Shenanigans!

[cleolinda]

Has anyone else tried to order the book from TheBookCellar.com? Because I've got at least two people now who are saying they haven't received the book and can't get their money back. If this is a scam, I need to know how big it is. (Interesting side note: my book isn't even on the website now. It's a Boston-based operation, so I don't even know how

Comments

[all_ephemera]

I'm in the Boston area, so if a little bit of physical poking around is in order then let me know. :)

[groovyninjaphil]

Time to go get your vigilante kit.

[all_ephemera]

There's a kit?! And all this time I was doing it on my own, and you know how much to Boston cops just loooove vigilantes! (Which is to say not even a little bit and they might just shoot you "accidentaly".)

[missmp]

You and I can break out our fedoras and magnifying glasses and go snooping.

[jennyag]

This is my first comment ever! Hello, Cleolinda. I'm Jenny. Nice to meet you. I love m15m...überly and very muchly.

[cleolinda]

Hi hi!

[arathegreat]

I have a friend who ordered a book from them, and she never got her book either. This was... probably around October. That sucks though... We should spread the word against them.

[all_ephemera]

Here's my suggestions on this one.
1) If you ahve ordered a book and have not rec'd it, contact the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint. They can't force a resolution but it looks a lot better later on if you take this to another level and say, "I tried to resolve this through the BBB and got no-where..."
2) Go through your credit card company and file complaints. Even though it's a pain in the ass, it will still bring this company up short if suddenly they're being attacked through Visa and Discover. Credit card companies WILL file suit if they feel they need to.
3) Send letters in to the Boston Globe (www.boston.com). It's the most-read newspaper in this area and they have a lot of clout. Getting the word out that way will help, plus boston.com has message boards that a lot of people read and comment on.

[cleolinda]

Excellent ideas, all of them. I may make you my point man on this one. God knows I would love for boston.com to tear up on these people. Damn! If drpeprfan hadn't said anything, and then the other poster hadn't chimed in, I'm not sure we would have even realized what was going on.

[drpeprfan]

Glad to let you know when the little person is being stepped on. :-D I forwarded that email to you.

[all_ephemera]

I get very touchy about people messing with books!!
(Side note - I just figured out that her/his LJName is short for Dr Pepper Fan. I am teh smaht.)
As someone below pointed out, the Commercial St address is most likely just that - an address with nothing to back it up. It's condos and not in a business district. They may need to be inundated with complaints in order to at least refund money. Also, if Amazon is referring people to them as mentioned, there should be some kind of campaign to Amazon to see if we can't get them to stop referring business to this shiester. (I have no idea if that's how it's spelled, but I like the way it sounds anyway.)

[danosan]

i dunno anything about boston, and i have my book, but i just have to say that the thought of the author of a book actually going to bust some heads in person over this both amuses me and makes me happy =D

[cleolinda]

Well, "in person"--I'm in Alabama and the site is based in Boston--but the way I figured it at first, it was either an isolated incident and they'd be happy to refund drpeprfan's money (even if some prodding was in order), or it's Bigger Than We Know (which sounds like the lamest summer blockbuster ever: IT'S A SCAM! THERE ARE NO BOOKS! *car blows up*), in which case heads do, in fact, need to be busted, and by more people than just me anyway. And it's becoming more and more obvious that it's the latter. : )

[djcati]

Dude, I'd go see that movie.

[missmp]

Oh, I think there are enough of us in Boston to bust heads by proxy for you.