*RESOLVED* dz.com gear deal gone bad

[jb88ci 0]

I hate to do this as I don’t feel comfortable with slagging someone, but I feel I have no other recourse at this time. While sharing my experience publicly won’t get my money back, it may prevent others from losing some cash, like I did.

On November 4, 2009 I completed a deal with Tony Parker, who was selling used gear for Skydive Hollister (1800funjump). I purchased a black with pink PD210 for $275 including shipping. I paid with a verified paypal account.

I contacted Tony numerous times via email and telephone over the next couple of months with many reassurances that he’d get the canopy out to me. Tony actually provided me with his cell number, so I really don’t believe it was his intent to rip me off.

In January, I finally called him and told him to just refund my money as I’d bought other gear, which he said he’d do. Then we did that dance for a bit. He finally told me he didn’t have access to the accounts anymore and I should contact Joe at skydive Hollister, which I did.

When I spoke to Joe the first time, he looked up his paypal account, confirmed I had paid for the canopy and agreed to send me a refund ‘next week’. He even called me back, long distance to inform me of this.
On a second occasion he called me back to tell me he’d issue my refund right away.

I’ve been emailing or phoning Joe once a week for the last month, asking for my refund, which hasn’t been issued.

Last Friday, I emailed Joe and told him that if I didn’t hear from him by Monday, I’d take this public. I even offered to take gear or schwag instead of money.

I phoned him again yesterday, Tuesday, and asked he call me back about this ASAP. I still haven’t heard a thing back from him.

So, that’s my story. Skydive Hollister burned me for $275 US, (just over $300 cdn at the time) on a used gear deal from dropzone.com.

I’ve been really patient about getting my refund, but it hasn’t transpired. This patience and faith in a fellow skydiver took me past the 45-day dispute timeframe for paypal.

I don’t know what the motive is, they’re a business, not a private individual in a country known for online scams.

I’m not impressed and I’m sure one day while on a winter trip south I’ll bump into one of these folks at Eloy or somewhere and we can talk about this in person over a beer…as they write me a cheque….

[likestojump 3]

If your paypal payment was funded by a credit card, just call the card issuing bank and dispute the charge. Otherwise.... you're stuck to publicly humiliating the seller, as paypal only allows up to 45 days to file a claim :(

[jb88ci 0]

sadly, came from my bank account.....

[BillyVance 34]

Have you contacted the DZO at Skydive Hollister about this?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[jb88ci 0]

Frankly, I don't know who the DZO there is. I've been given Joe's number (don't know his last name) and he answers his phone "Joe, Skydive Hollister...or sometimes '1800FUNJUMP'"

[BillyVance 34]

Interesting.... I typed in "www.skydivehollister.com" in the web browser and my virus protection blocked access to it because it says its a bad site.... hmmm....

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[jb88ci 0]

they go by 1800funjump.com on the web. They are also listed in the dropzone section here, with the same contact number i have.

[tfelber 0]

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Sayre, Tim [email protected]
Adventure Center Skydiving, Inc.
55 MERCURY DR
HOLLISTER, CA 95023-2520
US
(831)636-0117 fax: (831)636-0120

[hookitt 0]

Tim is not the DZO, that's old information.

The DZO is Mako (spelling?)

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised at what I'm reading.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[SEREJumper 1]

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This patience and faith in a fellow skydiver took me past the 45-day dispute timeframe for paypal.

You learned a valuable lesson, if you used PayPal, it's day 44.5, andyou haven't gotten your product (no matter if they say it is going out today), patience and faith go out the window. It's a business transaction plain and simple.

Good luck and I hope you get your gear/ or $$ back.

We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

[jb88ci 0]

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Tim is not the DZO, that's old information.

The DZO is Mako (spelling?)

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised at what I'm reading.

please, feel free to ask joe or tony about it, or encourage them to make this right.

wish i was close enough to take a stack of $15 lifts in exchange.

[horny955 0]

Hi I got ripped off as well buying a camera through dropzone.com. I advertised that i was looking for a certain sony camcorder model, a guy from the United States contacted me, we did the deal and i payed for postage to the UK.
Parcel arrives and the box contains some piece of crap made by jvc!! Of course the A-HOLE dont want to know me now he has my money.
Lesson: Dont part with ya money without being 100% about the seller eh Jeff!!!

[freeatlast 0]

To "horny955" - If it helps at all - we will always help broker the deal (via our gear store) here at Dunkeswell - you can agree a price with the seller and get them to ship the goods to us - once we receive them we will confirm that they have arrived - you then pay the seller direct and then we will release the gear to you ...

That way you shouldn't get caught out ...

[jb88ci 0]

Quote

Tim is not the DZO, that's old information.

The DZO is Mako (spelling?)

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised at what I'm reading.

Well, I called them again yesterday, asked to speak to Mako directly. He wasn't there, I left a message to return my call. I was asked what the call was about so explained briefly, we'll see if I get a call back.

[horny955 0]

Quote

To "horny955" - If it helps at all - we will always help broker the deal (via our gear store) here at Dunkeswell - you can agree a price with the seller and get them to ship the goods to us - once we receive them we will confirm that they have arrived - you then pay the seller direct and then we will release the gear to you ...

That way you shouldn't get caught out ...

Hey thats interesting to know thanks guys, was going to send the camera box back with some dog crap in it!!! childish i know but it would have made me feel better : ) oh and the guys name was Jerry ......... not jeff sorry to all jeffs out there :)

[kennethwill 0]

sadly i know the feeling i was ripped off for a saber1 150 for 50$ for ground launching because im only 14 im to young for the real thing so i do that its hard for me to make that money i had to sell some of my things for it. i'v grown up on a dz in nova scotia and i know alot aboat the sport of skyding but to my dislike not alot aboat buying used gear over the net and over the past 6 months iv tried and tried to contact the seller (dz user name jerryvan) and last little bit with no reply the small dz he jumps at owner wont even help this whole thing just did't work and now im out 50$ and a canopy

[loltron 0]

Ugh, what a punch in the gut... A friend brought this to my attention yesterday.

Sorry you got such a runaround from us. This is Joe, we spoke via phone and email a couple of times regarding your refund. Nothing really to say except that we went through three Gear Store Managers and your refund kept getting lost in the shuffle. The buck stops with me and i dropped the ball. Not much to say except I'm terribly sorry.

As I said in my email to you yesterday, I hope this doesn't spoil your future sales via DZ.com, regardless of seller. I processed your refund last night via PayPal and added an extra $75 on there.

Again, I feel terrible and I'm nothing but embarrassed and sorry.

Best of luck John! Let me know if the PayPal payment went thru ok!

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Ugh, what a punch in the gut... A friend brought this to my attention yesterday.

Sorry you got such a runaround from us. This is Joe, we spoke via phone and email a couple of times regarding your refund. Nothing really to say except that we went through three Gear Store Managers and your refund kept getting lost in the shuffle. The buck stops with me and i dropped the ball. Not much to say except I'm terribly sorry.

As I said in my email to you yesterday, I hope this doesn't spoil your future sales via DZ.com, regardless of seller. I processed your refund last night via PayPal and added an extra $75 on there.

Again, I feel terrible and I'm nothing but embarrassed and sorry.

Best of luck John! Let me know if the PayPal payment went thru ok!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[redramdriver 0]

Now thats a perfect Standup Landing in anyones log book!

So, you bring your beer?

Its 5 o'clock somewhere
POPS #9344

[jb88ci 0]

thanks for taking care of this joe, et al....

i did get my refund, i hope that the mods can delete my post now, so that nobody thinks its sour grapes....

[wildcard451 0]

Quote

thanks for taking care of this joe, et al....

i did get my refund, i hope that the mods can delete my post now, so that nobody thinks its sour grapes....

I would say leave it up. No sour grapes, but that people can see that he is still ok to do business with, and willing to personally handle hiccups along the way.

[rwieder 0]

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thanks for taking care of this joe, et al....

i did get my refund, i hope that the mods can delete my post now, so that nobody thinks its sour grapes....

Your post was an intentional effort on your behalf to recover your $$$. You achieved your objective, it's really too bad you couldn't communicate effectively with them without having to "air your dirty laundry" as it were. Personally I dissagree with your methods, however I will give you props for your manupilating skills.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[wmw999 2,120]

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Personally I dissagree with your methods, however I will give you props for your manupilating skills.

What else could he have done in your estimation? It's not enough money to fly out there to talk to him one-on-one. It's an honest question; if there are other ways, I'm sure there are folks who would appreciate hearing them.

The only other thing I can think of would have been to contact a local based on dz.com, and ask them to talk to the DZO. But if you don't know any locals, it's not an easy thing to ask of a stranger.

He tried very, very diligently, to resolve this without publicity.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Wendy,

+1

JerryBaumchen

[BillyVance 34]

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Hi Wendy,

+1

JerryBaumchen

+2

Same goes for that girl who complained about the jumpsuit deal gone bad with the Australian or New Zealand guy (forget which country) that was posted in The Bonfire. She tried everything she could think of to no avail, before coming on here.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban