Robert Coombs

I really hate creating bad guy posts...

I sent Robert $320 back on March 23. 2004 for a 27 bin hatchling rack that never showed.

After numerous emails to him asking for either my rack or a refund, he has barely responded to me at all, and keeps giving me excuses why he can't send me the rack and never even acknowledges my request for a refund.

I emailed him over a week ago, telling him that if he did not respond, I would be leaving a negative post here about him. No response to that e-mail, either.

Its been 6 months, WHERE IS MY MONEY or WHERE IS MY HATCHLING RACK?

I know he's been online, as he posts on some of the other forums I read, and he's posted new posts there.

There's no excuse for taking 6 months to complete a hatchling rack, or not sending a refund for said rack.

I have his phone number as well, and he never answers his phone when I've tried to call.

Robert runs http://www.chondrosunlimited.com for anyone who is interested.

Right now, all I want is a refund, as I don't even want to know what condition the rack will be in.

I've dealt with Rob and was very happy with the rack I received, as well as the service and speed.

I've talked with him quite a bit and I find it hard to believe that he is avoiding your calls and hasn't produced your rack in over 6 months.

Do you have copies of the e-mail conversations between the two of you detailing this transaction?

Yes I do.

He already e-mailed me, saying he was going to refund my money, but it would take a couple of weeks.

Here are the e-mails:

Paypal email:

Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 20:47:34 -0800
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Payment Accepted!
X-UIDL: "$!#!I>E!!R5:!!f_Q!!


Dear Clara Turnbull-Murphy,

This email confirms that Hybrid Customs has accepted the $320.00 USD you
sent.


------------------------------
Payment Details
------------------------------


Amount: $320.00 USD
Transaction ID: 2WH329974H061531N
Subject: hatchling rack

Note: For hatchling rack, 27 of the 6qt sterilite bins.

Thank you for using PayPal!

----------

1 month later:

From: "Robert" <[email protected]>
To: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: rack information
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 16:12:41 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1409
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1409
X-mvtel-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information
X-mvtel-MailScanner: Found to be clean
X-UIDL: Kkg!!$5M"!;gY"!ep-"!


Hi I just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about you for some
reason I am having a difficult time locating the tubs you want locally I
have ordered them from an online source .. once they come it it wont be more
than a few days to get the rack completed and shipped
I apoligize for any inconvenience this has caused
Best regards
Robert
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 11:36 PM
Subject: rack information


> 27 tub hatchling rack
> Tub size: 6qt sterilite tubs
> Color: Black
> Quoted: $320.00 (paid via paypal)


--------

Another month later:

From: "Robert" <[email protected]>
To: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]> <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: rack information
Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 17:13:10 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1409
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1409
X-mvtel-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information
X-mvtel-MailScanner: Found to be clean
X-UIDL: ]b*!!FGk!!/(F"!3I'!!


The rack is in the works got the tubs the other day , sorry about the wait .
best regards ,
Robert
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
To: "Robert" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: rack information


> Any news on the rack?
>
> thanks,
> Clara
>

---------------

2 months later:

From: "Robert" <[email protected]>
To: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]> <[email protected]> <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: rack information
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004 13:52:58 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441
X-mvtel-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information
X-mvtel-MailScanner: Found to be clean
X-UIDL: ]/("!]La!!hYm"!Lb?!!


The Rack has been started and I will have it out to you very soon I ran in
to a few snags along the way sorry for the delays
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
To: "Robert" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: rack information


> Robert, its now mid-July, and I haven't heard anything back from you. I'm
> getting quite concerned, is the rack ready to be shipped, or has it even
> been started yet? If it has not been started, could you please refund the
> money I sent you?
>
> thanks,
> Clara

--------------

Another 2 months...

From: "Robert" <[email protected]>
To: "Lower Ground Reptiles" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]> <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: rack information
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 23:10:55 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441
X-mvtel-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information
X-mvtel-MailScanner: Found to be clean
X-UIDL: BbA"!#D&"!8=b!!&GR"!

Clara I was made aware of the post you made on the Boi today ,I sincerely
apoligise for the troubles, I have gotten my self in a situation I am not
proud of in the least and I should not have dragged you in to it I will
return your money ASAP due to my current situation it may take a couple
weeks
Again my apoligies
Robert Coombs
-------

(the last one was sent as a reply to my APRIL email)

Along with the replies quoted in the emails above, I sent him email on 8-24-04 asking "Its been another 30 days... any word on the rack?" with no response.

I sent him another email on 9-4-04 saying "Its been another month now, can I either get my rack or a refund? I'm getting really frustrated, as you've dragged this on long enough that soon, I will not be able to debate it over with paypal to get my money back. If you do not want me posting my experience with the Board of Inquiry, I better hear from you soon with either a refund or my rack." Which received no response.

Instead, I got the last email above, saying he would refund my payment, and then I sent him an email on 9-13-04 in response to him saying he would give me a refund saying "I also emailed you a week ago to let you know I would be posting. Sorry to hear about your situation. When I receive my refund, I shall add onto my post on the BOI that you have refunded my money."

So he had plenty of time to respond, he was still posting on forums in August, so he was obviously online.

Sorry to hear of his "predicament" but that does not give him the right to not furnish what a customer payed for or a refund.

Well, it looks to me like from the start he had a problem finding the boxes for your rack and it also appears he notified you of this problem earlier on. Now, I know he does alot of custom stuff, so were these boxes you specifically asked for in the rack that he would have to track down(which it appears is the case), or were they boxes that he offers standard?

Now, I guess somewhere during that time he ran into some serious problems(I haven't talked to Rob in a while so I have no clue what) and hasn't been able to be on the ball with your rack. Sorry you've had a rough time, but I just wanted to post that he was fast and professional with the deal he and I worked out for my rack.

I hope everything is okay with him and please keep the board posted as to when you get your refund.

He asked me what type of boxes I needed, and I told him. Originally, he said he could get them. Unfortunately, he neglected to tell me whether or not he actually GOT the boxes until a month later.

Regardless, I could have easily gone somewhere else and gotten a rack built for the same price that would have been here in 3 weeks rather than several months. When he began having problems, he should have talked to me about the situation and figured out what to do, rather than answering my emails sporadically.

It should not have taken so long to get the boxes, I can order them direct from the source and have them here in a week or two.

One thing I know...

Is that Robert is probably crawling in his skin right now wishing that he hadn't gotten in a bind with this transaction. Clara, I am so sorry you got caught with this bad transaction. In your situation, Rob definitely dropped the ball. Too bad too... you would have really liked his racks.

FWIW, Rob builds his own cages... some of his friends, myself included "suggested" that he make them for others and this is a relatively new venture just getting off the ground for him. He's got another He had to special order my tubs too. You should have received refund or rack by now... if you don't get it in a reasonable time, I have enough faith in Roberts honesty that I'll refund you myself...... I was just getting ready to order another yearling arboreal rack from him.

Rob, dang... sorry to hear about this, pm me...

Hope to see good ending soon!!

Cathy you are 100% correct ! I really hate the way this has all turned out .. bottom Line I did drop the ball , bit off a bit more than I could chew with this particular rack, Any how as promised Clara will receive a full refund.
Rob,Cathy thanks for the kind words , a hard lesson learned at the expense of my reputation

further more I dont know whats haywire with the phone calls and e-mails but I always respond to my e-mails and as far as I am aware never received a phone call from you , and I did respond to the e-mails I recieved from you
send me a message at either of these e-mail accounts( or both) and I will send you my cell phone and home phone numbers my cell has voice mail so if I do not answer please leave me a message and a return contact number

[email protected]
[email protected]

Robert Coombs

I'm not sure what happened with the emails either, and as for the phone call, I tried once, and there was no answer. I still have copies of all the e-mail I sent you in my Out box.

As soon as I receive the refund, I will post here so that anyone reading this thread later on will know that you stand by your word.

I have his phone number as well, and he never answers his phone when I've tried to call.

Click to expand...

You only tried to call him once, but you originally made it seem as if you tried calling several times.

I am sure Rob is going to get yourrefund to you asap, and if for whatever reason there is a snag, I will mirror Cathy's offer and send it to you on his behalf. It sucks that things got so messed up, but Rob's a very trustworthy guy and I know he'll take care of you.

Just an FYI. Robert sent me a money order refund for my $320.00 today, so he made good in my eyes.

I love to see a....

happy ending!

Now, with all the money and love flowing around, would anyone want to buy me a rack?

Chuck