Your Opinion, Please...

[Lex]

About 6 months ago (back in march) I placed an order for a packer and harness with a site called FtMSolutions. The site is (or.. was. The site isn't up anymore.) owned and operated by the significant other/wife of a transman (they both have channels and are popular on YouTube), so I figured it to be a site that I could trust (my thinking was along the lines of "why would the SO of a transguy screw over another transguy?").. Guess that thought process cost me about 55 bucks and some crazy dysphoria. Anyway, I've tried more than once to email and call the owner of the site and I have been cordial, professional, and understanding. Now it's September, and I still have yet to hear any word about my order.. Now, here is my question to all of you: What would you do in this situation? Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks everyone.

Aven

[Teknoir]

I've heard of the site, but never ordered from there.

I'd be asking for a refund if they can't provide the product. Do they get back to you with excuses, or are they a black hole?

If they're a black hole I suppose the only way to get through to them might be via youtube comments, assuming their channels are still active. I'd be using a new account for it.

In the mean time, I'd be ordering another one from a more reputable site. There's plenty of sites out there selling that sort of thing, some of which the members here have had personal experience with.

And if they do come through - then you can never have too many packers. They do wear out over time - even if you're careful (which reminds me, I'd better get on that task myself! ).

[ilanthefirst]

Man, that sucks!  If you can't get in contact with them via YouTube, e-mail, or phone, can you contact your credit card company/PayPal/whatever you used to pay for it?  They might be able to do something about it.

[Mark]

Sorry to tell you this man, but your not getting your packer or your 55 bucks back. I ordered a packer from her (Heather i believe) last December. I think at one point she was making packers, but got tired of it, kept accepting orders, never made them took the money and ran. Sorry my man. There is a site called gearguygear. Its a transguy making stps and things for other trans. Hes really nice and if theres any problems or wait for your order he gives you a partial refund. I've gotten 3 STPs from him. If you just want a packer, and not an STP, try the GV soft pack or something like that.

Again sorry you got screwed. Happened to me also

[Radar]

If you get absolutely no response and nothing resolved from them I have three words- Better Business Bureau. I've had to have the BBB get involved with two companies so far and they get results.

[notyouraverageguy]

If you get absolutely no response and nothing resolved from them I have three words- Better Business Bureau. I've had to have the BBB get involved with two companies so far and they get results.

I second this. There was a problem with Mango products also. Try every way of contact you can, keep records and if they never get back to you go to the BBB.

[Lex]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

@Teknoir- I've tried just about every method available to contact the owner (e-mail, phone, both YouTube sites.. nothing got through). Looks like I'll just be ordering from another site.

@Ilan- I used a GreenDot card/thing on PayPal and contacted PayPal.. they said there's nothing they could do >.<

@Mark- Yeah, I've realized that i'm not the only guy this has happened to. Sucks to get screwed over.. especially when it comes to trans-related stuff. I'll definitely check out the site you offered though. Sorry that you didn't get what you order either. - _ -

@Radar- The BBB, huh? I might give it a shot. Only thing is, I'm not even sure if the site/ business is still running/ in business. Definitely something to learn more about though. Thanks for the idea!

-Aven

[sonopoly]

I third the idea of getting the BBB involved.  I got help from them years ago and got a full reimbursement plus almost a couple of hundred more (on a $1,200 product).

Someone on another forum site did some research and found out that the FTMsolutions folks sold their home around January of this year.  I don't think they just took the money and ran.  I believe they were having some financial problems (not that this excuses their behavior), but I don't think it with any ill-intent.

I'm sorry to hear about this, guys.  It does suck and I'd be upset and mad too.

[Mark]

I third the idea of getting the BBB involved.  I got help from them years ago and got a full reimbursement plus almost a couple of hundred more (on a $1,200 product).

Someone on another forum site did some research and found out that the FTMsolutions folks sold their home around January of this year.  I don't think they just took the money and ran.  I believe they were having some financial problems (not that this excuses their behavior), but I don't think it with any ill-intent.

I'm sorry to hear about this, guys.  It does suck and I'd be upset and mad too.

It was definitely ill-intended. If you didn't want to make them anymore you should accept payments. Not only did she except my payment, after I emailed her she emailed me back (roughly 2 months after my order) and said she finally got the products in and would send it out soon. Why keep a site up for 6 months? IDC if they had money problems. Everyone has money problems, most people dont just scam other people tho.

[Lex]

It was definitely ill-intended. If you didn't want to make them anymore you should accept payments. Not only did she except my payment, after I emailed her she emailed me back (roughly 2 months after my order) and said she finally got the products in and would send it out soon. Why keep a site up for 6 months? IDC if they had money problems. Everyone has money problems, most people dont just scam other people tho.

I'm going to have to agree with the thought that it was ill-intended. If it weren't, I assume Heather would at least have responded to an e-mail.. or phone call. She hasn't been on either YouTube account in at least four months, which makes me lean toward the idea that she's kind of abandoning the entire site, and all of the people who trusted her with getting the products they've ordered.

[sonopoly]

Okay, I can see your point and why you feel the way you do.  I do think it was very wrong and would never do anything like that myself.  I also think that she didn't plan to do this.  I believe her partner lost his job around the same time and sometimes money problems just snowball from there especially if you have kids and a mortgage.  Again, this is no excuse for doing what she did.  She's probably very embarrassed, ashamed, and can't face you all and the anger you may express.

There is a transguy on YouTube that did the same thing to a lot of people, but he just ignores it and posts tons of videos with no shame.  I paid for an (non-trans) item from him and never got it. I honestly don't think she is running away from this with no shame or remorse.

I don't know her, but I used to watch her when she was on youtube's TMATES FTM and she seemed like a sincere and decent person.

[Teknoir]

There is a site called gearguygear. Its a transguy making stps and things for other trans. Hes really nice and if theres any problems or wait for your order he gives you a partial refund. I've gotten 3 STPs from him. If you just want a packer, and not an STP, try the GV soft pack or something like that.

I second this. I've bought from this guy, and he's really good. His (old, don't know about new) site is a bit klugdy (especially if you don't use Windows, and therefore don't have Internet Explorer), but he's great on communication - always lets you know when your product is shipping and if your payments went through, and he ships in a timely manner.

When I ordered mine he had the flu, and emailed everyone with an order to let them know he'd be away for a few days (or some tiny amount of time, anyway).

He's good enough that I fired up XP in a VM to run IE to place the order, and I'd do it again

[Aegir]

I'm going to throw in on call the BBB. If she took your money promising a product and then didn't give you anything or your money back, she stole from you. Let her know that.