Buyer Beware: VRSF

[EShield]

This is a follow-up to my previous post. I feel like I have given more than ample time time for Tiago to come up with an amicable solution.

On 6/16/20 I purchased a 2G FMIC kit from VRSF. It was shipped out and arrived on 6/19/20 damaged due to Fedex's terrific shipping and handling. You can see a spot on the box creased in exactly where the FMIC core was resting in the box in the area the damage is located.

I immediately reached out to VRSF via their online contact form and filed a Fedex claim and heard nothing by the following week. I reached out to Fedex about the claim who told me there is nothing they are willing to help me with unless VRSF contacts them first. I sent 2 more e-mails and made 4-5 calls to only get their voicemail and leave a message. I sent them a private message on Facebook, posted on their wall and in several groups and even on here for anyone who can contact him to have him reach out to me so we could get this process moving. Nothing. Fedex then called to let me know that since no value was declared on the package by VRSF the most they could pay out, if VRSF ever called them, was 100.00.

With radio silence for 3 weeks, I filed a chargeback claim with my bank (anyone who has done these knows they can take 45-60 days to resolve).

Then on July 6th, Tiago e-mails me out of the blue asking for pictures. Rather than type it all up, here is the exchange between us in pictures:

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22 days later and no response. I wish we didn't have to go this route.

 

[rabenne]

I would have probably dealt with the damage personally. Its in a spot where you will never see it when installed, it wont hurt the performance of the intercooler, and it certainly wouldn't be worth calling my bank over. But that's just me.

Sorry to hear about your poor experience, it sounds like customer service was lacking severely! But still, was it worth all that over such minor damage?

 

[EShield]

Yes, I bought a new product, not a slightly damaged product.

 

[rabenne]

It is a cheapo intercooler kit bro, and its not even damage to the core. its damage to the flat bar that caps the end (if I'm not mistaken). You are kinda crying over nothing. Put it on the car and forget it happened??

I get your frustration with the poor communication, and it does suck, hopefully Tiago takes note of the negative post and does better in the future. Maybe the guy is dealing with stuff...?

 

[EShield]

It is a cheapo intercooler kit bro, and its not even damage to the core. its damage to the flat bar that caps the end (if I'm not mistaken). You are kinda crying over nothing. Put it on the car and forget it happened??

I get your frustration with the poor communication, and it does suck, hopefully Tiago takes note of the negative post and does better in the future. Maybe the guy is dealing with stuff...?

I don't agree with your perspective. I didn't set the price, so regardless of if you think it is cheap or not, it's irrelevant to the crux of this. As someone who has been a manager of O'Reilly's and now works in the auto repair service industry, the expectation, rightfully so, is when you pay for something new, you get something new and undamaged. If a customer came in and bought a 4 pack of 1.99 tire valve stem covers and they were discolored in some way, or had an imperfection and came in to request a replacement, I gave it to them, because they did not agree to purchase an item that was damaged or imperfect. If you want to sell a damaged item to someone at a discounted cost and you both accept this, then it is a different story.

I am not replacing everything in this car that has a minor imperfection to then just install a new part that is damaged. I am clinically diagnosed with OCD, and this bothers me and I will know it is in my car. Being my car, I don't want it in it and I want what I paid for, despite your ability to just shrug it off if it was yours. Had VRSF of declared the value of the shipment and not ignored every single communicaton attempt I made to them, then FedEx would be buying a new kit. They didn't do that and are unwilling to deliver on what I have reasonably requested.

I bought this kit because I have read good reviews on it for the price and it seemed like a good option to replace the small, beat up kit the car came with until I decide at a later time where I want to go with this final build. I bought this car to enjoy it and have a good time while driving it. If something is nagging me about the vehicle, it will not equate to a good time for me and thus defeats the purpose anyway. When I update my build thread with all the minor things I did to make myself happy with this car, you will see how much of a perfectionist I am at any cost. Then perhaps you will understand why this is worth it to me. I took out a rust free, nearly perfect AWD fuel pump sender that I had to plug two holes that were drilled into it by the previous owner to install a practically brand new unit I paid 300.00 for with a new hose. So yes, this is worth it to me.

 

[Mech Addict]

Seems like you gave the merchant ample opportunity to work out a solution, and they didn’t even respond until you exhausted all your options, and had to use your last resort. Now they suggest you abandon the only lever that got any attention? If you did believe them and dropped the reverse charge, you could likely never initiate it again, and be back at their mercy, which was lacking to begin with. OCD for a small dent; perhaps. But new should be new, I doubt they would advertise a dented model. Hope it works out for you.

 

[jed344]

I would be mad just like you,l I also would not be ok with it coming like that. I recently got into it with extremepsi about a product brand new from them i opened called and sent photos same day shipping was received. They like always say you have to take it up with the manufacturer, Granted i dont spend millions with them but sense 2009 its substantial. I informed them this was the last time i spend money with them as it took months last time this happened for company to make it right. This was a broken knob on a ARC 2 box. 100% functional i am sure but they said they would contact the company and never did. I did get it taken care of myself and they said extremepsi never even contacted them.

 

[rabenne]

I received my Vamos catch pan with a very superficial dent in an inconsequential spot and considered this same situation for myself. Why did I have to pay for a damaged item? Well in reality, if I was buying from amazon, I wouldnt have let it go. But, as a long time DSMer, and someone who knows 5 mins on the road could result in worse damage, I thought it would be best to accept the tiny damage and let it go. See, I find it really nice that guys like Tiago or Bryan Vamos are willing to support the community. If we become a community of cry babies, what incentive is there for them to continue to sell products for meager profits? If we become too big of a pain in the ass to deal with we might be making everything from scratch in the future.

Just my .02

Feel free to take a look in my build journal where I complained a tiny bit about receiving the damaged part. I thought it was probably best to not call him out on the general forums. Shit happens. I am not just trying to screw with you, just consider all angles here. I hope you learn to let shit go... or move on to a different platform...

 

[spyderdrifter]

I'm not picking sides here or anything, but I too would be expecting a new condition product after paying for a new product regardless of the price. Obviously VRSF can't control FedEx and there "shipping", but they could still provide reasonable customer service to help. At a minimum just exchange for a new kit/part of kit. Hell, they could even provide better shipping materials to avoid damages and pissed off customers. They could also respond a bit quicker.

 

[EShield]

I don't need to move on to a different platform nor will I after 21 years of DSMing. Chargeback has already been filed for a month. I will get the money back. I will gladly ship this back when VRSF offers a shipping label which they can take up with FedEx who they still haven't called to file a claim or relinquish their right to a claim so FedEx can release the measly 100.00s to me which I will use to ship this back when my credit card company removes the charge from my card. If you want to let companies off the hook for charging full price and sending damaged product, that is your prerogative. If VRSF had declared the value of the product to FedEx, instead of trying to get a few dollars cheaper shipping rate, and contacted them all those weeks back, FedEx would have had to buy a new kit for me and FedEx would take the damaged kit back. Quite frankly, the things I have learned since buying this kit that Tiago has said about the DSM community, VRSF will be no great loss to it.

This is a buyer beware post. I included pictures of my exchange with dates so everyone can read it exactly as it happened. If you choose to do business with them, that is your choice, but at least people can know what to expect if something goes wrong. I work in the automotive parts and service industry as well, this not service I would find acceptable to give my customers, nor is it acceptable to me to be receiving.

A new undamaged core arrives to my house before the chargeback process finalizes, I will cancel it and that will keep him from having to pay a fee, he wants the old core back? Send me a label and hash it out with FedEx.

 

[rabenne]

You shared what you wanted us to see out of the exchange... but I can tell you are the type that probably pissed Tiago off with your wingeing and he probably said F-this guy... In which case, I kinda find it funny. He doesn't need your little $329 bad enough to deal with a cry baby. I really do hope he's just doing this to f*** with you haha

 

[EShield]

I shared every single email. You need serious help.

 

[lasthope05]

https://www.vr-speed.com/terms-and-conditions/

Read points 15, 16, and 17. As shitty as the situation is for you, they don't have to do anything as they covered their ass.

 

[EShield]

They don't have to do anything, I agree. I will win the charge back, get the money back and move on. This is just to give a heads-up to people who may run into the same problem down the line. Protect yourself, buy with a credit card so if you run into this you have recourse.

 

[lasthope05]

I'm assuming your also going to be keeping the product as you refuse to pay return shipping correct?

 

[EShield]

I'm assuming your also going to be keeping the product as you refuse to pay return shipping correct?

He can have it back. All he has to do is provide the shipping label. It will sit in a box ready for FedEx to pick up. It will not get installed or sold off. It will rightfully be VRSFs property. My credit card company requested the above emails as proof I offered to send it back at their cost and they refused.

 

[rabenne]

I think it might be you, sir, that needs help. Maybe something for that clinically diagnosed OCD that spilled out of your purse in post #5.

Mountain out of a mole hill - the millennial way.

Please.... tell us what else you are entitled to....

 

[EShield]

You have a severe problem when you think people who buy a new undamaged product aren't entitled to a new undamaged product. But yes continue to stand on your lawn shaking your fist and trying to make a pseudo-political anti-millenial statement in defense of poor service.

 

[lasthope05]

He can have it back. All he has to do is provide the shipping label. It will sit in a box ready for FedEx to pick up. It will not get installed or sold off. It will rightfully be VRSFs property. My credit card company requested the above emails as proof I offered to send it back at their cost and they refused.

Problem is they are not obligated to send you a paid shipping label. You giving an ultimatum of free return shipping or you're not getting the item back is not is not exactly offering to return it. All VRSF has to do is send their terms and conditions to your bank and they could easily deny your claim. That with the fact that you sent copy's of emails basically saying "I'm keeping the item as I'm not paying for return shipping."


Again.. shitting situation for you to be in but that's how the system is. Lots of places also have a restocking fee in their terms....

That with the fact that VRSF hasn't really supported the DSM community in years and could care less. Not to mention they supposedly removed their dsm product lines anyways.

 

[talon20g]

It's looking more like a seller beware post.

 

[EShield]

Problem is they are not obligated to send you a paid shipping label. You giving an ultimatum of free return shipping or you're not getting the item back is not is not exactly offering to return it. All VRSF has to do is send their terms and conditions to your bank and they could easily deny your claim. That with the fact that you sent copy's of emails basically saying "I'm keeping the item as I'm not paying for return shipping."


Again.. sh**ting situation for you to be in but that's how the system is. Lots of places also have a restocking fee in their terms....

I have already essentially won the claim. My credit card company agrees with me that I am due a new, undamaged product. They agree that I should not be out money to ship it or replace it. The reason they asked specifically for that email is to counter their claim that I am unwilling to return it. Just because you put terms on your website, doesn't make them legal or binding, especially when you conduct interstate commerce, since those terms violate specific consumer protections provided to me by my state. I am getting the 329.99 back, that is not a question. I worked in Bank of Americas fraud department from 2001 to 2006, I know the process inside and out.

Restocking fee is for returns, not for damaged goods claims. Again, all VRSF had to do is declare value properly and contact FedEx to authorize me as the party with the right to file a claim and this would be FedEx issue. If he wants it back, I am not paying but will honor sending it back on a prepaid label. There is zero cause for me giving a company 329.99 only to have to spend 60.00 to ship the damaged product back. I literally end with less than I started through no fault of my own.

 

[lasthope05]

All I'm basically get from that is, im getting my money back and mostly likely getting a free intercooler to keep or sell at the end of all this. Cool. When this is all over an done I'll give you $60 for the intercooler.

 

[EShield]

It is not for sale. It does not belong to me after the charge back is completed. It will be ready for VRSF to send a label for it and it will be provided to FedEx that very same day. Period.

My moral compass seems to be truer than some here.

 

[rabenne]

There is zero cause for me giving a company 329.99 only to have to spend 60.00 to ship the damaged product back. I literally end with less than I started through no fault of my own.

That is the policy you agreed to by purchasing from the site. Tell us more about your moral compass...

 

[EShield]

That is the policy you agreed to by purchasing from the site. Tell us more about your moral compass...

I don't recall at any point hitting buy on a product with a description of damaged. Contract null and void right there. Give me 329.99 and you can have this kit and I will buy another one since you want to shill for Tiago. Then everyone can be happy.