Spotbrokers-Serious problems
 

I have never written a negative word about any company on this or any other board. I thought about whether it was worth doing it now. After many opportunities for the offending party, SpotBrokers, to rectify the problem and no such action taken I feel compelled to air my grievances.

I saw and read the launch of Spotbrokers on GFY. I have recently launched a new TGP and wanted to test various traffic sources to get it up and running. I have used Choker's traffic very effectively and continue to but also wanted to diversify and use multiple sources. I went to SB and bought $50 of clicked and targetted tgp traffic. The target being fetish/bdsm. I paid via paypal. Once I had paid I needed to wait for approval which was granted by Backov the owner of SB. He gave me approval but let me know that they did not really have any fetish tgp traffic to send. I take some blame for not looking at their traffic availability for this problem. I was disappointed but said fine, and took Backov's suggestion to try their gallery traffic. I selected one of their niches that had available traffic and moved my purchase over to that product. After about 8 hours I had received 3, yes 3 clicks. I icq'd Backov to discuss and he suggested I just take my money back. I agreed. Then he asked if I had paid with paypal. I said yes and he informed me that their paypal acct. was restricted and he could not refund me via paypal. I asked what he suggested. He said epassporte. I do not have an epassporte acct. so he said he would set one up. He did and sent the money but turns out that you can not withdraw from epassporte, you need to spend it with an epassporte vendor. I told him this was not ok. I asked to have them cut me a check and send it to me. He said ok. I provided mailing address and asked to be told when it was sent. He said ok. Well 2 days later no response. I saw him on icq and asked him if it had been sent and he said talk to KimmyKim. I said I had wasted enough time and would appreciate it if he found out and got back to me. Nothing so far.

I realize that starting a new business is hard but if you treat your customers like dirt you might as well pack it up and stop wasting your and your customers time. I still don't know if I am being refunded and even if I am the total lack of customer care has left me forever turned off on what I had hoped would be another quality service like choker.

So, if Spotbroker reads this will you confirm that my refund has in fact been processed? It is a shame it has had to come to this.

Well, I am going to be nice about this to start with, though Lord knows my patience has been tried by alot of other things today that don't revolve around Spotbrokers or this situation...

I'm not going to post any icq logs or anything like that... tho I do have copies of Backov's logs with you, especially since I have never talked to you, of course that might be because you didn't contact me from the beginning like Backov asked you to do.

As with most partnerships, we have a division of labor at Spotbrokers -- everyone that knows me realizes I couldn't code my way out of a paper bag with the code already written on the inside. I work with numbers, figures and money... which is the reason that Backov asked you repeatedly to get with me. If you had asked for a manual addition to your gallery listings and I kept asking you to get with Backov for it, I guess you wouldn't have done that either... but I digress... back to business.

Now on to the timeline here.

You signed up for an account. In multiple places prior to depositing a dime, there are notes and instructions to check the traffic report prior to making a deposit. The reason for this is obvious... we are new and yes, we are still filling up some categories.

You deposited funds and then wanted traffic in a category that had none in it, since it had only been turned on live a couple hours prior, and the traffic report showed no traffic. Backov went over this with you and you decided to take gallery traffic instead of non gallery, when he told you the category was brand new and it would be starting to see traffic, not that it would have major traffic in it right off the bat.

Now, your next issue with Backov -- whom I will admit gets a little short in his people skills from time to time but then again that's not his part of the deal -- was to tell him we should comp you 10,000 hits for some reason that only you understood...

Anyway, moving along... you then agreed to take your refund on epassporte, and it was issued. Spotbrokers paid the initial load fee for that account, as we do with all accounts that we issue -- and then you decided that you did not want a refund that way. So you still got to keep the account, on our dime. No biggie.

At this point you still hadn't contacted me but you started threatening Backov. Bad idea. Threats will get you nowhere but doing what you threatened.

I'm reading these logs and I see Backov trying to help you six ways from Sunday, and you refusing to be at all co-operative. Especially since a US check going to Canada will be 14 days to cash and whatever fee your bank charges you. But you'll need to contact me.

[email protected]

We've issued 3 refunds since we started, 2 of them went off without a hitch.

You bought traffic when there was no traffic after not looking at the traffic report when being asked to look at the traffic report. That's fine. You wanted traffic, you reallocated for traffic, traffic got started, you didn't like the traffic. That's fine. You wanted a refund, you got a refund, then you weren't happy with the refund. That's fine.

You claim the customer is always right. That's fine.

I have no further comment on this topic.

Let me get this right, all of this is over $50?

And you couldn't have waited a week or two to get your traffic? I've watched spotbrokers numbers increases substantially since they first opened.
An order that would have taken them 2 weeks to fulfill ar first they can pull off in about 2 days now.

Trust me on this one, take whatever Kimmy's offering you and just walk away now with your ass intact :winkwink:

Hey sonomasnap - Get a life

Be a man and get this thread deleted and deal with KK and her team direct

FRom what I have read, Backov has jumped through hoops for you, all for a lousy fifty bucks

I know your going to respond and say its "the principle" that drives you to slur the name of SB, but do you think anyone should be fucked over so hard for the value of the cost of a nice lunch

So in conclusion - get a life!

Daniel

So what KimmyKim is saying is your a pain in the ass but no problem....she will take care of it. Your lucky.

I've never bought from them... but spotbrokers rocks for selling and the traffic totals are increasing rapidly. I can confirm the fact that the niche he had chosen to purchase traffic from was brand new (I check my stats there daily) As well as the fact that non-gallery traffic numbers are much lower because it is higher quality traffic that will take a longer time to increase compared to the gallery traffic.


I have noticed that the pricing for non-gallery traffic has disappeared form the site. Does this mean you are no longer selling it? or are you just waiting for more to become available?



I do wish they would offer checks for american users....
C'mon... Pleeeeese offer checks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


CC

just a couple of quick observations.

$50? that doesn't give you the right to say anything...
gimi a fuckin break.


2 days and your patience is tried? it takes often 2-3 weeks for letter to go from canada to the uss regular mail. Don't fucking expect fed-ex fool, it's $50! it's not worth ANYONE's TIME to have some IDIOT bug them constantly about $50. if he said he sent it, leave it at that and go back to work at the burger joint.


I don't use choker or spotbrokers but this complaint smells bad - like it was made to defame spotbrokers or something.

word to the wise. Shit like this ALWAYS comes back on the people who are trying to cause trouble. It's called Karma, and karma's a bitch.

I know kimmykim - she won't rip you off.

I have this odd feeling your little smear campaign is going to backfire horribly on you. Just call it a hunch.

We've got SO MANY people wanting the non-gallery, and so much back orders for it, that we've had to stop selling it until we can either get the orders fulfilled and have a healthy supply, or just get the orders fulfilled.. The traffic is quite hard to get due to the strict linking requirements.

I should point out that we are still buying it, at $7 per 1k.

As for checks, you'd have to bug kimmy about that. You should just get an EPassporte electron and use it like an ATM card. ;>

Cheers,
Backov

Right now the non gallery is all committed and the people that are buying it do not want to lessen their commitments.

Checks get lost in the mail... checks bounce (not saying mine personally but you get the idea)... checks can be stolen... checks are expensive administratively to work with...

Epassporte means that your money is in your hands the minute it is owed to you. :)

Oh and last but not least. I'll be out for a bit, I hear there is an entire world outside the doors of my house ;)

sonomasnap I expect I'll be hearing from you by the time I get back?

love

Hmmm... you come to the board with your 'serious problems' over $50 after they did everything to sort it out and it was your mistake in the first place.

If you don't want to use epassporte why not just take the refund and ask if somebody can paypal you $50 to your paypal account and in exchange you send $50 to his/her epassporte account. TGF asked for this last week the deal was done in no time.

Backov is the Devil

http://www.spawntoys.com/moviemaniacs/mm5_lord.jpg

Blah... its 35$ though for the card to withdraw cash And I don't ever leave the cave...er... house to get to an ATM.

You're the son of the Devil? Or did ya mean that Daddy thing in a sorta gay-homosexual way. Gives the unicorn horn I am holding an entirely different meaning.

Hey Kimmykim
can you hit me up on icq?
17982469...I'll be away for the evening but, will be online all day and through the evening tomorrow.
Thanks
FT**

This is why I'm not even considering going into the same business as spotbrokers. They have patience and class, I don't.

I'd icq the idiot telling him to fuck off and then make a post on GFY saying THANKS FOR THE $50.



I have no patience for these fools

Lasky wants to talk to you about starting the LFN ([labret] Friends' Network). :Graucho

Let's end this discussion right here... Spotbrokers did what they had to do so please don't try and put a bad name on somebody....

There was ever really a discussion? Seems to be that from the start the only real 'serious problem' was in the guys head. That was obvious from his post alone without the need on any replies.

Before I give someone money, I generally make sure the product is available.

Why didn't you?

I don't even see why you should be refunded, although SpotBrokers is pretty classy to do so.

Before purchasing the traffic, it was your responsibility to make sure they were selling traffic for your particular niche.

Unless I'm missing something here, which I don't think I am....you're just plain wrong.

real classy response from Kimmy all the way!

so you guys open epassporte accounts for us and pay the load fee? kick ass!

Word :thumbsup

Yes indeed.. It's pretty easy from our end, and we're both real fond of the way Epassporte works - I'm psyched about it personally, so we want to encourage all of our sellers/buyers to use it..

Cheers,
Backov

I expected to be bashed and I also took great care in crafting a very fair and non-inflamatory response. The money is insignificant. Give it to save the whales as far as I care. The problem is the totally poor people skills that kimmykim acknowledged backov has. The offer to refund was appreciated and accepted but he might as well have offered it in returnable bottles. And as far as Backov asking me to contact KK, it is they who have the responsibilty to respond to their customers needs. Just because this is porn is no excuse to not run this as a professional business.

Finally, yes I could have let this go for 3 or 4 weeks and the "threats" I made were simply that I would air my grievances on the boards if I did not hear back. So I did not hear back and I have still not been contacted via email or ICQ by anyone at Spotbrokers.

I have a feeling that Spotbrokers is on it's way to being the next best thing since sliced bread. You couldnt ask for a more skilled programmer or a classier customer relations person.
:2 cents:

dude, you're the one who is unhappy with the product/service and you're the one who is requesting your money back.
you're the one who fucked up by purchasing traffic in a trafficless-niche.

therefore, it is YOUR responsibility to chase after them for your money. they have no need to contact you.
it is YOUR responsibility and YOURS alone.

WAKE UP! maybe because they responded to you in this thread?

Jeez,
BV

i agree with HardProfits....

btw, Backov and KK are GOOD PEOPLE!

PxG
:thumbsup

sonomasnap stop feeling sorry for yourself - you haven't been bashed here at all.

In fact what has happened here is that Spotbrokers have just had one of the best PR campaigns they could ever hope for - and it hasn't cost them a cent.

Perhaps your experience of traffic brokers is a little lacking but let me tell you that in my experience the way Spotbrokers treated you is first class.

They bent over backwards to return your money and yet you're not happy - I'm amazed.

Just wait till you buy traffic from one of the other less reputable brokers out there who fails to send the traffic, won't even respond to polite requests and has no intention of refunding your money. When you have hit one of those then you will have cause to complain.

Right now though I fail to see what your beef is and after seeing your complaint I'm heading for Spotbrokers to buy some traffic.



:2 cents:

Have you figured out what that would be worth in big macs yet?

I wish them great success and have never asked for anything other than confirmation that the check is in the mail. Not a very big request. I have no doubt they will succeed. I am just bewildered as to why it is so difficult to send an email or ICQ to say either the check is sent or it will be by such and such a date. That is all I have asked for.

I am done with this discussion other than to say, it is always better to under promise and over deliver.

Peace

You're a fucking idiot sonomasnap, they already refunded you the money once and now you're calling it a "serious problem" that they haven't sent you a second refund, after 3 days? Get a life newbie, if I was with spot brokers, I'd tell you to eat a dick.

I can't stand idiots like that and would enjoy the task of making sure this public "flame" cost him WAY more then $50...
Guess he's lucky SB has Customer CARE cuz most companies would care-not.

just my .02$

This post is absolute bullshit. They setup an account for you with epassporte and sent you the money like you requested. What the fuck else can they do? If its too inconvenient for you not to use epassporte than fuck off!

If you get this pissed over $50 you have no place running a business.

so this guy spent $50, wanted a refund, and spotbrokers pays for an epassporte ($35???) to send him $50 and he is bitching? am I reading this thread right?

does he want fries with that too?

Was thinking about the same thing. Just one very large problem me thinks. Read your post again. I don't really think sonomasnap gets it. :helpme how can an idiot get it?:1orglaugh

ok, just to clarify, they did not pay $35 for an epassporte card nor would I have expected them to. They paid $5 for an epassporte account which meant that I could not remove the funds refunded. So in essence there was no refund. I do not blame them for the epassporte program and again only asked to be notified when my money was being send via the mail as backov had told me it would.

As far as calling me a fucking idiot that is simply uncalled for.

Finally, I do appreciate that KK and backov may have different views on how the whole thing has developed but they have refrained from making those type of comments as have I.

No totally wrong - the whole world has a different view than yours.

For the record I'm quite happy to agree with the fucking idiot comment. It sort of sums you up perfectly.

Well, there's something to be said for jumping the gun.

:thumbsup

Spotbrokers may have its issues but I've heard far more good things than bad things about them. Should have just had patience.

I agree whole-heartedly.

It saddens me that you're from Montreal.

We'll all take turns slapping you at Cybernet Expo

Spotbrokers seem like good people to me. Sometimes things get blown out of proportion, that's all.

Sounds like it will be all worked out and no one got hurt

it sounds to me like Backov and KimmyKim have done everything one would expect a responsible company to do when dealing with a customer complaint

hahahaha... i'm from the same city too...

*hangs his head in shame*

why doesn't he just treat himself to a site membership with the money in the Epassporte? it'll take the edge off! :thumbsup

You have an incredible gift for understatement, Labret.