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Best Buy Golf Supply, Ken Briggs ripoff Promised a 100% guarantee return privilege won't answer calls or emails consumer fraud ripoff Citrus Heights California *UPDATE
I ordered a golf club set online from Best Buy Golf Supply and spoke to Ken Briggs, owner-manager, who suggested a set which he promissed would perform well over my present set by adding height and distance to my game with the help of senior shafts and mechanics he claimed were built into the set. He told me that the set would have a 100% guarantee and if I wasn't completely satisfied, I could return them and get a refund or change them for another set. Because there was a guarantee time constraint involved he allowed me extra time as I was undergoing shoulder surgery. I recovered and proceeded to try the set and found the performance to be horrendous.
I decided to talk to Ken about the problem and since it was still within the normal return period, I tried calling the toll free line evry 15 minutes for a solid week, and the phone rang and rang, but was never answered.It was if they had caller I.D. and knew they would be facing a possible problem. During that time I reached an answering machine twice and left a kind request for a call, and never had a reply.
I sent five emails to the email address on successive days and was careful to be friendly and courteous and requested a call at my home phone 941-575-7994. My emails were all ignored. since I am familiar with your website, I entered it and found that on several past occassions, others had the same bad experience and Best Buy supposedly intentionally ignored customers' calls to remedy problems. This was a common happening at Best Buy.
It is obvious to me that the fraudulant claim of offering a 100% guarantee is of no use if the firm refuses to communicate with it's customers.In order to make a return, you need a return authorizaton and they seem to intentionally hide from their responsibility to communicate. Since you have had the same kind of mistreatment reported on previous other occasions, I am requesting your help in bringing a just conclusion to this consumer rip off.
The following document is the latest in a series of five emails which I sent to Ken Briggs. If other opinions of previous emails that I sent them would help, I would be happy to forward them to you.
The last email read as follows.......................
Dear Ken:
When I first pondered the thought that a new set of clubs would help my aging body and game, I searched the various web sites and discovered your firm. I explained my problem to you and made you aware of my oncoming shoulder operation and asked for your advice. After my questioning the merit of senior shafts and other options, you recommended a complete set along with sand and lob wedges and told me that you would cordially extend the 100% satisfaction guarantee until I was recuperated and could try them. You reassured me that if I wasn't completely satisfied, I could simply return them for credit or exchange them for another set and that you would simply issue me a return authorization number if that were the case.
I was hesitant to order the clubs because I had read of several complaints concerning problems with orders and returns where customers' calls and letters were ignored. You told me you had a new phone system and that the problem wouldn't exist any longer. I now find that the same tale had been told many times in the past when customers' were ignored. You even personally answered the web site Rip Off Report' on a few occasions for similar consumer complaints.
Two weeks ago I was given the O.K. by my doctor to swing clubs again. I took special care to hit off of a grassy area to insure the newness of the clubs and found that the distance and loft you had assured me was not present. The following two days, I took my old clubs with me and compared hitting 5 irons, drivers, 7 irons and 5 woods and in each case the old clubs out performed the new ones by a great margin.
The reason I ordered the clubs was to improve not regress with my clubs.
Over the week that followed, I tried calling you for 5 straight days and the phone rang and was never answered. I reached an answering machine twice in a week long 3 times an hour effort to get you to call me. Even the messages I left went ignored. I saved all of my email requests to have you call me. I wrote them in a cordial and friendly manner and even added humorous art to keep my hopes of reaching you on a friendly basis.
I have been completely ignored and now understand why other customers have complained about your seemingly intentional void of communication acts. I have always tried to engage in any business dealings in a civil and reasonable fashion, but when a Company puts a 100% guarantee policy in writing on their web site and then refuses to answer their customer's calls, the promise becomes fraud. Fraud is a serious matter. I wouldn't even have had to take you up on the extended promise as I was calling you within the usual time frame allowing purchases to be returned.
I feel I have given you more than ample time to return my many calls and emails if you had any intention of calling me back. I have contacted the California Attorney Generals office in Sacramento, I will be sending documents of all my writings to you requesting your contacting me, and reports of other customers' complaints about the same treatment. I wanted to try and resolve this in the manner which you had promised your Company would offer me, but when you don't allow me to communicate with you, it puts the ball in your court.
I shall pursue this issue until I am justified and you promises are kept. It's just too bad you couldn't have simply picked up a phone and asked what my problem was.
Joel Zarum
C.C. California Attorney General's Office, Sacramento,
Ca.
Bank One Platinum Visa Consumer Issues Dept.
Rip Off Report WebSite
Joel
Punta Gorda, Florida
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Best Buy Golf Supply
10 Updates & Rebuttals
Ken
Orangevale,California,
We are very sorry for any inconvenience
#11UPDATE Employee
Tue, December 03, 2013
Dear Valued Customer, First I would like to sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that I have caused you or your family. I feel terrible for not responding earlier and staying on top of any issues that arose that should have been handled in a professional manner. We have been having supplier problems since 2004 as we distributed products for many different manufacturers. We should have communicated better with you and for that i am very sorry we did not. We were growing so quickly we did not have the man power to take care of everything the way it should have been which is my fault i should have brought on more help. I just wanted to reply to everyone that was affected and publicy apologize for the inconvenience we caused. I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season with your family.
Thank you
BBGS
Ken
Ken
Orangevale,California,
U.S.A.
Over 700,000 customers now
#11UPDATE Employee
Tue, August 26, 2008
Hi Joel, Just wanted to stop in and say hello we its been 6 years and we are still going strong just hit the 700,000 customer. Hope all is well with you and the family.
If you believe this second rebuttal, you believe in "Fairy Tales"
#110
Fri, November 01, 2002
Ken Briggs has sent you a second rebuttal and is still in denial, this time over what actually took place when he called to tell me off. He opened his conversation in a loud and insulting manner. It takes two people to dialog but very time I tried to communicate, he told me that he made the call and he was the one who could talk, not me. He swore at me and raised his voice and i never got the chance to raise mine, but that's not my style anyway.
He is the most crooked, most vulgar merchant I have ever met. If he thinks that I can't communicate, he should take a lesson from me.
Before I retired, I was Vice President of a 300 million dollar a year mail order company that didn't reach that success because it's executives didn't know how to be fair in handling a problem or carry on a civil conversation. All one has to do is to read all the reports that have been submitted to The Rip Off Report each of which his rebuttal claims always end right for his misgivings.
I can document very thing that I complained about him so his defense is to go on the offense and bad mouth me, the customer.
Ken....Fool me once, Shame on you!
Fool me twice, Shame on me.
By the way, I have purchased another set of clubs that must be magic, because the ones I bought elsewhere perform like magic and not like hitting a 2x4 from Best Buy. It seems that the Golf company that he claimed only probably sold four sets a month knows a heck of a lot more about making a quality product than Big Ken.
In closing, I do not intend to waste anymore time on him on this site. I would however, recommend that he change the name of his firm to...............
WORST BUY GOLF SUPPLY
Please be sure you read all seven complaints from others before you purchase anything from this company.
Briggs
Orangevale,California,
Response to a wrong statement ..we try to make every customer happy
#11REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, October 30, 2002
We called Mr. Zarum to let him know that he had been credited for the return of the product. He asked for the amount which we gave. Mail order company policies that offer a money back guarantee will credit the product price less shipping costs.
Mr. Zarum did not agree with that and every time we would try to speak he would cut us off or speak above us. The bottom line is we more than respect our customers and will do everything we can to satisfy them but we will not be spoken to in the manner that Mr. Zarum spoke to us.
In our business we try to make every customer happy but once in a while you have a customer you can not make happy and unfortunately we can not make this one happy.
just experienced the same vulgar and disrespectful response
#110
Mon, October 28, 2002
Dear Rip Off Report
I have just experienced the same vulgar and disrespectful response on the phone from the owner, Ken Briggs, of Best Buy Golf Supply as others have experienced. They too also reported their similar reports to you.
It seems that he was upset that he had to send you a rebuttal and lashed out at me in revenge. He has denied the fact that he shipped me clubs that were other than what I ordered and in so doing, insists that he will not credit me for the shipping charges. He called me to voice his opinion that I was a pain in the A.. customer from the start and accused your website of being something I would not dignify in writing, for reporting his repeated wrongdoings. His web site claims that they will gladly help to recommend and help in making a selection, a far cry from his accusations about me and the fact that no one makes magic clubs.
In his rebuttal, he blamed the lack of communication and delay on his move to a new location. In each report from others you have documented, he sates a hollow apology in his rebuttal and substitutes long tales to cover up for non communication, a passion to ignore and a policy of shipping what he insists is something he claims he will ship, even though it isn't.To add to the confusion and mess, he had emailed me the wrong Zip code for his new expanded facility and only by the twist of fate did I track the package on line and spare myself from paying double freight for the return. He has accused the three ligitimate Golf companies that varified the problem for me of being small time operators not worthy of giving me an opinion without even knowing who they are. He claims to be one of the biggest golf club makers internationally, but when my UPS return arrived at his new super enlarged facility, the tracking notice said "delivered to residence" rather than business.
I had promissed him that if he brought this fiasco to a fair closure, that I would write to the FTC, California Attorney General's office, the BBB in his area and yourself to retract my complaints.
Instead,because of his insults and inability to own up to his error, I intend to crusade for what is just and right or people like myself will never trust purchasing any significant item on the internet. People and companies like Best Buy Golf Supply are a detrement to those good and fair merchants who lose business when their customers lack the faith to trust internet sales,a feeling that results when a hot headed and insulting individual like Ken Briggs chooses to curse and degrade their customers to make up for his own deceptive practices.
My strong advice to anyone considering purchasing anything from Best Buy Golf is to stay away and not get involved. How many times do customers have to be mistreated before others catch on? We are threatened by enough terrorists these days without having our own businessmen terrorize customers from our own Country. If the economy bounces back, it surely won't be because Best Buy Golf Supply Made any effort to help it out.
If he had been truly fair, this would have been a letter of conclusion rather than one of despair.
Joel Zarum
Briggs
Orangevale,California,
looking for magic golf clubs
#11REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, October 28, 2002
Customer has been credited for his clubs. We were relocating to a larger facility October 1-18th that is why he had a difficult time reaching us. This is a customer I do not think any one can make happy. He is looking for magic golf clubs. We are sorry we do not sell them. They do not make them.
I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
#110
Sat, October 12, 2002
Because the clubs I ordered were stiff and performed so poorly,I took them to several reputable local golf equipment manufacturers who tested them and enlightened me to the fact that they were other than what I had ordered.
The shafts were supposed to be a senior flex (springy action) True temper LITE steel and I had been shipped a regular flex (stiffer) shaft that were not the LITE ones they were supposed to be. When I emailed Ken Briggs and reported the discrepancy, he went into denial and stated that he used the best name brand components and shipped huge quantities all over the world, and never made mistakes.
He hsd ignored me until he discovered that I had written to the FTC, BBB and Rip Off Report and then told me that the reason he took so long to respond to the problem was that he had gone to England to attend a wedding. When you call them and are forunate enough to get an answering machine, the message states "all of our agents are busy helping other cuatomers", but it appears that if Ken Briggs can't answer you, you can forget a return call.
He told me I could return the clubs for a refund but it would be less shipping charges and I would have to pay the return freight charges. I felt I shouldn' have to pay for his mistake which allegedly was bordering fraud, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt that someone there could have made an honest mistake. He remained in denial and even when I had proceeded to have them tested at several independent golf shops and received the same result from each,Ken Briggs told me that the golf shops needed to have their equipment recalibrated and remained in denial.
I then tried to mail the clubs back and discovered that Best Buy was in the process of moving. I tried to obtain a proper address to be sure that I was returning them to the right location, but again got no reply.
I am certain that I have been treated in an unfair way, been shipped the wrong merchandise and been ignored. I am fair and still am trying to resolve the issue in a fair way, but I will remain on his case until all the wrong is justified. Because of his actions I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
#110
Sat, October 12, 2002
Because the clubs I ordered were stiff and performed so poorly,I took them to several reputable local golf equipment manufacturers who tested them and enlightened me to the fact that they were other than what I had ordered.
The shafts were supposed to be a senior flex (springy action) True temper LITE steel and I had been shipped a regular flex (stiffer) shaft that were not the LITE ones they were supposed to be. When I emailed Ken Briggs and reported the discrepancy, he went into denial and stated that he used the best name brand components and shipped huge quantities all over the world, and never made mistakes.
He hsd ignored me until he discovered that I had written to the FTC, BBB and Rip Off Report and then told me that the reason he took so long to respond to the problem was that he had gone to England to attend a wedding. When you call them and are forunate enough to get an answering machine, the message states "all of our agents are busy helping other cuatomers", but it appears that if Ken Briggs can't answer you, you can forget a return call.
He told me I could return the clubs for a refund but it would be less shipping charges and I would have to pay the return freight charges. I felt I shouldn' have to pay for his mistake which allegedly was bordering fraud, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt that someone there could have made an honest mistake. He remained in denial and even when I had proceeded to have them tested at several independent golf shops and received the same result from each,Ken Briggs told me that the golf shops needed to have their equipment recalibrated and remained in denial.
I then tried to mail the clubs back and discovered that Best Buy was in the process of moving. I tried to obtain a proper address to be sure that I was returning them to the right location, but again got no reply.
I am certain that I have been treated in an unfair way, been shipped the wrong merchandise and been ignored. I am fair and still am trying to resolve the issue in a fair way, but I will remain on his case until all the wrong is justified. Because of his actions I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
#110
Sat, October 12, 2002
Because the clubs I ordered were stiff and performed so poorly,I took them to several reputable local golf equipment manufacturers who tested them and enlightened me to the fact that they were other than what I had ordered.
The shafts were supposed to be a senior flex (springy action) True temper LITE steel and I had been shipped a regular flex (stiffer) shaft that were not the LITE ones they were supposed to be. When I emailed Ken Briggs and reported the discrepancy, he went into denial and stated that he used the best name brand components and shipped huge quantities all over the world, and never made mistakes.
He hsd ignored me until he discovered that I had written to the FTC, BBB and Rip Off Report and then told me that the reason he took so long to respond to the problem was that he had gone to England to attend a wedding. When you call them and are forunate enough to get an answering machine, the message states "all of our agents are busy helping other cuatomers", but it appears that if Ken Briggs can't answer you, you can forget a return call.
He told me I could return the clubs for a refund but it would be less shipping charges and I would have to pay the return freight charges. I felt I shouldn' have to pay for his mistake which allegedly was bordering fraud, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt that someone there could have made an honest mistake. He remained in denial and even when I had proceeded to have them tested at several independent golf shops and received the same result from each,Ken Briggs told me that the golf shops needed to have their equipment recalibrated and remained in denial.
I then tried to mail the clubs back and discovered that Best Buy was in the process of moving. I tried to obtain a proper address to be sure that I was returning them to the right location, but again got no reply.
I am certain that I have been treated in an unfair way, been shipped the wrong merchandise and been ignored. I am fair and still am trying to resolve the issue in a fair way, but I will remain on his case until all the wrong is justified. Because of his actions I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.
#110
Sat, October 12, 2002
Because the clubs I ordered were stiff and performed so poorly,I took them to several reputable local golf equipment manufacturers who tested them and enlightened me to the fact that they were other than what I had ordered.
The shafts were supposed to be a senior flex (springy action) True temper LITE steel and I had been shipped a regular flex (stiffer) shaft that were not the LITE ones they were supposed to be. When I emailed Ken Briggs and reported the discrepancy, he went into denial and stated that he used the best name brand components and shipped huge quantities all over the world, and never made mistakes.
He hsd ignored me until he discovered that I had written to the FTC, BBB and Rip Off Report and then told me that the reason he took so long to respond to the problem was that he had gone to England to attend a wedding. When you call them and are forunate enough to get an answering machine, the message states "all of our agents are busy helping other cuatomers", but it appears that if Ken Briggs can't answer you, you can forget a return call.
He told me I could return the clubs for a refund but it would be less shipping charges and I would have to pay the return freight charges. I felt I shouldn' have to pay for his mistake which allegedly was bordering fraud, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt that someone there could have made an honest mistake. He remained in denial and even when I had proceeded to have them tested at several independent golf shops and received the same result from each,Ken Briggs told me that the golf shops needed to have their equipment recalibrated and remained in denial.
I then tried to mail the clubs back and discovered that Best Buy was in the process of moving. I tried to obtain a proper address to be sure that I was returning them to the right location, but again got no reply.
I am certain that I have been treated in an unfair way, been shipped the wrong merchandise and been ignored. I am fair and still am trying to resolve the issue in a fair way, but I will remain on his case until all the wrong is justified. Because of his actions I will never trust purchasing anything on the internet again.