Advice sought on dealing with idiots

Jack Cabano

Jack Cabano

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Oct 5, 2021
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1969 Cessna150J
I just bought a Cessna 150.

I noticed its tailwheel was missing (not really but I don't want to say exactly what it was that I bought or from whom) so on Sept 28 I went online and purchased one, $325.00 plus $22.00 shipping.

It arrived October 4th.

A second one arrived the next week. I checked my credit card and indeed the seller had charged me for a second tailwheel on October 1.

I called them they apologized and agreed to refund me. I shipped the second unordered tailwheel back to them. $35.00 USPS.

The third tail wheel arrived the next day.

I was busy, and didn't call them right away and a fourth tail wheel arrived-- about five days later-- before I got around to it.

I spoke to them on the phone but they weren't so nice this time, I hung up on the lady as she was explaining how it was my fault.

I canceled my credit card and got a refund from the issuer for the third and fourth tail wheels. I paid for the first one and it is installed. I sent the second back which they refunded.

I have tail wheels, three, four, and five... A very rude man from the establishment called when my card wouldn't authorize a sixth tail wheel. Called me a thief...

I'm not holding these items hostage. I don't care if the company can ship them for $22, it cost me $35 to return the second (unordered) one.

I sent an email.

Told 'em they needed to send me a written apology for calling me a thief-- signed by the owner-- and $35.00 per wheel they want returned. I'll send them the receipts which is redundant because they can go online and check.

Reasonable?

The bank and FedEx driver just laugh and suggest I open a Ebay account...
 
You should agree with them and get on with your life.
 
Pilawt said:
You're coming to POA for advice on dealing with idiots?

Or just practice ... ?

:D
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I'm probably putting too much thought into this. I have space in the garage for 40 or 50 more tailwheels. If it were any other online purchase I wouldn't care. I guess I think of aviation as being a kind of fraternity.

I love that I can get a part for a 50 year old Cessna from Univair, Vantage, or Aircraft Spruce (obviously not whom I am talking about), just by calling or going on-line. I should probably just put any parts I don't order on the shelf and ignore them.
 
Jack Cabano said:
I'm probably putting too much thought into this. I have space in the garage for 40 or 50 more tailwheels. If it were any other online purchase I wouldn't care. I guess I think of aviation as being a kind of fraternity.

I love that I can get a part for a 50 year old Cessna from Univair, Vantage, or Aircraft Spruce (obviously not whom I am talking about), just by calling or going on-line. I should probably just put any parts I don't order on the shelf and ignore them.
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https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articl...s-you-never-got-or-you-get-unordered-products
 
Too bad it wasn't really a tailwheel. You could have gotten rich, buying them for $325 plus shipping. A new Scott 3200 (now made by Alaska Bushwheel) is $1200. By the time Scott stopped making them they were $3500 or so.
 
Dan Thomas said:
Too bad it wasn't really a tailwheel. You could have gotten rich, buying them for $325 plus shipping. A new Scott 3200 (now made by Alaska Bushwheel) is $1200. By the time Scott stopped making them they were $3500 or so.
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I seem to recall a story about somebody who started an outfitting company and benefitted greatly from the lack of experience the supply clerks at military disposals had comprehending NSNs.

He would order old but not quite expired C-rations, and the like, using the NSN for the individual item (at a 70 or 75% discount) but was usually shipped a box of 24. Because both the case and individual NSNs were printed on the cases.
 
My daughter kept getting stuff (not tailwheels) from Amazon she hadn’t ordered. Amazon said keep it when she inquired WTFO?

Went on for a few months and stopped.

Cheers
 
With the current inflation in aircraft parts you may just want to keep as an investment.
 
I wouldnt ask them to send you $35 per wheel. They are set up with their shipping companies to issue shipping labels on their account. You just stick on the box and leave it out for the UPS man to pick up.

Oh, and given the level of douchebaggery by the vendor, they deserve to be named.
 
It sounds like Troy Built before they went under. As if manufacturing anything in the US, let alone NY wasn't difficult enough, apparently they didn't quite test the last software they had built to do orders with. Were shipping weird things all over the place.
 
Albany Tom said:
It sounds like Troy Built before they went under. As if manufacturing anything in the US, let alone NY wasn't difficult enough, apparently they didn't quite test the last software they had built to do orders with. Were shipping weird things all over the place.
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Dang. Sorry to hear they went under. Still have my dads tiller. It’s well over 50. Still running.
 
I wish my 150 had a tailwheel. When it gets converted some day it will have 140 gear (taller). Please send one (1) tailwheel at your earliest convenience. (Or whatever else you have multiples of that I can use on my 150. I'll send you $35 for shipping.)
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Dang. Sorry to hear they went under. Still have my dads tiller. It’s well over 50. Still running.
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They built great stuff. My understanding is that the brand name was sold to MTD. Friend of mine used to work in IT there.
 
@Jack Cabano Sounds to me like you’ve done everything you need to do. I’m sure they’ll contact you if they would like to purchase tailwheels from you.
 
Jack Cabano said:
A second one arrived the next week...
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In 1979, I bought a fancy, lifetime guaranteed carryon bag with the then-new feature of wheels!

A few months later, a wheel fell off. I called the company, and they said they had a known problem... they'd send me a new bag.

A week later, another bag arrived. I sent them a letter. Then another bag arrived. I called them. Another bag arrived.

Several months later, they called and asked if I'd received seven bags. Yes, I did. They asked what I'd done with them. I told them that I gave everyone in the family a neato carryon bag with wheels for Christmas!

Oh... They said. Hope your family enjoys them!

Paul
 
I got a free gun safe that way. The first one they shipped had a scratch, so we refused delivery and the truck driver took it back. New one shipped and arrived, while at the same time a full refund showed up on credit card. After 3-4 calls we gave up trying to pay for it.
 
I hate when I call tech support and they ask you stuff like "is it plugged in".... :rolleyes:

There should be a little questionnaire to determine your knowledge level so you can get connected with an appropriate tech support person.
 
s35pilot said:
I hate when I call tech support and they ask you stuff like "is it plugged in".... :rolleyes:

There should be a little questionnaire to determine your knowledge level so you can get connected with an appropriate tech support person.
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When I was in tech support years ago, a lady was very upset that her drink holder wasn't working on her Dell computer. It took me awhile to figure out she was talking about the CD drive!
 
s35pilot said:
I hate when I call tech support and they ask you stuff like "is it plugged in".... :rolleyes:

There should be a little questionnaire to determine your knowledge level so you can get connected with an appropriate tech support person.
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That is almost my Job, ie. how to ask "is it plugged in"
I do Tier 3 tech support,
So you call and talk to front line the guy that says "is it plugged in", or doesn't because he assumes you know that.
He sends a tech out, when the tech can't figure it out, He calls another guy,
When they both can't figure it out the call me.
My job "send me a photo of it plugged in?" I often either get a photo of it plugged in the wrong place or get a never mind we figured it out response.,
By the time it gets to my level it is often because everyone assumed that we have checked that "it was plugged in" kind of thing.
Note: not necessarily talking about power cords, can be network, HDMI, USB, Firewire, or proprietary cables.



Brian
 
s35pilot said:
I hate when I call tech support and they ask you stuff like "is it plugged in".... :rolleyes:

There should be a little questionnaire to determine your knowledge level so you can get connected with an appropriate tech support person.
Click to expand...

tech_support.png
 
s35pilot said:
I hate when I call tech support and they ask you stuff like "is it plugged in".... :rolleyes:

There should be a little questionnaire to determine your knowledge level so you can get connected with an appropriate tech support person.
Click to expand...

I hate that too. I am plenty tech-saavy and know how to troubleshoot things.

Our home internet used to be through a major media company. One day our modem became a paper weight, dead as a doornail. No local number for the company, have to call their 800 number. Get an automated tech support system that can't be bypassed it seems. Steps you through the process...make sure the power cord is plugged in and press 1...make sure the data cable is connected and press 1....cycle the power switch and press 1. After nearly 20 minutes of following this prompt by prompt automated system, it finally transfers me to the call center in a galaxy far far away. The operator starts reading the script which goes back to step 1, can you please confirm the power cord is plugged in. I try to interrupt the operator and explain the modem is dead and I just need a replacement sent out. The repeated response, "I'm sorry sir, we must attempt to trouble shoot the problem before we can process a claim for replacement." Over an hour trying just to get a replacement modem.
 
bflynn said:
tech_support.png
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I literally had this in our old town with our ISP. After going through tech support and the “restart your machine” nonsense, I finally got transferred to the local guy who could get straight to the point and fix it. I asked him if I could get directly in touch with him next time. He said, “When you first call in the phone tree, press 2 for ‘billing questions’. That sends you straight to me.” It worked. I miss them. Now I have to deal with Spectrum and they don’t have the “billing questions” secret code.
 
When they first put digital cable in at my house I figured out how to put the diagnostic status up on the screen. I clearly had a provisioning problem: the settop boxes that didn't support HD didn't have HD channels turned up and one that didn't support HD did.

I would call customer support and if they offered to send someone out I'd say "Wrong Answer" and hang up and try again. On about the third try, I got someone who said "Let me look this up in the computer." That's the right answer.
 
For a while every time I complained about my DSL service CenturyLink mailed me a new router. I had a whole stack of them.

When they hooked up my phone/DSL they ran aerial cable over the ground in my yard and across the taxiway/roadway to the pedestal (why they didn't use the pedestal that is ON my lot that couldn't have had more than one other house connected to it at the time, I do not know). First thing was my neighbor did me a favor and mowed it (I spliced that back together). Then something snagged the wire on the road. I came down to find it all coiled up around the pedestal on the other side of the road.

ME: My phone line has been cut, I need you to come out and put it in underground.
CL: Do you have dial tone?
ME: Dial tone would be a neat trick, I don't even have a wire. You left it over the top of the road and someone snapped it.
CL: We wouldn't do that.
ME: Humor me and send someone out.
 
ON 10/28/2021 Jeppesen cashed my $450 data check and didn't credit my account.
Customer Servie has the front and back of the check.
They have it both by email and by certified mail
No Bueno

Just downloaded Garmin data; never again with Boeing.
Idjits. "you're FIRED".

B.
 
bbchien said:
ON 10/28/2021 Jeppesen cashed my $450 data check and didn't credit my account.
Customer Servie has the front and back of the check.
They have it both by email and by certified mail
No Bueno

Just downloaded Garmin data; never again with Boeing.
Idjits. "you're FIRED".

B.
Click to expand...

They used your check to finally update their hold music!
 
bbchien said:
ON 10/28/2021 Jeppesen cashed my $450 data check and didn't credit my account.
Customer Servie has the front and back of the check.
They have it both by email and by certified mail
No Bueno

Just downloaded Garmin data; never again with Boeing.
Idjits. "you're FIRED".

B.
Click to expand...
Civil Air Patrol has switched from Jeppesen to Garmin for updates. I haven't heard what the reason was.
 
Palmpilot said:
Civil Air Patrol has switched from Jeppesen to Garmin for updates. I haven't heard what the reason was.
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I tried to talk our wing into this a long time ago. My understanding is that it’s a nationwide contract so all wings should be switching to Garmin then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Every time I find myself getting upset by company X taking advantage of people who are bad at math or company Y's tech support asking dumb questions that anyone with a pulse should have checked first, I conclude that there should be a certain amount of pain involved with drooling through your free-to-you education. I might be a bit cynical though, having worked in public education for a minute or two.
 
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