Ubid Auction going under?

[Mike in Seattle]

Anyone been able to talk to these people (www.ubid.com)? I ordered some
hardware from them. Great price. Unfortunately, the hardware was not quite
what was advertised (less features, older model). Since then, they have not
responded to email, their voice mail box is always full and refuses
messages, and I've spent over an hour on hold before giving up. Before you
order from them, you may want to try to talk to them first. Unlike other
auctions, they do not give you the name/contact info for the seller. You
have to go through Ubid, but that seems to be very difficult (except for
placing the bid!).

[goodm...@yahoo.com]

In article <BhTH1.792$dg6.3...@news.mci2000.com>,

I have had some problems with them as well. Got a pretty good deal on
a Dell Laptop, did just what was listed. However two weeks after purchasing
it the 'a:' or floppy drive on the lap top died. They bounced me over the
IDS, the firm they advertise on their website as being the one that handles
the warranties. But IDS never heard of UBid! Finally after going back and
forth for about a month between the two someone at IDS who is familiar
with UBid told me UBid handles the warranty for the first 90 days, then it
is handled by IDS. Of course I find this out on the 89th day!

Still have not heard anything back from anyone at UBid or IDS about my
problem. Lesson learned: shop around and make sure that the stuff you
are buying (whether from UBid or someone else) has a good warranty and
offers good customer service.

Later..

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[Bob Joesting]

goodm...@yahoo.com wrote:

In article <BhTH1.792$dg6.3...@news.mci2000.com>,
"Mike in Seattle" <mike...@mci2000.com> wrote:
> Anyone been able to talk to these people (www.ubid.com)? I ordered some
> hardware from them. Great price. Unfortunately, the hardware was not quite
> what was advertised (less features, older model). Since then, they have not
> responded to email, their voice mail box is always full and refuses
> messages, and I've spent over an hour on hold before giving up. Before you
> order from them, you may want to try to talk to them first. Unlike other
> auctions, they do not give you the name/contact info for the seller. You
> have to go through Ubid, but that seems to be very difficult (except for
> placing the bid!).

I have ordered a couple things from them. I got what I
expected in perfect condition at a very good price in less
time than I expected with lower shipping charge than I had
expected. Maybe I was lucky. I don't think they auction
things for other people, like EBay, but rather they seem
to buy stuff from factories and such and sell it at
auction, like surplusauction.

Then goodm...@yahoo.com wrote:
>I have had some problems with them as well. Got a pretty good deal on
>a Dell Laptop, did just what was listed. However two weeks after purchasing
>it the 'a:' or floppy drive on the lap top died. They bounced me over the
>IDS, the firm they advertise on their website as being the one that handles
>the warranties. But IDS never heard of UBid! Finally after going back and
>forth for about a month between the two someone at IDS who is familiar
>with UBid told me UBid handles the warranty for the first 90 days, then it
>is handled by IDS. Of course I find this out on the 89th day!

>Still have not heard anything back from anyone at UBid or IDS about my
>problem. Lesson learned: shop around and make sure that the stuff you
>are buying (whether from UBid or someone else) has a good warranty and
>offers good customer service.

Unfortunately most places, including most retail
stores, don't have much of a custoner friendly policy
when there are problems. I have some unresolved
problems with stuff I got at surplusauction. At
least the bargains on other things more than makes
up for the problems.

Bob Joesting <valen AT psicorps DOT com>

[Goober]

In article <35f49d4f...@news.mindspring.com>, valen-...@psicorps.com wrote:

> Unfortunately most places, including most retail
>stores, don't have much of a custoner friendly policy
>when there are problems. I have some unresolved
>problems with stuff I got at surplusauction. At
>least the bargains on other things more than makes
>up for the problems.
>
>
>Bob Joesting <valen AT psicorps DOT com>

I had a problem with Onsale.com that also involved unanswered e-mails. After
beeing ignored for almost a month, I sent a couple of e-mails directly to the
ceo coupled with threads of my reporting them to the BBB and the State
Attorney General's office, I finally got a refund for a defective hd. I guess
my e-mail to the ceo lit a match under their asses but it shouldn't have been
necessary. What the hell has happened to good business relations and
practices?

Regards,

Dan

(SPAMMED one too many times, <sigh> My e-mail has been altered to foil spambots!)
Use the below e-mail address to respond
**goo...@hotmail.com
(remove ** to reply)

[chris...@my-dejanews.com]

I too have had problems with Ubid. I was the successful bidder on one of a
hundred HP PC's auctioned on August 24. I still have not received it. The
customer phone # is a joke. I also stayed on the phone for over an hour and
tried to leave a voice mail ... message box full ... all the time. It took
two emails to get a 3 line response that said it was shipped on 8/26 and
that I could file a claim with UPS if I didn't receive it. Since "My Page"
didn't have a UPS tracking number, I requested it plus other pertinent
shipping info so I could track the thing but they came back and now said the
UPS tracking number they have is invalid and that they would track it for me.

Today is September 14. Still no pc.

Lesson: Delete Bookmark Ubid.

Next stop - Attorney General's, Federal Office of Consumer Affairs, BBB
and any one else I can think of.

In article <35f49d4f...@news.mindspring.com>,
valen-...@psicorps.com wrote:

> Unfortunately most places, including most retail
> stores, don't have much of a custoner friendly policy
> when there are problems. I have some unresolved
> problems with stuff I got at surplusauction. At
> least the bargains on other things more than makes
> up for the problems.
>
> Bob Joesting <valen AT psicorps DOT com>
>

[sun...@yahoo.com]

UBID SUCKS!!! I had a winning bid on a laser printer but never received it.
It was apparently sent to the wrong address and the wrong recipient sent it
back. It took me two weeks to establish this but have not heard back from
UBID since then. I am going to contest my charges with my credit card
company.

Sundar

In article <6spjf6$pmv$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

goodm...@yahoo.com wrote:
> In article <BhTH1.792$dg6.3...@news.mci2000.com>,
> "Mike in Seattle" <mike...@mci2000.com> wrote:
> > Anyone been able to talk to these people (www.ubid.com)? I ordered some
> > hardware from them. Great price. Unfortunately, the hardware was not quite
> > what was advertised (less features, older model). Since then, they have not
> > responded to email, their voice mail box is always full and refuses
> > messages, and I've spent over an hour on hold before giving up. Before you
> > order from them, you may want to try to talk to them first. Unlike other
> > auctions, they do not give you the name/contact info for the seller. You
> > have to go through Ubid, but that seems to be very difficult (except for
> > placing the bid!).
> >
> >
>

> I have had some problems with them as well. Got a pretty good deal on
> a Dell Laptop, did just what was listed. However two weeks after purchasing
> it the 'a:' or floppy drive on the lap top died. They bounced me over the
> IDS, the firm they advertise on their website as being the one that handles
> the warranties. But IDS never heard of UBid! Finally after going back and
> forth for about a month between the two someone at IDS who is familiar
> with UBid told me UBid handles the warranty for the first 90 days, then it
> is handled by IDS. Of course I find this out on the 89th day!
>
> Still have not heard anything back from anyone at UBid or IDS about my
> problem. Lesson learned: shop around and make sure that the stuff you
> are buying (whether from UBid or someone else) has a good warranty and
> offers good customer service.
>

> Later..

[Reds...@kersur.net]

To update a prior message... I was one a successful bidder on a HP 8250
auctioned 8/24. The 'successful' price was great. 100 pc's were auctioned
and I felt lucky to have a winning bid of $587 when many above me had won
with bids in the mid to high $600 range. I never did get the pc and did
not supply specific shipping information when I requested it. After
a number of messages, I got a telephone call from someone claiming to be
from UPS inquiring whether I got the PC and coincidentally, the same day,
I got a mail message from ubid that said UPS had confirmed that my pc
was lost and that my account would be credited.

I don't believe ubid ever shipped the product for a couple of reasons:

1. I have traced ups packages before and the standard procedure is that
they contact you several times to inquire about delivery and then they
require you to sign an affidavit that you never got the package. It's
highly unlikely that they would call once, ask if you ever got it, and then
say, oh, okay we believe you, case closed. I believe the phone call I got
was more likely from someone at ubid pretending to be ups. This amounts
to fraud.

2. I asked ubid for copies of the shipping documents, tracking #, etc.
They could not/would not supply it.

3. Days after the 8/24 auction, I noticed several other HP 8250's being
auctioned at ubid. These were bid up to the mid to high $600 range.
I believe that ubid never had any intention of shipping my pc at $587 but
that it re-auctioned all the low bidders in order to get higher prices.
This too is fraud.

The way I see it, ubid still owes me a HP8250 at $587. If they indeed
shipped the pc and filed a claim from UPS, then they will receive a
check from UPS for whatever cost they claimed ... (HP Shopping Village
was offerering them refurbished for +$800).

Anyone want to talk about a joint consumer complaint to the Attorney
General's office? Or how about a complaint to the SEC ... to block this
fraudulent company from floating stock. Of course, one of Al Gore's
hot buttons seems to be protecting the consumer from electronic fraud.
This is an election season ... I'm sure we can find more than one eager
politician out there.

Contact me via email at Reds...@kersur.net with your ideas and
experiences.

3.

In article <6toubh$fm2$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

[jac...@my-dejanews.com]

I ordered a KLH HT50 Speaker system from them..when I received it it said it
was a KLH AP600 AudioPhase speaker system...difference is the AudioPhase
system is 75 watts lower and 90.00 msrp cheaper.

I've had no trouble contacting them and have always received prompt and
courteous treatment.

I'll keep you posted as to what type of speaker they return to me. I
sent them back for the correct HT50 speakers.

JT in Wisconsin

[cj...@hotmail.com]

I'm rather unhappy with my purchase at Ubid. I first won a bid for a USR
Modem and was told it was not available and that I had the option to receive
a $50 credit (which I chose). Since I still wanted a modem, at a subsequent
bid, I won a bid for a NEW USR Modem.

First of all, ubid actually sent me the modem from the first bid when I was
supposed to get a $50 credit instead. Then, ubid sent me the second modem. I
only wanted 1 modem, but ended up with 2. I was charged $53 and $58.
My $50 credit was not applied.

Second of all, the second modem which I bid on was supposed to be NEW. The
one I received was not new and was refurbished instead. This is highly
misleading. The bids received for that new modem were much higher because
people expected a NEW product.

In article <6u90sc$g6o$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

[jac...@my-dejanews.com]

Well, I think it's happening to me as well :( Regarding the HT-50
speakers....they swear the person who sold them to uBid gave them
the wrong speakers AP600's. They offered me a $25.00 credit or will send the
speakers (AP600's) back to me and they will pay the shipping. While I
still want the speakers because they are KLH;s, it sure dont seem kosher
knowing that I'm not the only one going thru this with UBID.

Isnt this false advertising and totally against the law...it seems that
a number of people on here are saying the same thing happened to them.
What can be done????

If I dont see some results in the next few day, i'm contacting an attorney
and sueing them for what the advertised for the HT-50 speakers.

In article <6ubs24$d2s$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

[jac...@my-dejanews.com]

In the continuing saga of Ubid and the HT-50 speakers. Well, It's been
4 days since they received the speakers back...called them today and
because my credit card company wouldnt let them charge me again for the
same product they have declined my order. JoAnn Customer Service says
to wait til they credit my account for the speakers I returned then
request the speakers again. IF THEY HAVE ANY LEFT THEY WILL SEND ME A
SET. Only problem is she says it takes two weeks for the credit to get
back into my account......Rashid said they sent my speakers to me 3 days
ago.....I wonder if Management even knows whats going on.....looks like
Ubid will never become a valid business operating this way.

And they are going to be invested in on the open market in October.

I think Creative Computer the parent organization better straighten the
house out before that happens.

In article <6udua5$kc4$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

[MZR]

UBID Problem:

I bought a Bose AM5 speaker system in Sept. UBID would have been
stretching the truth saying that this was a "demo" (their definition). The
speakers have scratches, dents, wear, and were very dirty. They are used.

UBID had the system listed as "refurbished", and according to their
definitions, "refurbished" is a better condition than "demo". No way!!!!

I sent them email stating that I was happy with the performance but
questioned their classification, so much so, that I would have trouble
buying from them again...

We've exchanged emails, basically arguing the point. Here is their customer
service person's last response:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Mark,

WE do not usually receive a history of the item from our vendor so It is
difficult to tell the correct category an item falls into. If we advertised
it as a refurbished than that is probably what it was. The fact that it is
dirty does not mean is was on display but the vendor may have had it for
some time. Again it is a difficult call.

Jo Koyen
uBid Customer Support
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my previous email, I had specifically stated where the product was
scratched, dented, and worn and that it was very dirty. Ms. Koyen chose to
minimize my complaint by only addressing my point that it was dirty and then
she proceeds to tell me that I am wrong. In the process, she also revealed
that they trust their vendors (that's a real good policy???) and they have
no control !!!! I know for a fact now that I will never buy from UBID
again.

Mark