Europeanplates.com

[Smurfy Soupergirl]

*Sigh*..where to start? This saga has been going on for 2 months now. If ONLY I had read the online reviews and the BBB complaints! I don't like writing these kinds of reviews..and, If the company would have just answered my emails and given me back my money, I would have probably just let it slide. Please note that this is simply a documentation of my experiences and not an "attack".

So right after purchasing Smurfette, my husband suggested I go to europeanplates.com to order a front euro plate for her. Unfortunately, he had gotten that website confused with a different site which he had meant for me to order from.

On 4/7/09 I ordered a custom european plate as well as a frame via the europeanplates.com website and made a payment via paypal. Per their Website, custom orders take 2-4 weeks, so I waited. On 4/22, I received a notice from paypal that my order had been shipped via USPS and was given a tracking number. To this day, the tracking number STILL says "electronic shipping info received"..nothing ever shipped. I sent them 2 emails via their website on 5/4 and 5/5, each time the website indicated I would hear back from someone within 24 hours--i never did.

Sooooo, I googled them. I saw all the BBB complaints, I saw all the forums with similar experiences, and each time i also saw comments made by the owner of the company criticizing the customer for posting complaints about them--sometimes even going so far as threatening legal action against the customer for saying "I had a bad experience". I had a bad feeling at that point...

As I had yet to receive my item OR a response from my messages, I sent a direct email to the owner of the company on 5/6 expressing concern and asking about the status of my order. He replied a few hours later that he would look into it. I didn't hear back so I sent a quick follow up on 5/7. On 5/8, I received what appeared to be a form letter that, as I had ordered over a month prior, should not apply to me. It stated the following:

"Hello,

I am writing to let you know there was a small issue with several orders today due to some freight damage on both frames and plate blanks. I have my warehouse guys sorting through this and still plan to have the order out in a timely fashion but possible delayed due to us having to air freight in some additional inventory from Germany; we wanted to let you know of this first and will continue to update you on the process. Most of our custom orders run 2-4 week regardless so this may not affect your order at all."

I, of course, replied on 5/8 and expressed my concern as my item should have already been completed, mailed, and received..and now i was getting word they had to reorder the plate, print, and mail and I could potentially be waiting twice as long. I indicated that, if that was the case, I would like a refund as they took my money from my credit card the day i ordered it and I had yet to get the product. As of 5/11 I had not received a response so I sent *another* email requesting a refund, as I had been forced to buy the plate from another vendor. I received no response to my refund request. On 5/14, I received an email from them that they were in Europe on business and would have their guys at the shop look into it to "get a fast reply for me". I replied on 5/14 that, again, I wished to cancel my order and receive a refund. I have not yet received a response to that email in the 2 weeks since I sent it.

Due to the delays and communication issues, I initiated a paypal dispute on 5/21. We'll see what happens. I don't even want the plate anymore--I want my money back! Quite frankly, I already have a euro plate now. I ordered it from another vendor, a month after the first one should have been received, and I already have it.

Using europeanplates.com, I was charged for an item, it was never sent, and the company's customer service is bordering on non-existent.

[topless kitty]

wow, that sucks. i've only had to file anything with paypal once and it was taken care of pretty quickly, so i use paypal any time i can.

i'm glad you posted this, because i will probably order a euro plate whenever i decide on a vanity plate, now i know who to avoid! where did you end up ordering from?

[Smurfy Soupergirl]

Originally Posted by topless kitty

wow, that sucks. i've only had to file anything with paypal once and it was taken care of pretty quickly, so i use paypal any time i can.

i'm glad you posted this, because i will probably order a euro plate whenever i decide on a vanity plate, now i know who to avoid! where did you end up ordering from?

I ended up using who my husband ORIGINALLY intended to send me to... europlates.com (deceptively close, i know). They also accept paypal payments and only take 10-14 business days. I'm VERY happy with that website!

[_goREDgo_]

oh i can totally relate...just check out my situation (vwinchina post). i really do hope you get your money back and thanks for giving us the heads up

[Smurfy Soupergirl]

Just an update...I got the plate from europeanplates.com today (how long after i made several requests for a refund?). The plate quality was fine. The basic european seals were not included as advertised.

Of course i no longer need the plate...but it would be even more trouble to return and try to get a refund, regardless of whether or not I feel I am due one. Blah.

[topless kitty]

hang it in the garage/kitchen/office or whatever! i agree, after all that, don't even TRY to deal with a return with them. just annoying that in the end they have your money after all that

is it anything someone else may want? my guess is it says smurfette or some variation on that. maybe there's another smurfette out there that would like to have it?

[Beetlescott]

I am so sorry for all you have been through. It kind of feel like you have been robbed or something! I had a similar thing happen to me and Paypal got my money back in two weeks time. They are pretty good to get it too. I am glad you got a tag though, post us some pics!!! Good luck getting this resolved!

[Smurfy Soupergirl]

Originally Posted by topless kitty

hang it in the garage/kitchen/office or whatever! i agree, after all that, don't even TRY to deal with a return with them. just annoying that in the end they have your money after all that

is it anything someone else may want? my guess is it says smurfette or some variation on that. maybe there's another smurfette out there that would like to have it?

I like to live under the delusion that there is one and only one Smurfette in the entire world

My hubby said we were going to keep it as a back-up in case the other one flew off (tried putting it on with double sided tape) BUT, due to the curve of the bumper, the tape wasnt working so well...sigh..yes, Smurfette now has 2 tiny holes in her front bumper so the plate could be bolted on I guess its not a HUGE deal as long as i keep a front plate on..its not like u can see them.

[topless kitty]

oh noes! wish you had said something!

the best way to mount a plate without visible holes is to fab up some L shaped brackets and screw them UNDER the bumper, just above the grille part, where the fogs are.

[Smurfy Soupergirl]

Originally Posted by Beetlescott

I am so sorry for all you have been through. It kind of feel like you have been robbed or something! I had a similar thing happen to me and Paypal got my money back in two weeks time. They are pretty good to get it too. I am glad you got a tag though, post us some pics!!! Good luck getting this resolved!

I know..what a nightmare! I'm sure paypal would have taken care of it if the plate had not been sent.

Here's a pic of it on the car..this is the one i got from europlates.com (not the nightmare website).

[Smurfy Soupergirl]

Originally Posted by topless kitty

oh noes! wish you had said something!

the best way to mount a plate without visible holes is to fab up some L shaped brackets and screw them UNDER the bumper, just above the grille part, where the fogs are.

noooooooooooooo!

My husband insisted he knew what he was doing. :sigh: As per usual, i should have questioned that!!

[topless kitty]

never trust a boy!

it's okay, hopefully you'll never want to take it off anyway! looks cute, glad you FINALLY got it!

[HarlequinPixie]

to be honest, if it were me, i'd keep the dispute open with paypal. they didn't respond properly to any of your attempts to contact them, basically, and finally shipped an item after you requested to cancel the order and paid for an item elsewhere.. plus what they sent you was wrong anyways..? yeah. worst paypal can do is not grant you a refund, but if you told them all the stuff you said here, there's probably a good chance of getting it anyways.

eta: i've heard of others having problems with them, too. I got my plate at licenseplate.tv and it was beautiful and at my door in less than a week.

[DannyRandomState]

Sorry to hear about the hassle.

I got mine from germanplates.com

Actually made in Germany from a real plate. I think it was within a week I had it from the time of order.