Ethics or The Cost of Doing Business???

As most of you know I came across a ton of mannequins and with my wife's permission I bought them to sell to the TDH members for next to no profit to the wife and I. I had a lot of people offer trades and unfortunately (for me) I had to turn almost all of them down due to the fact that it would cost me at least $50 to $60 just to ship an item that we are almost breaking even on. Here is my dimema and my question to the board.

I was approached by a member here that wanted to trade a video game system for MY mannequin. By this, I say that the member requested the mannequin that is pictured on the beginning of every one of my threads. I told him that I would have to pass. Well, the mannequins sold and slowed to the point that my wife gave me permission to trade a few off to get them out of the house and as a small reward for all the hours spent boxing them up and shipping them out.

I went back to him and said that I was good for a trade even though I already had this gaming system I was sure that I could sell it for about the equalivilant of what the mannequin cost. SO I decided to hook him up with exactly what he wanted and we agreed to insure the packages for $200 and to ship them.
At this point he began wearing me out with requests for me to reshape his mannequin into a Jango pose that would require at least 10 to 20 hours of work on my part. I had to explain in MUCH detail that it would not be worth my time and effort for a simple gaming system. He finally agreed and I tore down my mannequin and shipped it to him as agreed.

Well, this is where I get a little cross-eyed. Three days later he PM's me saying that he got the manne but never shipped the game! HE LIED! He told me that he had to hold back to see if it is what he "wanted". Keep in mind folks that HE approached ME and asked for what he already saw! He proceeded to tell me that the feet were too close together for what he wanted and that he was sending it back if it was alright with me. I told him NO! I went intoi detail about how it cost me $50 to ship him something that he asked for and for him to back out is just wrong.

Guys and Gals of the TDH, if you know me then you know that if you are unhappy with any aspect of one of my mannequins then you can tell me and I will do anything and everything to make it right for you. This guy never replied back to me. He finally just told me that he shipped it and he would get me $50 when he gets around to it. Needless to say, I was furious that this guy would not even talk about it just ship and blow me off.

I got the mannequin yesterday and when I opened it I was even more mad. When I ship them I wrap every piece in large bubble wrap and tape them up. He threw the manne back into the box with the bubble wrap tossed in. with two pieces of newspaper. FOr some reason he put some fleece rag in there as well. The box got smashed coming back and the manne ruined. UPS will not replace or compensate me due to the lack of a packing job.

My friends, is this the price of doing business or just another deadbeat who doesn't care for this board or the members here in? Should I keep my mouth shut and move on or should I yell at the roof tops! Should I write it off or file a simple small claims law suit or approach the states attorney with Mail Fraud charges?

Its bad enough that there are the Ruffkins and Green Griffons out there but this guy is just as bad to me.

1) He came to me for a trade.
2) He swore to ship his item
3) HE changed his mind
4) He cost me $50 for shipping
5) He cost me $6 for packing materials and boxes
6) He ruined my mannequin (and trust)
7) He refused to discuss it

8) WHat are your thoughts?

Who was it?

Originally Posted by Count Dookie

Who was it?

PM'd info

It's my fault, and I owe you an apology. I consider myself an honest guy but of late I've had too much on my mind because being as I'm 18 I'm still living with my parents. They're going through the middle of the process of whether they want to divorce or not. Tubachris85x and redsleighdown can both tell you this.

I don't want to have bad blood between us, I've had many successful buys through the dented helmet, and I don't want any of them to say they were unsatisfied with me, as I'm sure you don't want anyone to say the same about your sales.

I don't drive yet so it's difficult for me to get to the post office, it's about 15 miles away.

Please tell me what would be satisfactory to you and I'll make it happen.

Can we take this to pm please?

- Fitz

That sucks!

I am glad that these types are in the minority and the vast majority of the Dented Helmet family are straight up honest brothers out to make the best Boba/Jango costume available anywhere on the planet - not to mention the wealth of information available free of charge!

I hope this individual feels he can and should explain to us all HIS side of the story?

These are the kind of story you don't want to here when planning a run of any kind on here.

Ok, so you stepped up whilst I was typing

Hope you guys work out your problems

It's bad form to say the least. I bought two mannequins from you and I can definitely say that you have been nothing but forthcoming and helpful in the transaction. The fact that this individual is playing games this way and then not even bothering to properly pack the item for the return is ridiculous.

As far as what you should do, I'm not sure. I suppose it's purely a question of how much you want to pursue it.

One could say it's the price of doing business.. There's always going to be a jerk who tries to screw you. However, it's also obvious that this individual has a pretty flagrant disregard for anyone but himself. We all saw plenty of pictures of the mannequins beforehand. If he didn't like the pose and didn't want to reshape it himself, he shouldn't have entered into the trade at all.

I'm sorry Boomer. That's ridiculous.

If you don't mind, PM me as well just so I know who to avoid in the future.

-Nyx

NM
-C

Originally Posted by Bobby Fett UK

Ok, so you stepped up whilst I was typing

Hope you guys work out your problems

Yeah, I'm not one to hide in the background if someone has something that they feel they need to discuss with me.

Boomer Fett, please pm me and let me know what you would like me to do.

- Fitz

Lol. Well at least he piped up while I was typing. Good luck to you both.

Fitz, I would have kept this private and not mentioned your name in open on the board. I can handle almost any and all situations as long as communication is involved. I can handle the loss of a mannequin (lord knows I have a few). What I can't handle is the look in my wife's eyes when I told her that I could trust you and then this. The reason she agreed to this was because this is a second family for us. She fell in love with the people here during Chris and Pam's plight. There is an old military saying that "One thousand attaboy's aren't worth one oh-shoot". I have to convince my bride that this is really an honorable site and worth putting out for.
To make this right just send me the $56 for shipping and handling. I can write off the manne but I can't write off the trust for now.


Ivan

Originally Posted by Nyx Mandalore

It's bad form to say the least. I bought two mannequins from you and I can definitely say that you have been nothing but forthcoming and helpful in the transaction. The fact that this individual is playing games this way and then not even bothering to properly pack the item for the return is ridiculous.


However, it's also obvious that this individual has a pretty flagrant disregard for anyone but himself. We all saw plenty of pictures of the mannequins beforehand. If he didn't like the pose and didn't want to reshape it himself, he shouldn't have entered into the trade at all.

I'm sorry Boomer. That's ridiculous.

If you don't mind, PM me as well just so I know who to avoid in the future.

-Nyx

When I looked at the mannequins I don't think I realized that the legs were posed like that. That's completely my fault, and I want to make it up to Boomer.

Originally Posted by Boomer Fett

Fitz, I would have kept this private and not mentioned your name in open on the board. I can handle almost any and all situations as long as communication is involved. I can handle the loss of a mannequin (lord knows I have a few). What I can't handle is the look in my wife's eyes when I told her that I could trust you and then this. The reason she agreed to this was because this is a second family for us. She fell in love with the people here during Chris and Pam's plight. There is an old military saying that "One thousand attaboy's aren't worth one oh-shoot". I have to convince my bride that this is really an honorable site and worth putting out for.
To make this right just send me the $56 for shipping and handling. I can write off the manne but I can't write off the trust for now.


Ivan

Hey ivan, please send me your paypal, I want to send you the full amount for the mannequin, the amount for shipping, and I want to send you the psp.

Please know that I'm not a dishonest person, I think that this is a result of me not reading/viewing the thread correctly, and the fact that I didn't think to check the boxes that I asked my brother to pack, and thus why it must have arrived the way it did.

Originally Posted by DarkeSword2020

Hey ivan, please send me your paypal, I want to send you the full amount for the mannequin, the amount for shipping, and I want to send you the psp.

Please know that I'm not a dishonest person, I think that this is a result of me not reading/viewing the thread correctly, and the fact that I didn't think to check the boxes that I asked my brother to pack, and thus why it must have arrived the way it did.

Just bring us back to even and I will call it good.
Sooners1320@yahoo.com

Originally Posted by Boomer Fett

Just bring us back to even and I will call it good.
Sooners1320@yahoo.com

It was 105 for the mannequin and 50 for shipping right?

If I'm wrong, please correct me and I'll send it out asap.

- Fitz

Admins, please after I get the final total from Ivan, please lock and close the thread; like I said no need for bad blood, and I don't want anyone to think I'm a dishonest person, I've had many transactions with no issues; bought loanstars jango armor, and citizen snips clone armor, both perfect transactions, there's more there, but little stuff really.

- Fitz

Originally Posted by DarkeSword2020

It was 105 for the mannequin and 50 for shipping right?

If I'm wrong, please correct me and I'll send it out asap.

- Fitz

$56 for shipping and handling. Like I said, I will eat the other $50 for the destroyed mannequin. Keep the PSP as you already broke the deal and I don't want to owe you anything.

Ivan

I wish there was someway we could give positive feedback to others. The best I have been able to see is whether that person has made friends on the board. I figure If ther have friends they must have been keeping their dealings above board.

glad to see this was resoved civilly.

Also, Ivan I wanted to thank you and apologize. I'm sorry I wasn't up front with you when I sent back the mannequin, that was my fault. My mom was in a hurry and said get your brother to package it, and you go print out the shipping label. So my brother packed it and I sent it with my mom. I should've checked the packaging, and I should've asked my mom to wait on shipping it, so that both me and you could have talked about the mannequin and the fact that I had an issue with it.

Ivan I apologize, I just didn't look at the picture enough and I guess I saw the mannequin in the pose I wanted in my mind and not for what it really was, and when I recieved it. I guess I was just bummed because it didn't look the way I had initially thought it would in my mind.

Thank you for giving me a chance to redeem myself with you, and not only with you but the rest of the board.

Please tell your wife I'm sorry, and if you want the psp, it's yours. I don't use it, at all and you wouldn't owe me anything. I want you to feel satisfied, and I want you to feel you can trust me; as I feel I can trust you. You went out of your way to make me satisfied, and I did the complete opposite, and was a complete a**; and I feel bad about that and I'm sorry.

- Fitz

aye agreed abt the amicable way this was resolved.

Boomer - I feel for u brother. Only 'know' via the boards, but u seem liek a decent bloke (your wife on the other hand is amazing!!? I can only say my wife sighs and rolls her eyes at me and my prop family rofl)

Darkesword - kudos on steppin up man. not often seen in a young man of 18 gd on yer. Recognise ur name from here, FISD and over on 405th (I'll forgive u on that one mate ;P) and u've been always ok in my book. Think we can write this off as the fault of youth. ALthough the way it was resolved was certainly very matured. Just remember that us old foggies still tend to have a little old world sensibilities even via the short and curt messaging cultutre that is emailing/pm'ing.

Payment recieved. As for the PSP, if you want to ship it that is totally up to you. I ask for nothing else but if your conscience is says to send it then you can. I am forthright and up front with everything and everyone. You only live once and you can only lose your word once. Regaining the trust of others is a far cry harder than losing it. If the mods want to close this then I say fine. If they want to leave it open as a learning lesson (good and bad) then I say kudos to them. In this we all have lost.

i think any vendor, buyer, trader, etc, can learn from this...i really didnt see it turning out like it did with all OTHER mishaps, robberies, decietfulness occuring as of late...i am very proud of DarkSword for stepping up and trying to make this right...it shows alot of character, but you will have to work twice as hard to gain trust back than the first time you had that trust...i am also glad the Boomer had the guts to step up and call him out on it as well...it goes to show that those with an honest heart will rectify the situation, not just give empty promises and then drop off the face of the earth like those that dont care what happens to their reputation or someone else...kudos to you fellas, glad to see one go down on a positive note!!

Originally Posted by FettDad

i think any vendor, buyer, trader, etc, can learn from this...i really didnt see it turning out like it did with all OTHER mishaps, robberies, decietfulness occuring as of late...i am very proud of DarkSword for stepping up and trying to make this right...it shows alot of character, but you will have to work twice as hard to gain trust back than the first time you had that trust...i am also glad the Boomer had the guts to step up and call him out on it as well...it goes to show that those with an honest heart will rectify the situation, not just give empty promises and then drop off the face of the earth like those that dont care what happens to their reputation or someone else...kudos to you fellas, glad to see one go down on a positive note!!

And that's the way it should be. I intend to make good on my promise and send him the psp, I'm going to do it Wednesday, after Tuesday's inauguration.

Fitz, thank you for doing the right thing and cleaning up the mess. However, I'm not locking the thread as I still see that you're intending to send him the PSP.

on the TDH i feel that we are all family and yes even in the closest and tightest of families there can be squables and fights but as Boomer said,"you only live once.." so yes what happened is unfortunate and painful too both parties as both have experianced loss but as we are a family we should overcome and move on thru these problems, as the family we are.

Fitz: regain your honor brother
Boomer: past transgressions must stay in the past,though take the experiance with you into the future.




note: im only 17 and still kinda new to the world and these are just my thoughts,so if any of what i said sounds...idk not applicable to RL then please forgive my in experiance

i'm glad you guys are working on resolving this. in the future though, to both of you, have every detail clear before shipping. If it's a lack of honesty after that, then that sucks, but don't ship if the other person doesn't have a tracking number etc. etc.

Nice to see someone do the honorable thing, step up and admit they were wrong and then ACTUALLY make it right. So many times people say they are going to do this and that and then never do it. A good lesson to learn at 18.

Hey Fitz,,It's Tim your fellow GT member,,just reading all this your alright bro,,but just to let you know,,if you are going to ShevaCon I must tell you,,you will be getting Tazed for this little stress you put on me for a sec.,,just kidding,,good for you bro,,ohh and Boomer want a pic of a "Shocktrooper" I might be able to get you 1 from ShevaCon,,hee hee

Tim

I feel that it's right to be upset about what happened. It's right that someone stepped up and owned up to the issue and has made recompense. It's right to forgive and move on as well.

We all go askew of center sometimes and it's good to see someone be man enough to admit fault while setting things right.

You can't go back but you can move forward with respect. And while no one is perfect, occasionally people shock you and admit it.

Let's all gather around my beer meister and drink until it doesn't matter.

Originally Posted by Rupidupe

I feel that it's right to be upset about what happened. It's right that someone stepped up and owned up to the issue and has made recompense. It's right to forgive and move on as well.

We all go askew of center sometimes and it's good to see someone be man enough to admit fault while setting things right.

You can't go back but you can move forward with respect. And while no one is perfect, occasionally people shock you and admit it.

Let's all gather around my beer meister and drink until it doesn't matter.

He means those that are 21....right?

Originally Posted by Boomer Fett

He means those that are 21....right?

Aww darn, you mean I can't have a beer too?


Thanks guys, for the general goodwill and support to both me and Boomer for a satisfied result on both sides of the page.

Thanks for pushing me to do the right thing, and thanks for appreciating the way we both handled it. I was in the wrong, and this is a mistake that I learned from, and it won't happen again.
Thank you everyone.

This is good news. I had a recent incident as well and I am supposedly getting a refund and the member has been apologetic and cooperative. One of the major reasons I like this community is for the ethics involving good product and business. Fett is a super expensive hobby and if you want quality you should expect to pay a few bucks and vice versa...

any update on this? has there been a tracking number sent to Boomer? just checking up on the progress man...

I sent Ivan the tracking number through pm, and dropped off the psp today at the UPS location (store) just before they closed. They'll be shipping it tommorow with the first ground truck that leaves, and the tracking information will become active once it goes in that truck.

excellent...glad to hear it...

Wow this to me feels good that someone is stepping up to fix their mistakes. Much kudos to you Fitz!

Boomer, good on ya mate. Pity it takes the forums to get the end results. Fitz good on ya too.

But I think issues such as this should be dealt with on the forums and not pm's as it gives the rest of us a friendly heads up as to who we may be dealing with. From what I've seen so far TDH is a great place with great people.

I just wanted to thank Boomer for his presence here on TDH, I have made a few purchases from others here, and my most recent one was from Boomer...I got his bobblefett. I paid a few days ago, and it arrived in like 2 days, in perfect condition... Now when DAZ gets his Jeremy face casts done and shipped, I will have a cool bobblefett to mount on a shelf next to THE REAL BOBA FETT, JB.

Boomer is a very good person, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the Bobble, in front of all in the forum..

Thank you Boomer. Oh yeah, we need to go after Kyr'am Galaar, he's been slacking.
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f34/kyram-galaar-armour-25896/

i have a question...if the ps2 was shipped on 1/22, and there were no trucks going out at the time the package was dropped off, wouldnt the package go out on a truck on 1/23 first thing in the morning? interesting that there is STILL no information for the tracking number sent to Boomer...any explanations?

Hey, I checked the tracking number and it works...

Look: 1Z2133E70352976441

UPS shipping.

Your package is on time with a scheduled delivery date of 01/30/2009.


Tracking Number: 1Z 213 3E7 03 5297 644 1
Type: Package
Status: In Transit - On Time
Scheduled Delivery: 01/30/2009
Shipped To: WASHINGTON, UT, US
Shipped/Billed On: 01/23/2009
Service: GROUND
Weight: 4.50 Lbs

To view additional tracking information, please log in to My UPS.

Package Progress
Location Date Local Time Description
LAUREL,
MD, US 01/23/2009 10:56 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
SPRINGFIELD,
VA, US 01/23/2009 9:45 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
01/23/2009 8:11 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
US 01/23/2009 5:01 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

DarkeSword, we're ALL watching this tracking number, good of you to make good on debts owed youngling.

Well folks, after watching a tracking number that has "my" package going to Utah....(wrong tracking #) I had the arrival of a PSP with and added bonus of an Indiana Jones whip. Darkesword2020 you have more than fufilled your end of our arrangement. I can truly call you honorable in my book. A few people on here contacted me in private to voice concerns about ethics. I will not bring up details or names there. You made things right with me and therefore I say kudos. I think you have made a giant stride towards reviving your name and setting things straight. As you can see, things can go out of control quickly and are even harder to regain control. You can either ask for the mods to close this or you can leave it open for others to learn from and congratulate you for returning to the fold of TDH...


~Ivan~

Hey Ivan, glad to hear it arrived safely
Sorry for the mixup on the tracking number, sent out multiple things, my fault on that, thought it was the correct one; but it worked out.


On a side note, the belt goes with the whip, and it's adjustable, just burn another hole in it if you need it smaller.

The little loop is so that the whip may hang at the side of your belt bro,

Hope I've regained your trust.

Thanks, and glad that your happy

Thanks?
And yes Im still interested in those hands.