Anyone order a SIO2PC cable from Ebay user "bitrom"?

[joplinatari]

Hi all,

 

Anyone here... especially those in the USA... ever purchase a SIO2PC cable from Ebay user "bitrom"? He's from Poland and has a great 99% feedback rating, but I've been waiting 6+ weeks for it to arrive and two E-mails to him over the past few weeks have went unanswered. It seems most of his negative feedbacks include updates saying their cables finally arrived... so I'm a bit hesitant about filing a Paypal claim... but I really need that cable.

 

Anyone in the USA ever deal with him and, if so, how long did it take to get the order?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[+remowilliams]

Yes, I've bought several things from him in the past. I think I even bought my divIDE interface from him. Always received everything even if it took some time shipping from Poland.

[Sub(Function(:))]

I have ordered a few things from Bitrom in the past.

 

I was based in Germany and Switzerland at the time of the orders.

 

I got the feeling the (ST to VGA video) cable I ordered was "made to order". It took a long time to arrive. I emailed Bitrom and asked where the item was, I did get a quick response (to my email), and following a quick delivery.

 

The turnaround on my second order (DivIDE interface) was a lot faster, about 2 weeks.

 

Every I ordered arrived and worked fine. I would say drop bitrom an email, and ask for an up date as to the state of the order.

 

Hope all goes well

[Barnacle boy]

So Steve, did you ever receive your cable?

 

To be honest, I think this bitrom guy is a little dodgy. Not a *total* scammer, as then he would soon have no more business, but I strongly suspect that his strategy some of the the time is to take the payment but not actually send the item until the buyer contacts him to ask what's going on. If they don't contact him or just forget about it, he's ahead. If they do, he can apologise and say he'll send another, no questions asked, and they think they're getting good customer service.

 

Remember, this is just my suspicion, so take it at face value, but in my case I ordered a cable from him and I waited for ages and it never came. When I followed up about it, I said I'd wait a bit longer, and then after another week or so contacted him again, at which point he said it must have got lost in the post and he'd send another. Sure enough, it arrived just a couple of weeks later, and there was something weird about the date on the parcel too... I can't remember exactly, but it was something like it had been sent a week before he said he'd send it again, like it was send straight after I first flagged up I hadn't received it.

 

Now have a look at his feedback:

http://feedback.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.d...0&items=200

 

There are a few people leaving negs because they didn't get their item. (Perhaps some of them went straight to leaving a neg rather than hassling the seller for their missing item?).

 

More interestingly, there are a surprising number of people leaving positive feedback who mention that they didn;t receive their item the first time around, but that the seller resent it. There are also a number of people saying he has good communication and good customer service, and I can't help wondering if some of these people are buyers who are just thankful to have received a 'replacement' after the first one 'went missing.'

 

Notice too that most people mention the shipping took a long time. It could just be slow shipping, or it could be that he doesn't even send until they start asking where it is, at which point he could say 'It's on its way, just wait another two weeks' and send it the next day.

 

Again, I'm just speculating, and bear in mind I could well be wrong. But based on the feedback, you have to wonder whether he has a habit of not dispatching the item the first time around, or if the Polish international mail service is really bad.

[mrnukem]

If he flakes out on you I can recommend Atarimax as a good e-bay seller. He had my SIO2PC interface to me 4 days after the auction ended.

[mimo]

I have bought a few things from Polish AA members, and the postal service is a lot better than Canadian post

I also recommend Atarimax, but buy from his site rather than e-pay.

[+Larry]

Hi all,

 

Anyone here... especially those in the USA... ever purchase a SIO2PC cable from Ebay user "bitrom"? He's from Poland and has a great 99% feedback rating, but I've been waiting 6+ weeks for it to arrive and two E-mails to him over the past few weeks have went unanswered. It seems most of his negative feedbacks include updates saying their cables finally arrived... so I'm a bit hesitant about filing a Paypal claim... but I really need that cable.

 

Anyone in the USA ever deal with him and, if so, how long did it take to get the order?

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

I contacted bitrom about your issue. He indicated that he was not aware that you did not receive your cable. He asked if you would email him at jurek@rembertow.net or bitrom@gmail.com.

 

I have purchased from bitrom, and it took several weeks which did not seem extraordinary to me, coming from Poland. If sent by surface mail (ship) the transit time can be much longer. Also be aware that if an item is selected for customs inspection (at either origin or destination), things can get really lengthly. To give you an example, I sent some parts *TO* bitrom by USPS Priority Mail (est. 8 days to Warsaw) and it took over a month for him to receive them. Why -- customs in Poland.

 

-Larry

[joplinatari]

First off, I appreciate all of the replies. Been awhile since I've reviewed this post.

 

I never received the cable. I E-mailed bitrom several times around 4 to 6 weeks after purchasing the cable to check on shipping status and never received a reply. Paypal's 45 day dispute deadline started approaching, so I filed a dispute with them thinking he would at least respond to that... but still no reply. Finally two weeks later I escalated it to a claim and received a refund less than 10 minutes after doing so... and that was on a Sunday afternoon. I don't know how I got it so quickly since their website says it usually takes a month, but somehow I got it in record speed.

 

I'm surprised bitrom knows nothing about this since I'm sure even Paypal tried to contact him about the dispute and refund. I just assumed he agreed to it since I had no way in knowing otherwise. I got a full refund, so it's a closed case in my books.

 

Steve

 

I contacted bitrom about your issue. He indicated that he was not aware that you did not receive your cable. He asked if you would email him at jurek@rembertow.net or bitrom@gmail.com.

[firesmile_01]

Hi guys,

 

I've gotta chime in with my perspective on this eBay seller. I'm in Newfoundland, Canada, and I ordered an XA1541 cable (to connect my C64C to a PC), for some file transfers, etc. However, after literally months of back and forth with eBay, and after contacting bitrom by his e-mail address, nothing has turned up.

 

I am thinking that this dude is more than a little "iffy" and I've been in contact with eBay to see if there is any legal recourse, as I've passed the limit for refunds. Besides, I really was wanting that cable to start with.

 

If he can't deliver, he shouldn't post. And ... if he's using this as an "only worry if they contact you" type of deal, it is more than time that those who have been fleeced by this guy, send him a clear message that it isn't cool.

 

I'm massively cheesed off, and I'm gonna take this as far as I can, unless I get a cable or two REAL quickly. It's not good enough.

 

If anyone has experience dealing with overseas issues like this, let me know. I'll be asking a lawyer friend in the next couple days for advice anyways, but, any help is appreciated.

 

All the best,

 

Curt

Edited August 7, 2008 by firesmile_01