Post by starwarsgeek on May 31, 2009 23:53:29 GMT -5
I wasn't sure where to post this, I looked for a 'feedback' or 'I got screwed over' section but didn't find one. If you want to move it, feel free...
I feel that I have no choice at this time but to post a topic warning people NOT to deal with Broken Arrow Toys and/or Alyosha, or at least to do so at your own risk. It's a bit of a long story, but it's been going on for a while and I wanted to present ALL the facts. I have all the email correspondence between us saved, and have referred back to those emails to get the proper dates.
I know that he deals with 99% GI Joe parts, but I also know that a lot of customizers use Joe parts when working on SW figures.
Back in December of 2008 (December 17th in fact - my birthday), I contacted Aly to ask if he would be interested in molding and casting a Courtney Krieger head that I had from the comic pack figure. It's a really nice head to use for a female, and the figure seems to sell for an insane amount of money on ebay. He told me he would make the molds and casts, and give me the first 5 casts that were pulled from the mold in exchange for supplying the original head to him.
I sent the part off to him sometime in the next week (on 12/23 to be exact), along with an additional $10 in cash, because he told me that if I wanted to purchase more heads than the 5 he would provide me with, I could purchase them for $2 each. So I figured that the 5 he was sending and the 5 I purchased should hold me over for a while.
He emailed me on 12/24 to let me know it arrived, and he would get started on it as soon as he could. I told him I wasn't in a huge rush, and it wasn't time sensitive to have them back by any specific date.
On February 4, I received a message from him (answering an email from me inquiring where the project was at, since it had been over a month and I hadn't heard anything yet) and received the following response:
Got three copies of the head (yours included) seperated from the hair, and the clean up work done. This will allow me to cast the hair in seperate colors for those who might want a blonde haired version from the 'toon, or some other color for customizing. I've also glued on sprues and am prepared to put them in mold boxes. I will be doing them shortly, and I need to cast another complete figure, and will be doing these at the same time. How's that for an update.
So it sounded like all was going well.
On February 23rd I get the following message from Aly:
An update for you. I got all the heads molds made last night, and they are curing right now. I ran out of silicone before I could pour the hair pieces but am planning to drive to Dallas to grab some more late this week. Should have them finished and yours cast and ready to send out sometime next week.
So again, I thought things were going well at this point. Sure, it was 2 months into the project and I hadn't received anything back, but I just thought that was normal.
On March 18th, I emailed Aly again, inquiring about the project. Received this response:
Actually, they are about done. I'm working on making the different color variations this week, and hope to have them ready to show this weekend. I should have some pics in a couple more days.
On April 4th, I get this message:
what colors do you need your hairpieces in. I've got 'toon blonde, black, brown (upcoming), auburn (upcoming), red (upcoming), and sand (upcoming). I've already put your original back together, and set aside those two other heads you wanted. I've got 6 copies of the base CG head cast for you, and was about to write about the colors anyway.
At that time, I responded with my color choices, as well as asking about another item that I wanted from his store. He told me that the item in question had to be remolded, but he would do it. So I paypaled him an additional $16, as he instructed, to get the other pieces from him as well.
On April 26th, I inquired yet again what the status of this project was, since it was approaching 4 months, and I kept getting these messages saying it was almost done, almost done, almost done every time I inquired. I received this response:
Sorry Dave, I didn't realize it had been that long. Kind of happens when there's always something to do, and you don't punch a clock. I'll round up and ship out everything but the last thing you ordered (I have the invoice somewhere, but IIRC it was something I needed to still make molds for).
If you would, just send me a list of everything your waiting on so I don't miss anything. I know your expecting back you original CG head, 10 head copies, 2 of each haircolor (total of 10 parts), and something else..
So, I responded one more time, with the full list of items that I was expecting - 10 Courtney Krieger heads, 2 other heads that I inquired about during our conversations that Aly was going to include for me for free, and the last piece that needed to be remolded.
And, that was the last contact that I've had with him. I have sent 4 followup emails to him, asking when the parts will be shipped. He has yet to respond to my inquiries. Did I mention that the head that I sent in for casting and molding, that I was told I would get the first casts of sent to me, that I was told the first casts pulled were put to the side for me - was added to the store at some point (I did not make a note of the date) - and are currently sold out?
I requested a paypal refund for the $16 I sent him, and it was granted to me almost instantly. I found that a bit odd, considering that paypal tells you when you file a case against a seller that it will take 10 days to investigate... considering they sent me back my money in about 3 hours, I'm guessing that I wasn't the first person to file a claim against Aly.
Also, I had been wondering if maybe my emails were just not being received, since they had all been answered up to a certain point... so I sent Aly a personal message via his forum. I went just now to check and see if he received it, and... he must have, because I no longer have an account there. Nice way to deal with customers, Aly. Hope you make lots of money with my Krieger head you bastard.
So, if you have read all of this, I just wanted everyone to beware when dealing with Aly. May 17th marked the 5 month point, and at this time, I've pretty much given up on the cast pieces that I hoped to get from him, and chalked it up as a loss. I know that it's not an overnight process but I really think that 5+ months is just a little overboard. Considering that I was told in February that all the molds were basically done at that time, and the pieces have been added to the store - and sold out.
I feel that I have no choice at this time but to post a topic warning people NOT to deal with Broken Arrow Toys and/or Alyosha, or at least to do so at your own risk. It's a bit of a long story, but it's been going on for a while and I wanted to present ALL the facts. I have all the email correspondence between us saved, and have referred back to those emails to get the proper dates.
I know that he deals with 99% GI Joe parts, but I also know that a lot of customizers use Joe parts when working on SW figures.
Back in December of 2008 (December 17th in fact - my birthday), I contacted Aly to ask if he would be interested in molding and casting a Courtney Krieger head that I had from the comic pack figure. It's a really nice head to use for a female, and the figure seems to sell for an insane amount of money on ebay. He told me he would make the molds and casts, and give me the first 5 casts that were pulled from the mold in exchange for supplying the original head to him.
I sent the part off to him sometime in the next week (on 12/23 to be exact), along with an additional $10 in cash, because he told me that if I wanted to purchase more heads than the 5 he would provide me with, I could purchase them for $2 each. So I figured that the 5 he was sending and the 5 I purchased should hold me over for a while.
He emailed me on 12/24 to let me know it arrived, and he would get started on it as soon as he could. I told him I wasn't in a huge rush, and it wasn't time sensitive to have them back by any specific date.
On February 4, I received a message from him (answering an email from me inquiring where the project was at, since it had been over a month and I hadn't heard anything yet) and received the following response:
Got three copies of the head (yours included) seperated from the hair, and the clean up work done. This will allow me to cast the hair in seperate colors for those who might want a blonde haired version from the 'toon, or some other color for customizing. I've also glued on sprues and am prepared to put them in mold boxes. I will be doing them shortly, and I need to cast another complete figure, and will be doing these at the same time. How's that for an update.
So it sounded like all was going well.
On February 23rd I get the following message from Aly:
An update for you. I got all the heads molds made last night, and they are curing right now. I ran out of silicone before I could pour the hair pieces but am planning to drive to Dallas to grab some more late this week. Should have them finished and yours cast and ready to send out sometime next week.
So again, I thought things were going well at this point. Sure, it was 2 months into the project and I hadn't received anything back, but I just thought that was normal.
On March 18th, I emailed Aly again, inquiring about the project. Received this response:
Actually, they are about done. I'm working on making the different color variations this week, and hope to have them ready to show this weekend. I should have some pics in a couple more days.
On April 4th, I get this message:
what colors do you need your hairpieces in. I've got 'toon blonde, black, brown (upcoming), auburn (upcoming), red (upcoming), and sand (upcoming). I've already put your original back together, and set aside those two other heads you wanted. I've got 6 copies of the base CG head cast for you, and was about to write about the colors anyway.
At that time, I responded with my color choices, as well as asking about another item that I wanted from his store. He told me that the item in question had to be remolded, but he would do it. So I paypaled him an additional $16, as he instructed, to get the other pieces from him as well.
On April 26th, I inquired yet again what the status of this project was, since it was approaching 4 months, and I kept getting these messages saying it was almost done, almost done, almost done every time I inquired. I received this response:
Sorry Dave, I didn't realize it had been that long. Kind of happens when there's always something to do, and you don't punch a clock. I'll round up and ship out everything but the last thing you ordered (I have the invoice somewhere, but IIRC it was something I needed to still make molds for).
If you would, just send me a list of everything your waiting on so I don't miss anything. I know your expecting back you original CG head, 10 head copies, 2 of each haircolor (total of 10 parts), and something else..
So, I responded one more time, with the full list of items that I was expecting - 10 Courtney Krieger heads, 2 other heads that I inquired about during our conversations that Aly was going to include for me for free, and the last piece that needed to be remolded.
And, that was the last contact that I've had with him. I have sent 4 followup emails to him, asking when the parts will be shipped. He has yet to respond to my inquiries. Did I mention that the head that I sent in for casting and molding, that I was told I would get the first casts of sent to me, that I was told the first casts pulled were put to the side for me - was added to the store at some point (I did not make a note of the date) - and are currently sold out?
I requested a paypal refund for the $16 I sent him, and it was granted to me almost instantly. I found that a bit odd, considering that paypal tells you when you file a case against a seller that it will take 10 days to investigate... considering they sent me back my money in about 3 hours, I'm guessing that I wasn't the first person to file a claim against Aly.
Also, I had been wondering if maybe my emails were just not being received, since they had all been answered up to a certain point... so I sent Aly a personal message via his forum. I went just now to check and see if he received it, and... he must have, because I no longer have an account there. Nice way to deal with customers, Aly. Hope you make lots of money with my Krieger head you bastard.
So, if you have read all of this, I just wanted everyone to beware when dealing with Aly. May 17th marked the 5 month point, and at this time, I've pretty much given up on the cast pieces that I hoped to get from him, and chalked it up as a loss. I know that it's not an overnight process but I really think that 5+ months is just a little overboard. Considering that I was told in February that all the molds were basically done at that time, and the pieces have been added to the store - and sold out.