doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Caveat Emptor re Russ Gould of doublegun hq

There isn't much to be said about this except one thing:
It's up over 590 views. There's an opinion developing that is gonna be expensive.

Actually it is an Orvis Americase model 3011. We all know that "Orvis" label is expensive. I do not know how much Orvis would sell it for, but I wouldn't doubt that it would be a lot more than the same case from Americase.

It sounds like Americase took care of you, but FWIW I'm bet Orvis would have for free (Thats one reason people might pay more for the Orvis label. It is good to hear about good customer service.

perhaps others should take lessons.

Mr. Gould has referred to me as ""a combination of a guy who is a . a perfectionist; b. who has a very hot temperament; c. who is vindictive". He says "The tone of Mr. Vella's emails was uniformly condescending and vitriolic". I have posted here my last two emails to this man. You may judge for yourself if his description of me is fair. And what I say below still stands, I am NOT looking for a refund or anything else from Mr. Gould. My only intent was to give fair warning to others. Strange how Mr. Gould felt compelled to post a caveat here about someone else, yet now is aggrieved that I should do the same about him.




----- Original Message -----
From: Ron VELLA
To: Russell Gould
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: Item # 2381

Mr Gould,
Your response is exactly what I anticipated. You have basically said that I am a liar, when I itemize the problems with this case. A few points:

1) A man with ANY integrity at all, would examine an item closely enough to see all of these defects before advertising it as "excellent condition".XXXXXXXXX, of course, had no interest in the condition of this case when he was the proud new owner of a WR pair!
2) You can add to the list of defects which I sent you, the fact that at some point, somebody jimmied the combination lock and the combination cannot be changed.
3) This is an Americase, model 3011, list price on a new one, on their website, is #421.12, so $295 is a looong way from half price.
4) I've already ordered new keys, a new combination lock, and 3 yards of green baize from Americase with which to have the case relined. I'll eat the cost and chalk it up to a learning experience.
5) You need not worry about me taking advantage of your generous offer of a $25 discount on my next purchase. It would be a frosty Friday in hell before I had any further dealings with you.
6) I have been a member for years of the Doublegun BBS, the Shooting Sportsman BBS, NitroExpress.com, HuntAmerica.com, COPT, and more recently Accurate Reloading. I promise you that once I have properly composed a notice, I intend to post a "Caveat Emptor" on all of these sites re Russell Gould and Network Retailing LLC.

Ronald C. Vella.

----- Original Message -----
From: Ron VELLA
To: Russell Gould
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: Item # 2381

I have no interest in getting into a "pissing match" with you over this. Perhaps you didn't understand, I do not want ANYTHING from you. I am NOT looking for something for nothing! Six of my friends have examined this case since it arrived and would be pleased to attest to the veracity of my description. If you like, my brother, who has been a lawyer for 30 years, and lives 3 miles from me, would be glad to examine the case and verify my description. One last thing, mathematics must be taught differently in the RSA than it is in Canada. How else is $295 less than half of $421, and how else is $25 more than TWICE $29?

That was wOrth reading all fOur pages....lol

The hard thing about airing the laundry is that the neighbors all get to decide why and how it got the pee stains. So we're warned off Mr. DGHQ because he may or may not be a bit of a trimmer and likewise off Mr. Vella because he may or may not be a bit of trouble. Both parties' rep would benefit from a belated negotiation in which the observations made here are considered for what they're worth and a mutually-satisfactory resolution reached. I don't want to hear further from either of you until you've kissed and made up.

jack

'I have posted here my last two emails to this man.' "He never offered a refund"

Mr. Vella,

Our terms of sale allow a refund on used items. You chose not to avail yourself of that, quoting the duty you paid. I am still waiting for a picture to indicate that the case was in a condition other than the condition in which it left my premises.

When you think about it, you were out $50 and you now have a case with a perfect lining and new keys (at the time you said Americase would replace the keys for free...now you seem to be saying you had to buy new locks), and you have enough felt to recover two more cases according to your postings. It's now undoubtedly better than described. I offered to split that with you by way of a store credit of $25. You told me to shove it. I'll up that to the full $50. So your upgrade is now free, your leftover felt is now free, if you choose to avail yourself. We'll see.

BTW you sent me a very detailed email listing the defects you found when the case arrived, which I forwarded to two other persons who had seen the case in CA and they couldn't relate to your email. I won't tell you what one of them said. You made no mention of damage to the exterior of the case at that time. You also didn't mention the combination issue, that you added later. And now you are claiming that the case was dropped and had concrete embedded in it. This doesn't improve your credibility I'm afraid.

"Russell,
This case arrived here about half an hour ago, and I have just finished unwrapping and inspecting it. The case was described as "excellent condition apart from one rub mark in one bbl compartment". This is how it arrived here:

1) No keys for the two keyed locks.
2) 1/2" square piece of felt missing completely in bottom of chamber end of front bbl compartment.
3) 1/4" three-cornered tear in bottom of chamber end of front bbl compartment.
4) 1/2" ragged tear in felt on divider in front bbl compartment.
5) 1/2" ragged tear in felt on divider at rear of front action compartment.
6) 3/4" ragged tear in left end of rear bbl compartment.
7) 3/4" three-cornered tear in upper right-hand corner of lid.
8) 1/4" tear in edge of side wall in upper right-hand corner of side wall.

I would return the case immediately, but for the fact that I have just paid an additional $97.21 to UPS for Customs Brokerage Fees and GST which I cannot now recover. I would estimate that it is going to cost another $100.00 for me to have a local casemaker recover these damaged compartments. If you do not have the missing keys, I will also have to pay a locksmith to recode the two locks. Are you prepared to offset these costs? If not, what do you suggest?"



Here are some of your courteous emails to me. Had you been a little less obnoxious and hyperbolic, you might have found me a little more ready to listen to your issues:


"From: Russell Gould
To: Ron VELLA
Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2006 12:40 PM
Subject: Re: Item # 2381


I spoke to him first thing this morning regarding this matter. He says he will do it today.

I apologize for this unconventional approach to shipping your case. The oak and leather case for the guns was at the repair guy when this gent bought the pair, and I was left without a good shipping option for the guns. In retrospect, a lapse of judgement on my part.

Regards,

Russ Gould
NetworkRetailing LLC, operator of these specialty e-commerce venues:
http://doublegunhq.com (Double Gun Headquarters), offering fine double rifles and shotguns, and superior wingshooting destinations around the world;
http://bigfivehq.com (Big Five Headquarters), offering heavy caliber rifles, accessories, and big game safaris to Africa and Argentina;
http://vh2q.com (Varmint Hunter HQ), offering varmint rifles and varmint hunting gear;
Buy with confidence, all sales are escrow sales and subject to 3 day inspection.
Sell with ease, sites are fully automated and we clear payments for you (FFL required to sell firearms).
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron VELLA
To: Russell Gould
Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2006 8:32 AM
Subject: Re: Item # 2381


Russell,
The situatiuon is more than "A little complicated". According to the UPS tracking system, your customer in California has not shipped MY, and I repeat MY case yet. I expect you to phone him TODAY, find out why he has not done so, and when he WILL ship MY case, and notify me today at this e-mail address. You received payment in full from me, a week ago yesterday. At that time, legally, morally, and certainly ethically. that case became mine and you had absolutely no right to use MY case as a bloody shipping case and to send it another 1000 miles further away from here. Had you shipped this item to me on Monday, November 6, as you promissed to do, this item would already be in Canada instead of in California. To say that I am upset and disappointed would be the understatement of the century. I expect and deserve your prompt attention to this matter!
Ron Vella.


From: Russell Gould
To: Ron VELLA
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: Item # 2381


Hi Ron,

The situation is a little complicated. I shipped a pair of WR 16 ga guns to a customer in CA in that case, with a forwarding label addressed to you. He got the guns yesterday so your case should be on it's way to you today.

Here is the tracking info:

Tracking Detail | Help

Billing information has been sent to UPS. Check site later for updated shipment status or contact shipper for more details.


Tracking Number: 1Z 194 AR1 68 9148 373 9
Type: Package
Status: Billing Information Received
Shipped to: OSHAWA, ON, CA
Shipped or Billed on: 11/07/2006
Service Type: STANDARD
Weight: 16.00 Lbs




Tracking results provided by UPS: 11/10/2006 4:14 P.M. EST (USA)
etc."

I can't believe I've just read all four pages of this stuff. It's pretty clear who's in the wrong, but my verdict is thus:

" I aint buying nothing from Russ and
I aint selling nothing to Ron"

And so say we all, I'll bet...Geo

Seems all this could have been avoided by shipping case to buyer when said. In as much as check was accepted, this indicates sale was finalized & case had new owner. Case was used for shipping container without owners permission. Ken

And,D. Weber, how about restricting this guy's adverts to the advertisers' list. If he's bought the site and is paying the bills, I see no reason why I should feel compelled to.

jack

Geo,
I have to agree only with half of yuour statement.

I aint buying nothing from Russ.

If I sold to Ron it would be without delay, side trips or any store credit and with the right to return and if my mistake made the sale bad, then refund for tarrifs and taxes. In bussiness sometimes you have to eat your mistakes. We all do it in real life.

This $50.00 tiff has earned him a thousand dollars of free advertising. If he looses just one sale in the future because of his actions he has lost more than $50.00 IMHO. That is why I suggested yesterday that his best interest was to let it die a natural death, stop defending a position that was not defendable and it would be on page 4 in a day or two. These long post attract more attention and will get read a lot and remembered a long time.