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The Bass Centre complaint thread


R,5,R,5...
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I saved the entire thread from basstalk before it gets wiped. If anyone wants to see it, please email me.

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April 5th update. No further news. At this point, I must assume that the Bass Centre are not interested in showing me a copy of the sales receipt, regardless of their duties to customers. For this reason, and thanks to the advice of a kind stranger, I have decided to contact the Trading Standards agency. Hopefully this will convince the Bass Centre to comply with standards and give me what I'm entitled to.

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February 16th update. Three weeks after my visit, and more than two weeks after Napper kindly forwarded my complaint to the London store, and I'm yet to receive a reply or acknowledgement, let alone a copy of the sales receipt.

I'm glad that this thread is encouraging people to complain about the BC, and that it's doing such a great job of advertising the way many customers have been treated to a large audience of potential bass buyers. Thanks for sharing your experiences. If there is any power that we have, as consumers, it is to inform others of the way retailers deal with us.

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Hello all,

Just thought I'd let you know that the bass centre has once again failed to act professionally. Let's begin from near the end, it's early January and I send the following letter:

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Root Fifth Towers
London XXXX XXX

January 9, 2007

The manager
The Bass Centre
Brune St
London E1 7NH

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing with regard to my Ken Smith BSR6EG bass, serial number XXXXXXXX, that I left at your store on May 20, 2006, to be sold on consignment for £XXXX, with the understanding that I would receive 80% (£XXXX) of the sale price.

I have periodically contacted the sales staff by phone to check whether the bass had been sold. Twice, in October and November last year, I phoned to be told by an employee that he was not sure whether the bass had been sold, and that he would check and phone me back. On both occasions, I did not receive a call back.

Last Friday, January 5, I called once again. I spoke to someone who I believe was called Andy. This person told me that, as he was not at the store, he could not tell me right away, and asked if he could call me back. I told this person that on two previous occasions I was not called back, and he apologised and stated he would definitely call back. On the same day, your employee called back stating that the bass “apparently has been sold over the Christmas period,” and that he would contact me about payment on the following Monday (January 8 ). I have yet to hear anything.

Needless to say, I am less than impressed with the way the Bass Centre handled the sale of my bass – if indeed the bass has been sold. I would like to have a check for 80% of the sale price sent to me by Monday, January 15. Furthermore, I would like to receive a copy of the bill of sale, showing the sale date and price (customer details should of course be omitted) in order to evaluate whether interest should be added to this amount.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

root fifth

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Now, let's have a show of hands: who thinks I received a cheque by the 15th? That's right, of course I didn't. No phone calls either. So I had to take the matter into my own hands.

A week later, on the 22nd of January, I walked into the bass centre. I had the bad luck of having to deal with a fellow called Tom, who throughout this was doing his best to be unhelpful. I explain the situation to him in detail, show him the letter I sent to the manager, and demand to be told whether the bass has been sold, how much for, when, and whether I can get my money (we're talking about a rather large sum).

Tom's first reaction is to tell me that he didn't know anything about this bass sale. It was the first time he was hearing about it. He would call Andy (he again!) on the phone and let me know.

Turns out that Andy wasn't answering the phone. Tom promptly tells me to go home, and that I would receive a call within the next couple of hours. At that point I say that I can wait in the store, and that I'd rather not leave before I either get the money or know what's going on (note that there was still no definite answer about the sale of the bass at this point).

Then Tom says something to the effect that "to be honest, it's Andy's day off." He further informs me that he is not in control of the chequebook and cannot pay me. I ask him to find a solution, tell him to take his time, and sit on a chair to wait this out. I also tell Tom that I want to see the bill of sale to know when it has sold and how much for, as at this stage I have no trust left in the store or its employees.

Tom informs me that he finds my attitude 'intimidating.' I must remember to use that line when the cashiers at Sainsbury's do not let me take groceries out of the store without paying for them first.

Throughout this process, Tom kindly informs me of my unreasonableness by repeatedly shaking his head and huffing. Eventually, he goes upstairs and a gentleman called Nick comes along. He tells me that he (Nick) doesn't even work for the BC, but he is able to sign a cheque from a different House Music account. Nick is the only one who seems to understand the situation and shows some empathy for the customer. However, he is unable to inform me of sale price and date. We (Tom, Nick, and I) agree that I would receive a copy of the bill of sale with these details by post, and I accept the cheque for the agreed minimum selling price. This was eight days ago. Now how many of you think I got this fabled letter?

To date, I still don't know if they sold the bass for more and kept a larger percentage of the sale price, nor do I know that the bass hasn't sold in October and they have kept the money for themselves for a few months. What would have happened if I hadn't called? If the bass had indeed sold 'over the Christmas period,' why didn't I receive a call? How long would they have left it for?

If anyone from the Bass Centre wants to give me an explanation, I'm all ears!

To my fellow bass players, I can only say -- avoid this place if you can...

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For fear of sounding like I( am stating the obvious, have you not arranged an appointment to meet with the manager to discuss the issue in person. Take someone along to listen in too. Discuss the issues you have raised together. I don't think they will just happen to spot your thread on a forum.

I hope this gets sorted out. I know the manager of BC. He is a good person and will be helpful.

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I know, why don't we rename this site 'The Bass Centre Complaints Forum'!

This has been going on for an awful long time, have you actually tried doing something about it? ie. legal procedings?

Edited by Waldo
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[quote name='dood' post='12445' date='Jun 5 2007, 01:12 PM']For fear of sounding like I( am stating the obvious, have you not arranged an appointment to meet with the manager to discuss the issue in person. Take someone along to listen in too. Discuss the issues you have raised together. I don't think they will just happen to spot your thread on a forum.

I hope this gets sorted out. I know the manager of BC. He is a good person and will be helpful.[/quote]

Thanks dood.

I have spoken to people at the BC many more times than I care to mention. Every time they have refused to help or given me the run around. Napper is well aware of the problem, and has publicly stated he would bring it to the attention of the manager, but so far nothing has happened. I have not received any more news from Napper so I think it was more of a move to protect the reputation of the store than anything to do with putting things right -- though it may be that even Napper does not get straight answers from the BC staff.

Frankly, I have no desire to discuss issues at this point. My aim is to get the copy of the receipt, and to inform other bassists of what goes on at the BC.

[quote name='Waldo' post='12479' date='Jun 5 2007, 01:45 PM']I know, why don't we rename this site 'The Bass Centre Complaints Forum'![/quote]

Waldo, do you think it's just an unlikely coincidence that so many people complain about service at the BC?

And if it bothers you to have to read such stories, perhaps you may want to skip threads that have the words 'bass,' 'centre,' and 'complaint' in the title?

[quote name='Waldo' post='12479' date='Jun 5 2007, 01:45 PM']This has been going on for an awful long time, have you actually tried doing something about it? ie. legal procedings?[/quote]

If you're really interested in knowing what's going on, all you have to do is read the original post...

Edited by R,5,R,5...
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[quote]Waldo, do you think it's just an unlikely coincidence that so many people complain about service at the BC?
If it bothers you to have to read such stories, perhaps you can skip threads that have the words 'bass,' 'centre,' and 'complaint' in the title?[/quote]

I Don't know why you've chosen to take what I've said as an insult. The fact that there are so many threads complaining about the bass centre is why I said what I did in the first place :)

[quote]If you're interested in knowing what's going on, all you have to do is read the original post...[/quote]

I have read the original post, hence my question. Trading Standards will do sod all, I think this has gone on long enough for you to take some real action over it, i.e legal.

Edited by Waldo
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[quote name='Waldo' post='12502' date='Jun 5 2007, 02:04 PM']I Don't know why you've chosen to take what I've said as an insult. The fact that there are so many threads complaining about the bass centre is why I said what I did in the first place :)
I have read the original post, hence my question. Trading Standards will do sod all, I think this has gone on long enough for you to take some real action over it, i.e legal.[/quote]

Apologies if I misinterpreted the tone of your post -- as I'm sure you know, sometimes on the web it happens.

The problem is that I am not keen on starting proper legal proceedings over something that could be resolved with a very modest dose of good will.

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