For the customers of origin3.net and of Russ Burnett who have filed reports please contact me if you are really serious about pursuing a class action lawsuit against Russ Burnett. My email address:
I have been working with Russ Burnett since he was working at Heritage Web Design during which time he shared with us that he would be leaving the company and starting his own web design business. Russ Burnett convinced us we should use his new company, origin3.net. Russ sold us on the idea that he had the best programmers for our site and the best customer service one could offer. However, the first site they built was a disaster. The site continually crashed and any time a customer entered the site and attempted to use the site, our customers would call and tell us they were not able to use our site and express their frustration.
Ultimately we would loose the customer due to a site that crashed constantly: the sites shopping cart was not linked correctly, customers were charged incorrect amounts for products, some customers could get to the shopping cart but then the products purchased/shipping and handling costs would total $0.00, customer images would link to incorrect accounts, images within customer accounts would disappear, etc.
During the time of the first site we marketed the site by attending numerous costly trade shows, advertised on goggle (by Russ's suggestion) and sending out tens of thousands of mailings. The marketing, advertising and website were very costly, to say the least. Just for the website (which did not work) alone cost over $12,000.00.
Russ explained that his trusty programmer who built our site, Gerol, also an original owner of origin3.net, would be leaving the company because he could not be trusted. Hhhmmmm. Ya think? Russ explained that the programmer built our site using bits and pieces taken from other web sites. If the other websites made any programming changes to our site, in turn, our site would crash.
After spending an enormous amount of money in 2006 on the site and marketing we were desperate to have a site that would work as we were quickly loosing customers. (The money came from our own personal savings and could have been deposited into our children's college funds.) The second site began the beginning of 2007. We spent an additional amount of our own personal funds on building the second website and marketing under the assumption we would have a working site for us. We explained to Russ that our marketing started mid February. He promised us we would be able to show everyone our new site during our first national trade show of that year in mid-February.
This did not happen. Surprised? Nope, did not think so... We went to the trade show in February. We attended 5 total trade shows from February to mid April. During each show we had intended to display our new site and walk potential customers threw the site. The site was not available for any of the trade shows and we were not able to show anyone the new site and what it could offer. The costs for the trade shows, marketing, advertising, travel expenses, mailings, etc. Were again, adding up for a second year in a row.
Our site was finally live the week of July 4th. Note, our business is seasonal and starts the beginning of June. We lost customers during the start of our season because we were not able to offer them our services, as planned.
It is now February. We were NEVER informed by any representatives from orgin3.net that they are no longer hosting our website. I only learned that they are no longer hosting our site by clicking on the link to origin3.net from our site. I did this because I needed to get the phone number of origin3.net to call them because I had some questions for them.instead of button linking to origin3.net it linked to a VIAGRA ADD! How totally embarrassing especially because we market to children's summer camps, schools and children's sports teams!
I have had to spend additional money to create a new site. The new site is up primarily so customers can obtain contact information. It does not list the 100 products we listed on the previous site and it does not include a shopping cart; all of which we worked endless hours to create. I no longer have access to the second site built by origin3.net. It is out there somewhere in cyber space. Maybe... I am hoping to get the information, links, codes, etc. To get my site back OR all my money I spent in the last couple of years!
I briefly talked with Russ Burnett mid January and asked him to send me all my information on my site - files, codes, and links, etc. He said he would have someone from origin3.net email a link to a file so I could download that information. He said it would take some time for me to load that to my computer, as the size of the site is so large. That was o.K. With me because it was just a relief for me to know I would have that information and wash my hands of Russ Burnett and orgin3.net. I thought I was on my way to taking my site to a hosting company that could provide me acceptable server space and deliver good customer service.
On February 22nd I tried to call Russ several times. I did get threw and he said he was in a meeting. Anyone ever hear that before? He said he would call back in 1 hour but if he did not call back in one hour I was to call him. Not to my surprise, I had to call him back. I left a message asking him to please call me so I could have the information to our site. I asked him to simply please copy that information to a disc and mail it to me. I have yet to hear back from him. On February 25 I called Russ, again, on his cell: (801)-529-5555 at 1 pm eastern time. I left a voice mail asking him to please return my call. On Monday, February 27 I left another voice mail for Russ asking him to please forward the information I have requested. On Friday, February 29 I contacted Russ on his email asking him to to forward requested information.
I am asking for your help. If you are planning or have already taken action by pursuing a class action suit please contact me at the email address or phone number listed above. I am not a suit happy person but do believe justice needs to be served.
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