure arrived Wednesday the 10th. I have not gotten the figure yet, nor have I had any sort of contact from the site. I think the situation was handled very poorly on their part and for paying the extra $20 shipping, and a little more attention to detail, this should have been avoided. I would've actually been okay with everything had they been nicer about the fact that theyessed up.

Now my question to you guys as collectors, would you have been upset also? Am I overacting or is this something that is a little disrespectful as a paying customer. I'm tempted in returning it if I ever get the figure, just so I won't give them the business. Let me know what you think and sorry for the long post haha.

 

[attom44]

Is this your credit card? and Is the credit card in your name? Also where is your mail being sent... if the answer to these are no, no, and no.. then your really don't have any reason to be upset.. If the credit card is yours, and your current mailing address is where you live NOW...then they are at fault.. If the credit card bill is going to your old address, then your again at fault and not the seller.... Sellers don't care about your life, or issues or anything like that.. they have rules to follow so they don't get scammed by credit card fraud.. again not saying that is what you did... just trying to figure out the details..

 

[massprime]

At first I was thinking that accidents do happen but it's up to you to work it out to retrieve your figure. But like you said it is your name on the card, you showed them the shipping form and paid the extra $ for faster delivery. They could've at least apoligized instead of the nasty reply accusing you. Contact the Better Business Bureau and maybe your credit card company.

 

[EVILFACE]

Was prolly upset that they might not be able to recover the original item that was sent out. Which is understandable. I would feel the same way before sending yet another item.

They just went about it the wrong way....... Does Corey Stinson still run that site?

 

[Jester]

Never had a problem with them, but I've never purchased any larger items like 1/6th figures.

 

[spekerol]

They were rude it sounds however this could have easily fixed on your part by calling your bank and simply changing your billing address on that specific card I have done it a few times

 

[Warpig]

As far as I know, it is 1 guy working out of a basement. I've never had a problem with him but I know others have.

 

[Crimson Canuck]

That's unfortunate. I've never had a problem with Small Joes, had a wrong figure sent once, they told me to keep it and sent the correct one on their dime.

 

[The shep]

Hello all haven't been here in a bit. To answer questions, yes the card is mine, yes my info is
On the card and yes I am the athorized user for the card. I understand the fact of having it be a quick change of address, but I wouldn't have filled out the "shipping address" if that's where I wanted it to go. I understand that the company shouldn't care about my problems, but the problem is, I asked for it to be shipped to another location, paid extra for shipping, then was accused of card fraud. That's really what got me a bit upset. Even if he came to me and said oh man I'm sorry for the error, or oh I didn't even notice the shipping info was different than the billing info, I would've of said its ok I'll try and get it and hopefully it ends well. The fact that he was rude was what got me upset. The good news is that I did end up getting the figure and it wasn't easy. So would you be ok with having to go out of your way through a very uncomfortable situation when you filled everything out properly and followed all the proper procedures, but the company messed up and didnt send the item to the right location? That's really the issue I had. The item being sent to the wrong location and then being rude about it. I didn't want a replacement as I would try to get it either way.

 

[The shep]

The other issue I had was that when I didn't get any response, I went to log into the website, to see if he lefts a message there, and he had locked my account. I thought that was a bit spiteful and he was just trying to say that well if you're going to complain I'm going to block you from using my site. Not that I would use it after his poor attitude towards me. To those that have had no problems, I'm glad that you haven't had to go through my type of issue. I didn't post this to say that it's a bad business an he's a bad guy. I don't know him so I won't judge. This was my experience with the site and that's all I wanted to prtray. Though I'm not the only one who has posted about him being a little rude when people had problems. Alls well that ends well and a lesson learned for me. Done deal in my eyes haha.

 

[spazzy]

cant stand smalljoes, was a regular customer for years even though there were some issues (little to no extra packing for carded figures) and my last transaction was the last i never looked back stick eith bbts or someone else bbts cs has been near perfect for me