Complaint Review: Bidz - Nationwide

My $1.3 was the winning bid for a supposed $1299 ring. Excited I placed and won 20 more bids for misc. items over the the next three days. When I went to pay for my winning bids, the ring I really wanted did not show up on the bill.

I e-mailed, then called customer service to find out why the ring did not show up. Customer Service said due to technical problems 4/29/03 - 4/30/03 my winning bid was not valid and was re-listed. If they were to invalidate one winning bid because Bidz was having technical difficulties, all winning bids for 4/29-4/30 should have been invalidated, yet they had zero problems with the lower cost item, higher priced items. Customer Service said the average price for the same 60 rings was $95, so because my winning bid was only $1.3 there was a problem. If I wanted to pay $95 it was ok even though they are the home of the $1 no reserve auction.

I asked to speak with a manager, so they put me into Dan Strachilo's voice mail (Dan is the Customer Service Manager). He did not return my phone call, so I called back and asked to speak with an actual manager, not the e-mails voicemails that do not return phone calls. They put me back into Dan's voicemail I pushed *T and played with the buttons til I figured out their extensions. Mathew's, which he states is the CFO the website lists as the COO, extension is 333.

I asked him who I can talk to about being ripped off? He said I could talk to him. He pulled up my account then proceeded to tell me that based on the stealing policy in their terms (which they have none listed), my bid was being invalidated. He said that other people wanted to bid on my order and e-mailed him, so he re-listed the order. I asked to see copies of the e-mails and he refused stating personal data would be given. I told him to cut and paste, that I didn't need their personal data, just proof that multiple people complained about this one item on 4/29. He refused and again stated that based on theft it was being invalidated.

I told him that I would make sure that my 20 friends, that make constant purchases on Bidz.com, were made aware that because I won a $1299 ring with a $1.3 bid I was being called a thief by Bidz.com's CFO or COO whatever Mathew actually is and that I would update my website to explain in further detail what Bidz.com is all about. So he had David Strachilo, who I never actually got to speak with, disable my account, and send an e-mail to me stating that based on my "abusive" conversations they have immediately closed my account, and will discard any correspondence from me.

It's pretty sad that a company that claims to be a $1 no reserve auction can become so stressed by somebody winning a $1.3 bid. Did they not set a precedent by accepting other payments made by other people and myself for bids placed 4/29-4/30? I have no idea what is happening with my $160 payment/shipment they just took before they locked me out.

Here is what Bidz.com says about retracting a bid: "Bidz.com considers a confirmed bid on an item to be a legally-binding expression of intent to purchase. Once you have submitted your confirmed bid, it cannot be retracted..."

Second paragraph first sentence of About Bidz page: "Satisfaction of our bidders is of paramount importance"

I'm not satisfied and they don't care. They just call me a thief and say I'm abusive because I'm offended. Where is the justice? Help!!!

Amber

Buena Park, California
U.S.A.