Complaint Review: Vending Dreams

In June 2005, my husband and I purchased 30 Vendstar3000 candy machines from Vendstar with a $1500 discount with them to put toward Vending Dreams for locating services. We finalized our purchase with Vendstar and contacted Vending Dreams. We sent in our check for $750 to Vending Dreams and we were told a locator would be contacting us soon. I was on the phone several times a day for several weeks trying to get a locator.

I was finally given a locator, Larry Mills, who via conference call with Ashley, said he was coming out the next day. We had planned on paying via check or money order and I was told cash only. This made me very uncomfortable from the beginning and I told both of them this. Larry Mills (locator) stated he couldn't cash out of state checks and some other bull. I asked about money orders and he said no for the same reasons. I figured out much later that he did not have a drivers license and was probably wanted by the police and that was most likely the real reason as to why he didn't want a check or money order.

I guess my expectations of this company were much too high. I expected a professional business experience and was given nothing but lies and excuses after lies and excuses. Vending Dreams sent out this locator Larry Mills who wanted ME to drive him around in my car to locate these machines. I was 9 months pregnant at the time and I didn't know this man at all and I told him NO. I brought my boys with me instead and I told him I would follow him.

My scheduled time to meet him was at 9 am at his hotel lobby. I called his room and his cell phone for about 45 minutes before he showed up in grungy cut off jean shorts and a t-shirt. To be honest, he scared me. He looked like a thug and I called Vending Dreams 24 hour customer service number to speak to someone, anyone.

To make this long story short, the first day took until 5pm and stopped due to the rain. We were supposed to meet the next morning at 10 am in his lobby again and after several hours of trying to call him, HE NEVER ANSWERED AND NEVER SHOWED UP! I tried to call Vending Dreams and have every one paged to call me back ASAP for help, including Susan Davis and Jim Ellis and no one returned my calls.

The locator eventually called me around 5 pm that night saying his girlfriends son fell at the hotel pool the day before and he had been at the ER all day. Although, he could not remember the name of the hospital and the hotel had no record of any injury at the pool. I just wanted this done and over with. We decided to meet again at the lobby at 9:30 am and would you guess it, he did NOT SHOW UP AGAIN!!!

This time I went to his hotel room and banged and banged on the door over and over again. He was not answering his cell phone, his room phone or the door. I knew someone was there because his car was there. I eventually found housekeeping and had her open the door. When she did, the chain lock was on and when I said "Hello" the door was slammed in my face!

I called Vending Dreams again at this point and my husband for help. My husband showed up and he went to the hotel room. Eventually Larry Mills girlfriend came out and told us that she had his cell phone and that he was with his uncle at some warehouse storing vending machines that he had purchased. We also saw the boy that was supposedly in the ER the day before with nothing wrong with him.

Larry Mills never showed up. This was Sunday. The next day Ashely called me and I told her everything that had happened. She, miraculously, was able to get instantly in contact with Larry Mills and he was set to meet me the next morning. I told her that I was probably going to go into labor and sure enough I did, that night.

I had my baby early the next morning and my husband ended up meeting up with Larry Mills, several hours late as he did not show up again. By the end of the day, there were 3 machines left to place and Larry Mills gave my husband 4 locations in writing to place himself the next day. When my husband returned the next day, 2 of the 4 locations denied my husband and we were left with 1 machine. Ashley told my husband to pay Larry Mills the remaining $750, but at least my husband had the common sense to get him to sign off that he paid him in cash.

I have fought with Vending Dreams since August, every month trying to get my machines located. I had 2 machines stolen the first month, both of which we believe the locator stole. When this happenend, I spoke directly to Jim Ellis, and then found out that Larry Mills was in JAIL!!! I asked for his address to put on the police reports and I was told that they did not have his current address because they were told he moved. I asked for his old address and was told they ALREADY DELETED IT FROM THEIR SYSTEM!!!

I did get smart and decided to only communicate via e-mail and instant messenger from then on out so I had a paper trail of my conversations. I was constantly in contact with Vending Dreams asking for new locations. Usually when I would get locations, I would only get 1 or 2 and usually I would have to reject at least half of them. I have a GPS system in my car and even my car could not find the addresses they would give. When it would it would take me down a deserted dead end road or it would be someone's house!

UPDATE...
As of today, Vending Dreams is out of business. From what I have been told, Ashley and Staci were not paid and they left. I called and spoke to a lady named Shari and she informed me that Vending Dreams was going out of business, but the warranty department was staying around and to give them 4 to 6 weeks to get things in order for replacing my lost locations. I asked for this in writing for my records and I was told by her that she would send it out. This was on 2/21/06.

On 3/6/06 I tried to call Sheri again and follow up on the letter since I had not received it and I got a generic answering machine. I thought maybe I had made a mistake on the number and tried their website and found out it was gone! I called Vendstar to find out what I should do and spoke to Larry Kaplan. He told me the man in charge now was Chris Ailer (sp). He gave me these two numbers to call 770-562-0063
770-562-0046, but he would call him for me and have him contact me.

Today, 6/7/06, I received a call from Kathy, who also worked for Vending Dreams and she informed me that Vending Dreams is out of business completely. Their website is gone, the phone numbers are out of service, etc. Kathy informed me that Chris Ailer (sp) has started his own locating business and has hired her.

Kathy told me that Larry Kaplan informed her to call all Vending Dreams customers to let them know to not call Vendstar any more and to call Chris at a number she stated should have shown up on my caller ID (it didn't), but it was to be a 618 area code.

Kathy informed me that she started with Vending Dreams in August and at that time, Jim Ellis, Susan Davis, Ashely, Staci and herself were working out of one office. She stated that in September, they moved into 2 separate offices, Jim, Susan and Kathy in one and Ashley and Staci in another. She stated that in December, they closed the office the 3 of them were in and began to work out of Susan Davis's home and Ashely and Staci stayed at the other office.

By January, according to Kathy, she said that Susan was informed that Ashley and Staci were not doing their jobs and customers were not being taken care of and that the company was going down hill fast. By February, it was going under and the telemarketing company was no longer taking lost location replacement requests, because they were not being paid and Vending Dreams had used all thier money that was for this purpose. Mid February, Ashely and Staci both were not paid and neither was Kathy. All have gone their own ways.

I was told straight out that Vending Dreams WILL NOT HONOR ANY WARRANTIES and to hire a lawyer. I am contacting lawyers now, filing this report, filing a report with the BBB and the Attny. General next. I will continue to file my monthly reports as required by my Vending Dreams contract so I can not be told I did not fulfill my end of the contract. I was also told to send my monthly reports to this address: 306 E. Main Street, Oblong, IL 62449 as this is Susan Davis's home address.

I will update this when I get more information. **I am willing to participate in a class action lawsuit if one has been started.**

Nicole
Middle River, Maryland
U.S.A.