| positivelyken |
04-17-2018 10:27 PM |
Re: Megatronimus
I envy those of you who had great, smooth, positive transactions with Megatronimus in 2011. I really wish I'd been dealing with that guy, because that guy sounds like an awesome person. Unfortunately, since late 2017 into 2018, I've been dealing with a Megatronimus who took my money, never shipped the item I agreed to buy, and ghosted on me.
I first reached out to him in November and inquired about his TFP FE Arcee. Communication was great at that point. He answered my questions, we agreed on a price ($30 shipped), and I sent him the funds right away. He said he would ship out the item that week with a tracking number.
After a couple of days with no update, I asked him if he'd had a chance to ship yet. He said it was a hectic week, apologized for the delay, and he would send it the following Monday.
Fast forward a week or two into December and there's no sign of the item and no further communication. I sent Megatronimus an email to ask for an update. His response was that he was in the middle of a move, and once he was settled he would send the figure out. At this point I'm thinking: I've moved a couple of times in the past, and I know moving sucks. Plus it's the holiday season, and with this guy's unanimously positive feedback on the forums, I had no reason to assume anything but good faith. So I let him be for a while.
Now it's January 1st, 2018, the holidays are over, and he's had plenty of time to get his business under control. I emailed Megatronimus again -- not being pushy, mind you -- and asked for an ETA on when I could expect the figure to be shipped out. I got a response the same day saying he'd send out my item and an item for another buyer on Thursday. Guess what? Thursday came and went, and again: no shipment, no update, no communication. (Incidentally, I'd love to know if that other buyer actually got their item.)
As you can tell by now, our exchanges are following the same pattern: I reach out for information, he responds quickly and promises to do something, and then nothing happens and Megatronimus goes radio silent. Spoiler alert, lots more of this to come.
Once again, in late January, I emailed and pressed him for an update. Once again, I got a reply almost immediately. He explained he was going through a tough situation in his personal life (this part is his own business, so I'm not going into detail). He apologized again for the lack of communication and said he took accountability for the delay up to now. He said he would ship out the figure the next day. His email was very contrite and seemed genuine. I'm an understanding person. I responded sympathetically.
But still. NOTHING. HAPPENED.
I tried to make contact throughout February and got nothing back. In March I sent him a polite but strongly worded email telling him that I assumed I was never going to get the figure I paid for months ago, and I wanted him to refund my money. I also advised him I'd have to go public here on the forums if he couldn't settle up. Just like all the other times, he responded the same day and promised to send me back the funds that night. DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I followed up after a couple of days. NO ANSWER. One more time. NO ANSWER.
It was at that point that I made my first attempt to write the feedback you are reading right now. I got a couple of paragraphs into it, and then I went back to re-read the other feedback from 2011. It made me hesitate. A guy who got that kind of praise from other forum members couldn’t be such a bad guy, could he? I realize that he was the buyer in those transactions, and in mine, he’s the seller. That’s a bit of a difference. But things had gone well in the past. If he’s still the same great guy, but the main impediment here is the personal situation he disclosed to me back in January, then I could at least give him a last chance to set things straight. This is what I’m choosing to tell myself to justify why I let this bullshit go on so long. You, good reader, probably think I’m crazy, and I wouldn’t disagree with you.
At the end of March I emailed Megatronimus again and told him much of what I said above, and told him it was unfair of him not to make things right after all this time. I told him to refund my $30 right away. He responded the same day with a screenshot of his bank account balance, which was low, and said he’d get paid on Thursday. (Again with the Thursday!) That Thursday morning I reminded him to pay up. Who wants to bet I got the money? (I didn’t.)
Two weeks later – Wednesday, April 11, the day before his next paycheck – I demanded he pay up on Thursday. He didn’t even bother responding this time. And no, the refund never came.
So I’m making good on MY long-overdue promise, and I’m sharing this ridiculous, unsatisfying, frustrating experience with you. It’s not even about the money anymore. I’ve spent $30 on countless things I got no satisfaction from: a bad meal, a gift for someone I don’t especially like, an evening out at a lousy movie. It’s the principle of the thing. Every transaction I’ve had on these forums has been overall positive, and I met some really great people along the way. This is the lone exception, and what bothers me most is that a grown-ass man could not pull his shit together after nearly five months and do the right thing. He pawned his integrity and goodwill away for $30.
If Megatronimus does refund my money OR ships out the figure I paid for, I will update this thread.
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