Here is a picture of the case I sold to Mr. Vella.
http://networkretailing.com/jsarrietapr1.jpgYes, it's true when I shipped the case, I shipped it via a customer in CA who bought the pair of WR guns from me. This was not very good judgment on my part but I needed a way to get that pair of guns to CA and I didn't have another double case. This did cause a delay, longer than I thought it would, but in any event our terms of sale state the item will be shipped within 10 days of the order being received and I believe we complied with this. In any case, I did apologize to Mr. Vella for that and offered him a store credit for the delay as a goodwill gesture.
From the above description, you would think I shipped Mr. Vella a piece of junk. The picture suggests otherwise. I still believe my description of the case was accurate and my customer in CA concurred with me when I forwarded him Mr. Vella's original emails to me noting multiple tears in the lining etc. I thought perhaps the case had been damaged en route but that was not the case. The guns were cushioned in bubble wrap when I shipped them in this case to CA. So it's highly unlikely that any damage occurred en route.
There was a patch of felt that was worn through in one of the compartments from a receiver rubbing against the felt. That was clearly stated in my description. There may have been some very small imperfections in the felt elsewhere but neither I nor my customer in CA noted any such tears. It was a very nice case when it left here.
Since there was such a large discrepancy between Mr. Vella's description of the case and my and my customer's recollection of it, I admit I didn't believe him, and I still don't. He never sent me a picture of the damage to the interior of the case. I challenge him to post one here. He never informed me of the shipping damage to the exterior of the case, this is the first information I have had regarding that. And if it were damaged in transit, it was insured and I would have been willing to submit a claim to UPS for the exterior damage. (Why would I not be, I paid the insurance.) I could not have claimed interior damage (and UPS would surely not have paid for it); in any case I don't see how there could have been any interior damage in transit as the guns were bubble wrapped from here to CA and then the case was empty from CA to Canada.
I offered to refund Mr. Vella"s money but he refused. Anything we sell can be returned for any reason or no reason, for a refund, except brand new items which can only be returned if we ship the wrong item. (He also refused my offer of a store credit..perhaps a clue to his temperament).
Regarding the combination, it's possible it was jammed. I got it set to 0000 and that's the way I shipped it. I opened and closed it several times but I never reset it. However, given the rather large credibility issue here, and the fact that he brought the combination lock up in his second or third tirade, I frankly put this down to the customer being mad at me for the delay.
So, I sincerely believe that what we have here is a combination of a guy who is a. a perfectionist; b. who has a very hot temperament; and c. who is vindictive.
The tone of Mr. Vella's emails to me was uniformly condescending and vitriolic. I believe I kept a civil tone in all me replies to him, regardless.
Perhaps my customer in CA will read this and add his two cents worth. I don't want to disclose his name without his consent.
