A problem with a crook...What Would U Do?

[valerian]

Hey everybody! I need some input please...it's a long story though. Okay...I took some things to a consignment shop here in town in May and have taken some more things since (before time to collect the first bit of money), but that was the first time. Anyway, the store changed its' policy shortly after I took my first things and said that you couldn't collect your money for three months. Okay, I could deal with that...just figured that I'd have more money to pick up. Well, my date came up in Sept. to collect my money. When I went to get it they gave me $28 or so and that was all. I asked about the things that didn't sell and said that I wanted a printout of what did sell. They printed a list out of several things and said that that's all that they had for me. BS! I took a ton of namebrand, expensive items like stuff from the OneStepAhead catalog, etc. and they said they had no record of the stuff. I have three kids and they have always had nice, expensive items. The stuff I took this store was things like a dolphin swing, an infant travel bed, a bouncy seat, a jumping jack (hang from the doorway) swing, etc. This stuff was not outdated or recalled. I don't believe that! I got upset and went home to look over the list carefully and called the owner back with the list I had at home of what I'd taken in. She said she'd investigate and call me back in a week. She even admitted seeing one of the toys I mentioned because it was so cool! She supposedly wrote down my list from over the phone to look for my stuff. Okay, one month later and she hasn't called...

I called her and told her my name and she pretended not to know who I was and I told her that she was supposed to call me back and never did. She said that "Oh, I had just been thinking about you and I did call, but the phone rang and rang." I said, "That's funny 'cause we have an answering machine." She said that she investigated and all of my things (we're talking at least 20 items or so) were all outdated and recalled things and that she didn't remember, but someone called to tell me that they were "no thank-yous" and to come pick them up or they'd be donated. She said that she didn't remember calling. Okay, well a few minutes later she said that she called and talked to someone. I said, "You just got through saying that you didn't remember calling." She said "Well, I just checked my records on the computer and saw that I called twice." I said "There weren't any messages on my answering machine." She said" How many times do you think that I should have to call a consignor?" I said "Until you speak to the person. I have three kids. Did you speak with one of them?" She said she would never leave a message with a child. Well, she didn't speak to me and the only other adult here would have been my dh who also didn't speak with her. My kids didn't speak with her. This b*tch stole my stuff or someone who works for her stole it! She acted like my stuff was very good stuff, but then in the last conversation, suddenly it was all "outdated and recalled". When you don't pick up no thankyous, they donate them or so they say. She made the comment that they would have donated the stuff, that they didn't sell it which I thought was an odd comment like she was trying to cover guilt. I remember that when I took my things in, she wasn't there and a young woman with her own baby playing in the store was working. For all I know this woman took all of the stuff out to her car and took it home.

I am furious about this! I can't prove that I took the stuff in. I have a written list of what I took and that's not proof. All of you consignors beware!!!! The owner knew that I was upset and I think that the least she could have done was offer me something in return preferably some money. I had a yard sale in June and picked out my best items to take to the consignment shop and now I've been robbed! I could have sold these things easily in a yard sale or in my ebay store, but wanted to try a different outlet 'cause I thought it would be easier. I wanted and needed this money to buy my kids something for Christmas 'cause dh and I are barely making it this year. This b*tch's kids will probably have a nice Christmas! I'd be happy to know if she's robbed anyone else. I feel like choking her and she should go to jail for stealing. What should I do? People need to know about this crook! I'm contacting the Better Business Bureau, but what else can and would you do? I'm sure that I'm just out of the money, but if there's something I can do about her, I'm going to. I'm going to tell everyone I know of course about what she did and I told her she wouldn't be getting anything else from me! I talked to someone who bought something from her last week and now she's not going back! Score one for me! God, I'm mad! Crooked, worthless, scheming b*tch! I hope she has a long and miserable life and that her crooked business fails! There! That made me feel good to say that! I know my cyber pals can think of something or at least make me feel better. Heck, I'd rather have given the stuff away than have it get stolen.

[Greebo]

1) Contact Better Business Bureau. It won't do any good, but do it anyway.
2) Never, ever, ever take something to a consignment shop again without getting a receipt for the items you consign.
3) Chalk this up to stupid tax and move past it. Sorry.

I doubt there is much else that is constructive. There's a lot you could do to just "feel better" but most of those things could just give you more trouble later on.

[mauimagic]

so sorry you are going through this, mahalo for sharing so hopefully no one else will!!

Greebo hit the nail on the head - always get a signed receipt. That should be a warning to all of us. I learned the hard way too.

After you're able to breathe normally again, the only advice I have is that the only thing you can change is your reaction and the intensity of it. Of course you have everyright to be totally pissed, but......Don't let this rob you of your health - she isn't worth it.

[Dixie]

I'm sorry this happened to you.

I had pretty much the same thing happen to me a few years ago. According to the cosignment shop owner, not one of my items sold. I refuse to believe that. These were nice things and like you said, I could have sold them on ebay and made a nice sum, but thought it would have been easier to sell them in the cosignment store. After reading Greebo's post, I realize I didn't get a signed receipt.
The store went out of business just a few months later. Like the old southern gospel song goes, 'you can't do wrong and get by'....that I'm sure applies to business principles as well.

[valerian]

I didn't get a receipt with the items listed but they gave me another paper with their policies on it and...hhm...I'll have to go check it and see what else it says. Apparently they don't give a receipt when you go in and stupid me had my kids in tow and didn't even think of an itemized receipt. It was about 100 degrees and we had to make multiple trips. I'm going to go check the one paper they gave me. I'll let you all know if it says anything significant.

[Greebo]

10 to 1, they amount to "if you didn't get a receipt, sucks to be you".

[gapeach]

I'm sorry this happened to you. I had a friend who had a similar situation. She got together with other ladies in the neighborhood and now they do a "garage" consignment sale twice a year and they have been very successful with it. I think Greebo is right, chalk it up to experience.

[Judi Dial]

I'd probably get ahold of the BBB, also see if there are any state organizations that take complaints of used stuff places.

I have a consignor I owe $ to whose address I've lost. He could say the same about me, except of course he's never called or emailed me....

One thing you can do to protect yourself in the future. Takea copy of that list and mail it to yourself. Don't open the envelope! If you ever go to court or a hearing or something, you have a copy of your list that you sent yourself on X date,as shown by the postmark. OR, you can take a copy of your inventory and get someone who works there to sign the bottom of it and DATE it that they rec'd these goods.

If they aren't willing to give you a signed receipt, then you probalby shouldn't do business w/ them. However, if you bring in a LOT of stuff and you don't have it listed, don't expect htem to list it, they won't.

My

Judi

[geckoace]

I consign at 2 different places one is tradtional pay after sell and with them they don't give u a receipt but they process your stuff while u stand there and enter it, I imagine u could take a picture of what thry take in the shop. if things don't sell before the big end of season they become "property of the shop"
The other is a pay upfront place so they buy your stuff from u you can accept or decline what they offer. I really prefer that way

[shoiji]

You could call the better business bureau. Or better yet, call the local news. Nothing like having your business on tv for bad business practices. They can also do a piece about consignment shops and what to look out for.

[ttistin]

You could call the better business bureau. Or better yet, call the local news. Nothing like having your business on tv for bad business practices. They can also do a piece about consignment shops and what to look out for.

This is what I was going to suggest. Call the local news and see if they will do a story on it. I am sure there are other people in your area that have been through this with this business or that may like to know this kind of information before going through them.

[melanies]

It may not help much, but I would post something here about her. It may just help someone else somewhere along the line that might have the same experience

[frugalfranny]

Think I might also put something on your city's Craigslist.........lots of people read those...it will warn them. Not only under rants and raves but there is another category that is read by many. Even our news stations read them.

Sorry you had to go through this......it sucks.

[HandyMom]

Sorry you had to go through this. I had a similar thing happen to me. Lots (over 60 pieces)of nice, newer clothes and I only got around $20 for them all. I was disgusted and never took anything to them again. I did some looking online about consignment and it seems to be a "shady" business in the first place when there is little accounting for the items brought in and sold. Lots of these places go in and out of business pretty quick because it's just too easy to cheat the cosigner and word spreads quickly.

[miss_thrifty]

huggss dear I would be mad as he** too. I hope u find a slip that tells ya something about it. and i agree if u didnt get a proof of what u brang in the shop, ur out of luck dear sorry huggsss