And I thought I was intelligent... Hard lesson learnt.. Can I get my money back ? Probably not, but I'll keep trying.
Melbourne, 1st June, walked into the Melb Convention Centre with a friend, walked out minus $3k each. Got home, poked around merchant services, etc, and actually thought, d**n, this might just work. Mucked about for a week or two, went through the tutorials, registered with 123dropship site, Alibaba, etc, looking for a product to sell, got some replies.
Then my friend gets a call from EMS Coaching.... "Hey, we noticed you don't have a live site yet, we can help, it'll only cost your ANOTHER $7000 or so..."
Warning Bells start ringing, so he did some quick searching, 10 minutes later, I get a call from him - "Looks like a scam".
So I had a quick check over a couple of these articles and thought, "Nah - still a possibility, just got to work at it", but an hour later after reading the 25 or so pages of 300 odd reports from all the folk around the world, I'm thinking - SUCKED IN !
But how many other people signed on that day ? Not to mention the other seminars in Melb and around Australia. d**n ! That's a LOT of money. (Sorry to those who also chose the SOL finance options.)
So Check this out - Go to www.accc.gov.au and search for "storesonline". Two articles from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission stating that there were court orders obtained on the 1st June for injunctions and legal proceedings had commenced against Storeonline and that they were OBLIGED to inform all participants in their seminars of this fact. Doesn't ring any bells, does it ?
I have since also asked the ACCC to outline the status of this issue and whether there are any avenues to pursue to recoup our money.
I, too, challenge anyone to publish their storesonline website here. PROVE US WRONG !! I'd be happy to apologise, but doubt I'll need to...
Oh, and to the nice Aussie bloke I spoke to during the break who presented his successful website selling lawnmowers - hope we don't meet in a dark alley, bud.
Frank
Melbourne
Australia
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Storesonline
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Paul
Anaheim,California,
U.S.A.
Here in America, we like to conduct business matters like this in person. So, why don't you all stop by?
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sun, July 17, 2005
Now, I'm not sure how you mates handle things. But here, we like to drive on over and handle the problem man-to-man.
Imergent-754 E. Technology Ave. Orem, UT
From interstate 15 in Orem, Utah
Take the UT-52 exit 275 to (US-189) - go 0.3 mile
Turn right at West 800 North - go 1.5 mile
Continue on East 800 North - go 1.0 mile
Turn left at North 800 East - go 0.8 mile
Turn left at Technology Ave - go 0.1 mile
They're right past Orem Cemetery
The main person you need to see is John Poelman. There are some pictures of him online. Search google. He's just a kid.
Now, this invitation isn't just for the Aussies. Anyone who bought a web business is more than welcome to stop over. I'm sure the company would love to hear all about your fabulous online success.
One small thing. Utah is desolate, empty country. Check your map and you'll see just how many miles of empty rock and desert there are. So, be sure to get the directions straight before you leave. If you were to get lost out in the middle of nowhere, it could easily turn out badly.
Who knows, after you work out any business disagreements, perhaps you can take in some sports. Utah has some excellent hunting. They are known for their deer, elk, moose and antelope.
Gary
Perth,Australia,
Australia
Storesonline are Masters of Deception
#3Consumer Comment
Sat, July 16, 2005
Hi Frank,
Like you I was ripped off by Storesonline. Don't feel too bad about it. Storesonline are MASTERS of DECEPTION. I got "done" in 2003.
I spent 12 months trying to get their stupid template site to work. I documented everything I did in a journal. God, when I look back through that journal it makes me ill. I put in hundreds of hours.
Basically Storesonline sell flawed websites. There is no intention by them to host successful ventures. They are all smoke and mirrors.
I must say, they have incredibly persuasive sales people. That is where all their money goes - into training slicksters to tell lie after lie after lie to unsuspecting hopefuls.
Just look at the massive number of people who have poured their hearts out here. I feel terribly sorry for each and every one of them.
I have made several posts here both out of frustration with my own circumsatnces and to try to help all the others who have been ripped off.
I know that Storesonline with all their aliases monitor this site. That is why we ALL need to keep the pressure up.
Slowly but surely this Storesonline charade is being exposed for what it is - an outright fraud.
This company is damaging its State of Utah and the country of the USA all around the world. They don't care. All they want is your money.
I sent 100's of emails to Storesonline most of which they completely ignored. When they did answer, which was rare, their so-called "technicians" gave answers that were so ridiculous or off the point they were meaningless. No help whatsoever!
Like I said, I spent 12 months bashing my head against this Storesonline wall of deception. I just could not make it work.
Therefore, as I have done EVERY time I have made a post here... I challenge ANYONE - anyone at all - who has a functional Storesonline hosted site to tell us the URL.
And PLEASE... no Storesonline secret agents. I do not want some monkey to come here and make stupid statements about how wonderful this fraudulent company is. It will be seen through by everybody.
Just give us a URL to visit! Thats all any of the 300+ people who have posted here want to see.
On that score...
Just think everybody, if 300 people have come here to report this (and it is not the only site that carries these disgusting ripoff stories) then how many thousands of people all over the world have been lied to.
Ha! One of the MANY lies that Storesonline sales people will tell is about their "reverse keyword" search engine. They tell everybody that it is exclusive to Storesonline. What a bald-faced lie! All they do is use the Overture engine. Anybody can do that - FREE. However "newbies" don't know that at the so-called "seminar."
Lies, deception, fraud, criminal business practices - you will find it all at Storesonline.
Thank God there are some wonderful web-hosts and web designers out there. Storesonline is NOT one of them.
In Star Wars terms they are the Death-Star of Web-hosts and they engage teams of Darth Vaders to lie to unsuspecting people.
May the force be with everybody who comes here...
Every time you complain and expose them more they get just a bit closer to being closed down. They're being investigated in Australia and all over the world. They need to be closed down.
Sorry, Frank, You have been ripped off. Just like me and 1000's of others all over the world.
In the end virtue will win over evil. It always does. Keep posting your comments.
The Empire is striking back!