Inquiry Allen of Reptile Kingdom LLC NJ

[kathryn_nj]

Hi all. I am here not really to bash anyone, but I am looking for advice on what I should be doing. And, I did do my homework (I think?) and have some 'evidence' to share so that I don't seem like a random troll.

Long story short, I was at Repticon the 27th of last month in Valley Forge, PA with my mom (I am 19.). I purchased a baby male veiled chameleon from Reptile Kingdom after speaking with the vendors (I don't think the man was Allen and there was a woman there too as well as a young girl maybe 10 or 11).. I purchased the cage and supplies and we left shortly after.. We were just crossing over the Walt Whitman Bridge back into Jersey and my mom looked down to check on the cham and he was freaking out and flipped on to his side and died a few minutes later.. it was the middle of the afternoon and anyone in the area can understand when I say there was no way I was getting back to Repticon from NJ in I-76 traffic before the vendors would be packed up and gone.

Well, I tried called 3 times that day and left two messages.. Allen never called back so I emailed the next day the email address I found on the website.

Allen replied back saying sorry etc etc don't normally guarantee anything with them but he would "replace him with a new one". Okay, so I emailed back right after... (i think I forgot to include the reply in the email) but then he just never answered me back... so I called 3/2 to see what was up... as you can see from the fact the call was 2 minutes long he quickly got me off the phone and said he would be available that weekend for an exchange and he said he would call me on 3/6 at the latest. Never heard from him... emailed again 3/8 to see what the hell was going on, he replied back that day and I quickly answered back I'd be available whenever.


Never heard from him again.

So, what would everyone here suggest?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5538375773_1159af5d8c_o.jpg
^ emails

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5020/5538954596_466264e86e_o.jpg
^calls

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5485528471_ac15e9f168_b.jpg
^receipt

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5060/5485527493_96fd03c137_b.jpg
^receipt, card & other receipts from supplies I bought for the cham

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5298/5486120302_edf19b4459_b.jpg
^cham & business card I got from vendor

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5486119758_7a51fa3635_b.jpg
^timestamp I did for good measure.


It's not that the chameleon was terribly expensive, but that really isn't the point. I was promised a return and now he just forgot about me or doesn't care. Bad customer service in my opinion.. Also I spent all the money at the show to get the reptarium, lights, etc blah blah blah... so just the principal is I'm mildly annoyed with the situation and would very much appreciate some advice

Thanks,
Kathryn

(oh and yes, I always kind of talk entirely too formal for no reason lol )

 

[RobNJ]

Seems like he's giving you the run around here. Was the chameleon completely fine in appearance when you were checking it out at the show? It does seem very odd that it could go from healthy and alert to dead in such a short time. I don't know the first thing about chameleons, so I'd be of no use in helping troubleshoot the problem...just seems off to me though.

Simply put, if he offered you a replacement, he owes you a replacement. You may just have to be more relentless in your pursuit of compensation. When was the last time you tried contacting Allen regarding this matter? Seems to me if he hasn't gotten back to you in over 10 days, he may have just put you on the back burner. Doesn't seem like making sure the customer is pleased is a top priority. I've never made a transaction with Reptile Kingdom, but have seen some of their animals at a show, and they've made absolutely zero impression on me, good or bad. Again. You may just have to turn it up a notch in getting your replacement- even if it means driving to Toms River(which you should have to do, but...)

Sorry for your loss and experience thus far with Reptile Kingdom, and I hope this matter is resolved quickly.

 

[Amelanistic Orca]

Well; if you scroll to the bottom of this page; you'll see about all you need to see with this character/business??

 

[kathryn_nj]

My friends and I are regulars at some of the bigger reptile shows (Hamburg etc).. this was my first time at Repticon & just went with my mom since it was with the pet expo. The chameleon and all the other critters at the table looked totally fine when I was there.. I am over at the geckoforums and joined the chameleonforums and members all agreed it was probably from the fact they put him in a clear cup on a cold wet papertowel that it was too much stress for him, that normally you would want to put them in something non-see through and with something for chams to hang on to instead of just a flat surface.

In all honesty between all the times we've been to reptile shows to buy critters/feeders/supplies this is the first time any of us has had a problem, and for it to be from Repticon which looked all "official" is just kind of weird.

I haven't contacted him back since the 8th because I stumbled upon this forum and wanted to know what to do.

Thanks all.