Complaint Review: GBY Liquidations Gabriel Leoni

On 3-8-05 my husband and I contacted GBY Liquidations in response to an Ad we received for "Hand Tools" 5 pallets for $2150, overstock, closeouts, shelfpulls and some returns.

We spoke with Gabriel Leoni, later determined to be the owner, who painted a glowing picture of the product and the integrity of his company and himself.

After hearing about the load that we were interested in purchasing, and being assured numerous times that the items were truly worth many times what we were paying, and that there was no "cherry picking" of their loads, we agreed to wire the required amount as soon as we received a bill from them via fax with the shipping charges included.

Because we did not have a forklift, nor a loading dock we were charged an extra $75.00 for a lift gate truck.

After receiving the bill, $2525, we sent a wire transfer the next day, 3-09-05.

Then we waited to hear if they received the payment and what our "bill of lading" was with a shipping date/arrival date.

After 3 days my husband couldn't wait any longer and called them.He had to leave a message for Gabriel as he was in a "meeting". Neither this nor the subsequent 10 phone calls were ever returned by anyone.

At the end on 2 weeks my husband was getting very angry but did not want to negatively impact our delivery so he remained calm.

Finally after 3 weeks my husband reached a warehouse manage who faxed us a "bill of lading" for our order of "hand tools" but without a POR number. This number is require inorder to track a shipment thru the channels prior to delivery.

We did learn the shipment was via "Southeastern Trucking".

The load was finaly delivered on 4-08-05, a month after the payment was received. Without a liftgate, so had to rent a forklift.

Then the "fun" began.

Of the 5 pallets of "hand tools" that were supposed to contain an average of 45-60 items @pallet, there was a total of 80 pieces.

Of those 80 pieces received, 11 were marketable (sellable), and of those 11 pieces 2 were hand tools, an of those 2 both were returns of poor to fair condition.

Some of the items received as "hand tools";

A very large and heavy BBQ grill, a window airconditionar, a humidifier, an ionozier air cleaner, a 32 gal trash can (the only new piece), 3 partial beds or frames, clocks, window scrapers, grandfather clock (smashed), a table saw (junk) 2 plastic tablesaws (junk even when knew acording to my husband), and other items of junk to trash.

The value of the sellable items may be $500.00.

Since receiving this load of dumpster pickings, we have attempted to contact Gabriel by phone; he's in a meeting, or out of town; by e-mail 15+ times, 1 response from a secretary that Gabriel was aware of the problem and would call me upon his return, NOT, and 1 from Gabriel asking me to call him. He still doesn't take my calls.

Bottom line, I do not expect to have a favorable resolution to this problem. Obviously Gabriel doesn't not know or understand the meaning of the word "integrity", but has "ripoff" to a fine art.

I will continue to attempt to contact Gabriel by phone and e-mail but I may have to seek other means of resolving this issue.

Susan
Lakeland, Florida
U.S.A.