Atheris
Super Freak
After almost a year of dealing with this clown today was the last straw! Below details my personal experience in dealing with Fred barton over the course of this year.
Back in February of 2011 I sent Fred barton a $425 money order deposit as requested by him (the only method of payment he would take was Personal Check, Cashier’s Check, or Money order) to secure his 1:1 Robocop bust at an exclusive pre-order price of $850. Fred told me and many others this bust would be carried and distributed ONLY by himself and that once units started shipping around March/April the regular price for this bust would be $950 with an edition size of 200-250. I went to my bank paid $25 to get the money order and sent it off to him which he received in less than a week. Then near the end of February I start hearing and reading many posts on the forums that Fred is taking PO deposits via credit card. So why did I have to go spend $25 to send you a DAM money order Fred??
March and April came and went, so did May, June and July....August 5th the bust was finally shippped. Almost half a year past from when I was told the bust would ship. During that entire span of time, getting Fred to return an email or phone call regarding the status of the bust was virutally impossible. I would go weeks at a time without a single reply from him and at the longest 3 MONTHS!. His communication was horrible to non-existent. Then one day in the middle of July to the surprise of many customers that ordered direct through Fred, the bust go's up for pre-order on Sideshows website for the SAME pre-order price that was advertised by Fred to be excluive only if you PO'd with him. He essentially lied and conned people into sending him money. THEN, turns around and breaks the news to people that ALL SALES ARE FINAL and no refunds will be issued!. Not once did Fred state to me or ANYONE that any and all deposits were non-refundable.
A few days before the bust was ready to ship Fred charged the remaining balance of $540.21 to my credit card for a total of $965.21. I called him upset that he charged me $115 for shipping when he originally told me it would be $80 and never notified me it was changed. He basically made up a story saying the original price he gave me was just a quote...which is BS....he confirmed it with his secretary sitting right next to him while he was on the phone with me.
When the bust finally showed up at my door and was unpacked, all I could do was grind my teeth and swallow hard at the tragedy that sat before me. The bust was shockingly light, 9lbs to be exact and just felt CHEAP. The paint app which had been promised by Fred to many as being 2nd to none because he was having them painted in the USA ended up looking horrible!. The entire busts paint application was covered in hair bubbles, their were chips in the paint, their was debris stuck to the bust and just painted over, paint from the face was leaking onto the chin guard, the teeth hardley had paint on them and their was black overspray covering the bust. The head of the bust barely was holding on and would wobble and crack when you moved the bust. The base below it did not fair any better, only being held to the bust with 3 small screws and cheap dollar store "L" brackets. Their was enough play between the bust and the base that it would hang and shake back and forth when you lifted the bust.....TOTAL JUNK!
When I contacted Fred about the issues, he told me he was making a new batch which would be stronger/thicker later in the year if I wanted a replacment and would tweak the paint apps on mine for a better finish. Then shortly after, I get a follow up email from him saying he feels that I am a customer he can not make happy and the bust he sent me was not defective at all. He then went on to say he refuses to give me a replacment and will make a one time exception and give me a refund instead. Attached to that email was a copy of a pre-paid shipping Fedex express return lable and customs forms which he had already filled out and instructed me to print them out, attach it to the box and have Fedex pick up the package. I replied to him asking if I would be refunded the shipping cost of the bust as well, this was his reply..
Fedex picked up the package from my house November 2nd and was received by Fred on the 3rd. Two days later I get an email from Fred saying the cheque is in the mail and will be here in a week. I never did get that call from "accounting" to go over the details not even a follow up email....nothing!
1 week gos by, no cheque...2 weeks gos by, still no cheque.....almost 3 weeks gos by. I email Fred Nov 21st asking him where my cheque is and if its been mailed out. He replys back to assure me it has gone out. Today I check the mail and sure enough find an envelope in there from Fred. Upon opening the letter I see the refund cheque was actually printed out November 12th a WEEK after when he told me it was already in the mail.
Now what do you suppose would be more shocking than being a dooped into buying a Fred barton robocop bust?
How about being dooped twice by sending back the bust and only being refunded $723!!...Fred you SOB.
Not only did he deduct the cost of shipping for the bust into Canada he also deducted the RETURN shipping back to him off the total!. A PRE-PAID SHIPPING LABLE WHICH HE SENT ME. Not ONCE did he mention or tell me he would be subtracting the shipping costs off the total of the bust.
In the description of the refund he states I sent the package to him Fedex priority instead of express and it cost him $429.60 to pick it up.
HELLOO FREDD, I USED THE SHIPPING LABLE YOU SENT ME TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU!!
So now your twisting this around saying that "I" sent it priority so you could deduct the shipping costs off the total of the bust??
It even states in the refund invoice he sent me "prepay" "federal express". In his OWN invoice his lie is revealed. See pictures below of the invoice..
This whole experiance has driven me crazy from beginning to end. Fred barton is liar which has been caught many times in his own lies. To anyone considering doing business with this man please think twice. It will only shave years off your life and dollars from your bank account.
Chris
Back in February of 2011 I sent Fred barton a $425 money order deposit as requested by him (the only method of payment he would take was Personal Check, Cashier’s Check, or Money order) to secure his 1:1 Robocop bust at an exclusive pre-order price of $850. Fred told me and many others this bust would be carried and distributed ONLY by himself and that once units started shipping around March/April the regular price for this bust would be $950 with an edition size of 200-250. I went to my bank paid $25 to get the money order and sent it off to him which he received in less than a week. Then near the end of February I start hearing and reading many posts on the forums that Fred is taking PO deposits via credit card. So why did I have to go spend $25 to send you a DAM money order Fred??
March and April came and went, so did May, June and July....August 5th the bust was finally shippped. Almost half a year past from when I was told the bust would ship. During that entire span of time, getting Fred to return an email or phone call regarding the status of the bust was virutally impossible. I would go weeks at a time without a single reply from him and at the longest 3 MONTHS!. His communication was horrible to non-existent. Then one day in the middle of July to the surprise of many customers that ordered direct through Fred, the bust go's up for pre-order on Sideshows website for the SAME pre-order price that was advertised by Fred to be excluive only if you PO'd with him. He essentially lied and conned people into sending him money. THEN, turns around and breaks the news to people that ALL SALES ARE FINAL and no refunds will be issued!. Not once did Fred state to me or ANYONE that any and all deposits were non-refundable.
A few days before the bust was ready to ship Fred charged the remaining balance of $540.21 to my credit card for a total of $965.21. I called him upset that he charged me $115 for shipping when he originally told me it would be $80 and never notified me it was changed. He basically made up a story saying the original price he gave me was just a quote...which is BS....he confirmed it with his secretary sitting right next to him while he was on the phone with me.
When the bust finally showed up at my door and was unpacked, all I could do was grind my teeth and swallow hard at the tragedy that sat before me. The bust was shockingly light, 9lbs to be exact and just felt CHEAP. The paint app which had been promised by Fred to many as being 2nd to none because he was having them painted in the USA ended up looking horrible!. The entire busts paint application was covered in hair bubbles, their were chips in the paint, their was debris stuck to the bust and just painted over, paint from the face was leaking onto the chin guard, the teeth hardley had paint on them and their was black overspray covering the bust. The head of the bust barely was holding on and would wobble and crack when you moved the bust. The base below it did not fair any better, only being held to the bust with 3 small screws and cheap dollar store "L" brackets. Their was enough play between the bust and the base that it would hang and shake back and forth when you lifted the bust.....TOTAL JUNK!
When I contacted Fred about the issues, he told me he was making a new batch which would be stronger/thicker later in the year if I wanted a replacment and would tweak the paint apps on mine for a better finish. Then shortly after, I get a follow up email from him saying he feels that I am a customer he can not make happy and the bust he sent me was not defective at all. He then went on to say he refuses to give me a replacment and will make a one time exception and give me a refund instead. Attached to that email was a copy of a pre-paid shipping Fedex express return lable and customs forms which he had already filled out and instructed me to print them out, attach it to the box and have Fedex pick up the package. I replied to him asking if I would be refunded the shipping cost of the bust as well, this was his reply..
Fedex picked up the package from my house November 2nd and was received by Fred on the 3rd. Two days later I get an email from Fred saying the cheque is in the mail and will be here in a week. I never did get that call from "accounting" to go over the details not even a follow up email....nothing!
1 week gos by, no cheque...2 weeks gos by, still no cheque.....almost 3 weeks gos by. I email Fred Nov 21st asking him where my cheque is and if its been mailed out. He replys back to assure me it has gone out. Today I check the mail and sure enough find an envelope in there from Fred. Upon opening the letter I see the refund cheque was actually printed out November 12th a WEEK after when he told me it was already in the mail.
Now what do you suppose would be more shocking than being a dooped into buying a Fred barton robocop bust?
How about being dooped twice by sending back the bust and only being refunded $723!!...Fred you SOB.
Not only did he deduct the cost of shipping for the bust into Canada he also deducted the RETURN shipping back to him off the total!. A PRE-PAID SHIPPING LABLE WHICH HE SENT ME. Not ONCE did he mention or tell me he would be subtracting the shipping costs off the total of the bust.
In the description of the refund he states I sent the package to him Fedex priority instead of express and it cost him $429.60 to pick it up.
HELLOO FREDD, I USED THE SHIPPING LABLE YOU SENT ME TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU!!
So now your twisting this around saying that "I" sent it priority so you could deduct the shipping costs off the total of the bust??
It even states in the refund invoice he sent me "prepay" "federal express". In his OWN invoice his lie is revealed. See pictures below of the invoice..
This whole experiance has driven me crazy from beginning to end. Fred barton is liar which has been caught many times in his own lies. To anyone considering doing business with this man please think twice. It will only shave years off your life and dollars from your bank account.
Chris
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