This is going to sound very much like some other reports on this company but it is original, not a repeat.
On Friday, June 21st I ordered a Sharp LC-32d43u TV from Projector Export (PE) on line from their web site. I selected the one cent shipping option. I expected this would be UPS ground and take about 10 days. Actually there was nothing specified about this shipping method.
On the 22nd of June I got an email from PE asking me to call and verify the order. On Monday, June 24th I called to verify. I was told the one cent shipping I had selected would mean it would take a long time to get the TV to me. I think they said two months but I don't remember exactly. I said I didn't know of any shipping method that was that slow.
I was told that they had a better model available for $100 more and it came with free expedited shipping that would take 5-7 days. The better TV was supposed to be a Sharp LC-32d64upk. I had done a lot of research before selecting the LC-32d43u and had never heard of a sharp TV that ended in pk. I was gong to ask about it but got distracted by the sales pitch.
I was told the TV had a better response time and other features that made it a real bargain. I am familiar with the LC-32d64u and it is a much better TV. I was told that a store in California had gone out of business and had sent these TVs back to Sharp. Sharp had inspected them and then sold them off as refurbished. I was assured that in fact the TV I would get was actually new and unopened. I was also told that the expedited shipping did not include a tracking number. My mind was full of numbers and statements so I let this red flag pass. I agreed to the change.
After the call I got to thinking about everything and became a little concerned. I did some online checking and found that Sharp did not have a pk model. From a google search I found that it stood either for Pro Kir or Pro Kit. I couldn't find out anything else about what pk meant but I thought this might mean it included cables and a wall mount or something like that. My online research indicated that the pk added about $1000 to the cost of the TV. For me it actually added some mystery and excitement to the purchase. And I was really looking forward to getting the TV.
This is the end of the good things.
On the 25th of June I checked the status of my order on PE's website. It still showed me buying the first TV. On the 26th I called PE to inquire. I was told that I was getting the second TV and that it had shipped on the 25th.
I kept checking my order status and at this moment, noon Saturday, July 12, it still shows me buying the first TV. I checked my bank account and it showed a charge on the 25th.
Silly me, I actually hoped to have the TV by June 28th or 30th. When it didn't come by July 2nd I called PE again to check. They told me the expedited shipping was not 5-7 days but 7-9 business days. Because of the July 4th holiday, by their calculations it could arrive as late as July 7th. This was starting to worry me but I decided to be patient.
On July 9th I called again to see where my TV was. I was told they would put a trace on it and send me an email. I checked my email several time and didn't get one. At this point I had been substantially stalled, lied to and "bate and switched". I got seriously concerned. I did some online checking and found complaint.
Wow! Exactly my experience reported by several other people. It would have been funny if it wasn't happening to me.
On July 10th I called PE again to ask about the email. I was told it would be sent at 5:00 that day and to check then. Guess what happens at 5:00? Customer service closes. I called PE sales department at 7:00. I was told to hang on for a second. The phone went dead for a moment and then started to ring. And ring. And ring.
I gave up after a few minutes and hung up. Earlier that day I had called my bank and disputed the charge. I had actually called PE to tell them that but they put me on perma-ring before I could get to it. Today, July 12th, I see that the charge has been reversed. All I have actually lost is some time and trust.
I have had really good luck with online merchants in the past. Only a couple of bad experiences but Projector Export is a good example of the people I don't ever want to come across again.
In fairness, I did not experience the profanity some others got. I did get handed off and put on hold a lot but hold times weren't out of the ordinary and they were nice on the phone. But the basic failure to perform what they say is inexcusable.
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