consumer alert: beware of Damark
Mark Crispin
wondered what happens if you get something from them that's broken and/or
defective?
I just found out. They don't want to talk to you. After you navigate
through their "24 hour" 800 number's answering robot and select customer
service, you get back a snooty message to the effect that they have so
many customer orders that they can't be bothered to talk to existing
customers until after 7PM, then it hangs up.
If you call again when they are in "we don't take customer service calls"
mode, they blacklist your telephone number, and all future calls get an
immediate busy signal.
It's easy to reproduce. Call Damark at 1-800-729-9000, select option 4,
then 3 (hear their spiel about just send it back...which doesn't apply in
my case), then option 2. Get snooty message, get hung up on. Repeat.
From now on, all future calls to 1-800-729-9000 will immediately return a
busy signal. At first, I thought I was being paranoid; but after
reproducing it on 6 phone lines the conclusion is pretty damning.
If you ever do reach a human in the wee hours of the morning when they'll
lower themselves to take customer service calls, you get told that their
computer is down and they can't help you, call back later. Now that my
phone number has been blacklisted, I guess that I won't get that again.
What is particularly infuriating is that I was specifically told to call
back by the one helpful human who wrote down my information and promised
to enter it "when the computer comes back up."
They ignore customer service sent from their web page as well. Contrary
to their claim, no automatic acknowledgement is sent either.
Due to the size and cost ($400) of the item, they were supposed to pick up
the cost of shipping it back, and I was supposed to call to arrange it.
What's more, one item was damaged in shipping, which also needed
discussion. Since I couldn't get through to them to arrange for a pickup,
I had to ship it back at a cost to me of $90. It was a fairly major
undertaking to get it over to UPS.
What with the original shipping cost to me, I'm now out over $500.
I know about filing a credit card disput, but I have to give them 15 days
before doing that. The reason for sending it back UPS 2nd day air was to
get that clock ticking before the payment comes due on the card.
Besides their obligation to ship a replacement or refund, I think that at
a minimum I'm owed a fairly major apology; I'd still be out $90 that I
wasn't supposed to have to spend.
Since this email is cc'd to their customerservice address, maybe it'll
(finally) get their attention and they'll take care of me. If they do,
I'll be quite happy to post an update. If they make up to me for what
happened, I'll even make it a retraction. I have just spent an extremely
frustrating 30 hours that no merchant should ever put a customer through.
-- Mark --
* RCW 19.190 notice: This email address is located in Washington State. *
* Unsolicited commercial email may be billed $500 per message. *
Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
Jim Dompier
Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU>, m...@CAC.Washington.EDU says...
Don't get me wrong, I am on your side but, when something gets damaged in
shipping, it isn't Damarks problem. Unfortunetly, YOU have to file a
claim with UPS to get reimbursed for it. Legally, once a shipment has
LEFT the shipper, it is technically YOURS. If it gets damaged in
shipping, the shipping company has to pay you.
I know this sucks, you buy something and spend your money on it, it gets
damaged, and then YOU have to wait 30 days for UPS to cut you a check,
but that IS the way it works...
I don't know why, but I have never bought anything from Damark. Their
catalog has a really cheesy look to it. It reminds me of one of those
nickle and dime mail order catalogs where everything looks bigger than
life in the pictures, but when you get it, it's a completely different
story.
> Since I couldn't get through to them to arrange for a pickup,
> I had to ship it back at a cost to me of $90. It was a fairly major
> undertaking to get it over to UPS.
>
> What with the original shipping cost to me, I'm now out over $500.
>
> I know about filing a credit card disput, but I have to give them 15 days
> before doing that. The reason for sending it back UPS 2nd day air was to
> get that clock ticking before the payment comes due on the card.
>
> Besides their obligation to ship a replacement or refund, I think that at
> a minimum I'm owed a fairly major apology; I'd still be out $90 that I
> wasn't supposed to have to spend.
>
> Since this email is cc'd to their customerservice address, maybe it'll
> (finally) get their attention and they'll take care of me. If they do,
> I'll be quite happy to post an update. If they make up to me for what
> happened, I'll even make it a retraction. I have just spent an extremely
> frustrating 30 hours that no merchant should ever put a customer through.
>
> -- Mark --
>
> * RCW 19.190 notice: This email address is located in Washington State. *
> * Unsolicited commercial email may be billed $500 per message. *
> Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
>
>
>
--
__**__
**
Jim Dompier
http://www.islandshades.com
Mark Crispin
> Don't get me wrong, I am on your side but, when something gets damaged in
> shipping, it isn't Damarks problem. Unfortunetly, YOU have to file a
> claim with UPS to get reimbursed for it. Legally, once a shipment has
> LEFT the shipper, it is technically YOURS. If it gets damaged in
> shipping, the shipping company has to pay you.
What was *broken* was an item worth about $1 packed with the $400 item.
What was *defective* (as in failed a few hours after receipt) was the item
worth $400.
That is why I needed to talk with Danmark's customer service. Did they
want me to go through all the claims procedure with UPS for a $1 item, or
would they address the $400 problem.
Also, isn't there something about a shipper not having responsibility if
the broken item was improperly packed (which definitely was the case
here).
Mark Crispin
> Sorry, but you're just being paranoid. I just tried what you suggested, and
> got hung up on, just like you said. When I redialed the number, I got
> through immediately.
Did you then repeat the procedure and try a third time?
You'll find that it doesn't work on try #3.
I have 6 lines (including an entire corporate PBX) that get nothing but
busy signals when dialing their number.
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
Mark Crispin wrote in message ...
>Everybody gets the Damark catalog of toys for techies. Have you ever
>wondered what happens if you get something from them that's broken and/or
>defective?
>
>I just found out. They don't want to talk to you. After you navigate
>through their "24 hour" 800 number's answering robot and select customer
>service, you get back a snooty message to the effect that they have so
>many customer orders that they can't be bothered to talk to existing
>customers until after 7PM, then it hangs up.
>
>If you call again when they are in "we don't take customer service calls"
>mode, they blacklist your telephone number, and all future calls get an
>immediate busy signal.
>
>It's easy to reproduce. Call Damark at 1-800-729-9000, select option 4,
>then 3 (hear their spiel about just send it back...which doesn't apply in
>my case), then option 2. Get snooty message, get hung up on. Repeat.
>From now on, all future calls to 1-800-729-9000 will immediately return a
>busy signal. At first, I thought I was being paranoid; but after
>reproducing it on 6 phone lines the conclusion is pretty damning.
Sorry, but you're just being paranoid. I just tried what you suggested, and
got hung up on, just like you said. When I redialed the number, I got
through immediately.
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
MSch...@nospam.carolina.rr.com
Spammers use these newsgroup postings to obtain your e-mail address. To
avoid spam, I have intentionally corrupted my return address. To contact
me, delete the "nospam" from my address..
You can visit my website at http://members.xoom.com/WorstNurse
jle...@myriad.net
> claim with UPS to get reimbursed for it. Legally, once a shipment has
> LEFT the shipper, it is technically YOURS. If it gets damaged in
> shipping, the shipping company has to pay you.
This is not completely true. Ask UPS or any other shipper about "FOB Shipping Point"
and "FOB Destination" for clarification.
> I know this sucks, you buy something and spend your money on it, it gets
> damaged, and then YOU have to wait 30 days for UPS to cut you a check,
> but that IS the way it works...
No its not. I just received a damaged package (UPS, go figure). I called the
company that sent it, and they arranged for pickup and replacement. I didn't have to
call UPS at all.
Joe St. Lucas
> > claim with UPS to get reimbursed for it. Legally, once a shipment has
> > LEFT the shipper, it is technically YOURS. If it gets damaged in
> > shipping, the shipping company has to pay you.
>
> This is not completely true. Ask UPS or any other shipper about "FOB Shipping Point"
> and "FOB Destination" for clarification.
Well, a couple years back I bought a reconditioned chainsaw from Damark. It arrived
with the lid on the oil not screwed down, allowing the chainsaw oil to leak over the
entire saw, papers, instructions, etc., but the box itself was undamaged.
So I tried to get Damark to pay for return shipping, I wanted another chainsaw that
didn't have oil all over it, after all, do I want to slip handling the thing because
I didn't clean every drop up? And why was the darn thing loaded with oil anyway,
I thought they'd ship it dry.
Well, the insured return cost me $15 which Damark never picked up. Who should I have
filed with, Damark for selling it, the company that reconditioned it, UPS for
shaking it?
Anyway, Damark faithfully sends me catalog after catalog which I throw out promptly.
--
Joe
jle...@myriad.net
shipping in general. My point was that, if you arrange it correctly, and the company you
are dealing with is a good company, you won't need to worry about it. It seems that damark
is not one of these companies. One possible way to pursue it would be by filing a claim
with UPS.
simon A
Damark international company based in Minnesota has "Preferred Buyers
Club" membership fee of 50 $. Damark promises to refund this fee if the
discounts used by a member would not cover the fee and if a customer
canceles his/her membership within a year. For more than a year I have
been trying to receive a refund of my fee for the Preferred Buyers Club,
but to no avail.
Attached is a copy of my email to Damark.
2/9/99
Dear Damark.
For more than a year I have been trying to receive a refund of my
fee for the Preferred Buyers Club, but to no avail.
I agreed to join the Preferred Buyers Club because of the promise that
my money would be refunded if I canceled my membership within a year.
In December 1997 I had requested the refund for the fee I paid at the
beginning of 1997. Using various unfair practices -- delays,
refunding and billing me back right away, and simply refusing to refund
my fee, Damark International successfully avoided refunding my fee for
more than a year.
My last telephone conversation with the customer service supervisor
--mrs. Hill, on January 26th ended with her promising to refund my money
or at least call me back in three days to discuss the status of my
claim.
She never called me back. I left her two telephone messages since that
time - no response.
If I do not receive my fifty dollars within the 10 days from the day of
this email I would have no other choice but to seek help from the
Attorney General of Minnesota Consumer Fraud Department.
I am also planning to seek help from consumer forums on the
Internet
Semyon Axelrod
Jim Dompier wrote in message ...
>In article <Pine.NXT.4.20.9903021912160.3115-100000@Tomobiki-
>Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU>, m...@CAC.Washington.EDU says...
>> Everybody gets the Damark catalog of toys for techies. Have you ever
>> wondered what happens if you get something from them that's broken and/or
>> defective?
>>
>> I just found out. They don't want to talk to you. After you navigate
>> through their "24 hour" 800 number's answering robot and select customer
>> service, you get back a snooty message to the effect that they have so
>> many customer orders that they can't be bothered to talk to existing
>> customers until after 7PM, then it hangs up.
>>
>> If you call again when they are in "we don't take customer service calls"
>> mode, they blacklist your telephone number, and all future calls get an
>> immediate busy signal.
>>
>> It's easy to reproduce. Call Damark at 1-800-729-9000, select option 4,
>> then 3 (hear their spiel about just send it back...which doesn't apply in
>> my case), then option 2. Get snooty message, get hung up on. Repeat.
>> From now on, all future calls to 1-800-729-9000 will immediately return a
>> busy signal. At first, I thought I was being paranoid; but after
>> reproducing it on 6 phone lines the conclusion is pretty damning.
>>
>> If you ever do reach a human in the wee hours of the morning when they'll
>> lower themselves to take customer service calls, you get told that their
>> computer is down and they can't help you, call back later. Now that my
>> phone number has been blacklisted, I guess that I won't get that again.
>>
>> What is particularly infuriating is that I was specifically told to call
>> back by the one helpful human who wrote down my information and promised
>> to enter it "when the computer comes back up."
>>
>> They ignore customer service sent from their web page as well. Contrary
>> to their claim, no automatic acknowledgement is sent either.
>>
>> Due to the size and cost ($400) of the item, they were supposed to pick
up
>> the cost of shipping it back, and I was supposed to call to arrange it.
>> What's more, one item was damaged in shipping, which also needed
>> discussion.
>
>Don't get me wrong, I am on your side but, when something gets damaged in
>shipping, it isn't Damarks problem. Unfortunetly, YOU have to file a
>claim with UPS to get reimbursed for it. Legally, once a shipment has
>LEFT the shipper, it is technically YOURS. If it gets damaged in
>shipping, the shipping company has to pay you.
>
>I know this sucks, you buy something and spend your money on it, it gets
>damaged, and then YOU have to wait 30 days for UPS to cut you a check,
>but that IS the way it works...
>
>
>I don't know why, but I have never bought anything from Damark. Their
>catalog has a really cheesy look to it. It reminds me of one of those
>nickle and dime mail order catalogs where everything looks bigger than
>life in the pictures, but when you get it, it's a completely different
>story.
>
>> Since I couldn't get through to them to arrange for a pickup,
>> I had to ship it back at a cost to me of $90. It was a fairly major
>> undertaking to get it over to UPS.
>>
>> What with the original shipping cost to me, I'm now out over $500.
>>
>> I know about filing a credit card disput, but I have to give them 15 days
>> before doing that. The reason for sending it back UPS 2nd day air was to
>> get that clock ticking before the payment comes due on the card.
>>
>> Besides their obligation to ship a replacement or refund, I think that at
>> a minimum I'm owed a fairly major apology; I'd still be out $90 that I
>> wasn't supposed to have to spend.
>>
>> Since this email is cc'd to their customerservice address, maybe it'll
>> (finally) get their attention and they'll take care of me. If they do,
>> I'll be quite happy to post an update. If they make up to me for what
>> happened, I'll even make it a retraction. I have just spent an extremely
>> frustrating 30 hours that no merchant should ever put a customer through.
>>
>> -- Mark --
>>
>> * RCW 19.190 notice: This email address is located in Washington State. *
>> * Unsolicited commercial email may be billed $500 per message. *
>> Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
>>
>>
>>
>
David F
"I am also planning to seek help from consumer forums on the Internet"
I run a Consumer Opinion Web Site about Dunkin Donuts at
http://www.dunkindonuts.org/ This site has done a great job to bring problems
with the Dunkin Donuts chain to the spot light, and changes have been made.
My point: consumer opinion on the Internet *is* very powerful. Maybe there is
already a Damark Consumer Opinion web site!!!
Mark Taylor
I have heard similar stories about Damark. I too belonged to the Damark
Preferred Buyers Club. But I had no problem getting off the program. As
soon as I saw the charge on my credit card bill, I called up and requested
that it be cancelled. They did this and promptly credited my credit card.
I suspect that if you call after the initial 30 days, they may delay
refunding. When I got the renewal materials from Damark, I could not find
very easily how to call to cancel the darn thing. In fact, they go out of
their way to avoid telling you how to cancel the the membership
--
========
Mark E. Taylor
Don't Be A Victim of an Internet Scam
Check out Netwatch at www.internetfraudwatch.com
email: netw...@poboxNOSPAM.com
Peter Aitken
been receiving their catalogues for many years. Almost every catalogue says
on the cover "THIS MAY BE YOUR LAST CATALOGUE IF YOU DON'T ORDER!!!!!" This
has been going on for ages and they never stopped sending me the catalogues.
They get an "A" for persistence!
Peter G. Aitken
Mark Taylor wrote in message ...
MAXSAM
calling through your '0' operator and using an excuse such as your phone set
doesn't seem to be dialing properly today. Most operators will put the call
through for you. This causes Damark's phones to think it is a different number
calling. It worked for me!
I have no dealings with Damark but was intrigued after reading the post and
wondered if calling from Canada would be different. It wasn't!
Just think, getting a busy signal from a company like this has it's good
points...you'll never accidentally call & order from them again.
Curious though, does the busy signal dissapear if you call during the 7pm-6am
time frame?
Try toll free directory in the USA to see if they have any different numbers
listed? They don't with directory in Canada-not even listed at all.
================================================================================
In article <36E36231...@popmail.com>,
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Derek Mark Edding
<mta...@onlinefraud.com> wrote:
>I have heard similar stories about Damark. I too belonged to the Damark
>Preferred Buyers Club. But I had no problem getting off the program. As
I have ordered one thing from Damark ever, and still get their catalogs.
I give them credit for being the RUDEST of the many catalog order places
with whom I've dealt.
When I placed my order a couple of years ago, I was given the "opportunity"
to join their preferred buyer's club. I was trying to place my order
quickly and get on with life, and declined the offer. I was told "one
moment", and transferred.
A salesperson came on the line and gave me a whirlwind high-pressure spiel
the likes of which I've only heard in Toyota commercials before. At the
end, I politely declined. She persisted. I declined again, and asked if
I could continue placing my order.
She responded in a very exasperated and dismissive tone and I heard a
"click!" and thought she'd hung up, but the person who had started taking
my order returned. I attempted to get his attention and tell him how
rude the woman had been, but he glossed it over and rushed through the
order.
It takes a lot to upset me, but this experience has left and aftertaste
that makes it a pleasure to toss their catalogs in the recycling bin.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ Derek Mark Edding ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ dr...@pagesz.net ~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~ "An end to BS on Usenet in Our Lifetimes!" ~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Collier
myself. I don't necessarily believe that it is the fact that they are
intentially doing this to any one person, but they do have a poor customer
service department.
mar...@nospam.com wrote in article
<36de8fd7....@nntp.we.mediaone.net>...
> "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <MSch...@nospam.carolina.rr.com> wrote:
>
> >>It's easy to reproduce. Call Damark at 1-800-729-9000, select option
4,
> >>then 3 (hear their spiel about just send it back...which doesn't apply
in
> >>my case), then option 2. Get snooty message, get hung up on. Repeat.
> >>From now on, all future calls to 1-800-729-9000 will immediately return
a
> >>busy signal. At first, I thought I was being paranoid; but after
> >>reproducing it on 6 phone lines the conclusion is pretty damning.
> >
> >Sorry, but you're just being paranoid. I just tried what you suggested,
and
> >got hung up on, just like you said. When I redialed the number, I got
> >through immediately.
>
> I just tried that too, and I also got through immediately after
> redialing.
>
> Marcio
> --
> _
> __ _ ___ _________(_)__ If you had half as much fun reading this
> / ' \/ _ `/ __/ __/ / _ \ as I had writing it
> /_/_/_/\_,_/_/ \__/_/\___/ I had twice as much fun as you!! ,,,
> (o o)
> --- marc...@email.com
--------------------------------------ooO-(_)-Ooo--
>
Zone
wrote to All:
UU> Strange that this 'blacklist' worked for you, since I didn't have
UU> any problem, and neither did several people that posted replies to
UU> the original article - strange that it only blocked the original
UU> poster and you?
Perhaps the transmission of caller ID information is not happening in
your case.
jh -
jle...@myriad.net
mechanism is used to report your phone number, and it doesn't have the
same kind of restrictions that normal caller ID has. You also can't
disable it.
Janet McNally
I followed the directions given and now I'm "blacklisted" by the company,
and I've never bought anything from them....busy...busy ...busy...
Never will buy anyting from them.
Thank you very much.
Leo
Doobie
<tama...@pinenet.com> wrote:
>Its not strange.
>I followed the directions given and now I'm "blacklisted" by the company,
>and I've never bought anything from them....busy...busy ...busy...
>Never will buy anyting from them.
Someone should get in touch with a professional consumer advocate
organizaiton and get some authoritative confirmation and an
explaination from the company. It's incredable that any company
would "blacklist" callers (other than those who call just to cause
trouble).
-----------------------------------------------------
The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.
baqs...@my-dejanews.com
"J.D." <travi...@my-dejanews.com> wrote:
> I too have had trouble with Damark. Bought a copy machine - didn't work.
> Returned it - they refused to reimburse me for my shipping costs returning
> the copier to them. My credit card company was happy to help me though
> (which results in them having to pay a service charge to Visa). I got a
> call from one of their telemarketers a few weeks later - what a joke.
>
> Travis
>
>
Well I didn't even sign up for Damark & I'm fighting with them! It seems my
SOB credit card(Associates National Bank), signed me up for a free trial. I
didn't know I was supposed to cancel until I got the bill. I called
immediately & was told they would credit my account. I called 2 week later &
they said it just got processed. Associates wanted me to pay the bill & wait
for a credit. Its been 2 more week & still no credit. -Alan
//People who like to argue, just want attention.//
Robin Sanborn
back? I couldn't tell ya...) and some sucsesses. Several "factory
serviced" items have had big problems... a sony 900 MHz phone & HP
office jet printer, to name a couple. They have another cordless
(analog) phone that's awful as well. OTOH, my VTech 900 MHz phone
came from them, and I've had no problems.
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