REPTILES PLUS IN FLA THEIVES!!! BUYERS BEWARE!!!

[ReptileJay]

I can't help but deduce the following by reading the posts that Mr. Rivera has posted.

A: He is Illiterate.
B: He has absolutely no idea HOW to communicate with people

(A+B basically says he can not read, write, OR speak properly... working on a REAL winner so far)

C: The attitude toward prospective customers (which IS EVERYONE) is extremely unpleasant.

If you want to gain new customers for your business, you should at least try to ACT like you care about your image.

If Fauna and other online communities are NOT a decent percentage of the overall reptile community then I guess technology has yet to spread outside of NY... oh wait... it has...

Mr. Rivera, I hate to say it, but you're poor business ethics and complete lack of intellectual prowess are NOT going to get you far... Perhaps you can manage to keep your "business" alive by selling animals you've never even seen... but I highly doubt you'll EVER be considered a SUCCESS... and you will certainly NOT be remembered when you are gone... (if for some odd reason you ARE remembered, it will not be for anything good)

In some ways I pity you... BUT... I pity the animals you end up with FAR more.

 

[Dreqqus]

So are my boas corn snakes, Burmese pythons, or Ring necks? Also I didn't know I could hybrid rainbow boas with kings and milks.

Is this guy serious? Never mind customer service issues, I wouldn't purchase from him based on his apparent ignorance.

 

[Ken Harbart]

Mr. Rivera,

I did not know of your existence. I searched the sunbiz database for incorporated names, not fictitious ones. I did not know that the search database did such a thing so I figured it was clean. As you stated in your post, my prices may be higher than yours but I personally care for the animals, and ensure the health of the animals before they are sold to any of my customers. As far as myself "stealing" your customers, I never tried to. Business is competitive but that is what the "game" is. A new business has to receive customers from somewhere and that is from other places from which they have been purchasing from. I personally have never dealt with you on a customer level so don't know your practices, but from what I have read, are not ones I want to be associated with. I did send you an e-mail with my phone number so you can call me and sort this out, but all you responded with was a rant on me and the name. I hope we can work this out reasonably and not get at each others throat. My intentions are not to yell or scream at you, nor argue with you. I just want to talk and work it out. If you can please call me on the number I sent you in the e-mail, I am sure we can work something out. We are both local Floridan business owners, I don't see the need for the hatred.

Thanks

Matt

I look foward from hearing from you.

I wouldn't be especially concerned about ficticious name registration.

Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, registration under the Fictitious Name Act, 865.09 Florida Statutes, is for public notice only, and gives rise to no presumption of the registrant's rights to own or use the name registered, nor does it affect trademark, service mark, trade name or corporate name rights previously acquired by others in the name or a similar name. Registration under this Act does not reserve a fictitious name against future use by another party.

 

[brrrman]

This is why the BOI sometimes saddens me

Everybody on this thread has their pitchforks and torches ready to tar and feather a young not so bright kid for trying to run a business. I have read this thread through and see that that Victor actually ripped off no-one. I understand that debbie got sent the wrong animal twice. but she paid a fair market value for what she got. FlChams a reputable chameleon dealer sells flapjack chams for $60.+$50.00 for shipping or $110 apiece. From what I read in the thread Debbie paid around $145.00 for 2 chams which granted weren't what she wanted but accepted the first and refuses to return the second. In many cases on the B.O.I a wrong sex or not so perfect specimen was sent. But then replaced after said specimen was returned to the dealer or breeder. Debbie has a right to be upset but if she wanted her money back she should have returned the first cham and it would have been over. I have purchased from victor, which I have related on his other "good guy thread" along with a couple other buyers and you bash them saying they must be his buddies sticking up for him, You guys are wrong here I think if you were right the wolf pack and all the other true servants of the B.O.I. would have spoken up. Nobody has been ripped off and I can't blame victor for getting short tempered with everyone who never has any intention of buying from him and take pleasure in trying to run him out of business.
Phil R.

 

[dondeb562]

only received ONE cham. Paid for 2.

 

[dondeb562]

btw- as stated many times over in this thread. He offered the first one to me at a discounted rate since he misidentified it and had me pay him for it, then kept my money for the cham he COULD NOT SUPPLY ME WITH, so yes he still ripped me off!

 

[ReptileJay]

Phil,
So you're saying that someone who knows pretty much NOTHING about the animals they're trying to sell is a GOOD guy.

Would you go into a store selling electronics and not be upset when the digital camera you bought turned out to be a hamburger? Would you ever go back to that store?
My theory is that if you're trying to run a business, you should at very least take the steps required to learn about the things you're selling. It seems that in Mr. Rivera's case he's more interested in continuing on the course he's on, selling animals which he knows little or nothing about, on a hapless quest for profit.

I'm sorry you're so offended by my opinions, but I doubt I'm alone on this.

 

[ForkedTung]

I have read this thread through and see that that Victor actually ripped off no-one.From what I read in the thread Debbie paid around $145.00 for 2 chams

really???

only received ONE cham. Paid for 2.

You should cover up your bias is showing.

 

[brrrman]

Im Sorry I was mistaken in the way I read this thread, Debbie It appeared to me that he sent you one and that you agreed to keep it, but then he sent another flapjack. I was wrong if you only got one, with this said sending the first cham back may have prevented this whole thing. I ordered 4 snakes from victor and only received 2 he told me 2 were no longer available he could credit me or refund my money since I would have to pay for 2 shipping charges I chose a refund, and a full refund was given to me. I am pleased with my personal dealing with victor. Debbie was not. anyone else who had a recent transaction speak up.I can see how debbie feels ripped off but If any of my customers wanted any kind of refund they would need to return what they purchased. Debbie Paypal should have reimbursed you if you can prove you did not receive the 2nd cham.has the dispute gotten anywhere? Also Jay I believe I said he wasnt the sharpest knife in the drawer. But over 70 species of cham come from tanzania alone, could you name every one? your reference of a hamburger and a digital camera may be humorous, It is the overkill and bashing I was referring too. There are currently 2 threads on this guy with 4 buyers actually speaking up 2
satisfied one on the fence and 1 negative. with that said would you like to go burn down his business now?

 

[dondeb562]

I believe I posted on here what happened with paypal as well. When I disputed the $112 and change (what ever it was) for the mt meru I NEVER got Victor gave paypal the tracking info for the WRONG cham he sent me in which I paid him EXTRA to keep. With him doing that paypal said since it was not purchased of of ebay there was no way to prove that I ordered a specific item even though I put it in the notes of my payment to him that it was for a mt meru. Now since he was shady enough to do something like that, why would I send the cham he sent me back for him to get all my money and the cham. He already showed me his true colors by LIEING. I paid for the first one with an agreed price. That should have had nothing to do with the money he owed me for the mt meru he never sent me. By deciding after the sale went bad to change the price AFTER a sale was finalized is just ridiculous! Thats like telling someone who bought gas last week for $1.89 a gallon that they have to pay the difference of what it costs this week since the price went up and bill you for it! lol! WHO DOES THAT! LOL! He has shown his business ethics to me and most of the people on here. He cares nothing about his customers or the animals he RESELLS. His "company" is nothing more then to try to make a buck and could care less about having a good reputation and repeat customers. That sounds like a business that will be around for a long time if you ask me!

 

[SofaKing]

Your not alone on this Jay!


I"m hoping to get a redtail boa so I can breed it with my corns and hope to get boa's het for corn snake!

 

[ReptileJay]

Your not alone on this Jay!


I"m hoping to get a redtail boa so I can breed it with my corns and hope to get boa's het for corn snake!

That's an awesome idea... you should consider crossing some alligator into that monstrosity while you're at it...

 

[ReptileJay]

Also Jay I believe I said he wasnt the sharpest knife in the drawer.

More like a dull spoon...

I would not even begin to try to identify EVERY species of chameleon, but I am pretty sure I wouldn't have a horribly difficult time identifying the common ones... Also, I am not selling chameleons, so it really isn't my responsibility to know ANYTHING about them...

If I were selling chameleons, I would know EVERYTHING i could possibly find out about the species I was keeping and selling (not to mention the fact that I would not deal with imports)...

Either way, Based on the fact that he's selling animals he knows nothing about, not taking care of for any amount of time, and does not care about... YES, i would still LOVE to see him completely removed from the hobby.

 

[SofaKing]

I always thought it was a good idea to know everything you can about the thing your selling, even if it's just the basics.

And one more thing, when you takepics to put on your website, make sure those species are alive at the time and use super nice animals so people think your selling quality.

I swear one of the scorpions and tarantulas were dead in the pic. And some of the geckos are missing tails etc.... True IMPORTS!

 

[reptilesplus]

only received ONE cham. Paid for 2.

This is what really happened hummm let see your total transaction was $112.99 i ordered the jacksons though the lousy importer who i use to do business with! but i dont do business with any more! I paid $75.00 for the chameleon i sold you. which i hope you still have. I sold it to you for $85.00 plus paypal took out 3.00 and change for the transaction. i made a whole $10.00 sothey say i am in it for the money lol! debra paid $23.00 for next day shipping to california. debra then contacted me and told me it was not the right chameleon. but you were going to keep it because it was gravid! you then offer me $31.50 for the garvid chameleon included shipping. debra then wanted her full refund of $112.99 back right! i then told you i was going to talk to my business partner about that deal! he told me no way! so i then contacted you to tell you that i could not do the deal! i then refunded the $31.50 you sent me. I then charged you the $112.99 for the chameleon you kept! I told you if you were not happy with this then you would have to send back the chameleon and when i got it back i would issue you a full refund of $112.99. you never did that! and the reason paypal did not give you your refund was because you lied to them and sayed you never received a chameleon from me! paypal checked the tracking number i gave you and found out that you where lieing!!!!! so they close the case in my favor! debra then harassed me by the phone makeing threats to me and my family and when that did not work she went to kingsnake and lied to them and told them the same thing she told paypal that she paid for a chameleon and she never recieved anything form me! so she got me kicked off kingsnake. she failed to mention to kingsnake she got the other chameleon in place of couse she was trying to get me kicked off! to be mean of course! then she came on here and twists the truth to her favor and make me look like a crook! look i do care about people! and am sorry for disrespect to sofaking, forktung and the others on here. but i just had enough of this and i wish i could have just taken the lost and gaven this evil woman back her money!

 

[ReptileJay]

i made a whole $10.00 sothey say i am in it for the money lol!

You said yourself that you WERE in it for the money...

yes i am in the business of making money

Looks like the classic "bad guy change of heart"... so... you're NOT in it for the money now??? I highly doubt a quick fake morality shift will change people's opinions of you... (it surely won't change mine)

 

[reptilesplus]

that ok you are entiled to your opinon! my fight is not with you! but with the lier. i just want everbody on here to know the real truth. plus had i known this was going to blow up like this! i would have just taken the lost and refund the money.

 

[SofaKing]

WOW Victor, your a bigger idiot then expected!

You say you paid $75.00 for the Jackson and you sold it for $85.00, but your website says your selling them for $70.00. So which one is it.....

You never mentioned a business partner until now, that's kinda convenient don't you think. And blaming it on the wholesaler is pretty easy. Don't you think you should know what your selling instead of relying on the wholesaler?

 

[ReptileJay]

that ok you are entiled to your opinon! my fight is not with you! but with the lier. i just want everbody on here to know the real truth. plus had i known this was going to blow up like this! i would have just taken the lost and refund the money.

Of course you would have just refunded the money... Small price to pay to prevent the world from learning the truth...

However... in some ways your fight IS with me (as well as the rest of the breeders, hobbyists, and keepers out there), in that you're not exactly the best thing for the reptile community as a whole... (not to mention you were blatantly RUDE to me DIRECTLY in more than one Thread...)

you can stick your opinion where the sun dont shine reptilejay up yours!

no wonder reptilejay got kicked off of kingsnake.com look at his nasty attitude need i say more. what a loser!

And you say your fight isn't with me??? Looks to me like you've done a pretty good job of trying to make a fight with me.


Regardless of whether or not this particular incident with the chameleon had ever even occurred, EVENTUALLY, someone would expose you for what you truly are. It's always just a matter of time... People who make the mistake of thinking that they can just have a business without knowing anything tend to almost always get themselves in some kind of trouble at some point.

 

[dondeb562]

You are a JOKE victor. YOU NEVER told me to return the cham until I filed against you and got you off kingsnake. YOU then CALLED MY HOUSE AND LEFT A MESSAGE IN WHICH IS STILL ON MY MACHINE that you wanted to ressolve this. I decided to email you instead of calling in which YOU sent me an email saying YOU were going to file bogus claims! You told me for DAYS you were going to return the 112.99 and to just give you a few more days cause you had filed to get YOUR money back from the whole saler which is why I CONTACTED your whole saler to let them know what was going on since you had already been paid BY ME WHY WOULD YOU NEED YOUR MONEY BACK FROM THE WHOLESALER THEN!BTW-you say you are not using the whole saler anymore cause they are not reliable, but your exact words to me on the phone were THEY dropped YOU cause you were "TOO HIGH MAITENANCE" in which after you said it was alright cause the quality of animalsf rom them was poor (and that is saying it nicely)after you put all the blame on THEM for not sending you the right animal. I was nothing but patient with you when I knew all you were doing is stalling.YOU GUARANTEED ME several times over the phone RIGHT SPECIES OR MY MONEY BACK! I even have that in an email. I should have gone with my gut instinct but you assured me over and over again claiming you even called the whole saler to verify.YOU said you would take the hit for the flapjack you sent me since YOU are unable to tell the difference between species. YOU took advantage of the fact that I have NEVER shipped an animal before and wit the temps being almost 100 degrees (and ME ACTUALLY CARING ABOUT THE CHAM) which is why you told me to keep it for the $31.50 which I paid you for as soon as we hung up. If there was no agreed price why would I give you MORE money??? You act like I got something for NOTHING WHEN I PAID YOU FOR BOTH AND ONLY GOT ONE. This was YOUR mistake NOT mine. YOU told me to keep it and pay you more money in which I did.
Also weren't selling flapjacks on your site shortly after our dealing for $50?? which means you were only paying roughly $25....hmmm but you say you paid $70 right? which means were taking a $20 hit on each one you sold???
This is a joke already. My opinions of you stands as does yours towards me, and I really was done with this and realized that I need to only focus on buying from LEGIT companies with good standings with their customers until another company came out with the similar name as yours and I did not want there to be any confution between the two. It sounds to me like reptiles plus INC not only cares about there animals but about there CUSTOMERS too. I applaud honesty and intergrity. I hope there business flourishes!