Trumbull Mountain Tack: HELL FROZE OVER!!

[anon38350891]

To anyone who had read this post or thread:

After I complained to the BBB, Consumer Protection Bureau of Vermont, and finally the Vermont Attorney General’s office, I was stunned to receive a check for both my consigned saddles (had only been informed that one of them sold, but whatever). Along with a cheerful message: Happy New Year!

This has been the weirdest business transaction of my life. Total duration 6 months.

I broke the sound barrier getting to the bank to deposit that check.

Happy endings I guess? Many thanks for the advice and commiseration.

---

I sent them two saddles for consignment sale last spring.

In August I was informed that one had sold. No mention of payment. I assumed the check was in the mail.

In October, still no check, I wrote again, and again. Finally got a reply from them, that I would be paid “next month”.

It’s now December, and they aren’t answering my email requesting payment. I’d always thought they were a trustworthy company, in part due to scale.

Does anyone else have experience? What should I do now? It’s $2000 so not trivial to me.

Adding: Later a check was promised, then did not come, and I am so tired of this person’s bull hockey. Going to the legal complaint strategy. Please be advised that this is NOT a way to consign your saddle. And please also know that if you buy from them, you are likely aiding them in theft.

[trubandloki]

There are threads here about them and it taking forever to get paid.

From what I understand (from those threads) they used to be a great company and then they changed hands and now getting paid is difficult.

[Saskatoonian]

Two thoughts - probably time to tell them to send your other saddle back to you so you can send it elsewhere to be sold. The other is that $2K is under the Vermont small claims court jurisdictional amount. Hmmm, a third - might be worth giving these folks a call - https://ago.vermont.gov/cap/consumer-complaint/

[Suspiria]

Yep, file a complaint with the Vermont AG office and you will have your money within a month. I had to do this recently.

I want to give the store the benefit of the doubt and assume that it is a cash flow issue, not necessarily malfeasance. That being said, the AG Consumer Protection office told me they have received this complaint about Trumbull Mtn multiple times since 2015, but that once the state got involved, people generally received their consignment dollars.

[TequilaMockingbird]

There have been tons of complaints and horror stories about them for consigned tack. They never respond to the threads about the complaints. But of course they often post in response to saddle questions on here, especially in the Dressage forum. They’re totally aware of the complaints but choose to ignore them (probably because they have no excuse).

They have an excellent used saddle selection but I refuse to use them now knowing they’re screwing over the people who actually own the saddles.

[enjoytheride]

There have been multiple threads here with people having to use extraordinary measures to get their money. They used to be a great store, then changed hands and things went downhill.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/off-course/326276-trumbull-mountain-bad-experience-update-got-a-check

[anon38350891]

Well, this morning I called their 800 number repeatedly, and got an answer from Rich himself - the person who has been my email correspondent through all of this.

He said there had been a check sent, and when I asked when the check had posted, he replied “Yesterday”.

So I hardly know what to hope out of all this. I don’t want to diss a company that is trying to suit saddles etc. to riders and make a decent income. But I have a residual anxiety.

[Guilherme]

@anon38350891

Well, this morning I called their 800 number repeatedly, and got an answer from Rich himself - the person who has been my email correspondent through all of this.

He said there had been a check sent, and when I asked when the check had posted, he replied “Yesterday”.

So I hardly know what to hope out of all this. I don’t want to diss a company that is trying to suit saddles etc. to riders and make a decent income. But I have a residual anxiety.

One of the Three Great Lies is “the check is in the mail.”

G.

P.S. The other two:

We’re the Government and we’re here to help you.

I promise I’ll respect you in the morning.

[candyappy]

@Guilherme

One of the Three Great Lies is “the check is in the mail.”

G.

P.S. The other two:

We’re the Government and we’re here to help you.

I promise I’ll respect you in the morning.

:lol:

[merrygoround]

Sorry G, that third lie is so obvious that I’d still be laffin and hurt the poor darlinns feelins.

[trubandloki]

@anon38350891

He said there had been a check sent, and when I asked when the check had posted, he replied “Yesterday”.

So the check was mailed on the 4th if this was a true statement. Today is the 10th…has your check arrived yet?

[myhorsefaith]

I got the “check is in the mail” runaround from these people as well - it was only until I filed a complaint with the BBB that my check was actually mailed.

[enjoytheride]

August to December and he just put the check in the mail around the 4th? Do you have it?

[anon38350891]

@enjoytheride

August to December and he just put the check in the mail around the 4th? Do you have it?

No. It is now the 11th of December and the so-called check has not arrived. I’m going to have to go the route of legal complaint.

It astounds me that an equine business should place itself in the illegal and complaints category, on the biggest horse bulletin board in the world. But here we are.

[S1969]

I’m wondering why you waited 5 months to actually call them.

FWIW, the term “posted” may mean that they submitted the payment in their system (whatever it is) but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a check was cut that same day…so it may be a couple days later that paper checks are printed and even another day or two until they are mailed. (Assuming someone is doing it by hand).

If you speak to them again, ask for a print out from their A/P system showing that the check was “posted.” I can provide that for a vendor even though I personally never see the checks.

[anon38350891]

@S1969

I’m wondering why you waited 5 months to actually call them.

FWIW, the term “posted” may mean that they submitted the payment in their system (whatever it is) but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a check was cut that same day…so it may be a couple days later that paper checks are printed and even another day or two until they are mailed. (Assuming someone is doing it by hand).

If you speak to them again, ask for a print out from their A/P system showing that the check was “posted.” I can provide that for a vendor even though I personally never see the checks.

Prior to phoning them, I was relying on email, since that was the way they had informed me of the sale. Then they stopped answering my email.

[js]

If you do a search here, someone else had the same experience (actually, I think multiple did). They also told that individual the check was in the mail multiple times, when it never was. I don’t remember what action they had to take to finally get paid. If it were me, I would pay a lawyer to type up a letter to send them stating that then need to pay you ASAP or you will take them to court. Also, report it to the BBB .

[Saskatoonian]

Well done on the email - it will make explaining your side and their failure easier to show.

Before calling a lawyer, try that link I posted in #3. Free and, from what I’ve heard, quite useful - and fast - at getting the attention of people like this. They LOVE hearing from the attorney general’s office…

[midstride]

Ask for check number. Double check the address they sent it to. Clearly they are stalling, but those are more ways to put the pressure on.

[tnscvaga]

Same story different year. I did eventually get paid but he gave me the same run around. “Check mailed yesterday, check mailed to wrong address, Oops I thought we had already paid you…” There are multiple threads about their poor business practices, yet she still responds to saddle search threads. Since my bad consignment experience, I’ve bought one new saddle, two used saddles, and I’m currently in the market for another new and another used and need to consign two more. That’s a nice chunk of money they never ever had a chance at, because I won’t ever buy or sell through them again.