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What's happening everybody? I hope everybody is having a good month. This last month has been an action packed month for me. I made my first trip to Cali and had a great time in the process. I'd like to thank the crew of Kontradictions SoCal for allowing me to come out and crash on their couch. You know it totally amazes me that everyday I hear of people getting ripped off by shops and businesses. I don't think a day goes by I don't hear of a horror story of someone loosing there hard earned money to a deal gone bad. So this month were going to talk about how NOT to get ripped off. First reputation far exceeds a business and in this day and time your name is worth more then the products you sell. With that said listen to people that have had problems with a shop or a business. I'm not saying that every customer is going to be happy all the time but if ten people tell you horror stories then there is a pattern there and stay clear. First off never pay for something until you know EXACTLY what you will be getting. Shops have a reputation of running specials that are not as good of a deal as they sound. Free installation is the biggest one out there. People go and buy a radio and they think they are going to get free installation, I mean that's what the ad in the paper said right. What you're not reading is that's on a normal install and that kit, harness, antenna adapters, accessories and Custom installs are not included. So you go there expecting to pay $149.99 for that new deck with free installation and then your sales guys throws a price of over 250.00 and your totally blown away at how a 149.99 radio with FREE installation can be a hundred dollars more then it should be. Just because you drive a Maxima with a Bose system now you have to buy adaptors and all these added things that were not in your budget. Make sure you get ALL the details first. Buying online is a risk no matter if it's eBay or a website. Any time you can't look someone in the eyes to seal a deal your taking a risk of getting taken advantage of. It is nothing for a web site to go up one day you buy equipment and then when there is a problem with the equipment the companies website is GONE. Always buy online from an established business. You want to ensure they have an ACTUAL storefront somewhere and are not just operating out of their garage or basement.
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It takes very little to get a business license and purchase car audio wholesale, establish a web business and rip people off. Get an actual address of the business and not a PO Box. Get their phone number and make sure you deal with ONE person there don't get bounced around from person to person. The other problem with buying on-line is service after the sale. Ok we just bought that new 7" Lcd screen from On-line Joe for 249.99 but everyone else in town wanted 299.99. So you get it and you go to install it and it's DOA, dead on arrival. Well now you have to ship it back to the guy. Well insurance and shipping probably is going to run you 30.00. So you ship is back and they ship you the new one. But wait you come out to the ride 4 months later and it wouldn't power up. Man you just got that new Friday after Next DVD and you want to watch it on your trip to Greenville it's Wednesday and you are rolling out Friday to go. Well you decided to next day overnight the screen to the On-line Joe you bought it from so that was 50.00 and then he overnights you the new one and that's another 50.00. Well that 50.00 you originally saved from On-line Joe just ended up costing you more then if you would have went to Local Sam's Car Audio in Hometown, USA. My point it this service after the sale is worth more then you can ever imagine. You cannot put a dollar amount on great customer service and service after the sale. Always pay for the products by check, money order, credit card or Pay-Pal. Never let someone talk you into paying cash. Cash has no proof of purchase and get a receipt for everything you buy. If someone is not willing to get you a receipt then that's a first sign of a problem. You're canceled check our credit card statement is proof of purchase. If you do find yourself in a bad situation remember you have to prove that you paid for the product. Always try to verbally clear the matter up. If that fails send a registered letter to the person you was dealing with. If that does not get you the action you deserve then your next step is to file a Mail Order Fraud claim against the establishment or person that has just ripped you off. If you have purchased the item by credit card contact your card company and file a fraud claim with them.
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