Here's a horror story that still gives me nightmares involving an EM arcade (sorry not a pinball) I bought from WA.
Seller informs me machine will be here in (SA) seven days. No show after eight days.
Rang seller, he's sorry, he's been sick and has only just sent it.
No show again after a week. Rang seller again, definitely sent last week, "wait a couple of days to go through the system".
A couple of days later rang seller, who has lost interest and gives me freight note of transport co..
Ring transport co (WA) who tell me the paperwork went with machine to Adelaide and havn't received it back yet- ring Adelaide.
Rang Adelaide who tell me machine was picked up by unidentified courier a week ago. Have to ring WA because they handle the transport all the way through including the couriers at Adelaide.
Rang WA but because the paperwork is lost and they use many couriers they have no idea who picked it up.
At this point, I'll admit girl at WA was very helpful in trying to track this down and was in contact with Adelaide.
I emailed Adelaide and informed them that since the machine disappeared from their depot, I considered it stolen and would inform the police.
Prompt email back from manager, who has asked all employees for description of courier, apparently plain white traytop and emails me a copy of the freightnote which has nothing filled out except signature of courier.
First breakthrough! The couriers' signature is full and legible.
Rang many courier cos. in Adelaide, no one has heard of this person.
Second breakthrough! looked up white pages and found only one entry with initial and surname.
Rang him, he remembers picking it up and transferring it to a riverland transport co.
Rang co., number disconnected, apparently moving premises.
Rang WA and nice girl knows this co. and has personal mobile no. of manager.
Rang manager who was waterskiing at the time, can pick up machine tomorrow!
Manager excuses:
(this was supposed to be door to door)
Couldn't drop it off at the pickup point ( servo about 5Ks away)because the forklift was broken. Total crap.
Couldn't deliver it because there was no paperwork. FFS, my full name and address was plastered on two sides of the machine on A4 paper!
He has had the machine for almost eight weeks.
This epic took almost ten weeks because of christmas/newyear break and "I will get back to you" syndrome.
Took it home finally after breaking the pallet apart to remove the accelerator which had been bent and jammed down in the pallet.
Fresh bits of laminate had been knocked off and one of the glass discs inside was lying in pieces.
Bit more relaxed now after ordering a machine from Mark and another- both machines arrived quickly and in good condition!.
