JacobsParts, Inc. Inferior parts, no intention of actually getting the customer one that works Indianapolis Indiana

I bought from them on eBay. They shipped me a defective part. They insisted that I pay to ship the dead part back. OK, I can go that far (not happy, but it was in their terms). Then they shipped me the WRONG part, and then wanted me to pay AGAIN to ship ... now it's been another 10 days and I've paid for shipping twice and they want me to pay for shipping a Third time. Considering that I paid in full up front and that I've already fulfilled their terms, that's not going to happen. Then they want me to ship back their wrong part so they can give me a refund of the original purchase (less shipping! of course!) so I will have paid for shipping three times and still have no part!
Sounds like a ripoff to me.

Also: you cannot see photos of the parts here, but this is a laptop charger and the part has JacobsParts emblazoned on it. So they have paid to have their own brand. Obviously someone is shipping substandard parts. They have their own RMA system for a reason, such as they have a lot of returned goods and without an automated RMA system they'd spend all day on the phone and emailing clients with dead merchandise. But in my opinion a vendor who ships the incorrect part (and knows it) and insists on the buyer paying for their second error is over the line and needs a ripoff report to make the public aware that they are over the line.

Here it is straight from paypal:
(There has been NO contact other than what is here, except for a couple photos of the item in an email but the text of the email is in this blog from the paypal dispute)

8/14/2008 20:57 PDT - Buyer: DOA. I have used your RMA system, but am not comfortable paying for return shipping without recording my dispute regarding the receipt of a DOA item. I do not want it said that I did not report immediately that the item was dead. I sent an email, and instead of receiving a resolution I was referred to an online dispute console of YOURS. Which is nice, but this online dispute console is official. I would prefer that you immediately mail me the correct WORKING item without charging me again and without requiring that I mail you the item and wait two weeks for the correct working item which I already purchased and paid for. Don't get me wrong, I like your RMA system, but the final resolution of me spending MORE money and waiting two weeks when I've already paid and waited requires that I also register my displeasure on an official dispute. Also, if all of your NON-OEM "private label" power supplies are faulty, I will then have paid for return postage and receive yet another faulty part and have three weeks and $37 invested with nothing to show for it. The goal was to invest $32 and have the part in one week.

8/15/2008 06:58 PDT - Seller: Dear William, Our online RMA system allows us to process returns in a timely manner. It enables us to identify your return and know why you returned it without dealing with additional paperwork and without having to search through previous emails to determine the problem. It puts all of this information in one easy to access console. The turnaround time is about a week from when you ship the adapter to when you receive its replacement. The confirmation page for our RMA system explains that if you are returning a defective adapter for a replacement within 30 days of receiving it we will reimburse you for the cost of the return shipping. It will be credited to your PayPal account as a partial refund from your original payment to us. We recommend returning the adapter in a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope. It will cost $4.80 and we will refund this amount to your PayPal account upon receipt of your return. If you need the replacement urgently and cannot wait for the exchange process we can cross ship the replacement with a $20 hold on your Visa or Mastercard. Please call our office if you would like to arrange a cross shipment (Again, this is OPTIONAL- you are NOT required to cross ship the replacement). Otherwise, we will ship the replacement adapter upon receipt of your return. Please feel free to call us with any other questions or concerns that you may have regarding our return procedures.

8/15/2008 07:36 PDT - Buyer: I understand all that. What I am saying is that, regardless of how helpful your RMA system is for you, it doesn't change the fact that i have paid for an item and delivery and have nothing to show for it except a dead item. Now i have to pay for shipping again and wait two more weeks OR pay for shipping AND another item and wait one week. i should not be paying for anything and I should have my part already. my main concern (other than the delay which has already occurred) is that this is a private label item which may have an inherent flaw and I may NEVER get a functional part while going through all this. this is why i registered a dispute. i understand that you have a lot of customers, that is not my concern. for me this is ONE transaction, and i have paid money and have nothing but a dead part to show for it.

8/15/2008 08:04 PDT - Seller: Please read my previous message carefully. I have addressed all of your concerns in my previous message.

8/15/2008 08:07 PDT - Seller: I have already told you that we will reimburse you for the cost of return shipping. You will not be out any additional funds due to this exchange. Please read my message again. Please read all of it before replying.

8/15/2008 08:43 PDT - Buyer: You must understand my rights and responsibilities as a consumer. Stick with me: I have paid $32. I now have a dead part, which cost me $32. I paid in advance (trust) for this dead part. Now i'm being asked to pay another $5 to ship the dead part back to you at my expense (I know, you "Intend" to reimburse me for this upon receipt of the part, but that doesn't change the fact that I have paid it NOW, right NOW I am out $37, or at least tonight when I ship this back to you). At that point later today I will have paid $37. I will no longer have even the dead part. But I will have a Two Week wait ahead of me. I have received no apology for the dead part, but I have received a message suggesting that I am incapable of reading a message. This in no way increases my Trust, and in fact seems as though you are ignoring my patience at you shipping me a dead part as if you are expecting dead parts (this attitude does NOT increase my trust). You have a nice dispute system, i'm sure it protects YOU very well. Now understand why there is a dispute open at paypal: This is MY protection, this dispute console is where I register (immediately) that there is a problem. In case this trust i have shown in you is misplaced (and at this point, it's not looking good, as I have said, i have paid $5 more than I should have and do not expect the item i've overpaid for for two weeks). Now, do you understand my point of view? Not filing a dispute here would mean that I would have to BEGIN a dispute in the case that you ship me another dead part and we start this process all over again. In case this happens on a regular basis, Paypal at least has a basis to judge other possible future disputes against you. So this dispute is a requirement if I must pay for return shipping and wait for the part that should have been here already. Are you still with me? Do you understand now? Ship me a part that actually works and reimburse my return postage and I will go back to trusting you again. If not, of co

8/15/2008 12:09 PDT - Seller: You have our return policy and procedures. If you are not comfortable with our established exchange procedures than you may return the adapter for a full refund.

8/25/2008 10:11 PDT - Buyer: 1) An eBay purchase constitutes a binding contract. You provide the part as described and I provide the money. I fulfilled my part of the contract, you have failed to fulfill yours. 2) I have now spent MORE than I was supposed to spend, and you STILL have not fulfilled your part of the contract. 3) I sent this email on Saturday when the 2nd incorrect part arrived and have received no response (Your website and RMA system were offline, so email was all I had left.): Dear Seller, I have received the replacement part for the part that didn't work. This part is interesting, but not even close. It has the wrong specs and the wrong connector. I have included a picture in case you don't understand. The connector is ROUND. Here is the correct connector from the one in use presently: [photo of new part in email] The first part (that didn't work at all) at least had the correct connector. [photo of the connector on the old part still in use here in email] If you suggest that I should spend another $6.55 to ship yet another wrong part back to you and wait for another week, I will immediately leave negative feedback on eBay and convert the complaint on paypal to a Dispute. If you send me the CORRECT part with a Call Tag or $13.10 in postage (to cover BOTH this and the prior mailing) I will remove the complaint and leave you Neutral feedback. If you refund my full purchase price plus the $6.55 that I spent on shipping plus a $5.00 "convenience" fee for wasting my time, I will also leave you a Neutral feedback (but with no comments in it). The ball is in your court, but please remember that I am not Playing. I am an unhappy pre-paid customer who is not in any way amused by your company's lack of ability. I do not want to insult anyone, but this transaction and your company policies are not being handled properly. Any company with an automated RMA system who insists that the client pay for return shipping, should at least be able to ship the correct part. Sincerely, William Conle

8/25/2008 11:47 PDT - Seller: Dear William, I am sorry to hear that the replacement adapter is incorrect. There must have been a mistake in the returns department or in the warehouse. You may return the adapter either for a replacement (I am confident that the replacement adapter will be correct and will work properly) or a refund if you would prefer. If you read our return policy & warranty provisions (www.jacobsparts.com/warranty.html) you will see that it is our standard practice to reimburse the cost of return shipping if a customer returns an item for a replacement within 30 days of receiving it. We reimburse the amount to your PayPal account as a partial refund from your original payment to us. We were unable to do so in this case because PayPal "holds" all funds related to a disputed transaction until the case has been closed. Should you choose to return the adapter for another replacement please use your original RMA number (5719). I have made note of this correspondence on your RMA form. If you do return the adapter for another replacement we will reimburse you for the cost of return shipping for both exchanges but you will have to close the dispute in order for us to do so. Otherwise, you can return the adapter for a full refund.

8/25/2008 19:31 PDT - Buyer: OK: So ... I paid immediately for the item I purchased. You shipped a dead one to me. You then insisted that I pay to return the dead part. Then you shipped me the wrong part and now you insist that I, for the third time, pay shipping costs and still have no part? THEN I'm supposed to "close the dispute" without having been refunded any money and hope that you pay me for the two shipping charges I should never have paid in the first place? That about right? No. Your terms do not cover this situation. And your terms are based on you shipping the correct part. Ship the correct part now or I will (without hesitation or reluctance) escalate this dispute to a Claim and file complaints also with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's office of your home jurisdiction. If that doesn't get your attention, I will file a lawsuit in small claims court as well. Our contract was clear, and you have violated it. You have the opportunity to ship the correct part NOW and if you like you may send a self-addressed stamped envelope with it. I would strongly suggest that you also enclose a check for the amount of the postage on the shipment I should never have had to make. Customer service may not be your strong suit, but the least you could do is admit your mistake AND fix it instead of suggesting that the customer who has already been overcharged pay MORE money and wait LONGER for service. If I do not get a response from you that the correct part has shipped by morning, I will order a new part from a dealer, raise this to a claim, and then sue you for the costs associated. Your terms were met: I was REQUIRED by your contract to return the part at my expense and get reimbursed along with the correct part. YOU violated that contract by sending the wrong part. This situation isn't covered by your agreement. But it IS covered under standard commerce law. Mitigate OUR losses and send the correct part immediately. I will no longer allow delays to be part of MY losses. The ne

8/26/2008 11:00 PDT - Seller: In reviewing the dispute console you will see that we have made a good faith effort to rectify this situation with the customer. The customer has been verbally abusive and stubborn throughout the whole process. He refuses to compromise. We offered to replace the part AND reimburse him for the cost of return shipping and he still was not satisfied. I would like the customer to return the part for a refund.

William
orlando, Florida
U.S.A.