123mountain.com CAUTION

[Nate Boyer]

I made the mistake of ordering form these guys without doing any research. I put in an order for a $170 jacket. They immediately charged me for it. Two weeks later, I contacted them and they told me it was on backorder and wouldn't ship until March. I canceled the order and requested a refund. They told me I would be credited. This was over two weeks ago. I have emailed them, live chatted, and called them and I'm officially getting the run around.

I did a quick Google search and learned that the BBB cut ties with these scammers last Friday 1/11/13.

Then, I found this: http://www.resellerratings.com/store/123_Mountain

I am going to attempt a charge back with my credit card company.

Buyer beware. Does anybody know anything about this company?

[Bryian Sheets]

A buddy of mine had a similar experience as yours, buyer beware indeed!

-Bryian

[M B]

I ordered from them a few months back, no issues.

[Nate Boyer]

Called them today at 4:30 central. A lady answered and told me she was just hired. I could hear her asking questions to someone like there was a supervisor standing over her.
she told me she would issue the refund again and if I don't receive it in five days, to call them. I kindly told her if I don't receive a refund in five days, ill be calling the local police department.

she was unaware of their BBB suspension, or any of the scam reports.

[Gerry B.]

I have purchased several Rab brand items from 123Mountain in the past because they are the main distributor for most of Rab's products in the U.S. However, I quickly discovered that they don't seem to stock virtually any of Rab's products. They take your money, then order from Rab. So it always took me a month or two to get my stuff. I always got my stuff…eventually.

[Piney]

I ordered a pair of RAB Meco 120 pants from 123 Mountain (full retail price)last Saturday. They were the only online retailer I could find that stocked them in my size. The pants arrived quickly, but with $6.81 in postage due because their shipping department packed a sub-1lb item in a USPS medium flat rat box, but only paid for 1 lb in postage. I called 123 Mountain and requested they refund the $6.81 but was told they couldn't help me other than offering a credit on future orders. I asked the rep to send a request to management, which she did (after fighting me quite a bit.) I then recieved a string of rude emails blaming the postage due on me, the local post office, the USPS in general, little green men etc. In the end the $6.81 isn't a biggie, but 123Mountain's customer service was absolutely atrocious. Buyer beware!

Edit – Forgot to say I also ordered this:

http://www.123mountain.com/rehydrate-spoon-gsi

with the pants. It shows as in stock but didn't arrive with the pants. They claim to be ordering it from the manufacturer and shipping it separately. These people aren't too smart, showing a $2.50 item as in stock when they don't have one and then (hopefully) shipping it separately!!

[EndoftheTrail]

Nate:

Something like this, it's just a lot quicker filing a dispute — over the phone or online — with your card issuer. My own experience with Bank of America (as an example) — the bank/issuer will reverse the transaction immediately — giving you your money back in essence. The issuer then puts the burden on the merchant to demonstrate why the sale is legit — before the bank will let the charge go through again.

Let the merchant fight with the bank — instead of you fighting the merchant.

[Dena Kelley]

What Ben said. Initiate a chargeback with your bankcard issuer. I've been a merchant on the other side of the coin on that, and it's a pain in the butt. The merchant's account is immediately hit with the chargeback and they have to file all kinds of paperwork proving they met the terms of the sale in order to get the money back. If they can't do that, then the consumer gets their money back free and clear. Everything is on the side of the consumer on this- it's one of the best perks of using a credit card.

[Nate Boyer]

update:
I did do the charge back about a month ago and got my money back.
Damn that Mountain123.
complete scammers.

[Chris Pund]

Drew Jay – as an authorized dealer of GSI products, I'm sorry to tell you that this item has not been produced for at least 6 months and GSI does not have any of these left in stock. I tried to order these back in the Summer and Fall and was told that they were discontinued and the stock they had left was it at the time (in August)…

Good luck trying to get that money back.

It's a shame they stopped making that spoon, sold a lot of them too!

Chris
TheGearHouse.com

[Piney]

Thanks Chris, good to know. So it looks like they took me for nearly $10, this turned out to be an expensive base layer!

[Christopher Gutwein]

I ordered a Nemo Cosmo through them for a trip 4 months in advance – emailed and called them about it multiple times. It ended up taking over 6 months to arrive even though it showed as in stock when I ordered.

[Brian Abram]

I got a BCA Float 22 from them that they had listed for 20% off. It arrived quickly. I think the problem is that they list items as "in stock" and "available". I think most who go there to buy something don't see this, and most who do see it don't understand the distinction that 123mountain makes. From their "Shipping" page:

"
POTENTIAL SHIPPING DELAYS:

In stock items will ship within the next business day. Available item(s) is/are available to order. Most available items will ship within 9 business days, sometimes the process is faster and of course it will ship to you ASAP. There might be some exceptions, example: supplier is out of stock or manufacturing delays and between the time of order and the processing of this an item can become unavailable, out of stock. If you have any doubt your item is in stock please call us at 303-984-4649.
"

I don't think this is very fair. You have to look elsewhere on their site to learn this. "Available" makes me think that they have it and can ship it. Instead, it simply means "we will allow you to order it as we believe we can get it for you". I have seen several items on their site that were listed as "available" that had not even been released yet.

[Brian Huang]

I ordered a Beal Rando Golden Dry rope from them but received a standard cover rope instead. I wanted to return/exchange but was shocked to receive replies full of games and deceit. I have never dealt with any merchant like this and it has shocked my world. It is hard to describe exactly how they tried to finagle their way out of this return, so here is our email thread (sorry for the length).

Me: I ordered a Beal Rando 30m Golden Dry rope (order# 100018659). However, I received a Beal Rando 30m Standard rope instead (I'm 100% of this, because it says on the product). I have a trip planned soon (7 days) and need the rope. I was wondering if the correct item can be shipped at the same time as I return this item.
*********************
123Mountain: Can you please mention the SKU# of the item you have receive please?
*********************
Me: I've talked to two representatives and neither knew where to find the SKU on the product. I don't know where the find the SKU on the product. The product has "Standard" checked and "Golden Dry" unchecked, so I am 100% positive this is the wrong product.
*********************
123Mountain: We need the sku to confirm your have receive the wrong item.
*********************
Me: I'm sorry, I've already said I couldn't find the SKU (even with the help of THREE of your representatives) and gave specific details on why I'm 100% sure this is the wrong product. Please be more helpful in your next email.
*********************
123Mountain: And we are 100% sure to have ship the right product, as our record show you have order SKU: 491585-Blue and as you mention in your live chat you have receive SKU:491585-Blue.

Peggy
10:25:09 ok can you give me the sku number on the rope that you recieved from us?
Customer
10:26:01 491585-Blue

In consequence and because you have confirm have receive the correct product, we don’t see any mistake from our part here is not so much we can do for you ? enjoy your rope and your trip
*********************
Me: Read the chat more closely. I said I got the SKU off the email, not the product. Please, I just want to return this wrongly shipped order and get the correct order. On the product, there are two bar codes. The numbers beneath the bar codes are 67119 01224 and 700288 235329. These are the only numbers on the product.
*********************
123Mountain: Let try again,
1. As you mention on your chat you have receive the right item.
2. You cannot provide any sku # to confirm you have receive the wrong item
To return an item you have to : RETURN POLICY
(Return policy is described)
*********************
Me: I said I got the SKU number from sales EMAIL I received. I did NOT the get the SKU number off the PRODUCT. Therefore, I did NOT confirm to you I received the correct product. I also provided the numbers under two bar codes on the product. One of them has to be the SKU#.
*********************
123Mountain: Can I mention that you provided 2 different answers for the same question, in the same sentence?
You have already confirm have receive the correct sku on the livechat and ,the # provide are EAN and UPC, these # are totally different than SKU
As you can figure your sku should be like 491585-Blue………

We can argue all the night but as you have already confirm have receive the correct sku, is not so much we can do for you on this case .
If you are not satisfied with your product and if your product meet all the criteria feel free to request an RNA . all information to obtain an RNA # can be located athttp://www.123mountain.com/customer-service/return-policy/
Feel free to use it otherwise enjoy your rope
*********************
Me: Please quote me back the "sentence" where I provided two different answers to the same question, as I did no such thing. I will tell you very clearly: The SKU# I provided on the online chat was from the the EMAIL I received from your company. On the other hand, the PRODUCT I received does NOT have this SKU#. These are not two different answers to the same question.

Finally, regarding the SKU#, it seems very clear that the SKU# you have in your database appears nowhere on the product. You cannot ship me a product without a SKU# and not accept returns because it doesn't have a SKU#. This is obviously a violation of ethics and integrity, and probably some kind of law.
*********************
123Mountain: Let try question by question
lease quote me back the "sentence" where I provided two different answers to the same question, as I did no such thing. In red one affiramation, in green the oposit :
“I said I got the SKU number” (quote is in red) from sales EMAIL I received. I did NOT the get the SKU number off the PRODUCT. Therefore, “I did NOT confirm” (quote is in green) to you I received the correct product. “I also provided the numbers under two bar codes on the product. One of them has to be the SKU#” (quote is in red).
I will tell you very clearly: The SKU# I provided on the online chat was from the the EMAIL I received from your company.

Our question was : Peggy
10:25:09 ok can you give me the sku number on the rope that you recieved from us?
Is an esay question, and your answer was easy too: Customer
10:26:01 491585-Blue

On the other hand, the PRODUCT I received does NOT have this SKU#., not true any product have a SKU,

Finally, regarding the SKU#, it seems very clear that the SKU# you have in your database appears nowhere on the product, you should take a closer look, there is a SKU, we don’t have superpower, if we have sent this item is because the sku mention on the product match with the sku display on your order .

You cannot ship me a product without a SKU# and not accept returns because it doesn't have a SKU#, totally incoorect , you may don’t understand our answer let me try to explain again
1- Product have a sku
You never folow the instruction to obtain a return authorization, so again, If you are not satisfied with your product and if your product meet all the criteria feel free to request an RNA . all information to obtain an RNA # can be located athttp://www.123mountain.com/customer-service/return-policy/
Feel free to use it otherwise enjoy your rope
Conclusion:
1- You have already admit have receive the correct item
You may have order the wrong item, that fine, you can do mistake, If you are not satisfied with your product and if your product meet all the criteria feel free to request an RNA . all information to obtain an RNA # can be located athttp://www.123mountain.com/customer-service/return-policy/
Is really no more we can do for you, now you have to make some choice, we cannot make this choice for you,
*********************
Me: You either completely do not understand what I'm talking about or you are pretending ignorance to avoid a return. I will assume the former and try again to be crystal clear with my point.

Foremost, I did not admit I have received the correct item. You're using only a part of the chat and taking what I said out of context. Here is more of the chat:

Peggy
10:25:09 ok can you give me the sku number on the rope that you recieved from us?
Customer
10:26:01 491585-Blue
Peggy
10:26:54 Rando 8mm 30m Golden Dry BealSKU: 491585-Blue.. This is what you ordered
Customer
10:27:09 Yes, but I received a Standard Rope
Customer
10:27:20 Is the SKU on the product? I got if off an email you sent me.

Please notice the last line. I said I got the SKU# from the invoice that was sent to my email. I did not know which SKU# Peggy was asking for and simply read the number off the invoice email. When I realized she was asking for the SKU# on the product, I immediately corrected myself and proceeded to find the SKU# on the product. I was unable to do this and, therefore, emailed you instead. From my understanding, the SKU# is the number under the bar code. There are two bar codes on the product and I gave you both numbers underneath those bar codes. You have said that neither numbers matched the SKU# in your database. There are no other numbers on the product. Either the number in your database is incorrect, there is no SKU on the product, or you are pretending ignorance to avoid a return.

The matter of the fact is I have received the incorrect product. I ordered a Beal Rando Golden Dry Rope but received a Beal Rando Standard Rope. The product I received explicitly says that it is a Standard rope, not a Golden Dry rope. If you continue to insist to play word games by 1) claiming I admitted to receiving the right product or 2) refusing a return without a "SKU#" that doesn't seem to exist, I will take other measures to ensure that this issue will be resolved fairly and with integrity.

[Richard Fischel]

kinda scary

[Stephen M]

Hi Brian,

Best to contact your credit card company and get your money back and purchase a rope from another vendor.

[BlackHatGuy]

I don't think so, only because bots can spell much better than that, and parse English much better as well.

[M B]

I would say its time to get BBB and credit card company involved.

[Franco Darioli]

http://www.bbb.org/denver/business-reviews/internet-shopping/123mountain-in-lakewood-co-90129236

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/123_Mountain

[Bob Gross]

We ought to send some of our Colorado members in there, just to screw around with them.

–B.G.–

[Brian Huang]

Thanks for the support. I already filed a BBB complaint. From what I've read online, if you have your credit card company take away the charge, 123Mountain will hit you with a debt collection agency. Seems like their standard practice. I'll see what BBB does for now.

[Bob Gross]

You can expect the BBB to do just about Zero. They are in the business of supporting business, not supporting consumers.

If you have the credit card company reverse the charge, then just sit back and let 123 try something. If you have proof of everything, then you will prevail.

–B.G.–

[Ethan A.]

Brian that is unbelievably predatory and someone should shut them down.

BBB is worthless – always do a chargeback and let the crooked merchant waste their time.

Threatening sending a letter to the state Attorney General's office really helps too, as it did in the case of a certain cottage tent company that was notorious for keeping your money for many months (though I've heard they've recently improved).

[d k]

I've been told that cc'ing the attorney general, the BBB, and any attorney (Joe Bloe, Esq.) will help. If the company thinks you might be involving an attorney, they tend to get more serious about rectifying the situation.

[whitenoise .]

Good to know about this for future purchases. FWIW, I bought some glove liners from them a few months ago and was actually really impressed with them. The gloves shipped the same day and I had them within two days.

If I ordered a dry rope and got a non-dry rope I too would be pissed! Let us know how things turn out.

[Author]

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