Bitz brands: any other problems?

[Douglas Wilcox]

Has anyone else had any problems with http://www.bitz-brands.com/ an online chandler? I was having difficulty finding some small bronze snap shackles locally and from big Internet stores such as Marine Superstore and although Bitz Brands were not the cheapest, their website had them in stock so I ordered them on 24th May. My credit card was deducted by £37 the same day. Nothing has arrived, the terms and conditions say to allow 28 days for delivery, which has now expired. They have not responded to my emails and their phone number is an answerphone, which just gives the email address I had already tried.

Perhaps a company to avoid, if you are looking for quick service, not to mention snap shackles..

Douglas

[Sprucey]

Hi Douglas,

I am an interenet and mail order retailer - not the same market sector though.

It's time for you to iniate a dispute and claim through your credit card company. If they (Boatbitz) are there then that should get them talking to you. If it doesn't and they can't prove (by a certain time limit) to their card merchant service provider that they have delivered the goods then you will get a refund back to your card and they will be presented with a "chargeback" taking the money back from their card account.

It shouldn't need that to get them talking to you but that is what you need to do ASAP. Phone yur car issuer and get the process started.

Best regards,

Sprucey

[Douglas Wilcox]

Hello Sprucey, thank you for taking the time to give this excellent advice. I have just phoned the credit card company, 30 days after the card was debited, which will be 24/6/2010, they will request a refund from bitz-brand's bank. I also sent another polite request for the status of the order by email but still silence.

Douglas

[Gurnard]

I ordered a beach Trolley and handle for my catamaran, ordered and paid £641 12/9/2010, they qouted 7 days for delivery. chased up after 15 days, left phone message and emails no replies until finally they said that my order had been sent to wrong address. waited again part of order arrived still waiting for them to confirm courier delvery of missing part. ie 4/10/2010., Sent email to state they were in breach of contract. Have contacted Trading Standards, they inform me that under the Distance Selling rules I can requestd they send goods within my timescale as they are in breach of contract. Strangelly this company are registered in the UK however goods come from Malta. Dont use them they dont get back to you apart from very grey information.So called on lne chat help on website is never manned.Company with big promises but fails to deliver.

[nickcrowhurst]

If there's a forum member living near Portland, a trip to the given address would be interesting:
Bitz Brands Ltd
Registered in England No 06372601
2.2 Navigator Park, Osprey Quay
Portland, Dorset

I'm having similar problems with an order for some kayaking boots 11 months ago from northcountrygear.com in Indiana, USA. Next move is the small claims court in the USA.
Nick.

[Douglas Wilcox]

As an update, I still hadn't received the order by 8th July ,so I informed the credit card company who requested a sale reversal from Bitz Brand bank as the order had not been delivered within 30 days. By amazing coincidence, a parcel posted on 9th July in Malta arrived at our house on 13th July. Unfortunately my daughter signed for it, if it had been me, I would have refused delivery as I had ordered the same snap shackes on 9th July from Seamark-Nunn and they had arrived next day!

I then got an email from Bitz-Brand demanding payment. I emailed back explaining the situation and told them I would be happy to return the shackles on receipt of a prepaid envelope. So far I have heard nothing further.

It would not inspire any confidence in a bigger purchase, my order was for less than £40.

Gurnard, I hope you get your trolley or money back. I hope you paid by credit card.

Douglas

[mark62]

I'm suprised as they have your card details already that they have not had the cheek to recharge you.

[Gurnard]

Latest is: The only person from Bitz Brands Ltd,[its a big front run by one person I beleive], Check out companies house, The alusive Mr Andy Morse to reply has emailed me, with the option now that they have the trolley with the courier now!! [its been a secret who the courier is though] for the last 10 days and they are holding it just in case I do want delivery!!!, he even had the cheek to say they are the cheapest. I have requested a refund about 5 times in various emails and have explained that I have a Trading Standards complaint ref.. he keeps avoiding answering apart from a statutory 'we will apply by the consumer rules' I have informed him that I can purchase the trolley with Windsport, and they are in stock and I trust them and customer service and delivery is good.

I have also contacted my bank as I paid by Visa Debit,The Visa protection still applies even though it is a debit card they can still use the Charge back system. they are in the process as of 30 days which is the 12/10/2010 to claim back funds from this characters company bank account.It does make you wonder if they do this a lot so that they can use your funds for short periods.What a way to treat customers. Just had a look at google maps for the address.

This is a company to definatly avoid trading with.

[Jim]

On a slightly related note, I had to chase Marine Megastore quite a bit over an order I placed with them because they are not good at informing the customer of problems/delays etc.
To their credit they did move the bulk of my order onto a next day service (which I had to pay extra for) when I first realised it was not going to arrive when I needed it. The item that was out of stock took several chase ups over a period of months to get sent, however this may have been a supplier issue, once they said the item was in stock it did arrive within a few days.
Conclusion - you will get your stuff from Marine Megastore but it might be hard work.

[Thurplas1]

I supplie Bitzbrands / Catbitz in 2009 with plastic rope cleets at the Cost of £1871 and never recieved payment they let their ol address and move to Malta ( loverly people)

[spjtnecniv]

Hi All,

Just as an update to the above Bitz Brands/Cat Bitz episodes and the truly wonderful Mr Andy Morse,

A Maltese based catamaran parts supplier using somewhat familiar Dart 18 Trampoline pictures (identical to the one I ordered in vain last year) has appeared on ebay under the name: -

Divingright.Com

I have made some polite queries as to whether this is connected in any way with the aforementioned businesses and individual and as yet have had no response...

Please feel free to contact the supplier to establish if it is one and the same - perhaps you will have more luck?

If not: Caveat Emptor etc.