My sister and I went to the Anaheim Convention Center Home and Garden Show on Sunday, June 1st (the last day of the show). I had heard you can get some good deals at the home shows on the last day - so I thought I would try it out!
Here is what has since happened:
Purchased BBQ at Anaheim Convention Home and Garden Show on Sun. 6/1/08 from one of the exhibitors: Fantasy Islands BBQs
Paid $2,688.36 by check (check cleared my bank on 6/3/08 - I have requested copy of canceled check) Yes - I was stupid and fell for the - "in order to get this great deal - you have to pay for it all right now!"
Mon. 6/2 - Called the factory (951-683-2121) - as directed by salesman (Jorge Rocha) at show - to arrange delivery and confirm order. Girl on phone said they are super busy but will have it ready and will deliver it on Weds. 7/2. At the time I mentioned how I had tried to pull up their website to show my daughter the BBQs and the web page did not come up (was blank) - she said that the website was being worked on but should still display something and was going to let the web guy know... As of 7/2 - the website (www.shopfantasyislands.com) was still blank!
Weds. 7/2/08 - stayed home from work to take delivery of BBQ. Was expecting a message on Tues night to confirm delivery etc. - there was none - so on Weds. Morning I called the factory to get an idea of when they would be here. I got a recording stating the mail box was full and could not take more messages...
I then called the Murrietta store (this is the store that the salesman (Jorge Rocha) at the show said he was from... When I called this number (951-445-4227) - I got a recording stating the number has been disconnected or is no longer in service.
I then called the San Diego store and got a message "Hi, thank you for calling Fantasy Islands Direct, please leave a detailed message and we will return your call promptly, we are open 7 days a week, 10am - 6pm, if you are calling about delivery of your BBQ or status of your order, please call the factory direct at 951-683-2121 (the number who's mailbox is full!)". I left numerous messages on Weds., another couple on Thurs and one on the 4th.
On Weds. 7/2 when it was becoming a apparent that I hade been ripped off, I contacted the Starbucks near the San Diego store (gotta love Googlemaps - street view!) and the Starbuck's employee confirmed that there is a Fantasy Islands BBQ store there and it looked open. Well, it appears that it "looked open" because the doors were open and they were moving stuff "out of the store". I called the same Starbucks on Friday 7/11 and one of the employees was nice enough to actually go over to the store - he said it was empty and that he thought he remembered seeing stuff being moved out sometime the week before.
Here are the addresses:
San Diego Showroom:
7054 Miramar Road
San Diego, CA 92121
Tel (858) 566-7227
Fax (858) 566-9227
Open 7 days a week, 10am - 6pm (per their phone message)
Factory:
3403 Niki Way
Riverside, CA 92507
Tel (951) 683-2121
Fax (951) 683-2212
Murrietta (Temecula) Showroom
29955 Technology Drive, Suite 110
Murrietta, CA 92563
Tel (951) 445-4227
Fax (951) 445-4222
I was suppose to get a 7' BBQ island with a 4 burner Jenn Air grill (NG), side burner, light, electric outlet, small refrigerator, built in umbrella, undermount lighting under bar area. It was going to be stucco with slate tile top and 2 slate diamonds on the front of it.
So much for my good deal. I don't know what to do now. I am a single mother of two just trying to get something nice for our house and this happens. If there are any class action suits brought against this company or anything - please let me know. I am also going to file a complaint with the Anaheim Convention Center.
How do we know they aren't going to re-open under a different name, using our money and start ripping off other unsuspecting consumers?
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