The Tang Shop -- Do Not Patronize

I don't ordinarily use this blog for personal crap like this, but I'm so pissed off right now at an online merchant (part of Yahoo! Shopping, no less) that I want to warn everyone not to patronize them.

In early September 07 I purchased an external battery for my PDA from The Tang Shop (order #61432, TID:4729-GXXM-1009). The picture on the website showed the battery I thought I was going to get, but when I got it, it was not as advertised and it would not work with my PDA. They were initially happy to take it back and told me that when they received it, they would send the item that was actually pictured on the website, the one that I thought I had ordered.

So I returned the battery -- with postal insurance -- and first they told me that they didn't receive it. After two separate trips to the post office, I found that the PO actually did deliver it (thank god I insured it!).

Then on Oct 17 they said that a replacement would be shipped "within the next few days". On Nov 19 they informed me that "a replacement request has been processed".

It has yet to arrive. In the meantime I took two long plane flights for which I needed the item, but of course I didn't have it.

Finally on 12-3 I emailed them again to complain and I have yet to receive a response.

And Yahoo! Shopping? Basically their response was "tough shit". They did tell me, however, that they would "contact the merchant" with my complaint. Big fucking deal that is.

Needless to say, I am not a happy consumer, and at this point I have to say that I will NEVER buy anything from Tang Shop again. Nor will I buy anything from an online merchant in the Yahoo! Shopping network. If they can't step up and reign in one of their rogue merchants, then they do not deserve my business, either.

Oh, and this is not an isolated incident. See for example this complaint, and especially this one, wherein the Tang Shop pulled the same we-didn't-get-it-in-the-mail shit as they tried to pull with me.

Ultimately, I guess, it's my own damn fault for not checking them out more thoroughly.

Bottom line: Caveat emptor.