[Idyllchat] Dishonest shop owner

[pandjking at sbcglobal.net]

Dear Donna,
    I don't have a solution to your problem, but this should be a lesson to 
all travelers:  Make sure you notify your credit card company in the States 
before you leave that you will be traveling in Spain, Italy, or whatever 
country from _____ date to _____ date and you need them to note this for 
their records so that your charges overseas will be approved and not 
disputed.
    Sorry about your sad experience.
    Phil King
    Spring Lake, MI
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna C. Brown" <donnacbrown at gmail.com>
To: <IdyllChat at lists.untours.com>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 11:21 AM
Subject: [Idyllchat] Dishonest shop owner


> Dear friends,
> Because of your help and many wonderful suggestions, my husband and I
> enjoyed our sojourn through southern Spain and  two weeks in
> Switzerland this past summer.
> We had only one sad experience.  Perhaps you could counsel us what to do 
> next.
>
> While in Barcelona, we bought 2 Don Quixote statues made by Nao for
> 217 euros, at what seemed a reputable shop on the Ramblas.  I insisted
> the man pack the statues in their boxes while we were there; we paid
> the shipping and insurance that he asked for.  He promised to pack the
> boxes in another sturdy box also.  We stupidly paid cash, as the fraud
> department at Capital One thought our card was stolen and, as they too
> frequently did while we lived in Europe, momentarily cut off our
> credit. This time it  had serious consequences.
>
> We waited for 2 1/2 months for the shipment by boat. The boxes arrived
> crushed, torn and the statues were both severely broken.  The store
> did not pack them in a sturdier box, only bubble wrap around the
> flimsy original boxes.   The thin outer paper was torn; our address
> was nearly obliterated.  The post office had to tape it numerous
> times.  Now the store owner will not send us new statues unless we
> return these at our expense. At this rate, it will be 7 1/2 to 8
> months before we can have our statues. They were gifts for family. Our
> post office said, "Tell him to contact his insurance."  I think the
> post office in Spain will say the same. He only shouts at us on the
> phone and will not answer our questions about the insurance.  I do not
> believe he insured them, he thinks we won't return them and he won't
> have to send more.
>
> I do not trust this man to send us more statues securely.  He says we
> are not "doing our part,we are terrible customers, and we expect too
> much for our 30 euors for shipping and insurance."  That is what he
> charged us and what he agreed to do.  I have sent him pictures of the
> damaged boxes and broken statues.  He will not address anything with
> us, only shouts loudly and rapidly on the phone so that we are unable
> to talk.  Then he hangs up.
>
> Is there anything that can be done at this point?  I'm almost ready to
> order more statues from locations here in the U.S. and be done with
> it.  But it makes me so dang mad!!!  Thanks for your advice.
> Donna Brown
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