AutoMega.com ,CustomAutoTrim.com ,AutoMega.com ,Mike Briglia Internet Fraud - Company Selling $1000 Car Spoilers Rips Us Off for $50 In Hand Tools San Diego California
October 24, 2008 the Owner of Custom Auto Trim aka Automega.com aka CustomAutoTrim.com, Mike Briglia, placed an order on our Hand & Power Tool website, www.toolleader.com. He ordered 42 pcs of Model #3357 Anvil Pruning Shears at $2.99 each for use in his Auto Upholstery business.
We contacted him immediately to let him know that we only had 10 pcs left of this style (a discontinued item) but we had plenty of another style and asked if we could ship this newer style for the 32 pcs of his 42 pc order. He explained that he couldn't use the other style and that he used cheap garden pruning shears for cutting car vinyl in his business.
The first part of November we shipped what we had in stock of this older model pruning shear and submitted to accounting a refund for 32 pcs of his order. The total for his order as shipped was for $40.89.
Mike waited until the order was delivered at his business to tell us NOT to ship his order short. He said that 10 pcs were of no use to him and he didn't want his order shipped short. Ummm, nice time to tell us (he already had the order). We had 3 email exchanges before shipping his order explaining the new model of garden shears and the shortage but Mike NEVER mentioned to cancel the order or not short ship. Not until we spent $11 in postage and he receives the 10 pcs does he mention this.
Our customer service explained that we didn't know his requirement and to return the order for a full refund. Mike refused because he didn't want to spend $10 to return the shipment. We offered him a full refund, figuring he would be out $10 in shipping and so would we because HE never said to cancel or don't ship short! Mike threw a fit and send a hot email about how we didn't communicate with him (I guess he forgot the 3 emails we sent and he answered before shipping his order).
A couple days after the order was received by Mike we got a PayPal dispute (Mike paid PayPal) for the entire amount even though Mike has 25% of the order. This was Mike's first attempt to defraud us. PayPal agreed with us that Mike needed to return whatever he didn't want for a full refund. Mike refused.
Last week we received another notice from PayPal that Mike filed a Credit Card chargeback on PayPal for this order and again for the full amount while keeping 25% of the order. PayPal informed us today, 12/02/2008 that they couldn't defend against his chargeback and they withdrew the full amount of Mike's original purchase PLUS $10 for the chargeback fee. So now we've lost our 10 shears, orignal shipping plus $10 chargeback fee ($50.89) because Mike has defrauded us. Mike was successful in his 2nd attempt to defraud us, he's a scammer.
The troubling part of this is he's also business owner. A business owner selling on the INTERNET CAR PARTS FOR $1000s OF DOLLARS yet he thinks it's ok to scam a small tool business out of $40 worth of garden pruning shears. Mike still has those items, hasn't made any attempt to return them and now hasn't paid for them. If that isn't Online Fraud, I don't know what is.
Before doing any business with his companies, Automega.com, Customautotrim.com or Custom Auto Trim in San Diego, CA I would ask him why he had to defraud a small tool business in Indiana out of $40 worth of pruning shears. I wouldn't trust do any business to Mike Briglia or on any of his websites as he obviously has a problem discerning what is ethical and the proper course of business. He presents himself all over the Internet as a Big Business yet he can't spend $10 in postage to return an online purchase he no longer wants. Be careful doing business with a business owner like Mike Briglia.
Best regards,
Bob
LaPorte, Indiana
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Kommon Sense
California,United States of America
From an on line shopper
#3Consumer Suggestion
Wed, October 10, 2012
I regularly order on line products. While ordering specific products the information is given as "discontinued" or "not in stock" or "limited quantities" or "7 left". Such features as "add to wish list" and "will be notified when in stock" are also options. If a company knows that they only have 10 of a specific item, that should be listed next to the quantity box. This is a common practice since internet reaches 100s, 1000s of customers a day. If the tool company had done this simple procedure, no problem would have occurred.
The tool company stated that they immediately notified Mike that they only had 10 left, plus another more expensive style. Here's where and when you ask, "Do you still want these 10?" Why are you waiting for an email? Why would you send only 10 of something when you know that they wanted more? Sounds like this was a lack of communication, more so on the tool company than the auto company. I've had businesses call me about my order when they are in question. You shouldn't ship when you can't fulfill an order. You can't assume they would settle for less when they ordered 42. Maybe they could find a group discount somewhere else, but not if they were only ordering 30 of them.
Why were emails being exchanged to describe the other tool when Mike decided in your immediate phone call to him that it was too expensive for his needs? Saving money every step of the way, ends up with a less expensive product for the consumer. Every business owner practices this. According to you, Mike said that he didn't want this, yet emails were sent describing the newer tool. Maybe at this time Mike wanted to see his options. Sounds like he was still in a decision making process. This is when you would be holding his order to see if he will be ordering these too. Again, why would you ship the partial original 10 when Mike was still deciding about adding to his order.
Dates and times of communication between the two companies would be helpful too. Mike ordered on 10/24/08, tool company notified immediately (no date), shipped first part of November (no date). The tool company knowingly didn't have the full order of what the customer wanted, yet at least a week goes by and then a few were shipped anyway. I don't see the business ethics here. As soon as you were told that 32 different (not ordered) tools were not wanted, that's when this order ended or at least was put on hold until further notice. Why would someone pay shipping for items not ordered? Why would someone pay 2 shipping costs from 2 separate companies to achieve the total of 42 items when he could find them elsewhere at one location. Seems to me, you were trying to force him to pay for these.
As I read further, it also appears that the tool company's ordering department, whoever made the call, and customer service have no communication among them. A lack of communication among all involved, is not one person's fault. Bob wrote this complaint, yet he speaks of "we" made the call, "we" shipped, "we" explained and so on... Bob, this is your complaint, what part did you play personally and are you speaking first hand? Who made that immediate first call to Mike? Why didn't they ask if they should ship the 10 we have? Case solved.
I find the only wrong doing here is that one company would bash another so publicly. My opinion is that this complaint should not even be on here. My conclusion by what is submitted is that the fault lies with the tool company for carrying through with this order even after knowing they couldn't fulfill the customer's order.
Signed,
A consumer and a small business owner
Bob carlson
LaPorte,Indiana,
U.S.A.
Problem Solved - All is Good
#3Author of original report
Tue, December 16, 2008
I'm happy to report that Mike Briglia has paid for the order in full and sent the payment Priority Mail. My faith in his company has been restored and I wouldn't hesitate to do business with him or his associates.
In business many times it's easy to be caught up in small details and get distracted from making good decisions. I believe this is all that happened here.
I wish Mike Briglia, Automega.com and CustomAutoTrim.com nothing but the best and hope this report doesn't cause them any harm. The matter has been settled amicably and considered closed.
Best regards,
Bob Carlson