Sale Stores / EOS Trading a scam!

[Shame on EOS]

One look at this company's defensive reaction to the many many complaints here should be all the red flag you need. If they spent half the amount of time making good on advertised prices or owning their mistakes ...- I couldn't believe the one comment where they wrote 'this is the worst customer we ever had'- If there was an award for Worst Customer Service they would win! Heres what happened to me- Today, while shopping on line, I was lured into the website for Sale Stores by a very low price on a digital picture frame ( The Piximodo Classic 12) The frame is advertised for $133.23 after going through the checkout process, the price jumped to $159.00. So I called the company and spoke to the 'Sales Manager', He explained that this was just the way it was and that it was their right to charge whatever price they want regardless of what is advertised. He quoted his 'policy' on the website (prices subject to change' and I directed him to the web-site where I was seeing the price advertised and he said that that price would likely stay that way for a week until new info was up-loaded. I asked him if I could escalate the complaint and he said that he was the one who dealt with all escalated complaints so there was no one higher I could bring my concerns to. I told him that I suspected their company was guilty of false advertising and fraudulent business practices as set forth by the FTC. Because of his difficult to understand accent and because he acted like he did not know what the FTC was, I asked him if I was talking to an American based company, (I was thinking that perhaps they did not know the law in this country) and he got upset and hung up on me. Let him explain his illegal and sloppy practices to the BBB and FTC- I reported him to both. My complaint, btw, was added to a long list of others who have previously reported this 'flea market merchant'

[Atomic Rooster]

Hmm. . .
The Piximodo Classic 12 is listed at $154.63.

[nomaxim]

Google Cache for 11OCT2008 shows $141.89.

[bennyeos]

We are the merchant (EOS Trading/SaleStores.com) and would like to answer each of this customer's complaints:

1. "One look at this company's defensive reaction to the many many complaints here should be all the red flag you need."
- If you get attacked unjustly, wouldn't you defend yourself?
- We have more praises than attacks.
- This "customer" was never a customer. He was just a complainer.

2. "If they spent half the amount of time making good on advertised prices or owning their mistakes ..."
- In this particular case there was ABSOLUTELY NO MISTAKE. The customer is TOTALLY WRONG and he is unjustly attacking us.
- Regarding Advertised prices, we suggest to read our policies: Store Policies

3. "I couldn't believe the one comment where they wrote 'this is the worst customer we ever had'- If there was an award for Worst Customer Service they would win!"
- Luckily, this complaining person was never a customer of our company, because he would win the title...
- We put extraordinary effort into customer service and helping our customers, but that doesn't mean that we have to be slaves of anybody that calls us.

4. "Here's what happened to me- Today, while shopping on line, I was lured into the website for Sale Stores by a very low price on a digital picture frame ( The Piximodo Classic 12) The frame is advertised for $133.23 after going through the checkout process, the price jumped to $159.00."
- This is INCORRECT and FALSE. The customer apparently saw the price at some OTHER WEBSITE (not ours). Maybe Google or maybe some other website. Our website price was $159 at the time of the customer's call and not $133.23 as he stated.

5. "So I called the company and spoke to the 'Sales Manager', He explained that this was just the way it was and that it was their right to charge whatever price they want regardless of what is advertised. He quoted his 'policy' on the website (prices subject to change' and I directed him to the web-site where I was seeing the price advertised and he said that that price would likely stay that way for a week until new info was up-loaded."
- First, prices can change at any time because our suppliers change prices at any time. We don't have to give a customer yesterday's price.
- Most importantly, at the time of the customer's call the price was $159 on our website. The customer did show us that GOOGLE had the price at $133.23. What we explained to the customer is that there's a LAG between the time we upload information to Google and the time in which Google shows the updated prices. Google can take days to update. Also, we do a complete re-publish of the store every week and that takes care of any discrepancies between any price changes in our website and Google Products website. But in any case, our website had a $159 price and that price was in effect at the time the customer called. To explain it in another way: If for example a supplier tells us that a particular product that was worth $1000 yesterday is worth $2000 today, and we increase our price from $1100 to $2100, our website will show $2100, but the $1100 price might still show on Google's for a few days until they receive our update and they update their servers or until they crawl that particular web page again. Nor we nor any merchant can be held responsible for the time Google takes to update a price in THEIR website.

6. "I asked him if I could escalate the complaint and he said that he was the one who dealt with all escalated complaints so there was no one higher I could bring my concerns to."
- That was correct. The customer was talking to the Manager already.

7. "I told him that I suspected their company was guilty of false advertising and fraudulent business practices as set forth by the FTC. Because of his difficult to understand accent and because he acted like he did not know what the FTC was, I asked him if I was talking to an American based company, (I was thinking that perhaps they did not know the law in this country) and he got upset and hung up on me."
- By the previous paragraphs of the customer, it is apparent that the customer UNDERSTOOD PERFECTLY everything that was being told to him. But by the time he started asking if we were an American Company, his tone was very agressive (almost yelling) and his attitude was extremely Xenophobic. Nor we nor anybody should stand the abuse of a customer, expecially when he is not right.

8. "Let him explain his illegal and sloppy practices to the BBB and FTC- I reported him to both."
- We believe both complaints were answered appropriately.

9. "My complaint, btw, was added to a long list of others who have previously reported this 'flea market merchant"
- This Non-Customer (he never bought anything) can say whatever he wants (we are in a free country). However, FACTS speak for themselves. The BBB gives us an A+ rating:
EOS Trading Corp. - General Merchandise Retail By Internet - Miami, FL | BBB Business Report
and we see more praises than complaints in ResellerRatings:
Sale Stores / EOS Trading Corp / emcdepot.com - salestores.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

[bwgcanyon]

I completely agree with the previous posts. my husband too was lured into buying a cordless super duper fancy phone for our buisness for $400.00 The problem was that the sales people did not explain to him that this was an incomplete unit. When we received the product we were un able to use the phone without the charger. So they persuaded him to buying a full unit and ended up spending $800 TOTAL. tHE COMPANY BECME VERY DEFENSIVE WHEN WE TOLD THEM THE PHONE DID NOT OPERATE TO ITS CAPACITY. tHYE WANTED TO CHARGE US OVER $300 IN RESTOCKING FEES. iTS A VERY EXPENESIVE LESSON TO LEARN BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL AND CLAIMED THEY WOULD ONLYT HELP IF I REMOVED THE BAD REVIEW i GAVE THEM THEY ALREADY REMOVED IT ANYWAY. DO NOT BUY FROM THESE PEOPLE. THEY ARE SIMPLY RESELLERS THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY ARE SELLING AND THEREFORE CANNOT TAKE ANY REFUNDS. I IMAGINE THEM TO BE OPERATING FROM A HOME OFFICE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND NO OFFICE/ WAREHOUSE. SO THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU IN ANY FORM OR SHAPE IF YOU HAVE ISSUES

[bennyeos]

We are the merchant (EOS Trading/SaleStores.com) and would like to answer each of this customer's complaints:

1. "my husband too was lured into buying a cordless super duper fancy phone for our buisness for $400.00"
- We didn't "lure" her husband. We just posted a product on our website, received the order and shipped EXACTLY what was ordered, which is a Durafon 1X-HC handset only as can be seen here:
EnGenius DURAFON 1X-HC Model DuraFon 1X Handset Long Range 1 Line/Port For use with DuraFon 1X Systems, Handsets function as telephones and two-way radios, Two-way radio functions: full-duplex intercom or half duplex broadcast, Three line illuminated

2. "The problem was that the sales people did not explain to him that this was an incomplete unit."
- We don't record phone conversations so we don't know what was the exact conversation of this customer with one of our salespeople. However, our salespeople take customers' questions seriously and if the customer had asked the proper question, he would have received an honest answer. The item initially purchased by the customer was a HANDSET, which needs a base to work with.
- Most probably the customer called to confirm stock and our salesperson confirmed stock. Or maybe customer asked about technical details and our people responded based on our website information, which is the same as the manufacturer's.
- What the customer bought was a COMPLETE unit. Doesn't work without a base, but many people buy handsets to add to their existing units.

3. "When we received the product we were un able to use the phone without the charger."
- The customer bought the handset, exactly as stated in our website. Handset only would not work alone.

4. "So they persuaded him to buying a full unit and ended up spending $800 TOTAL."
- We did not "persuade" the customer to do anything. When the customer received the handset and couldn't use it, we presented him with his options, which were to Return the product for a refund or to buy the base. Customer opted to buy the base.

5. "THE COMPANY BECME VERY DEFENSIVE WHEN WE TOLD THEM THE PHONE DID NOT OPERATE TO ITS CAPACITY."
- We are not the manufacturer. In the product page we don't claim anything other than what the manufacturer claims. As retailers, we cannot be responsible if a manufacturer claims something that is not 100% correct or if the particular situation of the customer means that the product doesn't work for them. In any case, as we always do, we presented the option to the customer to return it for a refund.
- We provided the customer with the information of the manufacturer. We even called the manufacturer and spoke to the Technical Support Manager and had him call the Customer to help him with the installation. The Manufacturer offered to exchange the product on the possibility it would be deffective and for some reason the customer dind't go through with the exchange. But we know that the Manufacturer's technicians spoke several times with the Customer. So the customer wasn't left "hanging". And all this happened because of our many calls to the Manufacturer.

6. "THEY WANTED TO CHARGE US OVER $300 IN RESTOCKING FEES."
- This customer (and some others) don't understand why restocking fees exist. Many times, we depend on our suppliers to accept returns or exchanges. In the case of returns, our suppliers usually charge us high re-stocking fees that can go from 15 % up to 50%. A product that has been returned cannot be sold as new and many times it cannot be resold even at 50% discount from the price of new. It is much more difficult to sell a returned product than a new product, and the retailer or wholesaler can get "stuck" with it for a long time, having to close it out at a later time at 5% to 20% of the original cost.
- We understand that nobody likes to receive a defective product. And generally we do accept Exchanges. In case a product arrives and it doesn't work, we ask customers to please call the Manufacturer Technical Support line. Many times that solves the problem. But if the Manufacturer determines that the product is defective, most of the time we can obtain a Return Authorization from our supplier. The customer would need to ship the defective unit to our supplier at his/her expense and we would cover the expense of shipping the New unit from the supplier to the customer. However, when a customer calls us to say that a product is defective and wants to return it and not receive an exchange, it is not so easy to obtain a Return Authorization, and if we are successful our suppliers almost always charge high restocking fess.
- Many think that buying from small merchants on the internet is like buying something at a large retailer. The main difference is that Large Retailers have such purchasing power that they can force the manufacturers to take back units at the expense of the manufacturer, giving them full credit for each product, which they can pass on to the consumer. We don't have such power and many times our suppliers do not accept returns even if we offer them to pay restocking fees. So don't assume you will be able to easily return a product if you are "not satisfied" with it. We will try to help when we can, but we cannot promise we will successfully process a return for every customer every time.

7. "ITS A VERY EXPENESIVE LESSON TO LEARN"
- From our perspective, the most important lesson here is to try to avoid buying something if you don't know how to use it. If you don't know how to drive, then don't buy a car yet...first learn how to drive. If you purchase something that for any reason doesn't fit your needs, don't blame the merchant and have him absorb the restocking fees charged by Distributors or Manufacturers.

8. "BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL"
- We totally, completely and EXTREMELY disagree with this customer's statement. Whenever a Customer calls or emails us for any reason, we create a case. At this very moment, this customer's case is closed, but has 61 messages back and forth with the customer and 81 actions between us, our Distributor and the Manufacturer. Stating that we were not helpful is contrary to the truth. What happens here is that this customer doesn't like to hear anything other than what they want to hear.

9. "THEY ARE SIMPLY RESELLERS"
- As are 100% of our internet competitors that are Retailers and not manufacturers.
- We have our inventory and we also drop-ship from distributors. This is common practice used by the smallest merchant to the mighty Amazon.

10. "THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY ARE SELLING"
- Our Company has been in business since 1990. We don't claim to know everything about every product, but we can probably offer more assistance than the majority of other internet sellers. And when a customer asks us something and we don't know, we research and answer.

11. "AND THEREFORE CANNOT TAKE ANY REFUNDS."
- Once more, this statement is not true. In several instances we offered the customer the option to return for a refund. What they didn't like is the restocking fees, but what could we do if our Distributor charges restocking fees? Why would we absorb a cost that was absolutely not our fault?

12. "I IMAGINE THEM TO BE OPERATING FROM A HOME OFFICE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND NO OFFICE/ WAREHOUSE."
- Once more, this customer's imagination is totally wrong. We have been leasing our Commercial location since 2001, and it is listed on our website in several places: 99 NW 183 Street, Suite 115, Miami, FL 33169. And, at the time of this customer's issue we had 25 employees. And, with the exception of 2 of our employees that are married to each other and 3 sisters that work in Accounting/Order Entry, we don't have family members in our Company.

13. "SO THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU IN ANY FORM OR SHAPE IF YOU HAVE ISSUES"
- Once more, this is far from the truth. First, every time a Customer contacts us for any reason, we create a Case, which is not closed until the Customer's issue is resolved. Cases can be opened for problems or simply questions like "where's my tracking info". At of the moment of this writing we have opened 26863 cases. In about 10 years of using this system this averages to about 2700 cases per year. We don't claim to always do exactly what the Customer wants, but we are Serious and try to be Professional and helpful. Whenever a Customer has a problem, we look to solve it in a way which is fair for BOTH the Customer and us the Merchant. If we make a mistake, we accept it and carry the costs. But if it's not our mistake, but the customer's mistake, then the customer has to absorb the costs. We believe this is a reasonable way to work.

We have Excellent ratings on our Amazon Store, and unlike many other ratings websites, it cannot be manipulated by Competitors. Click on this link to see for yourself and then think how can we have those ratings if we were not treating customers fairly:
Amazon.com At a Glance: Sale Stores