[Idyllchat] Dishonest shop owner

[Joan Herriges]

And further to Phil's very wise advice, carry a back-up card for which you 
have done the same notification.  Regretfully, that purchase in cash was a 
high-risk gamble.  Joan.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <pandjking at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Donna C. Brown" <donnacbrown at gmail.com>
Cc: <idyllchat at lists.untours.com>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 8:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] Dishonest shop owner


> 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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> _______________________________________________
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> Search Idyllchat Archives for any subject at: 
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>>
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