My very bad experiences with PRINT ON A DIME INC.

[highvolumeJP]

Hi. I would like to share my recent experiences with Print On a Dime Inc. I have made a purchase through their website and from the start I have had problems - I wish I had read some comments posted here before making my purchase. I know that a user by the name of macrovision and some others have posted in 2005, I would like them to get in contact with me becuse they had similar problems with what I am getting.

Without going into too much long details about the misunderstandings I had with the seller, by the name of Emery Nelson, I have made a purchase for 6 empty, refillable cartridges with smart chips after reading all the publicity on his web site. At first the price seemed pretty steep, $42.00 for 6 empty cartridges, made of plastic, appeared to me quite expensive at first. I was charged $10.00 for shipping. I figured that I would save money in the long run and would enjoy the conveniene of refilling my cartridges without removing them or resetting them.

His web site CLEARLY advertises that these chips will reset once your ink reaches 10% or less, and will reset back up to 90% so that your printer does not go into the dreaded clean cycle GREAT I said to myself, there goes saving 3% of ink per cartridge ! I was overly excited about this feature up until I found out (the hard way) that it was NOT the case. I print in high volume so my ink finishes rather quickly. To my biggest surprise and shock, one of my inks (yellow) reset itself (it was at 20% before it reset, not the 10% claimed!) and the worst part it reset back to 100%, as confirmed by 2 programs (SSC utility and another tool). Even worse, printer engaged in a cleaning cycle, not the short 1% cleaning cycle but the second cycle, which consumes 3% of ink !!! I was very upset. Eventually as I kept printing, other colors followed and they too reset back to 100%, engaging the printer into more cleaning cycles, wasting MORE ink including the newly refilled colors........then again, other colors followed, until all 6 colors reset at different times, each time bringing the printer to a cleaning cycle. All in all wasting nearly 18-20% ink ! That is outrageous and unacceptable ! My printer is left on 24/7, I never turned it off - I never took out the cartridges I followed the instructions to the letter.

I have immediately opened a claim with Paypal because this would qualify for items significantly different or misrepresented - At this point given all the e-mail exchanges with the seller from the beginning I did not feel we could reach an amicable resolution and he clearly washed his hands giving excuses every time and claiming there is nothing more he can do that he hasn't had complaints about the chips - After reading on this forum that some people here have had their printonadime CIS carts auto reset to 100% and not 90% automatically invalidates Emery Nelson's claim that he never gets complaints.

In my opinion I feel ripped off and I feel this is a strong case of false advertising / misrepresentation and even worse is the seller not responding to my e-mails sine I made a paypal claim - prior he has tried to deny responsibility - I think sellers should be held accounatble for allegedly false advertising a product or service.

You are thinking things can't get any worse ? Well they did - within 10 minutes of filing my Paypal claim I got an e-mail from paypal saying my claim was refused / closed because paypal does not deal with "items received by significantly different" claiming that they only deal with non reception of items.

After carefuly reading the user agreement it is clearly stated that you can file a complaint for items received but significantly different and the term false advertising / misrepresentation is clearly stated. It is not at all a question of personal preference - the product clearly does not function as advertised and causes me loss of money in wasted ink because of the reset / cleaning cycles ! Paypal is not honoring its own policies and it only makes it easier for sellers to get away with this kind of practice.

I have given Emery Nelson the benefit of the doubt and listened to all his explanations and in my opinions, excuses, for not responding to me prompty once I purchased the product, but given the recent events he has proven to me how unreliable a seller he is and unwilling to send me what I paid for.

I already paid $10.00 + $42.00 US for 6 empty cartridges - I am not spending a dime to send him back the items (and he didn't even offer that option).

I will take all the necessary legal measures to get my case exposed and heard in hopes that people will make an informed decision and in hopes that Print On A Dime will resolve this.

Meanwhile if anybody here has had such experiences where your chips auto reset to 100% and not 90%, please let me know.

I have done everything specified and there is no reason for this to happen.

He might get his chips from a 3rd party, but he should be accountable for what he writes on his websites and I thin I am entitled to a refund or replacement - He has not even responded to my latest e-mails what am I supposed to make of this ?

Also a note of interest, the company has not sent me an official invoice for my purchase other than the paypal confirmation and website confirmation - When asked about an invoice he said there is none. I frequently order online and always get invoices from companies I buy from.

[zoobie]

Go into your PP account and see if it's really closed. You can certainly open claims that the item was 'not as described' or 'item not received'....that's what claims are all about.

[highvolumeJP]

It is CLOSED since I received an e-mail from paypal saying the claim is closed due to the fact I can only file a claim for non reception of goods and not the attributes or quality of goods, eventhough I was specific in my claim that the product was falsely advertised - Paypal did not even take the time to read the basis of my complaint.

These kinds of sellers give a bad name to Paypal / eBay and good sellers.

I am very surprised because I have heard some comments about hwo good that company was and how the person stood by his products - there again it could have just been a fake post, can't know for sure, but from what I read it seems I am not the only person who purchased from printonadime and had their chips reset to 100% instead of the advertised 90% - Just the fact that he refuses to take responsibility or even refund me or send me the correct products proves wrongful doing - there is no way you can trust someone like that and he was very upset with an e-mail I sent him a while ago about the fact I might complain to Paypal, he said he didn't like the accusatory tone of my e-mails, what does he expect ? He hasn't done one thing to prove to me he is a trustworthy seller - and now the fact he is ignoring my e-mails and is falsely advertising those reset chips or at least is not offering to send me the right product proves that I was right in doubting him from the start.

Sometimes a customer has to take some measures in order to be heard and in order for companies to wake up. He doesn't send invoices (at leat he didn't send me one and clam there is none) Maybe a call to the IRS and FTC would get things done. Not a threat but I am exercing my legal rights and it is my every right to take actions where law permits. I have evidence and proof that the chips he sent me don't function as advertised.

He tried pitching me his ink and wanted me to try ordering his ink - Glad I didn't !

[lordsmurf]

Did you pay by credit card?

[highvolumeJP]

No I paid by Paypal which is funded by a 2nd savings account.

[offline]

You might want to check out www.paypalsucks.com

[lordsmurf]

Contact your bank and see what they can do. Don't accept "no" for an answer, especially not from front-line low-level employees.


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Nice:

[highvolumeJP]

Bank cannot do anything about it, it is the seller that has to refund or replace my product and only PayPal can make the seller do such a thing.

Now, he didn't send me any invoice yet his company is incorporated, think it's a good idea to turn him in ? As to his apparent false advertising on his reset chips, anything I can do?

[classfour]

I actually did ok at printonadime - after they replaced the chips on the CIS that I bought; and had made a later purchase for bulk ink without issue. I can't say the same thing about PayPal or Ebay - having had some problems over the years, and can only say that PayPal doesn't have access to my bank account, nor will they ever again.

[highvolumeJP]

Well I did complain to Emery about my chips engaging my printer in cleaning cycles every 2 or 3 prints and he brushed it off saying he can't offer me anything more, that was before I also discovered the chips reset to 100% - I was fed up e-mailing him over and over so I immediately complained to Paypal and e-mailed him saying I will complain - He has NEVER offered me to replace the chips. Why does he sell the chips if people get them replaced, either HE is getting ripped off by his supplier or he is lying about his product, I don't know what to think anymore, but the least he can do is replace me the product for which I paid for, the very fact he ignores my e-mails and has not offered anything shows bad intent on his part.

[oldandinthe way]

PayPal offers less protection than using a credit card. Even when you use a credit card with PayPal. If you attempt to use your credit card's chargeback rights directly on a PayPal purchase, PayPal will close your account and freeze any money there, if you have given them access to your bank account they will attempt to collect the amount of the chargeback from your bank account.

PayPal is not regulated by any government agency, your only recourse in the case of a disagreement is to sue, rarely appropriate.

As for buying supplies on Ebay, the $10 shipping charge for some very light items should be a clue that you need to look in more normal places for your needs.

[highvolumeJP]

When I got the product it said $3.95 postage paid - He charged me $10 but he claimed there is a handling fee, he had to fill out custom papers, pay for the box, send it to the post office as it is not shipped in (not being a domestic destination) so I can understand that, there is no law that says you have to charge a certain amount shipping - However there are laws for advertising something and sending a product that does not fit the description.

Some people do not have credit cards so Paypal is convenient.

I have never had ANY problems with Paypal and most people don't either, the problems start when you file complaints or apply chargebacks whether you are a buyer or a seller

In the long run it is always best for a seller to deal amicably with the buyer and other way around and never involve PayPal, but in some cases with certain sellers you cannot unfortunately.

As far as bank accounts the best tip for paypal is NEVER to use your main bank account - Always open a secondary bank account and deposit small amounts, enough to cover your orders

[offline]

As far as bank accounts the best tip for paypal is NEVER to use your main bank account - Always open a secondary bank account and deposit small amounts, enough to cover your orders

My best tip would be to avoid using Paypal. At the very least, never ever give them access to any account, especially cash. Having small amounts does not protect you from a frozen account or a negative on your credit record when you are not at fault. 0.55 CAD, plus up to 4.9% (for the seller per transaction) not including your own bank fees?? Factor in double dipping through the payment of Ebay fees via Paypal, and the cost rises overall. This is passed on to you, and your only real protection is via the courts. At least with a CC you can issue a charge-back. That is my 2 cents anyway.

[highvolumeJP]

Well until an alternative to Paypal exists that is popular and widely used I have no choice. There are millions of paypal members and a lot of the ebay and online stores accept paypal. It is very convenient for people like me without a credit card.

As to frozen accounts, well I use Paypal to buy I am not a seller. Frozen accounts occur mainly to sellers who have claims against them or chargeback through paypal. Why the hell would paypal freeze my paypal account, I don't owe them anything.

I wonder why has no investigative reporter ever attempted to interview the president of Paypal and confront him on these issues ....?
How many members are on Paypal, over 10 million ? There is bound to be a few problems down the line don't you think ?

[offline]

Well you can't blame me for trying Let us know how you go with Paypal and Print On a Dime Inc. BTW I have to move this to Off Topic.

[gll99]

You've explained your problem well. At least your message is out to a minimum of 300+ views and with the search engines this will quickly grow into the thousands of archived views even if they don't register here. Join other related sites and see if anyone else has issues with the company. Do your own google search and you may find many allies. I for one don't mind users who post clear well explained criticism rather than just "company abc sucks" which invokes no sympathy from me. Your comments raise red flags about a business' product and/or after sale service and are bound to have an effect on potential clients who see it. I almost bought a video projector last year but after reading some detailed online reviews from a few honest purchasers on that unit it made me change my purchase.

As a side note, I'm glad I read so much on Paypal before I made the mistake of joining. What I see here only confirms that decision.

[adam]

Invoices are required by law under certain circumstances (ex: type of product, certain imports, etc..,) but I don't believe one is required in your case.

If you wanted to actually file a lawsuit it would be for breach of contract, breach of warranty, and violation of the deceptive trade practices act (what you are referring to when you mention laws against false advertising.) You'd probably have to sue them where the business is located, which seems to be Maryland. Under these facts, I think your court costs alone would cost more than the amount you are out...and those probably won't be recoverable.

My suggestion is to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If Print on a Dime does not adequately explain their position or reimburse you then they will get a formal complaint issued against them, which is something all businesses try to avoid.

[gll99]

I'm sure when I commented this topic was with other similar discussions about ink and carts in the media forum.

Am I that confused or did I just dream it

Hmmmmmm?

I need sleep. Conspiracy theories abound.

[highvolumeJP]

Thank you for your suggestion however not all companies are reuiqred to be members of the better business bureau, it is optional, so it is very unlikely that Print On a Dime is a member, so it's pointless to complain to BBB unless the company is registered as a member.

As to complaining, I gave the seller fair warnings and enough time to reply to me and many chances to fix the problem - I am not out to hurt any company just for the fun of it. I believe I am not breaking any laws by exposing MY problem - I have a legal right to allege that I feel cheated under the circomstances.

I am thinking seriously of making videos, once my ink levels go down, filming a video showing ink levels resetting to 100% and showing my printer going into a clean cycle and showing the waste ink reservoir getting filled with wasted ink and use this as evidence.

What's even more interesting is that this seller has a 100% rating on eBay and is a power seller - The items sold to me were purchased from his website, so there is no way for me to leave him negative feedback.

Taking him to court would be a costly thing - So whic is why I will use these forums and exerce my rights to freedom of expression, considering that I have evidence to backup my claims I believe I am not in the wrong doing and he cannot ask me to retract these posts.

[offline]

Paypal = no protection in reality. Ebay's SquareDeal for "Powersellers" offers up to $1,000 protection per seller That means 500 buyers might get $2 each after they pay a "dispute fee" Buying via Ebay would not have helped much here, IMO.

Most legitimate sellers will accept other forms of payment, even if they don't mention it in their ads. After all, Paypal does not protect them much either, and it is not really faster (7 day security issue). If they don't accept other forms of payment, ask why?

In Australia there is PayMate (www.paymate.com.au), BPay and POSTBillpay. These forms of payment do not require a credit card, are cheaper, and offer real protection. I'm not sure about Canada - but you can always use cash at a store (which just might be cheaper in the long run anyway.)

[adam]

Thank you for your suggestion however not all companies are reuiqred to be members of the better business bureau, it is optional, so it is very unlikely that Print On a Dime is a member, so it's pointless to complain to BBB unless the company is registered as a member.

Print On A Dime is not a member of any Better Business Bureau as far as I can tell. It is not pointless to file a complaint, however, because the company reports have nothing to do with memberships. A company does not have to be a member to have a complaint filed against them, and the Bureau will attempt dispute resolution on your behalf regardless of whether the company is a member or not. It's worth a try at least.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Talking to someone on the phone will get you nowhere,I would write them a letter saying you will report them to the state Attorney General,the FTC and BBB.
I've done that a couple of times and they responded quickly.

[highvolumeJP]

Talking to someone on the phone will get you nowhere,I would write them a letter saying you will report them to the state Attorney General,the FTC and BBB.
I've done that a couple of times and they responded quickly.

I don't know in this case Print ON a Dime is an internet company I don't know how well the "attorney general, FTC or BBB" would react to my claim or if it can do anything against eCommerce sites - I think Print On a Dime would have a great laugh about this. The fact I am in Canada also might not help.

[adam]

A business is a business. It doesn't matter whether its store is real or virtual. The FTC is more for reporting trade violations and the AG's office is more for reporting scams. This is a very minor commercial dispute. This is exactly the type of situation that the BBB investigates. Look at any BBB website... half of all reports/claims are for eCommerce sites. Why don't you just try it? Complaining on this site may help warn others and it might hurt their business a bit, but it won't get you your money back.

The fact that you are in Canada is irrellevant. It is a US business and you entered into a contract goverened by US law.

[MOVIEGEEK]

The fact that you are in Canada is irrellevant. It is a US business and you entered into a contract goverened by US law.

Exactly my point.
I mention the FTC and AG because they investigate scams:
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm

[highvolumeJP]

UPDATE: For the last couple of days he has been ignoring all my e-mails. I am shocked that this same user is a power seller, has 100% feedback and would do such a thing - I opened a dummy account on gmail and wrote to him passing as a new customer looking for a printer - He responded promptly !

I once confronted him in the past about him ignoring my e-mails when he got back at me giving me excuses. Now I have clear evidence ! Why didn't he reply to my countless e-mails and he responded right away to my other dummy e-mail ? Evidence that shows he is unwilling to stand by his products. A good company would have defended itself and send the right product. What gets to me is how come he has the 100% positive feedback.

I doubt that the AG, FTC or BBB will take this complaint, even if I have the e-mails in question they can always argue that e-mails can be modified - The company can always argue that they responded to my e-mails, etc... It is sellers like that, in my opinion, that give a bad name to eBay or eCommerce in general, since I purchased from his web store directly.

[highvolumeJP]

UPDATE:

I finally got a reply from seller, after contacting him several times - He is upset and now he is claiming that I am tricking him or scamming him and threatened me with legal actions - He claims that I made a false claim to paypal when I was very clear about my problem, he claims that I changed my story, at first I told him I would not spend a dime to send product back, but seeing the situation was going in circle I Later said I would consider sending him the product back providing he sends me the chips/ products first, he claims I am a dishonnest buyer - See this is how things works - Buyer complains, seller will build up a case and go after the buyer.

I can swear on the bible and provide proof that my cartridges are not resetting as per the website claims.

At this point I would like to stress that this thread is exposing my personal experiences with print on a dime - I atest that all the testimony is accurate and it is my every legal right to do so - The seller does have a 100% positive rating and a long standing status, but the way he has acted with me has not convinced me, and it is my every right to think so - Am I supposed to stay quiet about this ? He wants me to now to send the cartridges back to him at my own expense for him to test and THEN decide what to do, after indirectly calling me a scammer/unreasonable - Why should I trust him and send him back the cartridges - He says that if I don't send him anything that he will consider this a closed case. AND further threatened legal actions if I keep contacting him and threatening to report him to the FTC, AG, BBB, etc. He considers those "THREATS" as harrassment, I consider this exercising my rights, but given the way the law is I'm not surprised at the outcome.

I guess I will have to swallow the $52.00 I spent on this and shut up, pending legal actions - I demand that the mods close this thread at this point case is closed and I will consider this a loss. I do not have the time nor the energy to waste in legal battles.

I would like to make it clear that in no way I am implying that the company is a scam - I am merely stating my opinions and personal experience and experiences of others I read on this very forum. It is my opinion that I was ripped off with this purchase given the circomstances and would like to add that the seller has determined the case closed unless I send him back the product at my expense, but then I would end up with no cartridges for my printer.

Please close this topic.

[offline]

topic locked as requested by OP.