Sutler Complaints

[Provost]

\r\n \r\n To be clear: If you don\'t read the guidelines and abide by them, your privileges here may be suspended or revoked.\r\n \r\n

[tompritchett]

\r\n \r\n As was shown by the Provost\'s actions today, the rule about sutler complaints apparently applies also to public complaints about sellers in the Classified Section.\r\n \r\n

[PVT.THIB]

\r\n \r\n I purchased a knapsack from someone off of this forum in March and have yet to see it. What should I do? I have attempted to contact him via PM with little to no response. He continues to give me a hard luck story but there is no excuse for taking my money. I have not heard from him in some time now.\r\n \r\n

[Hoosiertrooper]

\r\n \r\n If you paid by sending a check, money order or cash through the US POst Office, you can file a complaint. It\'s called "mail fraud" and it\'s a violation of the US Code.\r\n \r\n

[Provost]

\r\n \r\n If you\'re having problems with a sutler, describe the problem, omitting identifying details, and see what the collective wisdom seems to be. You are always free to let me know what\'s going on. I can\'t guarantee I\'ll do what you want, I\'m not a private investigator, but I don\'t like people being taken advantage of, by anyone.\r\n \r\n

[thpritchett]

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\r\n \r\n Without being vindictive this forum could allow participants to state their complaint (without being vindictive) and mention the sutler\'s name thereby putting pressure on the named sutler to clean up his or her act or have everyone know about their shoddy business practices.\r\n \r\n

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Whereby the sutler then threatens the forum with a lawsuit for libel. Would such a suit necessarily be successful? Probably not in terms of the sutler collecting damages but very successful in that Bob would probably have to shut down the forum anyway just from the costs of defending himself. This is not an idle worry either as such threats have been made in the past and that is why the Provost has set the policy that he has.\r\n \r\n

[MarkL]

\r\n \r\n I bought a shell jacket at a event and I really didn\'t have the time to check it out very well to see if it fit,I liked it so I bought it.Anyway,when I got it home I noticed that it was sewn crooked,so I sent them about 6 e-mails an they never called me back.I also bought a wooden canteen from someone who swore it was a bonafied replica of a wooden canteen filled with bees wax,only 20.00 bucks!Turned out the canteen was one of those novelty canteens,it wouldn\'t even hold a drop of water.Ya,it would be nice to have a way to get even,but the Provost is right!!It\'s a good thing I didn\'t drink out of that canteen cause it was filled with glue.\r\n \r\n

[Provost]

\r\n \r\n Sorry to hear of your bad experiences. Hope you were either able to get some satisfaction from them or were able to chalk it up to a learning experience. It\'s cheap "tuition" if you learn from it.\r\n \r\n

[MarkL]

\r\n \r\n Great News! I got more than complete satisfaction from the sutler I was referring too, (anonymously of course).Turns out that he travels all around the west,so he\'s never home anyway.Is it ok to mention a sutler if you are happy with there service? And if so what part of the web site would I use?.\r\n \r\n

[FloridaHoosier]

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Great News! I got more than complete satisfaction from the sutler I was referring too, (anonymously of course).Turns out that he travels all around the west,so he\'s never home anyway.Is it ok to mention a sutler if you are happy with there service? And if so what part of the web site would I use?.

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Good news is always appreciated and you can post positive comments on vendors/sutlers on Military-General Discussion, or Civilian-General Discussion depending upon what they sell.\r\n \r\n

[Logibear64]

\r\n \r\n I and many others a few years ago were ripped off by a WW2 militaria dealer. We (some were as far away as Australia) all filed a complaint with the USPS and it went nowhere. The USPS appears reluctant to get involved unless it involves huge amounts of money. In fact they never responded to my own complaint. Unless you are located in the same state as the "dealer" and can take the dealer to small claims court the money is as good as gone. In my particular case the best we could do was get the dealer fined for operating a business without a license ($50.00 fine). Otherwise he kept the money.
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\r\nMy advice to anyone buying over the internet is check the person or business out before engaging in a transaction. Avoid using personal or bank checks or cash. Try using paypal as a means of payment. Paypal has fraud protection and other means of getting your money back. I am fortunate that since getting into CW reenacting I have always dealt with reputable dealers and individuals.\r\n \r\n

[Craig L Barry]

\r\n \r\n I want to complain about my draper, Ross Lamoreaux. His
\r\ncustom hand sewn shirts are too handsome and well made.
\r\nThey make my non-period Hart, Shaffner & Marx suits look
\r\nlike rags by comparison. Like a good divorce lawyer, Lamoreaux
\r\nshirts are expensive but worth it.
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\r\nNow, that\'s how you b-tch about a sutler.\r\n \r\n

[FloridaHoosier]

\r\n \r\n Your check\'s in the mail....\r\n \r\n

[Craig L Barry]

\r\n \r\n Ross
\r\nForget the check, I would just blow it on cigars, black powder
\r\nand Yuengling. Send another shirt. A Lamoreaux shirt will take the Pepsi challenge with anything made by anybody. I am the envy of
\r\nall the park service Civil War volunteers at STRI. Even Landrum
\r\nand you know you can\'t tell a cajun anything.
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\r\nBy the way, I broke a button on the last shirt you sent and I
\r\nhave not quite been able to find an identical replacement in my box of
\r\nodds and ends. The top one at the collar. Do you have an extra
\r\nlaying around?\r\n \r\n

[Spinster]

\r\n \r\n Broke a button?
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\r\nThat\'s what you get for not sending it out to a competent laundress.....
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\r\nMen, always think they know the womens sphere\r\n \r\n

[reddcorp]

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I bought a shell jacket at a event and I really didn\'t have the time to check it out very well to see if it fit,I liked it so I bought it.Anyway,when I got it home I noticed that it was sewn crooked,so I sent them about 6 e-mails an they never called me back.I also bought a wooden canteen from someone who swore it was a bonafied replica of a wooden canteen filled with bees wax,only 20.00 bucks!Turned out the canteen was one of those novelty canteens,it wouldn\'t even hold a drop of water.Ya,it would be nice to have a way to get even,but the Provost is right!!It\'s a good thing I didn\'t drink out of that canteen cause it was filled with glue.

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The old term caveat emptor still has significance, particularly when the buyer has the opportunity to see the finished product and examine it. We strongly recommend that our new men be accompanied by an old hand when purchasing clothing and equipment at an event so they won\'t have the same problem that you encountered. Folks are all too glad to sell you junk. It\'s really up to the buyer to know what he\'s buying. If the price sounds too good to be true, it\'s likely to be junk. Quality generally costs more.
\r\nChalk this up to experience. If it happens again, guess whose to blame?
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\r\nAndy R.\r\n \r\n

[Provost]

Complaining about a sutler (or seller), no matter what forum, DOES violate our forum policies.

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/sh...19559#poststop

"Have a problem with a sutler and you want advice on how to deal with it? Ask your question in a general manner, devoid of names or other identifying information."

"...please note that any negative evaluations of a specific sutler (goods, services, or other matters) will be removed on sight."

Fair warning has been given. Here it is repeated.

We've removed one thread along these lines in the past few days that violated this policy and I just deleted another. If anyone persists in not abiding by these requests they will be barred from use of the forums for some period of time.

We do not wish to be draconian, nor are we unaware of the plight of those who have paid good money and not gotten their goods. We are simply unable to provide a platform for the resolution of that dispute as long as names and specifics are mentioned. No sutler would be allowed to come on here and complain about a specific person not paying their bill, so it goes both ways as well.

Provost