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First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 3:23 am
by Jeffinn
I had a rather inexpensive purchase from a member store. I received an empty beat up envelope and no contents. The seller refused to communicate with me via e-mail or online form and PayPal refused to open a claim because I apparently received something from the seller.
It was my first and last purchase from the AAPK stores. If you're thinking about purchasing knives from these stores, tread lightly as you have zero protection against fraud. You're safer purchasing from E-Bay.
Jeff

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 3:40 am
by FRJ
That's unfortunate.
I will say it's nice to receive knives in a well packed box.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 4:02 am
by gsmith7158
I would ex that seller from my buying list as I believe each seller is independent and the AAPK store is only a market place.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 4:44 am
by #goldpan
As a member who has a store I find that kind of service a disgrace. You will never be treated that way by me when purchasing any knife I sell. I'm sorry that you had such a negative experience........

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 5:10 am
by QTCut5
Man, that's a shame. Can you tell who the seller is so that others don't get treated the same way? The only way to protect against unscrupulous sellers like that is to collectively refuse to buy from him. If he gets no more sales until he makes it right and shows some good faith, I imagine he'll eventually stop selling on AAPK and it'll be good riddance. We don't need one bad actor ruining the trust that so many honest AAPK sellers have worked hard to gain and maintain (which I'd like to believe is the majority of them). I've had nothing but positive experiences buying from the AAPK stores. Maybe it would help if Bryan or one of the moderators could get involved and at least threaten to suspend his selling privileges and/or AAPK membership if he doesn't play nice with his customers. There's got to be some way to protect the buyers otherwise all the sellers will suffer because people will lose confidence and stop buying from the stores altogether.

~Q~

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 9:18 am
by dweb1897
If you don't want to name the seller in this thread, there's the Con Man Warning viewtopic.php?f=31&t=30903 It would be good to let everyone know so other members aren't taken advantage of. Like the others here, I've never had a bad experience dealing with any of the AAPK stores. Most everyone here knows that you spend a lifetime earning your good name, and it only takes a minute to lose it.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 9:23 am
by stagman
When I opened my Clear Creek Knives store on AAPK back on 1-2-06, I think it was Bryan's store
and 3-4 others, only about 5 of us...it was not till we had about 15-20 stores that we had a big
ta-do that someone made a large purchase and the store welched and ran off with the money
Bryan closed up his account and off he went
Thats why it was such a long wait before any new stores were opened....other than this and a
couple cases that was resolved, I heard nothing bad of AAPK stores, and I have bought from at least 7 different stores over the years
I mean there is 1000's of sales thru this time span, and something is gonna go south, but some
agreement needs to be came to, I agree with that, I sure hope you 2 can work something out ::shrug::

Stag
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/stagman

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 11:48 am
by kootenay joe
I just received a Tuna Valley EO Jack with mammoth from "Franks Classic Knives" here at AAPK. Fantastic knife. I am 100% pleased.
I am sure the vast majority of knife sellers at AAPK Store are honest and fair to deal with. Furthermore some of them have top notch knives hard to find elsewhere.
Please ID this rogue seller rather than imply that all AAPK Store dealings are risky.
kj

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 11:50 am
by supratentorial
If filing a PayPal claim, can you verify that the envelop was empty by the USPS record of the package weight? I think the weight is usually marked on the postage.

Did the knife fall out of a broken envelope? Can you file an insurance claim with the post office?

It's unfortunate that you had a bad experience. Lots of good sellers here. I have bought from several of them and have had good experiences. I also sell but not very often. Let me share a good outcome to a problem.... Do to a mistake with the addresses, I didn't receive a mailed payment. It was my mistake though. Post office said the mail would be rerouted back to the sender. I apologized and asked the buyer to resend the payment to the new address. But time passed and we though it might be lost. Also it turned out he sent cash! I sent out the knife anyway without anything to show for it. It was my fault with the address mixup and my responsibility to make it right. He insisted that he pay half and he sent me another payment. Then he received the original payment returned by the post office (unable to deliver) and he sent me the rest to the corrected address. Some good honest folks here. He and I have enjoyed several more sales since that experience and its always a pleasure.

I hope one bad transaction won't keep you from enjoying what AAPK has to offer.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 3:02 pm
by bestgear
Shipping a knife in anything but a box is a recipe for what Jeff xperienced. I simply wrap the knife in a clean paper towel, put the knife in a zip-lock bag and place that in a Kraft Indestructo box that costs me less than $0.50 when I buy them in bulk. I've had numerous customers ask about the box and where they can buy them they are so good.

I agree with all previous commentary and would hope that all sellers are knife aficionados that know how to treat other knife aficionados but that's me dreaming again.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 3:41 pm
by jerryd6818
Shirt happens. Sometimes in great, nasty piles. I have a similar experience only it was with an eBay seller.

Bought a knife on eBay that I had been looking for forever. It was in a lot of two and I had NO interest in the other knife as it was a Pacific Rim knife. The "package" came and it was just a plain old manila envelop with the end ripped out and only one knife in it, NOT THE ONE I WANTED. I sent the Pacific Rim knife back and had my money refunded which is nowhere as satisfying as getting the knife you've been searching for since Christ was a Corporal. Gave the seller negative feedback for poor packing and went back to the search. Shirt happens. I've never even seen another Black Kershaw Half-Ton.

Sellers picture
Kershaw Half-Ton 1445 Black.jpg
My picture
0829161603.jpg

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 4:31 pm
by americanedgetech
This sounds like it was poor packaging more than a straight up ripp off.

What I am surprised at is the forum Admin does not protect the buyer or seller. Is that correct?
Something as simple as requiring insurance on all packages, and if the seller deviates from that then suspend the account.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 5:24 pm
by Bryan
Hello Jeff,

Hate to hear reports like this, but thank you for posting it.

If you could, please send an email to bryan@allaboutpocketknives.com with either the invoice number or seller's name. As AAPK member store admin, I would like to investigate the issue & consider taking action if necessary.

Best,
Bryan

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 6:35 pm
by gsmith7158
There you go jeffin. You've got the ear of the big boss man now. I suspect your issue will soon be resolved. ::tu::

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 7:15 pm
by Quick Steel
Just adding my 2 cents. I have purchased from a good variety of AAPK stores. Have experienced nothing but first class service. Not always the case with eBay.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 11:22 pm
by zzyzzogeton
One thing folks need to remember is that insurance is for the seller/shipper NOT the receiver of the package.

Only the sender has the paperwork needed/wanted by the post office when a claim is filed.

The onus is on the shipper to properly package the item.

And a knife should NEVER be shipped in an envelope, padded or not.

Send me a knife in an envelope and you get negative reviews due to poor shipping preparations.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 12:26 am
by americanedgetech
With a valid insurance claim the only thing lost is the item. Neither party is missing cash.

If a claim is denied due to improper packaging, then the seller may learn from his/her loss, and amened their methods. This is my only thought on it... well, that and I believe it is appropriate to insure any package with a value above your comfort level if it is lost.

We all know how these matters work, and can/do go wrong.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 2:32 am
by QTCut5
Has anyone ever filed an insurance claim with the USPS? Any idea of what kind of proof is required and how long it takes to get reimbursed for an item lost in transit?

I don't know because every time I ship a knife, I package it with the expectation that it will get lost, opened/stolen and/or damaged somehow in transit. My motto is "airtight & waterproof" (I use a lot of tape). And, for any knife I ship that is worth more than $50 I always purchase enough insurance to be fully reimbursed in the event it goes MIA. Consequently, I've never had any problems with USPS shipping.

~Q~

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 2:50 am
by americanedgetech
Around 5-6 years ago I had two hand made mast light lenses made for a 1956 Chris Craft, 28' Fly-bridge sedan.
These lenses are called Glass Bee Hives because of their shape, and there are none to be had anywhere.

The fella in Michigan that owns the original mold for them made two for me, and they were both broken in shipping due to something collapsing the package . They are around 250.00 each due to the rarity, and the work involved in making them. He has to pay to have them made plus make a profit.

He was re-reimbursed, and I received my lenses but the entire process took about five months.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 3:05 am
by rea1eye
Hope it all works out for you Jeff. I have received pocket knives in well constructed boxes,

paper envelopes, padded envelopes, and re-used cardboard boxes. Paper envelopes

are very risky. Re-used cardboard boxes are just slightly better.

Hope the AAPK seller learns from this.

Let us know how it all turns out.

Bob

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:32 am
by dweb1897
for a domestic claim,

A Tracking or Label Number
The tracking or label number is found on your online label record, package label, mailing receipt, or sales receipt. Tracking and label numbers are between 13 and 34 characters.
Example: 9205 5000 0000 0000 0000 00
If you don't see a number like that, look for a string of 20, 22, 26, 30, or 34 numbers.

Proof of Value
Proof of value can include:
• A sales receipt
• A paid invoice or paid bill of sale
• Statement of value and/or estimates of repair costs from a reputable dealer
• A credit card billing statement
• Receipt of costs incurred for reconstruction of non-negotiable documents
Printouts of the online transaction identifying the purchaser and seller, price paid, date of transaction, description of item purchased, and assurance that the transaction status is completed

Evidence of Insurance Purchased
Evidence of insurance includes:
• The original mailing receipt issued at the time of mailing
The outer packaging showing the names and addresses of the sender and the addressee and the proper label showing that the article was sent insured
• A printed electronic online label record or a computer printout from the application used to print the label and purchase the insurance

Proof of Damage
Photos that clearly show the extent of damage will help with your case. For damaged claims, you’ll also need to provide an estimate of the repair costs from a reputable dealer.
If you received something damaged, please hang onto the original packaging and the damaged item until your claim is settled. You may be asked to take them to your local Post Office™ for inspection later. Please do not reship the package.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:03 pm
by Bryan
I have not received an email about this yet, but I was able to locate the order.

I'm going to attempt to contact the seller right after this post. I'm hoping he has responded to the buyer's messages by now if he has received them.

A lack of response to messages of this nature is not something we will allow on the AAPK platform.

The purchase was for a 3 knife lot at $9.99 with free shipping. I can see where the seller might have only been able to offer the knives at this rate with the cheapest possible ship method.

I don't think the use of a padded envelope in this particular case would be grounds to banish the seller in & of itself, but I'm thinking AAPK should consider implementing a shipping method policy going forward that would require that all knives be shipped in a box (no envelopes)...

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:47 pm
by just bob
Is there a difference between a padded mailer and an envelope? 99% of the knives I buy or sell come in a padded mailer and I've never had an issue either way with that. More expensive knives go in a priority box to better safeguard, but an EDC in a padded mailer is standard practice? Don't know why anyone would gripe? What gripes me is when the seller dumps a knife into a priority box with no padding at all and lets it flop around without protection. I'll take the padded mailer over that any day.

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:04 pm
by QTCut5
And, with enough tape, even a paper envelope is protected against ripping open due to moisture or rough handling, essentially turning it into a paper envelope with a tear-proof plastic shell. The cost of enough tape to completely cover an envelope with at least one layer is negligible...a few cents at most; and just a bit more to make it airtight and waterproof.

~Q~

Re: First and Last Purchase From AAPK Stores

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:22 pm
by jerryd6818
Not my decision to make but I agree with you Bob. I would say 85% - 90% of my knives, both coming and going, are in padded envelopes. I've only had one problem. The one problem I had was a knife (actually two knives in the same envelope) dropped in an envelope with NO padding on the knives themselves. Unfortunately you can't legislate common sense.

Edit: You're right ~Q~, one strip of packing tape would have avoided this. I don't completely cover the envelope with tape but I at least tape the ends and sometimes all four sides.
0829161603.jpg
Padded envelopes, paper or plastic, I'll accept or use anytime (I also pad the knife inside the envelope). If you purchase a $100++ knife from Knives Ship Free, you will receive it in a padded envelope.

This type of envelope is unacceptable although I've received knives in this type envelope and they made it okay. The secret is in the packing.
1204171110-1.jpg