Ripped off by a Vendor (Konvoi.ro)

Ripped off by a Vendor

It is with much sadness that I must report on my experience of being ripped off by Istvan Laszlo at Konvoi.ro .

My story began in December of 2011 when I started to prepare for a cross country trip my wife and I had been planning for four years to celebrate her college graduation. I needed luggage for my 08 Tiger 1050 and found Konvoi.ro on this website. We were on a very, very tight budget and although a bit apprehensive to make such a large purchase from a non US vendor, I was confident in Istvan and Konvoi.ro after reading so many positive reviews on this and other websites.
Istvan answered many questions and always emailed me back within 24 hours answering all of my questions and concerns, until he received my money.

I ordered and paid via paypal, $1236.00 for my luggage on March 14th 2012 (03/14/12) which I figured was plenty of time before my June 1st trip. Istvan had assured me that my luggage would arrive within 40 days and I trusted him.
I have now been waiting 177 days with no end in sight. My trip was ruined as I had no way to carry my camping gear and couldn’t afford to pay for another set of luggage. Meanwhile, I was told every excuse you could imagine and like an idiot I waited, believing that my luggage was on it’s way.

Here are some of the things I was told, all of the following in italic text are email responses from Konvoi.ro to me:

-4/26/12: Next week I send your order its 90% finish.
-5/5/12: Hello, Only you can send the package Thursday, no customs officer program with only one day a week Thursday. Immediately after sending shipping tracking number
-5/26/12: Sorry for that but i have some problem and ..i late all orders. Next week i can send your order.I apologize again for delay
-6/6/12: Sorry, are hospitalized until Thursday or Friday Plus a few days I could not work.
I try to make up for delivery as soon as possible can attend the workshop.
-6/13/12: Sorry i was seek but in this week i can send your orders
-6/26/12: Yes i send your order but i an not at home to give u the tracking number.
Friday come home and send it immediately.
-7/2/12: Hello, I apologize but I can not find a copy of the shipping I do not know where I lost a Unfortunately everything is not leaving the EU customs and only in the Thursday can send packets I've already sent him about 10 days, if not more Thursday I go to customs that require a copy of them
Please believe me that I shame me not for a set of bags especially because all that we do if we want free trade with the new bags that make it now for free without any extra payment. Thursday will may request a copy and immediately send
7/9/12: Hello, Sorry I have not received a copy of the customs. The package I sent self
I hope I do not imagine the problems for a set of bags. For me there is only one problem that you have not received. Whenever you can return the money or send you another set
Frankly I am very upset for not knowing if it can control and how to get
packages. I look at you an option to return the money you send another package
This time video record upon delivery to the customs. Frankly I'm sorry and as I said make it up the way you want. I do not hurt his reputation for a particular set of bags the new model is a success
Mail waiting to see how we can. Attach pictures you will like the new model can more A and do not forget. I could not answer the mail a few days is about 700km away from home
Best regards Istvan Laszlo
7/12/12: I asked Istvan to refund my money as he offered to do with no response for 11 days.
7/23/12: Hello, Istvan It went up Thursday command was sent to me personally
Thursday returns as you do I copy it and send. You will find the tracking number on it
I apologize for delay[/I][/B]
7/31/12: I receive two photo’s, one very clearly shows boxes with my address on them, the other is a very grainy photo of a Romanian Post shipping slip in which you can not read the tracking number. When I download the photo of the tracking slip, blow it up and clean it in photo shop the ship to address is “Italy”. I email him multiple times over the next 3 weeks and do not receive any response until I tell him that I am going to share my experience on Advrider. Then I receive a response within several hours.
8/22/12: Next week i get home and i send your tracking number.I am in france whit
my daughter
This is the last correspondence I have received from him and he no longer responds to me at all.
I really struggled with posting this as I run a small manufacturing business and understand that sometimes things happen that are out of our control. I also understand how devastating this type of review can be to a small business and really, really waited hoping that I would come home to my luggage and this would be over but I can’t keep silent about this any longer. People need to hear my experience so they can judge for themselves if the savings are worth the risk.
At this point I have written off the money and the bags and am looking at this as a learning experience but I would implore you to learn from my experience.


Eric D.

Why did you not contact paypal with a claim?

Paypal only has a 45 day window from the time of payment to file a claim. He gave me a 40 day deliver date. I did call them and finally got a hold of someone and they told me that there was nothing they could do.

Sorry to hear your story... sounds like he has his scam down pretty well. Unfortunately, PayPay is a terrible service to deal with. I've had issues with them in the past. They are really hard to get a hold of when there is a problem and I've had them directly lie to me, just to deny responsibility. I refuse to use them for any purchases. I hope you find a way to get your $$$ back.

Have you tried contacting your credit card company? Not sure how it is in the US but here in Australia, under some circumstances they can help. Good Luck

Matt

Hi Matt,
I paid through paypal so there is no CC company involved.

It does matter with PayPal, because if you used your credit card to pay PayPal - and not your bank account - you still retain your rights to pursue a claim through your credit card. It's called a chargeback.

Agreed. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act you have 60 days from the date your credit card statement with the "billing error" was mailed to you to dispute the error. "Billing errors" include charges for goods and services you didn't accept or weren't delivered as agreed.

You'll need to submit your dispute in writing. Be sure to check your credit card statement as there is often a specific address for submitting billing inquiries. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre16.shtm

Thanks for the info but unfortunately, I had paypal do a transfer straight out of my bank account. Sooo, "no soup for me".

I would still contact Paypal and see if they can do anything.

Vendor: rip off
Paypal: rip off

Maybe better to only deal w/ local suppliers

He did, as stated in post #3.

This is a bad deal all around. It would be nice if the vendor could post a reasonable explanation, but it seems like the OP has given them plenty of opportunities.

Seems like a good case for a perma ban.

Sometimes just taking the standard 30 day BS ain't good enough. Jump up and down enough and they might pull it from his account. You never know until you get someone on the phone.

They won't do shit. I bought a stolen motorcycle with paypal unknown to me.

Sent paypal all info regarding transaction including the police report and a letter the detective wrote on my behalf to paypal. They told me to pound sand.

Hate paypal and my business is credit card processing so I'm familiar with how things go regarding disputes and charge backs. Paypal doesnt care one iota.

I think your best bet is to keep up the social pressure and hope he does the right thing

TLDR, but did you mention the name of the vendor anywhere so we know?

chuckle -- in the second line of the first post . . . . .. .

Is there any Inmates that live in his area? Maybe they could go pay him a visit for you. This is B.S. This is a big community and if he wants to sell any more luggage he will step up and do the right thing and pay you your money back.

Sorry to hear that.
Another not so happy customer:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=824115

eeks.
while i did get my panniers after some hassle and delays, there were definitely some issues which i have outlined here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=19535850