(COMMERCIAL) Ongoing issues with Black Cat Bases, recent developments: pp.21ff.

[menziestank]

Hello,

1. re: monthly updating, that might well be the case.

2. re: ebay (UK) shop check out their links here:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/War-Gaming-Miniatures
http://cgi3.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=jo8673

(Seller is 'jo8673', highly rated, same logo and introduction re: Simba, links back to black cat bases website, etc, so clearly these are the same peoples)

To reiterate, I wish their ebay shop did sell the miniatures that I wanted featured in their blackcatbases.com catalogue, I would've bought them in a heartbeat. Alas they don't, but still they've been buying and selling stuff on ebay for the past 7 months so perhaps 'internet connectivity' is more to do with their actual webpage/shop since their ebay trading is completely unaffected.

In any case I completely agree with you, if they are unable to make good on their orders their website/shop should be closed. Until then I will have to await a response and/or escalate dispute with Paypal to get my money back.

[viciouscircle]

As you can see they arent almost selling miniatures on their ebay shop. Mostly used books and what it seems to be leftover stocks. So their internet works.
As far as i know you have to wait 45 days to ask for a refund with paypal. So i have to wait 37 days. Im pretty sure thats what in the end i will do cause i dont think they will answer my emails or send me the miniatures.
¿Has anyone tried to send a message to them using ebay?

[Too Bo Coo]

As you can see they arent almost selling miniatures on their ebay shop. Mostly used books and what it seems to be leftover stocks. So their internet works.
As far as i know you have to wait 45 days to ask for a refund with paypal. So i have to wait 37 days. Im pretty sure thats what in the end i will do cause i dont think they will answer my emails or send me the miniatures.
¿Has anyone tried to send a message to them using ebay?

No mate, you need to do this BEFORE 45 days hits.  Not after.  If you wait 46 days youre SOL.

[menziestank]

Viciouscircle,

Just replying to you as well, concerned about your comment re: waiting for 37 more days. I urge you check out this link:

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/buyer-protection

Quote from paypal regarding buyer protection:-

"Buyers must raise a dispute within 45 days of a single PayPal payment for the full price of the item. If no satisfactory response is received from the seller, a claim must be filed within 20 days of raising the dispute."

You do NOT have to wait 45 days to ask for a refund with paypal. You MUST raise a dispute with paypal within 45 days, after which you must escalate within 20 days, otherwise you'd lose your claim and your monies will evaporate. (unless of course you've also paid by credit card, which would have a further degree of protection).

I am also assuming that Blac Cat Bases' internet connection does work due to the healthy activity of their ebay sales account, and also that they are able to make good on their ebay orders based on positive feedback they've been getting the past 7-8 months (compare with negative feedback on online forums just by doing a quick google search of the following words "contact black cat bases". Wish I had done this before buying anything from their website now!)

As their ebay sales account and therefore paypal account must be in good working order, there really is no need to get in touch with them via ebay, as going through paypal will work just fine (otherwise their ebay shop wouldn't work either and they'd have a bunch of unhappy ebay customers with negative ratings. Don't see any of those). Therefore, I can only assume they are ignoring my emails and adopting the 'ostrich' business strategy of burying their heads in the sand and refusing all efforts of basic communication. Emphasis on "assume" of course, as I will be willing to consider an explanation, an apology, anything! as whatever patience I once had it has now run out.

Why they are doing this instead of just shutting the shop down I can only speculate, insinuate, and vent my displeasure and disappointment, skirting dangerously close to libel and slander, so I cannot comment further I hear from them, receive my order, or get my refund.

[Jonas]

I see about the Ebay shop now, I wasn't aware of that.

About the internet problems. I think they did have internet problems in the past, but I don't think it is the case anymore. I would think the main problems for contact now would probably be a huge baglog of mails and orders, which might be a complete chaos and overwhelming.

I ceartainly hope they will eventually come around and get everything sorted out. I really wish to order from them again in the future, but right now I need to see more positive feedback from people.

It is great to see that some people do get their orders and all, but it is kind of heartbreaking to see how others apparently still get totally ignored.

To end I can only send more best wishes to BCB and the best of luck to anyone with outstanding orders.

Everyone please keep us updated. I for one is very interested to hear both good and bad experiences and wait impatiently for the day when only the good are left again.

[viciouscircle]

Thanks for the clarification, guess i will wait until the end of this week and then if  theres no answers o updates on my "processing order" i will start the refund with paypal. I dont want to wait for months from my miniatures to arrive and not being able to know if i will ever receive them.
Btw menziestank my order is number 2460 and yours is 2418. So there are at least 42 persons i suppose in the same situation as ours.
If they can enter their ebay account, they can enter this forum and say something about our orders. They can access their email. So no excuses for me about internet issues.
I know small bussiness arent amazon. You dont get a minute based report about your order, but at least they should be able to tell the costumers whats happening and if they cannot even do that, just close the shop until things are sorted.
Sadly for them, i guess a lot of people are now aware of whats happening.

[cheetor]

Btw menziestank my order is number 2460 and yours is 2418. So there are at least 42 persons i suppose in the same situation as ours.

At least.  My order from last August is #2205.  Its not a very large order - just two miniatures and a sprue or two of weapons - but thats not really the point.

Very disappointing.

[menziestank]

An update:

Well well well...

After opening the dispute on paypal to force Black Cat Bases to account, and posting on this forum to express and share my frustration to other fellow miniatures enthusiasts, guess what surprise I got via my personal email and my BCB ltd account this noon (Monday, 14th April 2014)?

"... Date Ordered: Saturday 22 February, 2014
The comments for your order are: Hi, sorry for the delay which has been due to ill health, your parcel is now on the way. My sincere apologies. Jo

Your order has been updated to the following status:
New status: Dispatched... "

 

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for customers awaiting their orders as BCB clear their backlog? Or will I be one of the lucky 'Chosen Ones' (see: squeaky wheel + grease).

I'll await receipt of this long-awaited delivery when (or 'if') it arrives as Paypal have given me until next week (Wed 23rd April 2014) to escalate the dispute, otherwise it will be closed in the seller's favour. If it doesn't turn up before then (which is ample time for a 1st class small packet delivery within the UK, 1-2 working days) despite being marked as 'dispatched' I will have no choice but to escalate this and claim my refund* as being within my consumer rights.

*Note: I must state that in the event that said items do not materialise before I claim my refund, but appear as if by magic after I get my money back I will provide to BCB Ltd the monies they are owed as a matter of course.

[viciouscircle]

Glad to see that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. When did you open the dispute on paypal? Asking because maybe that forced them to move. Please keep us informed if you finally receive your miniatures.

[menziestank]

My order purchase was dated, paid for and confirmed by Black Cat Bases Ltd on 22nd February 2014, paid by Paypal.

I opened a non-received dispute with Paypal on 3rd April 2014, (therefore 29 working days since ordering & paying for it)

I sent 2 messages on the 3rd of April and subsequently on the 9th of April, stating I would escalate on the 16th and demand a refund.

I have received this dispatch confirmation today 14th April 2014 (therefore 36 working days since ordering & paying for it), and will escalate the dispute to Paypal on 23rd April 2014 if I haven't received the items yet.

I will report back as soon as I have received items, but a bit saddened that I had to kick up a fuss in the first place for what seemed to be a routine transaction. Good luck to everyone else with your orders/items too.

[Dr Mathias]

Do what you have to do.

I've ordered a lot of stuff over the years from various people and I've had to open Paypal disputes twice. That gets 'em moving because Paypal will drop them if they get too many complaints. Paypal employees are constantly dealing with fraud and they do take action.

Unlike the bastards who own Kickstarter- I'd like to baseball bat the owner's knees

[Too Bo Coo]

Do what you have to do.

I've ordered a lot of stuff over the years from various people and I've had to open Paypal disputes twice. That gets 'em moving because Paypal will drop them if they get too many complaints. Paypal employees are constantly dealing with fraud and they do take action.

Unlike the bastards who own Kickstarter- I'd like to baseball bat the owner's knees

For KS, just use your credit card dis[pute.  I ordered heads from Mimic and they totally dropped the ball.  I got my money back a few days ago.

[Dr Mathias]

So if I want to order from Black Cat- I need to order, wait a month, then file a Paypal claim, and then they will send it.

Still might be faster than Armorcast and Zombiesmith 

[pacarat]

Unfortunately, I didn't learn about the health issues, etc, until well after the PayPal dispute period had ended. My August 2013 order of almost $200 is still in limbo...

Just sent them a message via eBay's contact seller link... we'll see if anything comes of it.

[Diplomatist]

At least.  My order from last August is #2205. 

And mine 2152...