Inquiry AC Reptiles, Anthony Caponetto

[Shadera]

And the wonderful email I received this morning for posting my true experience with AC Reptiles here on the BOI.

fromAnthony Caponetto <[email protected]>
toShadera Lorrain <[email protected]>

dateThu, Mar 12, 2009 at 6:20 AM
subjectBOI POST - CEASE AND DESIST

hide details 6:20 AM (8 hours ago) Reply


Shadera Lorrain
119 Grant Street
Clarksburg, WV 26301
Shadera,
You're obviously disgruntled and now you're doing what vindictive, disgruntled customers do...trying to disuade others from doing business with me.
Please keep in mind that I have a quarter million dollar a year (and growing) business to protect and I have every intention of doing so. I understand that this is all fun and games to you, but you're messing with my very livelihood by telling lies about my business in public. I'm here to tell you that I will not stand for this and I will not be nice about making you pay for this, should you continue. So ask yourself if you really want to spend the time and money to take me on in court over this, because that's where we are right now.
As instructed by my lawyer, I have to include the following..
Ref. Order #10372 placed on 1/27/2009 (Refunded on 2/12/2009)
This is an informal request to cease and desist, in reference to untruths you are telling about the above mentioned order placed with my business (Anthony Caponetto Reptiles dba ACReptiles.com), on the internet website, FaunaClassifieds.com.
The comments in question were made on 3/4/2009 and 3/12/2009 and may be viewed publically here <link to web page in question here> http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?p=684793
Should you continue posting lies/untruths, or anything else that may be construed as libel and/or slander, you will receive a formal cease & desist letter from my attorney via registered mail. Should this escalate to that point, you will be asked to pay ALL associated attorneys fees before I withdraw my complaint. AGAIN - There will be no more warnings before legal recourse is pursued.
And in case you're wondering, I asked...if I have to spend money to send you a nasty-gram to get you to stop this nonsense, it's customary for the defendant to pay all legal fees as a condition to stop legal action. Please save us both some time (and yourself some money) and stop this now.
Sincerely,
Anthony Caponetto
www.ACReptiles.com
www.CarpetPythons.net
www.Ciliatus.com

 

[Shadera]

There was another email sent that I haven't read yet, but given the way he's spoken about me here I'm not even sure I want to. I've done business with many people, and am a repeat customer with a couple big names who I haven't had any problems with. At least one of them I'd even go so far as to call my friend.

 

[mvite]

I've bought some geckos from AC before--and I had some problems with weather and my emails as well.

Isn't libel or slander when a story is untrue?

Looks like the buyer had every right to post experiences.

And it looks like the seller is someone I'd never buy from again.

Signed,
High School Loser @ Fauna.

 

[MikeCurtin]

Shadera -

This is surprising and somewhat troubling considering the high standard I have associated with AC. Are these all the e-mails? There appears to be a few missing, or were there some that just weren't responded to?

Anthony -

There are some customers who just aren't worth the trouble, but from the e-mails posted, you don't look very good. I have always had the utmost respect for you, but could you post all e-mail communication here and/or an excerpt from your TOS which states that the buyer is responsible for contacting you to confirm the day or 2 prior to shipping?

 

[Shadera]

Shadera -

This is surprising and somewhat troubling considering the high standard I have associated with AC. Are these all the e-mails? There appears to be a few missing, or were there some that just weren't responded to?

They are all there. He didn't respond to me beyond that first email quoting his terms.

 

[Shadera]

Most recent email. I do appreciate the apologies and sincere nature of this one. I accept the apology and extend the same for any meanness that I may have shown, but I still don't think I'll be doing business with Mr. Caponetta again after the way I was treated and spoken of here. I don't take being threatened for posting the truth lightly. Some sellers just aren't worth the trouble.

Shadera,

I'm sorry about that last email. I got a 3am call (you know, like in the Hillary commercials!) about your posts. The caller said you were posting repeatedly to intentionally bump it back to the top, something about I sold your gecko and kept your money, etc. Needless to say, I was tired and cranky from the get go. Then I called my lawyer (old roomie) all worked up, listened to him lecture me about how serious libel/slander is for a business and how they're seeing such a big increase in internet libel cases. By the time I got off the phone with him, my head was spinning...way too much information to process and respond as fast as I did...in the middle of the night, no less.

Now that I've been thinking about this, I realized I needed to slow down and re-read all of our emails (yours and mine). After I read your last email, which I previously didn't give much thought to (we were already done by the time I got it), you're absolutely right in saying that I did go from "zero to jerk" way too fast.

Not to excuse that kind of behavior, but just to let you know...that's not normal for me! I think it was the tone of your email got me a little nervous (rhetorical question and assumption that you were entitled to a refund), so I looked on the BOI just out of instinct. When I saw that you're a Fauna regular, I automatically assumed you were one of "those people" (the ones with nothing better to do than argue on the BOI). That's when I went into "Here are the Terms, you agreed to them when you checked out, period." Nothing against the BOI. It's a great tool and I support them with lots of advertising dollars, but there are a lot of high-school politics going on with some of the "wannabe breeders" at the same time. In any case, I immediately started thinking that I had missed something and accidentally sold a gecko to one of those people. Prejudging people is NOT my style and I apologize that I did that to you.

The other zinger for me was that you said you "shouldn't have to follow up", when I know you received the email explaining the shipping schedule and process (including a note to always follow up with me if you don't hear back within 24 hours). To me, that made it seem like you were just being difficult...but then again, this was after I had already went to jerk mode, so I can't say I blame you if you were just trying to be a pain.

Again, I'm not excusing my behavior....just wanted you to know where I was coming from and that I'm not usually like that.

Also, I just realized that I didn't apologize in that first email, which was a total accident. I would make it a point to apologize if I spelled someone's name wrong on the UPS label (it happens to me and it's annoying!), so there's no way I'd intentionally not apologize for missing the whole shipment.

With all that in mind and the fact that you're the customer, I do owe you a huge apology (or three, I think? lol)

Somewhere along the way, I forgot the motto that my grandfather instilled in me. "The customer is always right." Honestly, I get taken advantage of by customers more often than I like to admit (hence the serious and official sounding terms. lol) , so I was in more of a "The customer is out to get me." mood at that point. :-(

I sometimes forget that not everyone has been around this crazy hobby forever, so not everyone knows all the politics of how things work, who's legitimate/who's a fraud, who to steer clear of, what's normal for our shipping protocol, etc. That being said, I think I should show you how this gecko shipping thing is normally done around here.

If you wanna call it a truce, I would like to offer you a $200 credit toward the gecko(s) of your choice....with free shipping. If you're OK with that, I'll just go back on the BOI and tell them that I overreacted, there was a misunderstanding and that it snowballed way out of proportion. That sums it up and is probably the explanation that everyone is probably expecting anyway.

To be honest, the more I got to thinking about this, I realized that you're not a bad person (you make some good points in your posts). Had I not been a jerk, we would have probably become friends by now. Reminds me of a funny story...I actually met one of my best friends in the hobby by getting into an argument with him (about ball python morphs or something) at a reptile show back in the late 90's. (I was like 19-20 years old). Six months later, we were visiting each other's homes (out of town) and going to shows together. lol

Anyways, I figure if you got me that riled up that quickly, I'd probably like you if I get to know you. lol

-Anthony

 

[MikeCurtin]

It's nice to see he had the ability to own up to his error and try to make ammends. His initial reaction, however, still leaves alot to be desired.

In all fairness, he does have alot going on w/ the websites and breeding season in full swing, but I hope he does not allow that to compromise his customer service.

 

[mvite]

This is stuck in my head now--

Mr. Caponetto---What were you going to sue over? Where were the untrue statements?

Regarding your college roommate lawyer--Did he have all the facts before he advised you to harrass a customer?

For someone with a quarter million dollar business you'd think you'd have a better lawyer.

 

[mvite]

Ok--Ok--Now I seem like one of those Fauna members with nothing better to do than to argue. I don't think Mr Caponetto will come back--his own words seem to do the most damage.

Please read those emails from A BUSINESS---the initial emails---the responses--and the threat one.

I will repeat that I did get some nice gargoyles from ACReptiles---and he didn't even threaten to sue me or have me pay for the letters that he would send to me.

Come on--if this was some Joe Schmoe Reptile breeder who talked to people like this---he'd be run off the forum.

Good Day, Mr Caponetto.

I'm done here---lol

 

[Shadera]

I have no doubt he knows I've posted the emails. Since it doesn't show him in that rosy glow, I have no doubt there is a flurry of activity to find out what can be done to shut me up. I will not, however, cower in front of someone for my posting of the truth. If it means I have to sell every single animal in my collection to hire a good attorney I will do so. I find it almost humorous that given the emails sent that show what happened, and the post here that shows who really did the lying, that there's a lawyer out there willing to take this. Is that what America has come to? Even though it's the truth you better keep your mouth shut? THIS is why I didn't do a BOI thread about it back when it happened, because I had my money back and I didn't feel it was worth the hassle. But when I saw this person in the same potential situation as myself not so long ago I felt I had to warn them.

Like I said, let people read those words he wrote to me and decide for themselves if he's really one of the good guys. Feel how they would feel if it were written to them. Let them see what happens if they're dissatisfied.

 

[TattooLost]

I thought he apologized already, and even went out of his way to make it right by offering you $200 in credit. And still, you feel the need to come here and rant?

You two had a misunderstanding, then an argument, and then he made what i'd consider to be MORE than necessary to apologize even if he's not 100% culpable in what ensued, and tried to be the better person here by way of written apology in that email that I'm sure he knew you'd post. So I still see him as that, the better person in your transaction.

Me personally, I'll do business with Anthony one day I'm sure.

 

[Shadera]

I thought he apologized already, and even went out of his way to make it right by offering you $200 in credit. And still, you feel the need to come here and rant?

You two had a misunderstanding, then an argument, and then he made what I'd consider to be MORE than necessary to apologize even if he's not 100% culpable in what ensued, and tried to be the better person here by way of written apology in that email that I'm sure he knew you'd post. So I still see him as that, the better person in your transaction.

Me personally, I'll do business with Anthony one day I'm sure.

An apology that was only offered after the situation was made public last night, and more than likely done just to shut me up. A MONTH after the fact. Nothing of the sort was uttered back when this all took place. Had he spoken with that tone back when this happened, I would still be a customer of his.

The need to come here and rant? I don't have that right after someone's threatened to SUE me for posting the truth about them on the BOI? Or to call me a liar and then post no proof of that? Like has been said above, if it weren't Anthony Caponetta, he'd be torn to shreds by now.

Again, people can think what they will. His responses were unprofessional and rude. And I have the right to post that experience here just like I've posted good transactions. People can buy from him or not, that's not my concern. What IS my concern is that people are at least able to see how they will possibly treated if they have a problem.

 

[TattooLost]

Personally, I didn't see a whole lot bad with his email. I'm sure he's got a lot going on, AS HE STATED. I'm sure you have your concerns as well. As I said, you two had a misunderstanding. You BOTH acted badly and jumped to conclusions. You BOTH argued. I'm sure after you got your money back, he was just happy to be done with what her perceived as a hot-headed customer, just as I'm sure you were happy to be done with what you considered a rude business owner. You BOTH made mistakes and it got out of hand. He then apologized, and offered TWO HUNDRED dollars by way of an apology.

For someone who was reluctant to post a bad guy thread, you continue to come into this one and belittle him and rant about his business practices, which I still see nothing wrong with.

So yes, you have every right to rant here. Just like I have every right to sit back here and view it teh way I do, that he's still a good guy, and is hopefully getting the bugs out of his growing business.

 

[ajc]

Shadera,

I'm not going to go back and forth about this here because I just can't.

Bottom line, you were the worst customer I've dealt with in seven years and I'm accepting responsibility for that because you're the customer and even if my gut feeling about you was right, I still should have apologized about the delay before I went into "Terms" mode.

You're absolutely right in saying that I only looked into our situation after this came up here. To be honest, by the time I got home from work, I never wanted to hear your name again. I processed the refund and never even read your last email.

As far as the emails go, there are at least one or two from 2/12 that you're intentionally leaving out or that you just didn't get...which I would find odd, even with the problems we'e had. You were getting my emails earlier that morning with the exact same subject line (meaning there's no chance that a spam filter would've flagged it).

 

[Shadera]

Absolutely the only email I received from you while this issue was going on was the first stating your terms, after I asked for my money back. You sent another after you refunded my money which I deleted without reading because I could see part of the first sentence before I opened it and it wasn't very nice so rather than get worked up again I just pitched it. If I want a browbeating I'll call my mother.

I did find 2 other emails of mine that were not for some reason merged into the rest of the conversation, and am including them now. There still was no response from you. I will go back and check a third time for anything I may have missed, and will certainly be back to apologize should I be wrong. As much as I do not like your treatment of me, I have that much veracity.

fromShadera Lorrain <[email protected]>
toAnthony Caponetto <[email protected]>

dateThu, Feb 12, 2009 at 4:44 PM
subjectRe: Anthony Caponetto Reptiles: Order #10372 Next Shipping Day
mailed-bygmail.com

hide details Feb 12 Reply


I most certainly did respond. Your poor customer service is not my problem. Send me the gecko, or send me a refund.

If you would like copies, screenshots, photographs, or whatever of my return email expressly stating that YES sending it Tuesday to be delivered to me Wednesday was great I will be happy to do so. Yet, you never sent me anything to check up and say you didn't get my response (which to be fair isn't MY fault now is it?), and you sure didn't ship the animal. I had no reason to believe you never got my response. Should I HAVE to follow up with such a big name?

Your decision. I have no problem filing with paypal and my credit card. I've held up my end of the bargain here.

Shadera

fromShadera Lorrain <[email protected]>
toAnthony Caponetto <[email protected]>

dateThu, Feb 12, 2009 at 5:55 PM
subjectRe: Anthony Caponetto Reptiles: Order #10372 Next Shipping Day
mailed-bygmail.com

hide details Feb 12 Reply


Don't tell me you didn't get my last email. I see that you've relisted the gecko.

You can't keep my money and send me nothing.

That is 100% the truth. I have gone back to comb through my spam folders and our email exchange and see nothing else from you on the 12th. You keep saying I said this and you said that, but I've yet to see any emails or any other proof. I'm the only one who has posted any of that. I may have been your worst customer, but you have by far been the rudest person, period, that I have had the displeasure to deal with. I've had other deals go south but their tone NEVER reached what I got from you right off the bat. You can't seriously tell me you'd be happy to have someone speak to you like that after they'd taken your hard earned money.

In response to an earlier statement I agree that yes I may have handled this not as well as some would have. But to see the things I was seeing after his initial email to me of what amounted to "tough s#$t" I have to say the human nature side of me took over. It wasn't twenty bucks, and I'm not so rich that I can just write it off.

I've said what I needed to say and am done with this, as well. No more lip service. Proof.

 

[Salzy]

Honestly, I think that Richard said everything that I would have said (probably even better). It sounds like a lot of misunderstanding that got a bit out of control and twisted to the point that both sides felt the need to defend themselves and their own story. To me, neither is completely right or completely wrong...but it all got out of hand in a hurry and the situation was blown out of proportion. One missed email or misinterpretation of wording in that timespan could confuse anyone, Anthony or any other Joe Schmoe gecko breeder out there.

I've always heard good things about Anthony, and although I have never actually done business with him, I will continue to have a good "gut feeling" towards him.

I'm glad to hear you are resolving the issues with emails and other logistics Anthony. I could understand someone being upset about customer service if communication becomes difficult.

 

[Shadera]

I just dug through my inbox and spam folders again and there are sincerely no other emails from you Anthony.

 

[ajc]

Wasn't done with the above reply, but this will be it for me....no more posts after this.

Of course, this bothers me deeply (seriously) but I can't let myself get caught up in this BOI drama. This is a form of entertainment for many of these people, so they'll argue about anything just to keep the thread going...and this will go on forever unless I just quit responding.

I'm sure a couple people who will side with Shadera and I can understand that. I did act out of character when I figured out who I was dealing with, but the lies (slander/libel?) I mention are right here in the thread. If you guys can't take the time to read the whole thing, maybe you shouldn't be passing judgement?

Bottom line is this. I had Shadera's attitude pegged from the get go (I can smell a "BOI abuser" from a mile away), so I skipped the diplomacy and went right into defense mode. In the end, I ended up being right about her...but again, prejudging her wasn't fair, and for that I've apologized.

In the end, Shadera has proven that this had nothing to do with being cheated out of anything and everything to do with getting back at me for pissing her off.

In any case, I've done all I can to make up for my mistakes here (even a gift certificate), but apparently Shadera would rather sling mud...so I guess I can accept that too. I guess you really can't please everyone, but at least I know I tried.

--------

OK, most of you aren't going to give a rip about this, but for those of you really into this stuff, here are a few holes I found in one of Shadera's posts.

I could have a hay day with this thead, but this is enough to show you who I'm dealing with here, so I'm not going to waste the time.

2) 2 days after the gecko was supposed to arrive, I emailed asking for a refund of my money since My. Caponetto is not interested in holding up his end of the deal. The weather's getting cold again and I have no desire to wait another month.

Untrue.

According to my records (which I just double checked), the gecko was supposed to ship Tuesday 2/10 to arrive on Wednesday 2/11. Shadera waited until the following morning (2/12) to contact me and after all was said and done, I issued a refund that same evening.

4) He puts gecko back up for sale. To which yes I did get extremely angry. To tell a customer you're not giving them their money back for an error on YOUR end and to put the animal back up for sale? I was shocked that he's grown his business to this point taking money and giving nothing in return to unhappy customers. The animal being put back up for sale was not explained to me, as he claims it was.

Right. I've grown this business to this point by stealing money through paypal since 2001...and Shadera just happened to be the first person smart enough to catch me.

I just checked my emails and the cart history for the gecko Shadera purchased. The "sold" tag was accidentally removed for 7 minutes before I corrected the issue...and because of this, Shadera is saying that I take people's money and give them nothing in return?

Think about the above for a second and then tell me if that's a reasonable thing to say on the internet?

6) He sends me a refund a couple days after that

Untrue. The refund was issued the same day.

Even if she didn't get my email, I know she got the email from Paypal because I never heard another word from Shadera after that.

No really...This woman expects you guys believe that she started off sending me a threatening email every couple hours for an entire day and then she just sat by quietly for two days before I finally refunded her money? Please.


Here's a link to a screenshot, which proves the refund was sent the same day...

Another thing to note...I sent the refund at 6:55pm CST (8:55pm PST), which was actually one minute before I received Shadera's last email (the one where she said she'd cancel the chargeback if I gave her a reason to do so)

http://www.acreptiles.com/Shadera/Refund.jpg


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

So that's it. I let a crazy customer get the better of me over $120 and I acted a fool...but in the end I did the right thing and more importantly, I know that I did it for the right reason.

I don't know. I guess if you want a warm person to talk to, go to your grandma's house...if you want a killer gecko, look me up.

 

[ajc]

Dude...long day. Correction to my last post...8:55pm PST would be 10:55pm CST. Duh.

 

[ajc]

Just thought I'd mention something kind of eye-opening before I go to bed....

I have spent 6.5 hours total on this thread today...and I got a 3am wake-up call to kick it all off! This is why I refuse to go tit for tat with everyone who has an opinion about the matter.