Anyone got a contact for Bartman88?

[Lloyd]

I've paid him $3000 for a lens which cleared on the 26th of last month and was told delivery within 7 days. Its now 17 days later and I haven't heard anything, emailed a couple of times since Friday last week and heard nothing. He said at the start there wouldn't be a tracking number given out unless there was a delay.... but I cant get an email reply to get a tracking number anyway.

Anyone able to find out whats going on?

[Redal]

Seeing it is coming from Hong Kong, customs might have got it ? Im not sure how he sends it but "gift" cant be used any longer.
Looking at his feedback on TME it is still looking ok, someone else recently had delays as well. You could as questions on his auctions, if no luck or contact trademe and report it.

[Lloyd]

Hopefully just a delay like that. The lack of any communication on what I would call a large value item when it said 7 day delivery is slightly annoying...

[Redal]

He probably means 7 business days, and sometimes things happen. But a email isn't that hard to send off, most people understand live never runs like it should.
I recently purchased a lens for my daughter and it took two weeks to travel 150ks, but the seller had other priorities which i fully understood, but he kept in contact.

[jackinavox]

Not a direct critisism of batman but moreso of TM.

Their terms and conditions specify that you must 'own' or 'hold' the item you're selling (i'm paraphrasing) - basically that you can prove that the item you're selling is in your possession.

I don't know how 'drop shipping' fits because technically they haven't purchased what they are selling you.

btw did you receive your lens in the end?

[Zeiss]

hello all
buyer received the lens already
the reason for the HUGE delay is a mixture of us missing their payment as well as all their emails went to our junk mail for some strange reason
anyhow, all in all, another happy buyer with a monster lens :)

[PureKiwi]

I love bartman such and awesome dude

[Kazeden]

Bartmann is good. Reliable and friendly. I bought my Nikon D90 and a Tokina 11-16mm from him and no regrets at all. His real name is Roy.

[and1tricker]

I've paid him $3000 for a lens which cleared on the 26th of last month and was told delivery within 7 days. Its now 17 days later and I haven't heard anything, emailed a couple of times since Friday last week and heard nothing. He said at the start there wouldn't be a tracking number given out unless there was a delay.... but I cant get an email reply to get a tracking number anyway.

Anyone able to find out whats going on?


I am having the same problem have u received your lens yet?

[SeabirdNZ]

Same sort of story for me, bought a Nikon D7000 + 16-85mm and a couple of accessories from him on 23/11, great initial contact and advice but I still haven't received anything. I've sent 2 emails after 10 and 20 days using the same core of message than during the trade to make sure it doesn't end up in his spam folder (plus it has ref. to past messages, TM ref. number, etc ...) and no reply.
I don't doubt I will receive the gear at some point but the lack of coms is really annoying ... I'd just like to know if for some reason it's still in HK, or stuck at customs in Auckland, or lost in the middle of the Christmas cards with NZ Post ... or if I should start to panic about my hard-earned $2 800 and take action ? :confused:

I know this isn't a "Post your complaints" thread, but if someone knows of a way to get things moving with Roy, or be reassuring that 23 days isn't too bad a delay (yet ?) compared with the 7 days in the ad ...

[smurff]

you could always lay a complant with trade me as sellers are requirded to have there stock on hand. this would be proved as when it arrives it will be covered in international freight charges and stuff.

this may not help you getting it faster but may help out the next person who buys something from him.

-smurff

[SeabirdNZ]

Thanks for that, I've sent a message to TM explaining the situation and asking what I can do if the parcel doesn't show up after the 1-month "anniversary". It annoys me to have to "pull strings" to bring momentum to what should have been a stress-free sale, but the pure joy of getting a new camera starts to feel like a bad dream ... not a nightmare yet, but might not be too far off ...

[Redal]

If you used a credit card, contact your bank and cancel the transaction.
Or Leave questions on his other listings, see if he is still getting positive feed back recently.
If trademe/ bartmann haven't made contact with you on Monday, go to the police on Tuesday with all info, they have a department set up for trademe.

[SeabirdNZ]

He did get good feedback since I bought the camera but some point at long delays when it comes to camera/lenses, and one bad review where the buyer hasn't received his goods after 20+ days ... :-(

[Kazeden]

I have only recently heard frm him. He is using trademe less now and setting up his own website. Not sure what the delay is abt, xmas backlog at the custom?

[SeabirdNZ]

But if it's the case, all I ask for is an email from him about it ! I don't mind waiting longer if I know it's worth it, all I want is my camera and not a stomach ulcer wondering what's going on with nearly 3 grands running free in the wild and a silent seller ... :confused: With his many years of experience in the business he should be able to tell if Christmas is gonna make it all super late, no ?
Anyway thanks for your messages guys. (Y)

[SeabirdNZ]

One of the latest feedback isn't reassuring at all !!! :-(
"This trade is not complete. Attached to a camera the seller drop shipped from Hong Kong - I had to pay $541.00 to NZ Customs to have it released."

[and1tricker]

One of the latest feedback isn't reassuring at all !!! :-(
"This trade is not complete. Attached to a camera the seller drop shipped from Hong Kong - I had to pay $541.00 to NZ Customs to have it released."

If this is the case, everyone else should be experiencing the same problem as most of the trademe traders ship their product directly from overseas. I hope my lens is not at the nz customs

[smurff]

trademes rules say drop shipping is not aloud, i know of a few sellers in the car parts industry who have had to prove they had the stuff on hand before they could sell them.

i have bout alot from trademe and bartman was the only one i had found that was drop shipping, took ages to get a flash diffuser, ended up buying one local, was much faster so now have 2 lol.

-smurff

[SeabirdNZ]

I've heard back from Roy (apparently really sick) and will keep you in touch when things will be sorted.

[and1tricker]

I've heard back from Roy (apparently really sick) and will keep you in touch when things will be sorted.


Please keep me updated as I haven't heard back from him yet

[and1tricker]

I've heard back from Roy (apparently really sick) and will keep you in touch when things will be sorted.


Do you know when he is sending out your items yet? Still haven't heard back from him. thanks

[James_Albany]

Bartman88 is a reliable provider of Electronic equipment so far for 8 years in TradeMe. However, there are many questions in his business.

1) How he pays import tax for import product? He sends item from overseas (Hong Kong) and we call it drop-shipping. The package says it is a "TOY" and occationally NZ Customs stops it and they ask the import tax according to its real value. If buyer pays it, Bartman88 repays it to the buyer. That's fair enough. However, he can't report it to IRD since he doesn't have receipt. That causes tax evade.

2) How Bartman88 can provide profer GST invoice? He operates business. ie, He sells product, and receives payment (to personal bank account), and transfer money to Hong Kong to order product, and ask provider (in Hong Kong) to dispatch item, then provider sends item to the NZ buyer via DHL/UPS/FedEx/EMS (Drop-Shipping). Therefore, he doesn't pay import tax, so he doesn't have receipt to claim it.

and...

[James_Albany]

3) He has never allowed pick-up since he doesn't have item on hand. That's understandable since he is a drop-shipper. Questions is that anyone actually have ever met him? He obiously knows that he is doing illegal business. Since he knows it, he tries to escape if IRD knows it. It is not a smart thinking, but he already did it.

4) Now, he is disappeared in TradeMe. I think that it is involved with IRD or NZ Customs.

Well... it is my guess, but very possible story.

[SeabirdNZ]

Do you know when he is sending out your items yet? Still haven't heard back from him. thanks

Sorry I was away down south for a week. So no I don't know when he'll send the gear, he got in touch with me on the 20th but due to the earthquake in Chch on the 23rd the postal services weren't gonna resume before the 28th. So I don't expect any parcel to show up before tomorrow or the first week of January if it was sent before Christmas.

[and1tricker]

Sorry I was away down south for a week. So no I don't know when he'll send the gear, he got in touch with me on the 20th but due to the earthquake in Chch on the 23rd the postal services weren't gonna resume before the 28th. So I don't expect any parcel to show up before tomorrow or the first week of January if it was sent before Christmas.

Thanks. keep me updated if u receive ur gears or not

[gopher]

Late last year IRD announced they were cracking down on drop-shippers. Since then several (including Bartman) have stopped advertisering or been banned from trademe. In most cases, drop-shipping is tax evasion, and shows a lack of conscience.
The question then becomes to what extent that lack of conscience goes when it suits them to bail?

[SeabirdNZ]

Hmmm, TradeMe Investigation team has been in contact with Bartman88 too and he's still trying to get things sorted though it will take time as he's facing financial difficulties (no, really ? Unpaid GST backlog ?). :-/

So to whoever else is in the same situation, no point going to the police as it's not apparent he intended to take the money and run away, hence no criminal investigation. Filing a claim with the Disputes Tribunal is a better option as a backup if the situation doesn't get resolved. If I get more informations I'll keep you posted, in the main time I'll find an exorcist to deal with my usual bad luck ... :-(

[James_Albany]

Hmmm, TradeMe Investigation team has been in contact with Bartman88 too and he's still trying to get things sorted though it will take time as he's facing financial difficulties (no, really ? Unpaid GST backlog ?). :-/

So to whoever else is in the same situation, no point going to the police as it's not apparent he intended to take the money and run away, hence no criminal investigation. Filing a claim with the Disputes Tribunal is a better option as a backup if the situation doesn't get resolved. If I get more informations I'll keep you posted, in the main time I'll find an exorcist to deal with my usual bad luck ... :-(

If he caught by IRD investigator, the penalty amount would be huge since he kept this business for 9 years(2002-2011). Total payment (tax+penalty) would be around 1 million, and I doubt that he has enough money to afford it.

[SeabirdNZ]

By the sound of things he's not in that much trouble, or so I hope as I'd kiss goodbye to my D7000 otherwise ... TradeMe Investigation team is rather confident he can still sort things out this month, let's hope they are right ! I will still start filing a complaint with the Disputes Tribunal and withdraw if need be.

---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:47 PM ----------

Oops my bad, here is what TM is saying : "As said, he will likely get the trades sorted, but it will probably take several months to resolve all complaints if what he is telling me is correct."
Several months ??? Huh ... O_o

[smurff]

ohhh thats not good to hear at all

-smurff

[James_Albany]

Bartman88's Trademe account is finally disabled!!!

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?searchtype=SELLER&member=133366

[SeabirdNZ]

Bit more details, hard to extract anything from TradeMe Investigation finally ... and it sounds like I won't be playing with my D7000 this summer ...
Has someone seen a rope ? ;-)

"Essentially about the same time your auction completed, information came to light that he was breaching some terms and conditions (we don’t allow goods to be drop-shipped). We don’t allow drop shipping due to the risks of non-delivery involved. Several complaints were subsequently received, he then advised that he was in a spot financially. He has attempted to resolve the complaints and is getting them completed albeit slowly.

I’ve asked that he prioritise the refunds / goods being provided by dates that orders were taken / whether or not the buyer used Pay Now (which means that they can get a charge-back rather than the goods).

Your complaint is one of the oldest, so I hope that it will be resolved soon but I don’t want to say you’ll receive it in the next few weeks as I can’t be sure."

[TrevorD]

Does he at least make it clear that items are sourced from Hong Kong? I have delt with him several times and find him a good trader, although I have sometimes waited longer than I'd have liked for delivery.

One thing you should be aware of is that the Consumer Guarantees Act does not apply to items that come to you directly from overseas. You do have some rights of redress from the Contractual Remedies Act 1979, and can go to the Dispute Tribunal if you have a physical address for the other party. But I have no idea when most of the people I deal with on TradeMe live.

Whilst I am on a roll here, you have more rights using Buy Now than after you have placed a bid on an item.

Ahhh I see TradeMe has a pretty good advice page (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Partners/Content.aspx?id=11).

(I was the previous Chairman of Marlborough Citizens Advice)

A bit heavy for my very first post to this forum. LOL

[smurff]

Welcome TrevorD :D even if its a heavy post im sure people will be appreciative of the advice :D

-smurff

[ricky1981]

Glad I came across this thread as I was going to buy from Pro1Digital.co.nz because of the low prices but it seems like the items are still drop-shipped and after hearing about Roy being banned from TradeMe I didn't want to chance it on high value items.