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Planet Jeep is one of those companies whose outward appearance is glossy and professional, but as the old saying goes, something is rotten in the State of Denmark. In each (or at least most) of their listing they claim to "have been in the Custom Jeep and truck business for over 17 years and sell only quality products that we would put on our own Jeeps or trucks". Unfortunately however, a simple review of this company's feedback yields a small legion of buyers who have been misled, scammed, or otherwise bamboozled. I am by no means a newcomer to Ebay and have been registered (with one User ID or another) since Ebay opened it's doors in 1995. As an active seller I know how customers should be and would like to be treated, but unfortunately I too am sometimes the victim of less-than-scrupulous sellers. Yes, I am among that small legion of the bamboozled.
What started as a simple purchase of a set of heavier-than-normal-duty door entry guards for my 1999 Jeep Wrangler ended with Planet Jeep taking $34.74 of my hard earned money and me ending up with one pound of worthless scrap metal. The entry guards, from the now out of business Steele Horse Automotive company, were more than likely bought at wholesale upon or shortly after the company's demise....this should have been my first clue that something foul was in the air. My second clue should have been the shipping....a little research yielded that a one pound package shipped via FedEx Ground from Planet Jeep's Inglewood, CA address to my home in Florida is $8.04. They however, charged $14.74....that would be a 40% markup on shipping. Here's how they do it....all (every single one) of their items state that they will be shipped via UPS, but they are actually shipped through FedEx. In other words, they are quoting UPS shipping rates, but shipping at the much less expensive FedEx Ground rate.....and then pocketing the difference. In a later email from Planet_Jeep they stated that the 40% difference was for a "handling charge", which was not listed nor mentioned anywhere in the item listing.
Note "UPS Ground" in the listing (left picture) and the FedEx Ground shipping label (Center and Right picture)
What actually arrived on my doorstep was hardly a well-packaged and protected item that would be worthy of installation....especially on a Jeep. Planet Jeep's idea of shipping was slapping a shipping label of the back of the item's retail packaging (little more than a thin strip of cardboard with a clear, plastic cover) and sending it on it's way. What arrived was a set of scratched, dented, and bent metal objects that were barely usable as door stops, much less vehicle door entry guards.
Note the bends in the item (left and right picture) and the tears in the retail packaging (all pictures).
The item listing description clearly stated that all installation hardware was included however, none was sent with the item. The listing also clearly stated that it would fit all 1996 to 2006 Wranglers. A little search of Ye Old Information Super Highway for the specific Steele Horse model number yielded that they did in fact fit all 96 to 06 Wrangler.....without the doors (half or full sized) installed or with tube-style doors installed. So much for Truth in Advertising.
As of the date of this guide I have attempted to contact Planet_Jeep on six separate occasions via eBay Messaging and another four separate times via my personal email. Needless to say, none of these emails were replied to. Also, I filed a dispute via PayPal in hopes of recouping some (if not all) of my hard earned money....needless to say (once again), Planet_Jeep did not respond during the dispute process.
As of the date of this guide there were a total of twelve (12) Ebay Guides that show Planet_Jeep for what it truely is....A SCAM. If you still don't believe me, do a simple search with your favorite search engine using the keyword "Planet_Jeep". What you will find is between 600 to 1000 pages, 80% of which show them in a very, very negative light.
Update - 2/26/08:
Planet_Jeep left me the following negative feedback: "only a 2 piece product what is missing? 2 screws?" My response to this feedback was as follows: "No hardware included, item scratched & dented. Zero Commo. PayPal dispute!" Now you should begin to see a pattern emerging......
Update - 3/2/08:
Filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of the Southland (Los Angeles). The BBB currently lists Planet Jeep as having an "F" rating, meaning the BBB "strongly questions the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices." WOW...other than 'licensing and registration' that pretty much covers my entire complaint !
Ebay does not allow non-Ebay links to be posted here however, using your favorite search engine enter the following keywords in order to contact the BBB of Los Angeles: BBB LA It's free and, if necessary, anonymous.
What started as a simple purchase of a set of heavier-than-normal-duty door entry guards for my 1999 Jeep Wrangler ended with Planet Jeep taking $34.74 of my hard earned money and me ending up with one pound of worthless scrap metal. The entry guards, from the now out of business Steele Horse Automotive company, were more than likely bought at wholesale upon or shortly after the company's demise....this should have been my first clue that something foul was in the air. My second clue should have been the shipping....a little research yielded that a one pound package shipped via FedEx Ground from Planet Jeep's Inglewood, CA address to my home in Florida is $8.04. They however, charged $14.74....that would be a 40% markup on shipping. Here's how they do it....all (every single one) of their items state that they will be shipped via UPS, but they are actually shipped through FedEx. In other words, they are quoting UPS shipping rates, but shipping at the much less expensive FedEx Ground rate.....and then pocketing the difference. In a later email from Planet_Jeep they stated that the 40% difference was for a "handling charge", which was not listed nor mentioned anywhere in the item listing.
Note "UPS Ground" in the listing (left picture) and the FedEx Ground shipping label (Center and Right picture)
What actually arrived on my doorstep was hardly a well-packaged and protected item that would be worthy of installation....especially on a Jeep. Planet Jeep's idea of shipping was slapping a shipping label of the back of the item's retail packaging (little more than a thin strip of cardboard with a clear, plastic cover) and sending it on it's way. What arrived was a set of scratched, dented, and bent metal objects that were barely usable as door stops, much less vehicle door entry guards.
Note the bends in the item (left and right picture) and the tears in the retail packaging (all pictures).
The item listing description clearly stated that all installation hardware was included however, none was sent with the item. The listing also clearly stated that it would fit all 1996 to 2006 Wranglers. A little search of Ye Old Information Super Highway for the specific Steele Horse model number yielded that they did in fact fit all 96 to 06 Wrangler.....without the doors (half or full sized) installed or with tube-style doors installed. So much for Truth in Advertising.
As of the date of this guide I have attempted to contact Planet_Jeep on six separate occasions via eBay Messaging and another four separate times via my personal email. Needless to say, none of these emails were replied to. Also, I filed a dispute via PayPal in hopes of recouping some (if not all) of my hard earned money....needless to say (once again), Planet_Jeep did not respond during the dispute process.
As of the date of this guide there were a total of twelve (12) Ebay Guides that show Planet_Jeep for what it truely is....A SCAM. If you still don't believe me, do a simple search with your favorite search engine using the keyword "Planet_Jeep". What you will find is between 600 to 1000 pages, 80% of which show them in a very, very negative light.
Update - 2/26/08:
Planet_Jeep left me the following negative feedback: "only a 2 piece product what is missing? 2 screws?" My response to this feedback was as follows: "No hardware included, item scratched & dented. Zero Commo. PayPal dispute!" Now you should begin to see a pattern emerging......
Update - 3/2/08:
Filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of the Southland (Los Angeles). The BBB currently lists Planet Jeep as having an "F" rating, meaning the BBB "strongly questions the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices." WOW...other than 'licensing and registration' that pretty much covers my entire complaint !
Ebay does not allow non-Ebay links to be posted here however, using your favorite search engine enter the following keywords in order to contact the BBB of Los Angeles: BBB LA It's free and, if necessary, anonymous.
You may however, contact them the old fashioned way at:
Better Business Bureau of the Southland
315 North La Cadena Drive
Colton, CA 92324
Customer Service
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
(909) 835-6064
Fax (909) 825-6246
315 North La Cadena Drive
Colton, CA 92324
Customer Service
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
(909) 835-6064
Fax (909) 825-6246
Update - 3/4/08:
In what would appear to be a shear act of sad desperation Planet_Jeep's "lawyer" contacted my home voicemail with a message that was, let just say, highly unprofessional. Personally, I have a family full of real lawyers and worked for a Staff Judge Advocate Office (the military version of a law firm) for four years, so I'm quite accustomed to what a conversation with a "real lawyer" is and should be. Planet_Jeep Esquire began by demanding that I "cease and desist", though he never actually mentioned what specifically I should "cease" or "desist" at. He then demanded that I pay Planet_Jeep $1000.00 (yes, you read that correctly) in compensation for "hardship and expenses incurred", again never mentioning what specific "hardship" or "expense" I seemed to have brought upon them. Now, the dead giveaway that this was no lawyer would be the final statement of their five minute tirade (and I quote), "....you'd better call me back! Hello?! (long pause) Don't make me call you again mother f__ker!" Somehow I doubt very seriously that, if I should contact the California Bar Association, I will find anyone who actually represents Planet Jeep. On a similar note, check out webguru4hire's Ebay Guide regarding his dealing with Planet Jeep....you will see a very similar pattern between our dealings with them.
Update - 3/6/08:
Planet_Jeep's "lawyer" attempted to contact me on two separate occasions on 3/6/08....both times during what would normally be considered the dinner hour (6pm to 8pm) in the Eastern time zone. Similar to his tirades of 3/4/08 the "lawyer" was sarcastically apologetic in a whinny and juvenile manner, "Oh, we are sooooo sorry you had a prah-blem with our prah-duct...." The "lawyers" call came from the offices of "4 Wheel Specialties" at (310) 677-6469 which is the actual business name of the Inglewood, CA based Planet_Jeep. Somehow I doubt very seriously that an off-road specialty / installation company based out of what is considered by most to be the worst part of the greater Los Angeles area has an in-house lawyer.
Update - 3/8/08:
I have filed a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice's National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). Complaints against Planet Jeep may be accomplished by doing a simple search with your favorite search engine using the keyword "IC3".
Update - 3/8/08:
After notifying Planet Jeep via Ebay Messaging that I had filed a complaint with IC3 I received the following reply: "You should also go the CIA and file a complaint there. We tried to call you several times and got your machine about telemarketers are scum. That says a lot about you and the way you do business. The first question I have to you is WHY DID YOU BID ON OUR AUCTION?????? when is clearly said STEEL HORSE?????? And yes we do charge 14 dollars for shipping because it's called SHIPPING and HANDLING. You must be very dumb waisting your time." After receiving this email I immediately filed a complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). Complaints with the DCA may be accomplished either online (keyword: California Consumer Affairs) or in writing to:
In what would appear to be a shear act of sad desperation Planet_Jeep's "lawyer" contacted my home voicemail with a message that was, let just say, highly unprofessional. Personally, I have a family full of real lawyers and worked for a Staff Judge Advocate Office (the military version of a law firm) for four years, so I'm quite accustomed to what a conversation with a "real lawyer" is and should be. Planet_Jeep Esquire began by demanding that I "cease and desist", though he never actually mentioned what specifically I should "cease" or "desist" at. He then demanded that I pay Planet_Jeep $1000.00 (yes, you read that correctly) in compensation for "hardship and expenses incurred", again never mentioning what specific "hardship" or "expense" I seemed to have brought upon them. Now, the dead giveaway that this was no lawyer would be the final statement of their five minute tirade (and I quote), "....you'd better call me back! Hello?! (long pause) Don't make me call you again mother f__ker!" Somehow I doubt very seriously that, if I should contact the California Bar Association, I will find anyone who actually represents Planet Jeep. On a similar note, check out webguru4hire's Ebay Guide regarding his dealing with Planet Jeep....you will see a very similar pattern between our dealings with them.
Update - 3/6/08:
Planet_Jeep's "lawyer" attempted to contact me on two separate occasions on 3/6/08....both times during what would normally be considered the dinner hour (6pm to 8pm) in the Eastern time zone. Similar to his tirades of 3/4/08 the "lawyer" was sarcastically apologetic in a whinny and juvenile manner, "Oh, we are sooooo sorry you had a prah-blem with our prah-duct...." The "lawyers" call came from the offices of "4 Wheel Specialties" at (310) 677-6469 which is the actual business name of the Inglewood, CA based Planet_Jeep. Somehow I doubt very seriously that an off-road specialty / installation company based out of what is considered by most to be the worst part of the greater Los Angeles area has an in-house lawyer.
Update - 3/8/08:
I have filed a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice's National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). Complaints against Planet Jeep may be accomplished by doing a simple search with your favorite search engine using the keyword "IC3".
Update - 3/8/08:
After notifying Planet Jeep via Ebay Messaging that I had filed a complaint with IC3 I received the following reply: "You should also go the CIA and file a complaint there. We tried to call you several times and got your machine about telemarketers are scum. That says a lot about you and the way you do business. The first question I have to you is WHY DID YOU BID ON OUR AUCTION?????? when is clearly said STEEL HORSE?????? And yes we do charge 14 dollars for shipping because it's called SHIPPING and HANDLING. You must be very dumb waisting your time." After receiving this email I immediately filed a complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). Complaints with the DCA may be accomplished either online (keyword: California Consumer Affairs) or in writing to:
Department of Consumer Affairs
Consumer Information Division
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Consumer Information Division
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (800) 952-5210
Update - 3/9/08:
After informing Plant_Jeep via email that I had filed a complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs on 3/8/08 I received the following reply on 3/9/08: "YOUR EXTREMELY LAUGHABLE. GO GET A LIFE IDIOT." If it isn't obvious already, you'll notice that Planet_Jeep did not actually begin to correspond with me (if you care to term it as such) until after I began filing complaints about them. This could have been so much simpler had they simply replied to the first (or second) email.....I could have even over-looked their butchery of the English language....but now it's far too late for that and I will not be satisfied until they are out of business (or at least off of Ebay).
Update - 3/9/08:
I filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection which works to protect consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent business practices and covers all forms of businesses in the United States up to and including publicly traded companies (which includes non-publicly traded companies such as Planet_Jeep).
Update - 3/12/08:
After informing Planet_Jeep that I had filed a complaint with the FTC, I received the following email on 3/9/08: "WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC COMPANY AND I NOTICE YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS "SLOWCUM"" After informing Planet_Jeep that the FTC takes complaints against non-publicly traded companies too, I received this reply on 3/9/08: "FOR THE SECOND TIME WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC TRADED COMPANY. MAYBE IF YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SO MUCH ANGER SINCE GRAMMER SCHOOL YOU WOULDN'T BE ACTING LIKE AN INMATURE LOW LIFE. YOUR THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL NEVER BE SATIFIED TILL YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND THAT IS GETTING EVERTHING IN LIFE FOR FREE. TAKE GOOD NOTES BUDDY, THIS IS NOT GRAMMER SCHOOL. STOP ACTING LIKE A PUNK AND GET A LIFE SLOWCUM!" "Slowcum" would be an extremely juvenile and sophomoric reference to my last name. In and of itself this last email from Planet_Jeep should give you an idea of just how demeaning and unprofessional they can be.
Update - 3/15/08:
Having grown tired of Planet_Jeep's ever increasingly rude, crude, and generally offensive email.....enough was enough. After forwarding Planet_Jeep's emails (all of them) to his/her email provider on 3/13/08 and stating that I was being harassed by one of their customers, I received the following response from the provider a few days later:
Thank you for writing to ______ Mail.
In this particular case, we have taken appropriate action against (Planet_Jeep's) account in question that was reported for fraudulent activities, as per our Terms of Service (TOS). Please know that (Email Provider) is unable to disclose the action taken on another user's account with a third party. We are not able to make exceptions to this rule. Please let us know if you still need assistance so I may assist you further. Your patience during this process is greatly appreciated.
Thank you again for contacting (Email Provider) Mail.
Regards,
(Email Provider) Customer Care
If you should begin to receive harassing, derogatory, or otherwise offensive email from another Ebay member (or anyone in general) simply replace the email user with "postmaster" (e.g. postmaster@______ dot com instead of planet_jeep@______ dot com) and forward the entire email to the offending party's email provider. Be sure the forwarded email includes the entire email header.
Update - 3/26/08:
I inadvertently filed a complaint with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. They however were kind enough to forward my complaint on to their Consumer Protection Unit, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office Consumer Protection Division.....thus giving my complaint a higher priority since it was sent from another county's District Attorney.
Update - 3/27/08:
After informing Planet_Jeep that I had forwarded complaints to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles County District Attorney's Offices I received the following response from Planet_Jeep: "Have fun. You surely don't have any life if your a $30 item you can ruin your life. The shipping cost is shipping and handling by the way and the hardware is a few screws you can use that you can get anywhere for about 5cents and we sold hundreds of those and not had a problem so if you can't fit them is because you Jeep has a problem or your doors need a adjustment but if you like to make a big deal out of nothing go ahead cause no one cares about what you are doing thanks.........tom" Once again, Planet_Jeep has stated that the shipping cost includes "shipping and handling", but Ebay requires that shipping cost and handling cost be stated separately in the listing.....which they were not. Additionally, he/she mentions the hardware that was supposed to be included with the item....and then suggest that I buy it myself. As for their inference that my Jeep is in need of mechanical repair, I purchased another set of nearly identical entry guards from a much more reputable Ebay seller a few weeks ago....and they fit just fine. I forwarded this email to PayPal for inclusion in my ongoing dispute.
I also received a letter from the Office of the Attorney General for California dated 3/24/08 stating that they will write a letter to Planet_Jeep and request a response from them regarding my complaint against them. They also stated that they will retain my complaint because "at a future date, legal action could be taken against this company by our offices."
Update - 3/28/08:
I received an email from the Better Business Bureau of the Southland (Los Angeles) stating: "In the absence of any response from the company this complaint despite our two requests to them, we are closing our file on this complaint. This unanswered complaint will become part of the information we report to the public on this company for the next three years. Should any government agency request our files on this company, your complaint will also be included." A review of the BBB report on Planet_Jeep yields that of the seven (7) separate complaints filed against them since 6/30/2006, they have failed to respond to ALL of them.
After informing Plant_Jeep via email that I had filed a complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs on 3/8/08 I received the following reply on 3/9/08: "YOUR EXTREMELY LAUGHABLE. GO GET A LIFE IDIOT." If it isn't obvious already, you'll notice that Planet_Jeep did not actually begin to correspond with me (if you care to term it as such) until after I began filing complaints about them. This could have been so much simpler had they simply replied to the first (or second) email.....I could have even over-looked their butchery of the English language....but now it's far too late for that and I will not be satisfied until they are out of business (or at least off of Ebay).
Update - 3/9/08:
I filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection which works to protect consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent business practices and covers all forms of businesses in the United States up to and including publicly traded companies (which includes non-publicly traded companies such as Planet_Jeep).
Update - 3/12/08:
After informing Planet_Jeep that I had filed a complaint with the FTC, I received the following email on 3/9/08: "WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC COMPANY AND I NOTICE YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS "SLOWCUM"" After informing Planet_Jeep that the FTC takes complaints against non-publicly traded companies too, I received this reply on 3/9/08: "FOR THE SECOND TIME WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC TRADED COMPANY. MAYBE IF YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SO MUCH ANGER SINCE GRAMMER SCHOOL YOU WOULDN'T BE ACTING LIKE AN INMATURE LOW LIFE. YOUR THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL NEVER BE SATIFIED TILL YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND THAT IS GETTING EVERTHING IN LIFE FOR FREE. TAKE GOOD NOTES BUDDY, THIS IS NOT GRAMMER SCHOOL. STOP ACTING LIKE A PUNK AND GET A LIFE SLOWCUM!" "Slowcum" would be an extremely juvenile and sophomoric reference to my last name. In and of itself this last email from Planet_Jeep should give you an idea of just how demeaning and unprofessional they can be.
Update - 3/15/08:
Having grown tired of Planet_Jeep's ever increasingly rude, crude, and generally offensive email.....enough was enough. After forwarding Planet_Jeep's emails (all of them) to his/her email provider on 3/13/08 and stating that I was being harassed by one of their customers, I received the following response from the provider a few days later:
Thank you for writing to ______ Mail.
In this particular case, we have taken appropriate action against (Planet_Jeep's) account in question that was reported for fraudulent activities, as per our Terms of Service (TOS). Please know that (Email Provider) is unable to disclose the action taken on another user's account with a third party. We are not able to make exceptions to this rule. Please let us know if you still need assistance so I may assist you further. Your patience during this process is greatly appreciated.
Thank you again for contacting (Email Provider) Mail.
Regards,
(Email Provider) Customer Care
If you should begin to receive harassing, derogatory, or otherwise offensive email from another Ebay member (or anyone in general) simply replace the email user with "postmaster" (e.g. postmaster@______ dot com instead of planet_jeep@______ dot com) and forward the entire email to the offending party's email provider. Be sure the forwarded email includes the entire email header.
Update - 3/26/08:
I inadvertently filed a complaint with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. They however were kind enough to forward my complaint on to their Consumer Protection Unit, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office Consumer Protection Division.....thus giving my complaint a higher priority since it was sent from another county's District Attorney.
Update - 3/27/08:
After informing Planet_Jeep that I had forwarded complaints to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles County District Attorney's Offices I received the following response from Planet_Jeep: "Have fun. You surely don't have any life if your a $30 item you can ruin your life. The shipping cost is shipping and handling by the way and the hardware is a few screws you can use that you can get anywhere for about 5cents and we sold hundreds of those and not had a problem so if you can't fit them is because you Jeep has a problem or your doors need a adjustment but if you like to make a big deal out of nothing go ahead cause no one cares about what you are doing thanks.........tom" Once again, Planet_Jeep has stated that the shipping cost includes "shipping and handling", but Ebay requires that shipping cost and handling cost be stated separately in the listing.....which they were not. Additionally, he/she mentions the hardware that was supposed to be included with the item....and then suggest that I buy it myself. As for their inference that my Jeep is in need of mechanical repair, I purchased another set of nearly identical entry guards from a much more reputable Ebay seller a few weeks ago....and they fit just fine. I forwarded this email to PayPal for inclusion in my ongoing dispute.
I also received a letter from the Office of the Attorney General for California dated 3/24/08 stating that they will write a letter to Planet_Jeep and request a response from them regarding my complaint against them. They also stated that they will retain my complaint because "at a future date, legal action could be taken against this company by our offices."
Update - 3/28/08:
I received an email from the Better Business Bureau of the Southland (Los Angeles) stating: "In the absence of any response from the company this complaint despite our two requests to them, we are closing our file on this complaint. This unanswered complaint will become part of the information we report to the public on this company for the next three years. Should any government agency request our files on this company, your complaint will also be included." A review of the BBB report on Planet_Jeep yields that of the seven (7) separate complaints filed against them since 6/30/2006, they have failed to respond to ALL of them.
Update - 4/1/08:
I received an email from the Dispute Settlement Service Division of the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs stating:
The County of Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has asked our Department to respond to your dispute with Planet Jeep. We offer a free mediation service to try to resolve disputes like yours. This is an alternative to settle disputes without going to court....If the other party agrees to mediate, our mediator will work with you and the other party to find a mutual solution to the dispute. If the other party refuses to mediate, our mediator will let you know. Our mediator will also let you know at this time which other options you have to pursue your dispute, including suing in Small Claims Court or hiring a private attorney. We can counsel you on how to sue in Small Claims Court, or give you information for a lawyer referral service.
I like the "...we can counsel you on how to sue...." part. I find it rather ironic that the county of Los Angeles can / will teach me how to sue one of it's own citizens...for free!
Update - 4/10/08:
SUCCESS !!!! After 57 days since purchasing the item from Planet_Jeep PayPal came through and reversed the payment. In hindsight it was only $34.70, but as I've previously mentioned it was MY hard earned money that a less-than-scrupulous and utter scam artist of a seller tried (and failed) to bilk from me. Now for the follow-up and follow-through....each and every complaint that I've I've previously mentioned needs to be updated, making a point of the fact that Planet_Jeep would not willingly refund my monies and having had to resolve the matter by way of a payment reversal by an intermediary (PayPal).
Even though I have recouped my losses, some eight weeks ago I vowed that I would not be completely satisfied until Planet_Jeep was kicked off of Ebay. Having corresponded with so many Ebay members that have likewise been scammed by them I feel that I somehow owe it to all of those individuals to see this through to the bitter end.
Remember fellow Ebayer, beginning in May of 2008 Ebay will institute new requirements and standards for Power Sellers. At the present time Planet_Jeep is hovering at and/or just below the minimum standards for Power Sellers. Once they are stripped of their Power Seller status, Planet_Jeep's conduct will inevitably come under a considerable amount of scrutiny from Ebay.....and at that point it's just a matter playing the waiting game while they dig their own grave (so to speak).
Update - 5/19/08:
Well, it would seem that Ebay did the job for them. As of 5/19/08 Ebay revamped it's feedback system and subsequently lowered planet_jeep's feedback from a 98.2% to a lowly 95.7%. With that said, believe me, I was the FIRST to notify Ebay of planet_jeep's current failure to maintain the minimum standards for a Power Seller status.
Update - 6/5/08:
It goes without saying that Planet_Jeep sells a lot of worthless crap, but it would seem that they don't even want said worthless crap back. Back in March 2008, I returned the item I bought from them and subsequently was given a full refund via PayPal. When returning the item I sent it via USPS with Return Receipt, meaning that someone at Planet_Jeep would have to physically sign for the item. Today however, some four months later, I received the item back....the Post Office on Planet_Jeep's end had sent them five separate notices telling them to come pick the item up, but (obviously) no one showed up and the item was returned to sender. So, once again, I am stuck with what amounts to a set of overly expensive door stops.
Note the green "Return Receipt" card (top left) still attached.
Update - 4/10/08:
SUCCESS !!!! After 57 days since purchasing the item from Planet_Jeep PayPal came through and reversed the payment. In hindsight it was only $34.70, but as I've previously mentioned it was MY hard earned money that a less-than-scrupulous and utter scam artist of a seller tried (and failed) to bilk from me. Now for the follow-up and follow-through....each and every complaint that I've I've previously mentioned needs to be updated, making a point of the fact that Planet_Jeep would not willingly refund my monies and having had to resolve the matter by way of a payment reversal by an intermediary (PayPal).
Even though I have recouped my losses, some eight weeks ago I vowed that I would not be completely satisfied until Planet_Jeep was kicked off of Ebay. Having corresponded with so many Ebay members that have likewise been scammed by them I feel that I somehow owe it to all of those individuals to see this through to the bitter end.
Remember fellow Ebayer, beginning in May of 2008 Ebay will institute new requirements and standards for Power Sellers. At the present time Planet_Jeep is hovering at and/or just below the minimum standards for Power Sellers. Once they are stripped of their Power Seller status, Planet_Jeep's conduct will inevitably come under a considerable amount of scrutiny from Ebay.....and at that point it's just a matter playing the waiting game while they dig their own grave (so to speak).
Update - 5/19/08:
Well, it would seem that Ebay did the job for them. As of 5/19/08 Ebay revamped it's feedback system and subsequently lowered planet_jeep's feedback from a 98.2% to a lowly 95.7%. With that said, believe me, I was the FIRST to notify Ebay of planet_jeep's current failure to maintain the minimum standards for a Power Seller status.
Update - 6/5/08:
It goes without saying that Planet_Jeep sells a lot of worthless crap, but it would seem that they don't even want said worthless crap back. Back in March 2008, I returned the item I bought from them and subsequently was given a full refund via PayPal. When returning the item I sent it via USPS with Return Receipt, meaning that someone at Planet_Jeep would have to physically sign for the item. Today however, some four months later, I received the item back....the Post Office on Planet_Jeep's end had sent them five separate notices telling them to come pick the item up, but (obviously) no one showed up and the item was returned to sender. So, once again, I am stuck with what amounts to a set of overly expensive door stops.
Note the green "Return Receipt" card (top left) still attached.
Update - 7/3/08:
I'm beginning to suspect that Ebay's Power Seller Requirements (or at least those within Ebay that maintain them) are a JOKE. The "new and improved" Power Seller Requirements were originally supposed to take affect in May of 2008, then were pushed to June of 2008, and now (once again) have been pushed to July of 2008. If you click on any Power Seller icon it will take you to the Power Seller Welcome page. The first criteria listed for all Power Sellers is, not so amazingly enough, "consistent sales volume"......and then Positive Feedback Rating and policy compliance. Yep, pretty obvious that the All Mighty Dollar is number one.....and then customer satisfaction and "following the rules" are further down the list.
On a brighter note: Planet_Jeep is still falling well below the minimum 98% Positive Feedback rating requirement and the 4.5 Detailed Seller Rating requirement for Power Sellers....which, at the rate that Ebay is going, will probably be enforced some time in FY09.
Update - 7/5/08:
I received a letter from the California Attorney General's office today stating (not so surprisingly) that, "...we have been unable to elicit any response from the company which you named in your consumer complaint." They further suggested that I contact a private attorney or taking it to small claims court. Well damn....if Planet_Jeep won't answer to the California Department of Justice, then who will they answer to? Ebay perhaps? Yeah, right.
Update - 7/6/08:
As of June 2008 Ebay further revamped it's Feedback system so that sellers are no longer allowed to leave Neutral or Negative Feedback for buyers. In my opinion, this newly revamped system is idiotic in the sense that it no longer allows perspective buyers to gauge the merits of a seller by the feedback they leave for buyers. Planet_Jeep would be a prime example of a seller who one should never deal with....if one were judging them by the Feedback they leave for others alone. If however, you still want to get an idea of what sort of seller Planet_Jeep is: Click on their feedback score, then click the "Feedback Left For Others " tab, and then go to their Feedback left on 26-MAR-08 and previous. Of the seven negative feedback that Planet_Jeep left for buyers that day the ones they left for User IDs redneck-hillbilly and dmanglr would be an excellent example of their customer service skills....or lack there of.
I'm beginning to suspect that Ebay's Power Seller Requirements (or at least those within Ebay that maintain them) are a JOKE. The "new and improved" Power Seller Requirements were originally supposed to take affect in May of 2008, then were pushed to June of 2008, and now (once again) have been pushed to July of 2008. If you click on any Power Seller icon it will take you to the Power Seller Welcome page. The first criteria listed for all Power Sellers is, not so amazingly enough, "consistent sales volume"......and then Positive Feedback Rating and policy compliance. Yep, pretty obvious that the All Mighty Dollar is number one.....and then customer satisfaction and "following the rules" are further down the list.
On a brighter note: Planet_Jeep is still falling well below the minimum 98% Positive Feedback rating requirement and the 4.5 Detailed Seller Rating requirement for Power Sellers....which, at the rate that Ebay is going, will probably be enforced some time in FY09.
Update - 7/5/08:
I received a letter from the California Attorney General's office today stating (not so surprisingly) that, "...we have been unable to elicit any response from the company which you named in your consumer complaint." They further suggested that I contact a private attorney or taking it to small claims court. Well damn....if Planet_Jeep won't answer to the California Department of Justice, then who will they answer to? Ebay perhaps? Yeah, right.
Update - 7/6/08:
As of June 2008 Ebay further revamped it's Feedback system so that sellers are no longer allowed to leave Neutral or Negative Feedback for buyers. In my opinion, this newly revamped system is idiotic in the sense that it no longer allows perspective buyers to gauge the merits of a seller by the feedback they leave for buyers. Planet_Jeep would be a prime example of a seller who one should never deal with....if one were judging them by the Feedback they leave for others alone. If however, you still want to get an idea of what sort of seller Planet_Jeep is: Click on their feedback score, then click the "Feedback Left For Others " tab, and then go to their Feedback left on 26-MAR-08 and previous. Of the seven negative feedback that Planet_Jeep left for buyers that day the ones they left for User IDs redneck-hillbilly and dmanglr would be an excellent example of their customer service skills....or lack there of.
Update - 8/22/08:
FINALLY! After three months of promises to to revamp its Power Seller requirements and nearly another month of dragging their heels after doing so, Ebay has finally taken away Planet_Jeep's Power Seller status. Unfortunately, with Ebay's newly revamped feedback system Planet_Jeep has managed to work its way from a 95.7% (May 2008) back up to a 97.4%....at this rate Planet_Jeep will probably regain its Power Seller status some time in September 2008. As for those within Ebay who devised this new feedback system and the three months it took to implement its new Power Seller requirements I get the distinct impression that it is THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.
Update - 11/8/08:
Well, it would seem that Planet_Jeep isn't getting any better. At the time of my last update they had achieved a feedback rating of 97.4%, but had since backslid to a 97.1%. Still though, there's not much chance of them recovering their DSRs, which are now 4.6 and 4.4. To date, I think User ID edaf05 has given them the best Negative Feedback to date: "Cheap import repro. Pic has tinted windows, got clear. Sweatshop quality." Well said sir....well said.
reds_renders - Veteran of:
Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm
Operation Restore Hope / United Nations Operations in Somalia II
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom III
Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm
Operation Restore Hope / United Nations Operations in Somalia II
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom III
Guide created: 02/25/08 (updated 10/26/09)
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