Shamefull Ineffectual OSC programmer Shark

[AshtonPete]

Hi all,

 

Although I won't be mentioning names just YET, I'd just like to say that a few months ago I dealt with a company of whom trades under the very umbrella of OSCommerce, this company kept delaying the work I'd paid for in advance by telling me the programmer had been on hols, then he himself had been on hols and from there on I kept getting drip fed little excuses.

 

I kept my patience for over two months and still absolutely sweet fa was done on my site, day after day I kept looking to my web page to see for changes and every day there was nothing. So I have finally had enough.

 

I have wrote and asked for a refund, he did NOT answer. I then wrote explaining I have been in contact with the Office of Fair Trading and I will be persuing the matter if I encounter any problems, I got NO answer.

 

I am now ?500 out of pocket and am fuming. This has made me very apprehensive now as to whom I can trust to do any future programming for me.

 

The guy I speak of will no doubt read this, so can anyone on here advise me on what I should do besides the legal route? He has obviously failed in his duty to satisfy his customers needs. I have all his emails etc.

[cannuck1964]

You maybe able to issue a charge back against this payment made. I would pursue this avenue and see if they will allow you to do so. I have learned that from now on, I will pay via credit card and will use the credit card to issue charge backs, verses the payment gateways.

 

The payment gateway generally will side with the merchant if it is intangible goods, while if you pay with your CC then the CC will just pull the money back from the payment gateway people and leave them trying to get the money....

 

cheers,

Peter M

[Guest]

?500, a bit steep really, should really shop around

[boxtel]

?500, a bit steep really, should really shop around

 

what are you basing this on?

[crash3903]

And what about the customers who start to pay you then cancel the payment when the work has been done

 

I had an ocassion a few months ago where this happened to me after I designed the template and installed it, added about 7/8 contributions and I got 50% of the fee. The rest was on its way but cancelled!

 

Seems paypal fall on the side of the consumer even when there is no dispute registered..So now I ask for payment up front and if people are apprehensive i ask them to search these forums...

 

And no it wasn't me that ripped this guy off *Solicitation

 

Regards

[AshtonPete]

Thanx for your replies, I thought this thread had faded into oblivion, it was a surprise to pop in and see responses.

 

When I paid this company (who have a nice website all made up to look the part) he gave me credit card details of which I handed cash over to the bank to put into his account. Afterwards when I went into the bank to see if this money could be pulled back, they said: If I'd have used my credit card, then yes because I would have been insured, but because I paid direct into his account then nothing can be done.

 

As for payment for the job, I paid in full, 500 was athe agreed sum for a full job.

 

I still haven't had word from him. I'm somewhat dismayed really, because this company comes across as a highly organised team, this is why I trusted him. If anyone wants to know this guys name and company I'll email it to you.

 

So far I have posted on a small number of forums and one guy has offered his services for a tiny fraction because he was so disgusted.

[AshtonPete]

I have since had a friend of mine in a high place run a search on this guy using a database of which the public do not have access, I have been able to obtain this guys proper address, but that is my Ace high card, I'll play that if and when I have to.

[AshtonPete]

...early on he claimed that the work he has done so far for me has topped the 1500 quid plus mark and that I was underquoted in the first place. Like as if he was saying I'd done well out of it (if he'd have completed it)

 

This is what he was suppose to have done:-

 

> 1: Connect to the VIP servers to request a session token

> 2: Request list of manufacturers

> 3: Request list of product groups

> 4: Download list of products by manufacturer

> 5: Match products to product groups (match groups to oscommerce store

> groups, modify oscommerce if needed)

> 6: Parse and insert product information into database

> 7: Modify easy populate to accomodate large file uploads

> 8: Error handle test for illegal characters

> 9: Script timeout tests

> 10:Test to make sure products are being inserted and removed correctly

> 11:Image import and or resize

[boxtel]

I have since had a friend of mine in a high place run a search on this guy using a database of which the public do not have access, I have been able to obtain this guys proper address, but that is my Ace high card, I'll play that if and when I have to.

 

Ah, so your friend works for the NSA, is a tibetan monk or is a boardmember of HP.

[AshtonPete]

Who he works for is irrelevant, I now have a valid address. I'll might find out the name of the software though.

[♥Vger]

This is what he was suppose to have done:-

 

> 1: Connect to the VIP servers to request a session token

> 2: Request list of manufacturers

> 3: Request list of product groups

> 4: Download list of products by manufacturer

> 5: Match products to product groups (match groups to oscommerce store

> groups, modify oscommerce if needed)

> 6: Parse and insert product information into database

> 7: Modify easy populate to accomodate large file uploads

> 8: Error handle test for illegal characters

> 9: Script timeout tests

> 10:Test to make sure products are being inserted and removed correctly

> 11:Image import and or resize

 

All for ?500? Surely you must have realised something was up?

 

What he did was wrong, and if he under-quoted for the work then that just shows how inexperienced he is. But in any business deal where you're handing over your money to someone else you also have a responsibility to make sure that everything is on the up-and-up.

 

Stop messing about posting to the forum - go to the local Small Claims Court and pay to issue a civil summons for the monies owed.

 

Vger

[AshtonPete]

I didn't realize anything, I know absolutely nothing about programming and costs and my friends didn't know enough to watch my back. I took the gamble and lost.

 

Yes, I will do what I can to get my money back, I have just received some info this morning from Fair Trading. I'll be doing what I can. This is just the beginning.

 

Pete