Complaint Review: American Martial Arts Supply/ The Armory

On 5/20/2000 I ordered a scimitar(sword) from The Armory. The total for my order was $152.14 and it was to be shipped UPS ground.

Nearly a month later, I still had not received my order, so I emailed for status. By mid June, I had emailed several times, called several times and left voice messages, and did not hear anything back. The charges had already cleared my bank.

Finally on 6/14/00 at 7:45pm, I got a hold of someone in "customer service". He said that the scimitars were on back order, they should receive them within a week, they would next day air it to me, so I should "definately have it in 2 weeks."

This sword was "lost". I contacted The Armory again, and received this email from Jason Wright:

"I have issued a tracer with UPS on your scimitar. I do apologize for your long wait and I don't know what happened to your original shipment.

In the meantime, I will get you another item sent out to you. If you would like to give us a call tomorrow 6-22-00 I should be able to give you a tracking number on the second package."

He emailed the tracking number to me the next day. I had also ordered a necklace on ebay, and was expecting it from UPS at this point.

A few days after I got the tracking number, a man in a UPS uniform knocked on my door. He asked me to sign for a very small cardboard envelope. Thinking it was the necklace, I signed for it. When I shut the door and looked at the package more carefully, I noticed it said, "The Armory" on the label.

There was no way a scimitar could have ever fit into that package, so I rushed out to catch the UPS guy, who was climbing into a PENSKE truck. He said he'd take the package and file a report with UPS about the missing contents.

I contacted The Armory again to let them know there was nothing in the package, but they didn't believe me, saying that I signed for it, so they closed the order as fulfilled.

I tried to resolve the issue through UPS, but they wouldn't talk to me since it was shipped by a business- the business would have to call.

I sent the following email to Jason Wright on 11/15/00:

"I have tried to contact you by phone, but you will not take my calls. My order was placed on May 20th, and we still do not have a resolution to our problem. The fact remains that you have my $152.14, and I have no scimitar.

I have tried to resolve this myself with UPS, but I can only get so far before they say the shipper has to handle it from here. Would you please let me know what you plan to do regarding this issue?"

I never heard anything back, and he refused to talk to me when I would call. So 2 1/2 years later, I still don't have my money back, or my sword, and all I've been able to do is file complaints with the FTC, BBB, and a few other fraud reporting sites and agencies.

DO NOT order from this company. They are hell to communicate with, and they don't give a d**n about their customers.

S
Frisco, Colorado
U.S.A.