If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
WARNING about doing business with a certain company in China...
This is not off-topic, as it relates specifically to gemstone beads.
Some of you may already be familiar with this story, but it was new to me, so I want to share it here, and urge anyone who has the time to drop a line to this company to let them know how you feel about the way they choose to conduct business. This is the story as I know it; Debby Gwaltney, a Wetcanvas member, placed an order with a company in China for a large amount of gemstone beads... almost $1000 worth. That's a LOT for her, as it would be for most individuals and small businesses! The order never came, and the company simply IGNORED her initial complaints. She attempted to recall her money order, but without success. Eventually, the company did respond, by saying they were tracking the package, but of course by then it was too late to recall the money order and there was STILL no offer of a refund! A number of letters have been sent on this poor lady's behalf, and the company has now said that they will issue a refund, but that they can't issue it directly in US funds so she must find an agent in China to go through! Right. Anyway, I am writing them a letter (snail mail - it may have more impact than e-mail) and letting them know what I think of their business practices, and that not only will I not do business with them, they have also deterred me from doing business with ANY company in China. I have permission from Debby to post her message to me here, and she has also given me the company's contact info, which I am posting at the end of this message for anyone interested in writing on her behalf. Here's her message to me: "Hi Kalera! Thank you so much for offering to send an email to this company that stole my money. Here are the particulars: Wire transfer was sent 1/14/04 for $960.00 via Bank of the Ozarks for shipment of semi-precious gemstone beads. The money was held up at the recipient's bank, but they finally received it around the middle of February, which the company did confirm, and emailed me stating that the order was shipped on Feburary 20. Several weeks later, I still had not received the goods, and replies stated only that they were tracking the parcel with their post office. I had received numerous emails for about two months just saying that the parcel was being tracked, with no other information provided. I finally received the claim form they filled out since the parcel was lost, and signed and returned it, that was about a month ago now. Now I just want my money back, and they're telling me I have to have someone in China do that for me, which sounds like a load of crap. (-snip personal info-) Thank you! Your help is GREATLY appreciated!!! __________________ Debby" Now here's the contact info for the company: CIYI Electronics Co., LTD. No. 14 Quaodong Rd. Shouchang Town Jiande, Zhejiang P. R. of China 311612 http://www.ciyiproduct.com I feel very strongly that the beading community needs to be warned about this company, and about doing business overseas in general. There seems to be very little that can be done about a company that simply keeps your money and sends no goods, if they don't happen to be in the same country as you are. Choose your vendors with exceeding caution! I know I will, after reading her whole story (on WC, if you want to look: http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186778 ) -- -Kalera http://www.beadwife.com http://www.snipurl.com/kebay |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
I have delt with this company. But I have not ordered. The name is a
little different, but here is another email address that might help. I am pretty sure it is the same people. I am so glad to get this info. I am sticking to mainly US run business for most of my supplies right now for this very reason. I wish her best of luck getting her money back. I know about needing the money, but she can write it off her taxes as a business loss. -Amy http://www.empressbeads.com "Kalera Stratton" wrote in message ... This is not off-topic, as it relates specifically to gemstone beads. Some of you may already be familiar with this story, but it was new to me, so I want to share it here, and urge anyone who has the time to drop a line to this company to let them know how you feel about the way they choose to conduct business. This is the story as I know it; Debby Gwaltney, a Wetcanvas member, placed an order with a company in China for a large amount of gemstone beads... almost $1000 worth. That's a LOT for her, as it would be for most individuals and small businesses! The order never came, and the company simply IGNORED her initial complaints. She attempted to recall her money order, but without success. Eventually, the company did respond, by saying they were tracking the package, but of course by then it was too late to recall the money order and there was STILL no offer of a refund! A number of letters have been sent on this poor lady's behalf, and the company has now said that they will issue a refund, but that they can't issue it directly in US funds so she must find an agent in China to go through! Right. Anyway, I am writing them a letter (snail mail - it may have more impact than e-mail) and letting them know what I think of their business practices, and that not only will I not do business with them, they have also deterred me from doing business with ANY company in China. I have permission from Debby to post her message to me here, and she has also given me the company's contact info, which I am posting at the end of this message for anyone interested in writing on her behalf. Here's her message to me: "Hi Kalera! Thank you so much for offering to send an email to this company that stole my money. Here are the particulars: Wire transfer was sent 1/14/04 for $960.00 via Bank of the Ozarks for shipment of semi-precious gemstone beads. The money was held up at the recipient's bank, but they finally received it around the middle of February, which the company did confirm, and emailed me stating that the order was shipped on Feburary 20. Several weeks later, I still had not received the goods, and replies stated only that they were tracking the parcel with their post office. I had received numerous emails for about two months just saying that the parcel was being tracked, with no other information provided. I finally received the claim form they filled out since the parcel was lost, and signed and returned it, that was about a month ago now. Now I just want my money back, and they're telling me I have to have someone in China do that for me, which sounds like a load of crap. (-snip personal info-) Thank you! Your help is GREATLY appreciated!!! __________________ Debby" Now here's the contact info for the company: CIYI Electronics Co., LTD. No. 14 Quaodong Rd. Shouchang Town Jiande, Zhejiang P. R. of China 311612 http://www.ciyiproduct.com I feel very strongly that the beading community needs to be warned about this company, and about doing business overseas in general. There seems to be very little that can be done about a company that simply keeps your money and sends no goods, if they don't happen to be in the same country as you are. Choose your vendors with exceeding caution! I know I will, after reading her whole story (on WC, if you want to look: http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186778 ) -- -Kalera http://www.beadwife.com http://www.snipurl.com/kebay |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I feel very strongly that the beading community needs to be warned about
this company, and about doing business overseas in general. Um, how to word this so that I don't come off sounding unsympathetic? I do feel very sorry for Debby that she encountered such a bad transaction. However, there is a reason behind the meaning "Being Shanghai'd". Most bead vendors and importers already know that doing any business in China is a risk. There are no government or International laws protecting US citizens from being ripped off by Chinese companies doing business from China. And the few rules or regulations that have been set in place are ignored. What happened to Debby happens all the time. It is part of the risk. Knowing the company you are doing business with in advance is the only way to conduct business with China. While I understand the feeling that some people have in needing to try to get the best prices they can by bypassing the vendors and importers here in the US, this is just one example of why it is not always a good idea. The experience that a seasoned importer has is more than worth the few extra pennies per bead you might need to pay, as opposed to trying to get the best deal. There are reasons why there are manufacturers, importers/wholesalers, and retailers. Or in other terms, the middleman, or woman as the case may be. Part of that is because that is how the US functions. People make their living by selling products to others. The more those people are "cut" out of the picture, the less stable the economy will become. The advantage to having the middleman is that all the research, legwork, risk and capitol are a liability that the end consumer does not have to bear. I have watched over the past 5 or 6 years, as the Internet has grown and the planet has become smaller. Access to products have appeared to become easier when in fact they are not. Just knowing how to contact an overseas company does not mean they are reputable. And I am not just talking about China. I am also not just talking about not getting your goods at all. Many times you will receive your product, but do you "really" know what you got? I have also watched as smaller businesses have gone under because people are so intent on the impression that they will be "saving" money by skipping by their local sources. Attempting to directly import, utilizing Bulk Buys so that you are undercutting your LBS or using companies that will sell to anyone who has a tax exempt number at the same price they sell to their beadstores, will only eventually flood the bead industry and put your local sources out of business. Those same local sources are the people who have taken the time to educate, offer the products that are in demand, make them easily accessible in smaller quantities, and support you while you learn to create. Undercutting them is good in what way? Passing them by and going directly to their source helps who? Consider the repercussions. Beki http://www.whimbeads.com |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Consider the repercussions.
Well said, Beki, every single word of your entire post!!!! KarenK |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Very well said, Beki. This is pretty much how I felt, too....there are reasons
one doesn't buy beads from a company called "XYZ Electronics" -- sounds undependable at best. Not only that, but buying from the source that sells things cheapest is one of the reasons greedy Walmart is taking over the world, and mom-and-pops are vanishing. Saving a few pennies without giving it some thought can be cutting off your nose to spite your face. Um, how to word this so that I don't come off sounding unsympathetic? I do feel very sorry for Debby that she encountered such a bad transaction. However, there is a reason behind the meaning "Being Shanghai'd". Most bead vendors and importers already know that doing any business in China is a risk. There are no government or International laws protecting US citizens from being ripped off by Chinese companies doing business from China. And the few rules or regulations that have been set in place are ignored. What happened to Debby happens all the time. It is part of the risk. Knowing the company you are doing business with in advance is the only way to conduct business with China. While I understand the feeling that some people have in needing to try to get the best prices they can by bypassing the vendors and importers here in the US, this is just one example of why it is not always a good idea. The experience that a seasoned importer has is more than worth the few extra pennies per bead you might need to pay, as opposed to trying to get the best deal. There are reasons why there are manufacturers, importers/wholesalers, and retailers. Or in other terms, the middleman, or woman as the case may be. Part of that is because that is how the US functions. People make their living by selling products to others. The more those people are "cut" out of the picture, the less stable the economy will become. The advantage to having the middleman is that all the research, legwork, risk and capitol are a liability that the end consumer does not have to bear. I have watched over the past 5 or 6 years, as the Internet has grown and the planet has become smaller. Access to products have appeared to become easier when in fact they are not. Just knowing how to contact an overseas company does not mean they are reputable. And I am not just talking about China. I am also not just talking about not getting your goods at all. Many times you will receive your product, but do you "really" know what you got? I have also watched as smaller businesses have gone under because people are so intent on the impression that they will be "saving" money by skipping by their local sources. Attempting to directly import, utilizing Bulk Buys so that you are undercutting your LBS or using companies that will sell to anyone who has a tax exempt number at the same price they sell to their beadstores, will only eventually flood the bead industry and put your local sources out of business. Those same local sources are the people who have taken the time to educate, offer the products that are in demand, make them easily accessible in smaller quantities, and support you while you learn to create. Undercutting them is good in what way? Passing them by and going directly to their source helps who? Consider the repercussions. Beki http://www.whimbeads.com ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
OMG!! Thanks for the info and the warning, Kalera. I hope Debby recovers
her money. -- Kandice Seeber Air & Earth Designs http://www.lampwork.net |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Yep - I agree with all of this. However, I think we do need to remember
that even though a lot of us would have exercised caution and such, and even though this type of thing happens all the time - **that doesn't make it any less wrong**. And we have no idea what we really would have done in Debby's shoes. Greed might not have been her motive for buying from this company. We don't know. I mean, we all like a good deal, right? Hindsight is 20/20 and all that. Not everyone is as internet and business saavy as the next person. Take the Nigerian scams. I know all about them and I laugh at the ridiculousness (is that even a word??) of every scamming email I get. However, not everyone knows about them. Hell, my husband had no idea about the Nigerian scams. No clue!! And he is an intelligent, responsible, professional person. Just lending a different perspective. -- Kandice Seeber Air & Earth Designs http://www.lampwork.net Very well said, Beki. This is pretty much how I felt, too....there are reasons one doesn't buy beads from a company called "XYZ Electronics" -- sounds undependable at best. Not only that, but buying from the source that sells things cheapest is one of the reasons greedy Walmart is taking over the world, and mom-and-pops are vanishing. Saving a few pennies without giving it some thought can be cutting off your nose to spite your face. Um, how to word this so that I don't come off sounding unsympathetic? I do feel very sorry for Debby that she encountered such a bad transaction. However, there is a reason behind the meaning "Being Shanghai'd". Most bead vendors and importers already know that doing any business in China is a risk. There are no government or International laws protecting US citizens from being ripped off by Chinese companies doing business from China. And the few rules or regulations that have been set in place are ignored. What happened to Debby happens all the time. It is part of the risk. Knowing the company you are doing business with in advance is the only way to conduct business with China. While I understand the feeling that some people have in needing to try to get the best prices they can by bypassing the vendors and importers here in the US, this is just one example of why it is not always a good idea. The experience that a seasoned importer has is more than worth the few extra pennies per bead you might need to pay, as opposed to trying to get the best deal. There are reasons why there are manufacturers, importers/wholesalers, and retailers. Or in other terms, the middleman, or woman as the case may be. Part of that is because that is how the US functions. People make their living by selling products to others. The more those people are "cut" out of the picture, the less stable the economy will become. The advantage to having the middleman is that all the research, legwork, risk and capitol are a liability that the end consumer does not have to bear. I have watched over the past 5 or 6 years, as the Internet has grown and the planet has become smaller. Access to products have appeared to become easier when in fact they are not. Just knowing how to contact an overseas company does not mean they are reputable. And I am not just talking about China. I am also not just talking about not getting your goods at all. Many times you will receive your product, but do you "really" know what you got? I have also watched as smaller businesses have gone under because people are so intent on the impression that they will be "saving" money by skipping by their local sources. Attempting to directly import, utilizing Bulk Buys so that you are undercutting your LBS or using companies that will sell to anyone who has a tax exempt number at the same price they sell to their beadstores, will only eventually flood the bead industry and put your local sources out of business. Those same local sources are the people who have taken the time to educate, offer the products that are in demand, make them easily accessible in smaller quantities, and support you while you learn to create. Undercutting them is good in what way? Passing them by and going directly to their source helps who? Consider the repercussions. Beki http://www.whimbeads.com ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
**that doesn't make it any
less wrong**. You are right, Kandice. And I certainly hope I didn't imply that I thought it was okay. Greed might not have been her motive for buying from this company. You are correct about this too, and I just made an assumption about this. I think it may be because I have started to become bitter about all the complaints I hear from my customers, colleagues, and just posts on the Net regarding people being ripped off or lied to about the beads they are purchasing. It started several years back with the Bali/India bead thing and people not having a clue what they were really buying. And this is one area that is still muddy. Then it moved to crystal beads, and now it is stones. Luckily it only took about 6 months before the general beading population learned that Cherry Quartz was not some new find in the ground. =o/ The beading industry is my life and has been for the majority of my life. I hate to see people abuse it. Beki http://www.whimbeads.com |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
I've honed my list of suppliers ruthlessly, and really only buy from a few
trusted sources. Kathy, would you please email me? Thank you.... :-) ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
There may be a few items where I pay more than absolutely necessary for my
beads. I don't care. It's not worth it to me to wait six months for a bulk buy of stones, crystal, bali or anything else. I can get wonderful Bali from Nicole at a competitive price Me too. I enjoy buying from small businesses for many reasons -- having once been one, I especially feel it's my duty to support them. I *so* understand what they go through. Aside: I look at all turquoise with a jaded eye. I've seen so much crap out there that I don't even want to buy it any more. Yes, me too. I never buy turquoise from anyone except a TRUSTED source. It's too easy to fake that stone in particular. Notorious! And black stones with a teeny blue streak doesn't say "turquoise" to me at all. Though blue stones with black streaks make me happy. I was a hippie and veined turquoise makes me remember a more carefree day when things weren't as complicated (or painful!) as they are now (in my life, that is). It does something to me, personally, so I do buy that stuff and wear it, knowing full well it's not the best I could buy and use. Your knowledge and honesty are the main reasons I have you on my "short list." You do a terrific job, kiddo. Absolutely! That's why Beki's biz is called "highly recommended" on the Links List -- a notation saved for very, very, VERY few. Out on a Whim is Beki's store, for those of you who don't know: http://www.whimbeads.com/ ~~ Sooz ------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Need business cards | Harry | Beads | 1 | March 13th 04 06:54 PM |
New Business Cards ~OT~ | Tinkster | Beads | 40 | January 20th 04 06:13 AM |
finished business card | Marissa Undercofler | Beads | 12 | December 7th 03 10:23 AM |
The business of beads... | Tink | Beads | 41 | August 15th 03 03:10 AM |