Cecil has my money. I have nothing in return.
I ordered ~300 sabots from Cecil at prbullets on October 3. I had to order by phone, since his web store only accepts USA addresses despite his being based in Canada.
Cecil ended our call after getting my order details. There was no confirmation of the order or of the shipment, and no tracking number provided to me at that time. He didn't even give me an order total that I should expect to see charged on my credit card.
After several weeks I reached out by email asking if there was a problem with the order. At this point Cecil gave me a Canada Post tracking number which indicated the order shipped on the 3rd and was delivered on October 6. In principle, this would have been amazing service...if the sabots had arrived.
My shipment of sabots was not delivered to me. I am confident in this fact, since I have several home security cameras which recorded the Canada Post delivery on October 6 (and every other day). I can also rule out porch piracy. It's a real problem, but that didn't happen here.
My best guess at what may have gone wrong was that the shipping address had been incorrectly recorded. Cecil was uninterested in helping with this, and he told me to investigate on my own. That was hard, since I didn't initiate the shipment or pay Canada post, Cecil did. Eventually an agent from Canada Post offered to receive my name and address and then confirm whether or not it matched what was on the order. To Cecil's credit, it did match.
I initiated a service incident record with Canada Post, but this process doesn't create compensation since I didn't give Canada Post any items or money. Cecil did this.
I asked Cecil to open a case for compensation on his end and to send me a refund or to send a replacement for the order. He has indicated that he will only refund me what (if anything) he receives from Canada Post. He has also stated several times that he doesn't believe he will get compensation, or that any of this is his responsibility.
I guess that's the crux my issue with Cecil. I paid him for a product (sabots) and a service (delivery). He sub contracted the delivery service with Canada Post, and he believes that the sub contract relieved him of any responsibility to me for that service. I fundamentally disagree. Cecil owes me product and service. That's what I paid him for. Canada Post owes him service. That's what he paid them for.
I understand that businesses need to protect themselves from customers trying to scam them. Cecil hasn't asked for any of my evidence, videos or otherwise. How seriously is Cecil pursuing his claim? Did he make a claim at all? I have doubts.
Add to all of this that his demeanour is a bit like having your teeth pulled, or sand rubbed into your eyes.
Buyer beware.
