Velocity Reviews - Sterling Tek, New Mexico

Hi,

I've noticed a number of posts mentioning Steling Tek, a mail order/
internet based supplier. By way of warning may I recount my poor
experience with this organisation.

The following is a direct 'paste' from a letter sent 7 days ago (to
which they have not yet replied.

13/04/05 I won e-bay auction number 7506501366 a Nikon MH53 equivalent
battery charger which operates from the 12v supply in a car, plus spare
EN-EL1 battery. I paid the total sum of USD 38.98 by Pay-pal
immediately.

25/04/05 I received you consignment, only to discover that the wrong
item had been sent, the battery was fine but the charger was the wrong
model being solely designed for mains operation. I e-mailed your
company immediately advising of the error and asking how the goods
should be returned and how my postage costs would be refunded.

26/04/05 After 1 reminder e-mail I was e-mailed a return form and to
complete this and return this to you, no mention of refunding postage
was made. I e-mailed back requesting confirmation of this point and
seeking confirmation of whether to return both the charger and battery.
After over 24 hours Mark e-mailed advising that both items should me
returned and that postage would be refunded.

28/04/05 The goods were returned to you

04/05/05 The goods were received by you.

14/05/05 I sent an e-mail requesting an update on the situation

16/05/05 E-mail received from Sabrina advising that goods were
received, but with no instructions from me. This is untrue as I
returned your returns form with the items. Question: If you were unsure
why did you not drop me an email, you sat on these goods for over 10
days. This question was raised by return e-mail on the same day, again
I requested confirmation of the postage refund.

17/05/05 E-mail received mark claiming that the goods returned were as
ordered - " were they defective?". At this point I began to loose
patience and re-advised the situation in full and advised the unless
the correct goods were returned, and confirmation of postage refund
were received within 24 hours I would post negative feedback and file a
Pay-al dispute. E-mail from Mark confirming goods would be re-shipped
but mention of refund.

19/05/05 I requested again confirmation of postage refund

25/05/05 I posted negative feedback, advising you by e-mail and
instigated a Pay-pal dispute. Getting nasty had some effect, after
several e-mails between Mark and myself Mark admitted your error,
blaming somebody in you 'receiving department' for passing on
inaccurate information. Mark advised that he was now able to offer a
refund, but was unable to do so due to the Pay-pal dispute being in
place.

27/05/05 The correct charger arrived, but no battery -again I
immediately advised you by e-mail.

30/05/05 Having had no response I sent a 'polite reminder'

31/05/05 Still no response. 'Less than polite reminder sent'
additional 'rude' e-mail sent to 'help@sterlingtek.com'

1/06/05 Still no communication, however I received a chatty e-mail
about your photo competition. A red rag to a bull I'm afraid a
further nasty email sent in response.

Since then they have agreed to resend the missing battery (not yet
received) they are refusing to refund the postage despite promisng to
do so, and are lying (possibly unintentionally) in their responses to
Paypal.

I beginning to suspect that they are a much smaller outfit than they
claim to be - I think there are about 3 people using a variety of
pseudonyms on e-mails :-)

While my experience may be a one off, I would be interested to know if
others have had similar problems.

Obviously it would be great if somebody from Sterling Tek could add
their comments, bearing in mind that I do have full documentary
evidence to support my dispute

REgards