Well it can't have anything to do with the Indian made musket I returned over three years ago. That gun had a broken stock and they not only refunded my money but postage as well. Now I find the real issue is the disagreement over a consignment gun they sent me over two years ago. Went all the way to BBB on that one and the complaint is still there listed as an unsatisfactory response from TOW. I don't think I was out of line. All that hassle, and now my $300 purchase cancelled and looks like I'm a "banned" customer over $62 worth of postage. Details were still out there. Guess I will be looking for another vendor.
Complaint: Company failed to disclose a visible product defect and charged me shipping costs both ways. On 11/25/2013, under invoice number ******, I ordered item number AAM-667, a Mortimer 12 ga. flintlock shotgun from Track of the Wolf. I ordered based on photographs and a verbal description that noted no deficiencies other than minor handling marks. When I received the shotgun I found the handling mark issue acceptable but then noted the lock was not fitted to the gun properly. It was not inlet into the stock as it should have been and as such left the gun unusable to me. I contacted Track and was told to return the gun for a refund minus shipping costs. I stated that I felt their return policy was ok if my dissatisfaction was based on me simply not liking it but in this case they failed to show in their photographs or in their description of the gun that the lock mechanism was not installed properly and I felt I should be reimbursed for the shipping costs on something I'd have never ordered in the first place. Track refused. This company is a very well known provider of muzzleloading firearms, kits, and accessories with a wealth of knowledge about these products. They allegedly have a number of people who go over these consignment used guns, write descriptions and take pictures for the ad on their website. For them to have missed this ill-fitting lock mechanism is at the very least a sign of someone's incompetence or neglect and at the worst it is blatant misrepresentation and fraud. My initial purchase price of $799.00 has been refunded but I want the othe $62.00 charged for shippings costs refunded as well. Again, I would have no complaint if it was simply a matter of me not liking the gun or my interpretation of minor handling marks differing from theirs. But this gun was clearly defective when they sent it out, they failed to note it in the product description and I'm out additional fees that they should have to return.
Desired Settlement: I want a refund of shipping - $62.33
Business Response: Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/12/19) */ Thank you for your letter of December 11, 2013: Regarding Case # ********: ******* ******, ******************** Columbus, OH 43230. Mr. ****** ordered used replica antique gun #******* at $799.00 plus postage. Enclosed invoice ****** dated 11/25/2013 shows itemized shipping charges. Mr. ****** returned it for "same day refund" of $799.00. Enclosed refund invoice ****** dated 12/06/2013 shows $799.00 refunded. We offer "10 day inspection and approval, same day refund if returned". We do not refund shipping, which is the customer's cost of inspecting the goods, nor do we profit from shipping. His order was securely packed in our injection foam filled oversize double boxed carton. Shipping is the customer's only risk, so stated in our terms of sale, catalog, web site, and advertising for over 42 years. We do not refund shipping. Returns are few. Photographs from our professional studio illustrate each item, in addition to our descriptive text. The enclosed web page prints illustrate the actual item, #*******, sold to another buyer when returned. All past sales may be viewed in our web archives. Mr. ****** is correct. Hand fitting and finishing at the factory in Italy is never perfect. Finding a perfect specimen, in our used market, at a 50% discount from new pricing, is unlikely. We invite customer inspection. Same day refund if returned. Customer pays shipping. We have honored our terms of sale, but that has not satisfied Mr. ******. Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2013/12/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) They take no responsibility and actually call their studio "professional". If that was the case they'd have identified the defect. And I totally reject the "enclosed web page" comment as I checked their website daily and never saw this gun come up again. This was not a quest for perfection, the defect was not just a minor one and if they are remotely as detailed as they profess to be I'd have not been stuck with the merchandise they incorrectly described. If this is their business model they need to have a disclaimer and a caveat emptor statement. NO WHERE IN THEIR AD DID IT SAY "THIS LOCK IS NOT FIT PROPERLY THE GUN". It said, "minor handling marks" and that's what I expected to see.
