Complaint Review: Bear Paws Offroad Accessories

Summary: Paid Bear Paws Offroad Accessories $388.00 via PayPal on Feb 11/12th. After months, and numerous lies (including promises that merchandise was sent multiple times, that refund was sent multiple times) no merchandise, and no refund.

Sequence of events (all dates in 2005):

February 11th

Went to Bear Paws Offroad Accessories, and placed an order for the Deluxe Rocker Guard w/ Step for $279.00, paying $329.00 via PayPal immediately .

Received the following e-mail:

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxxx
To: xxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 12:08 AM
Subject: Re: Notification of Payment Received

{name}, I need your phone number. {name} at Bear Paws Off Road. I received your order today, need to call you when I ship the Rocker Guards and need to know what type of Jeep. {name}
-----------------------------

Transaction details sent w/ payment:

Description:
Shopping Cart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note:
This is for a 2004.5 Jeep Unlimited. I am interested in the additional frame mount as well, and will forward another payment if you'll let me know how much more with additional shipping. Let me know how much. These are perfect, I've been looking for something like this for a while. Thanks!

Transaction details sent w/ payment on February 11th:

Total Amount:
-$329.00 USD
Date:
Feb. 11, 2005
Time:
16:38:54 PST
Status:
Completed

February 12th

I came home to find that I had received a couple of calls from {name}, and I called him back and we had a pleasent chat.

Phone records:
Outgoing
Feb 12, 2005 03:56 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:29:00
Incoming
Feb 12, 2005 03:51 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00
Feb 12, 2005 01:13 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

I was interested in the optional frame mount and he indicated that the frame mount would be an additional $29.00. I indicated that I would send additional amount that day.

Sent additional $29.00 via PayPal (transaction ID xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) with a note for {name} to let me know if there was anything I needed to send for additional shipping. Received a call from {name}, who told me that he would need another thirty dollars for shipping. Went back to PayPal and sent $30.00 (transaction ID xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).

Transaction details sent w/ payments on February 12th:

Total Amount:
$29.00 USD
Date:
Feb. 12, 2005
Time:
09:27:55 PST
Status:
Completed

Total Amount:
-$30.00 USD
Date:
Feb. 12, 2005
Time:
14:46:07 PST
Status:
Completed
Subject:
Additional shipping on frame mount
Note:
Thanks, {name}. It was nice talking w/ you

During the chat, he informed me that he'd be happy to coat the rocker guards w/ a bedliner, and we discussed options. I spent a couple of days thinking about what I wanted, and I sent the following e-mail the next day...

February 13th

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxx
To: xxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:15 PM
Subject: Re: Rocker guards

Hi {name},

I was talking to a friend of mine locally, and he's set up to do powder coating. Go ahead and just send them without painting, and I'll have my friend do them.

Thanks

-----------------------------

February 14th
Received the following...

----- Original Message -----
From: papabear@sleepingbearrvpark.com
To: {name} Watson
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 12:33 PM
Subject: Re: Rocker guards

{name}, I will primer the Rocker Guards prior to shipping. Thanks {name}

February 22nd

{name} called, and he let me know my rocker guards were done and would be sent out on Friday of that week, the 25th. He said that he would call after shipping with a tracking number, and that it would take about a week. Again, we had a pleasent chat about Jeep stuff.

Phone records:
Incoming
Feb 22, 2005 09:23 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:37:00

I didn't receive a call on Friday, which was no big deal. I was confident he'd get back to me when he could with a tracking number. I came home the evening of March 2nd to find that he called a couple of times on caller ID, no message. I called him the next day from my cell phone, and left a message.

March 2nd

Phone records:
Incoming
Mar 02, 2005 10:07 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00
Mar 02, 2005 08:29 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

March 15th
{name} called back over a week later, apologizing that the rocker guards had not gone out. He explained that he had gone to the shipping company for another reason, and saw the rocker guards sitting on the dock. He told me he was angry about there incompetence and again apologized. He told me that he had a friend going to Florida, and that his friend would drop it off on the way. I assured him that it was no big deal. I was told that I would have it by end of the month. We talked a

few minutes about his upcoming Moab trip, and I still (naively) expected no problems. I was going out-of-town for a week on business, and fully expected to have them there by the time I got back.

Phone records:
Incoming
Mar 15, 2005 09:15 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:08:00

April 4th

I got back from my business trip, and no rocker guards. A few days go by, and still nothing nor have I heard from {name} about the rocker guards. I decide to send an e-mail...

April 8th

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxx
To: xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 12:23 AM
Subject: Re: Rocker guards


{name}, I haven't received the rocker guards yet. Any word on when they might arrive?

Thanks

April 11th
I come home on the 11th, and see on caller ID that {name} had called (no voicemail)

Phone records:
Incoming
Apr 11, 2005 09:26 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

I call him back the next day...

Phone records:
Outgoing
Apr 12, 2005 06:00 PM 16362279374 13073325159 00:01:00 no answer
Apr 14, 2005 08:43 PM 16362279374 13073325159 00:05:00

By this time, I'm frustrated. We have a brief conversation and he apologizes and indicates that his employee was supposed to take the rocker guards. When he got back from Moab, his employee told him that he spoke to me and that I told this employee of {name}'s that I didn't want the rocker guards and that I wanted my money back. Needless to say, I didn't talk to anyone about the rocker guards, and I certainly didn't tell them that I wanted my money back. {name} said that after my previous
e-mail it was clear his employee was lying, and that he had fired him. He tells me that there was a lot of confusion because his best friend was killed on the way to Moab. I express my condolences. After hearing all of this, I'm getting a little weirded out by the whole affair but assure {name} that I'm just interested in getting the rocker guards as soon as possible.

He indicates he will send them out the following week.

Again, I was out of town the following week on business, and came back to no rocker guards or tracking information. I left another e-mail, and got a reply...

April 24th

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxx
To: xxxxx
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 10:31 AM
Subject: Re: Rocker guards
sent Friday, The shipping companies computer was down will have tracking number tomorrow. {name}

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxx
To: xxxxx
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 1:22 AM
Subject: Fw: Rocker guards

{name},

I just got back from Ohio on business, and still no rocker guards. Have they been sent?
------------------------------

No tracking information was sent. Another week goes by with no package and no information. It's obvious (even to a trusting numbskull like myself) that these guards haven't been sent. My only hope at this point is that he did send them, as the PayPal 45-day protection plan has expired. {name} seems like a nice enough guy so I'm hoping at this point that he's just really disorganized and that they were sent. I send another e-mail...

April 28th

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxx
To: xxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: Rocker guards


Do you have an ETA on when the shipment will arrive, or tracking information?

-----------------------------

April 29th

I come home from my son's baseball practice and see on caller ID that {name} had called (and left no message)

Phone record:
Incoming
Apr 30, 2005 11:28 AM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

May 3rd

I call {name} and and leave a short message indicating that I haven't received the rocker guards and will require my money back. I also send an e-mail saying the same.

Phone record:
Outgoing
May 03, 2005 04:09 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

May 4th

No reply from {name}, so I call again and talk to {name} briefly. I inform him that I require a refund, and he says that he got my e-mail and mailed a refund that morning, and I should receive it by Monday (the 9th). I thank him and the conversation ends.

Phone record:
Outgoing
May 04, 2005 08:34 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

May 10th

I come home to see that the check still hasn't been received as of the 10th. I call and leave a message w/ the woman who answered the phone to have {name} call me back. He calls me back a couple of hours later and tells me to give it a couple of days, that the check will be there by Thursday.

Phone record:
Outgoing
May 10, 2005 04:01 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00
Incoming
May 10, 2005 05:51 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

Thursday comes and goes, and nothing. On Friday, I again call and leave a message that the refund has not been received and to have {name} call me back. No reply.

May 13th

Phone record:
Outgoing
May 13, 2005 03:44 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:01:00

May 14th

Saturday comes around and still no call or e-mail from {name}. Nothing in the Saturday mail, it's obvious he's lied to me again. I call and leave a message on the answering machine. I get a call from {name}'s wife who saw my number on caller ID, I tell her who I am and she puts {name} on the phone. {name} promises to put another check in the mail. I tell him that I'm going to need a tracking number, and he indicates that he'll get this done today via certified mail and get a tracking number
to me. Unfortunately I think he's lying to me again because there isn't a mail depot open after noon on a Saturday.

Phone record:
Incoming:
May 14, 2005 03:53 PM 1xxxxxxxxxx 1xxxxxxxxxx 00:03:00

June 4th
No refund. Filed reports w/ Dept of Justice online scam website, Better Business Bureau, and badbusinessbureau.com

Martin
Ellisville, Missouri
U.S.A.