ComplaintsforMidlothian Music

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Midlothian Music had a listing on their website for an ******* electric hard shell guitar case priced at $49.99. The listing stated the case was new" old stock and had a nice blue plush interior. The picture and description of it on their website made it look brand new and never used. I called the store to see if a left handed Stratocaster guitar would fit in the case before I ordered it. The guy who answered the phone said there was an ******* case next to him and while I was on the phone, he found a guitar similar to a Stratocaster that he tried in the case to see if it fit and since it did, he said my style guitar would definitely fit, so I went ahead and ordered one from him for the $49.99, shipping $17.84 and tax $4.88. Before I hung up, I asked him if the ******* case was in new, never used condition because I wasnt sure what the words "new, old stock" in the description meant. He explained to me that they had several of the ******* guitar cases in stock and that they were new, but just old models that hadnt sold at their store in the past and aren't being manufactured anymore. He assured me they had never been used or sold. Sadly, when I received my ******* guitar case, I must say I was truly disappointed. First, the cardboard box it came in was the box of a Gator brand guitar case, not an ******* case box. It was way too big for the ******* case and it was both banged up and taped up badly, with a large rectangle cut into one end so large the case could have fallen out of it during shipping. The guitar case slid around unsecured in the huge box and when I took the case out, I could see it is obviously not the new old stock as described to me over the phone. There are scratches, dings, **************** all over the outside of the guitar case. Even one is too many for something new. The color of the fur lining inside the case is grey, not blue as stated in the listing. Though it is supposed to be new, the inside of the case has an at least 3/4 hole in the fur lining where a right handed guitars metal strap button holder would sit. Nothing described as new should have a large hole in it. It looks like someone tried to force a right handed guitar that was too big into the case and damaged it with the guitars metal strap button. The moulding and wood behind the hole in the case is broken inside to the point pieces move around in there and poke out the other side under the fur. I probably wouldnt have noticed it so soon if my guitar were right handed because then my guitars metal strap button would have covered the hole, but mine is a lefty and when my guitar is in the case, the hole is fully exposed on the other side. I immediately took pictures of the damage and emailed them to the store along with details on the marred guitar case they sent me and asked for a replacement case to be sent to me as soon as possible. No answer. I called the store a few times, but no one answered there either, so I left several messages. When I finally got hold of someone, the manager and or owner (not sure which he was), told me the employee I bought the case from over the phone had to go to the hospital earlier that morning and was still there, so I couldnt speak with him. I asked him if he had listened to my voice messages, read my several emails, and saw the pictures I sent about the used, damaged ******* guitar case. He told me yes, but said he had been busy and thus hadn't had time to answer. I let him know I was disappointed that they had sent me a used, damaged case advertised as new" old stock when it clearly was not, but that I needed to keep the case because I really needed a hard shell case to protect my guitar, in fact I didnt anything to protect it at all, so the need was pretty dire to protect my guitar from damage and humidity. Even a few days of exposure could harm the guitar. That is why I was so adamant in making sure with the employee who sold me the ******* case that it fit my specifications before I bought it. If I would have known it wasnt what was advertised, I would have bought another case elsewhere. Once I received the faulty case, I had to keep it in order to have some type of protection for my guitar, so I asked for a replacement ******* guitar case or a discount commensurate with the case damage. He said flat out no. I didnt understand why he refused to try and make it right and come up with a solution for both of us. He didnt acknowledge or show any remorse for having sent me the damaged case at all. In fact he acted like not disclosing in the listing that the case isn't new, has a hole in it and is banged up all over its outside is no big deal. Instead of at the very least apologizing, he told me how I was lucky to get the case so cheap because that particular case could selling on the internet for way more. I told him maybe new, but not damaged with a hole in it. He just kept telling me what a great deal I had gotten and that I only paid $49.99 for it and I couldnt find that ************* for that price. If it was such a great deal, why didnt he disclose the damage. That is no way to run a business-to not at least be honest and disclose the damage before your customer buys. Also,replacing a damaged item or giving the customer a discount is standard practice offered for a store mistake, especially on damaged items, regardless of whatever the customer paid for it. It should be resolved with the customers satisfaction in mind to make the customer happy since there was a situations where through no fault of my own, they sold me a faulty item. Instead he told me I should be glad I got the case because other people would love to buy it for what I paid for it and I had gotten a really good deal. He dismissed my concerns about being sold a damaged, used case described as new and kept interjecting that I only paid $49.99 for it - like he didnt feel I'd spent enough to get one of the new, undamaged ******* guitar cases he was advertising and had pictured in his listing. To him its just $49.99. He cant see that to most customers, it is hard earned money they dont want to be swindled out of and they spend very carefully on exactly what they want after painstakingly researching just the right thing for themselves. If it was such a great deal shouldnt he have added the case's actual condition in the listing description? He proceeded to tell me that new old stock could be damaged because it is old" stock. I reiterated to him the definition of new old stock his employee who sold me the case had given me and when he saw I wasnt buying what he was saying, he flipped back to telling me what a great and rare find Id gotten for the price and that was why he wouldnt discount or replace it. Initially I thought that perhaps the case was an in store demo, floor model or sample that was somehow accidentally sent to me, but he made it sound like he knowingly sent it to me damaged like that on purpose thinking I wouldnt complain about it because it was such a "great deal" according to him. We discussed it back and forth for a while when he finally blurted out that he would refund my money. I was surprised and of course said thank you. We hung up the phone and I waited for the refund which never came. I called the store back several times partly because I hadnt received the refund and partly because it wasnt clear whether he would give me a full refund or just the $49.99 for the cost of the actual case. I couldnt get a hold of him, but spoke to employees, some of whom were aware of the situation, but they all said they couldnt help me. When I finally got hold of him and asked him why he hadnt sent the money, he said I had to return the case and he would refund me. I asked why he hadnt said anything in our previous phone call about me having to return the case. He had no answer. I told him it was ridiculous for him to expect me to ship the case back to him "at my own cost" for a mistake Midlothian Music made.,especially when he never asked me to. I also reminded him I didnt have any other protective case for my guitar if I was to send it back. Even if I did use my own money to return it, I was leery of sending it back to him not being able to trust hed refund me once he got the case back. I had good reason for concern as I had read reviews where other customers had the same experience with Midlothian that I did. Please see: bbb.org/*****/midlothian ,*********************** advised me to do business over the phone and outside of Reverb.com so that he could avoid their fees and I would not be charged taxes. The T5 he assured me was brand new has a broken saddle and is not brand new as advertised. I have called all week and sent him several emails with pics of the broken saddle; he has not replied. **** has not conducted himself as an adult nor a professional, and I do not recommend doing business with him nor Midlothian Music.No business integrity! They advertised a ****** Guitar as brand new and the price was reasonable for a new 312 CE V-Brace. However, even though the guitar was indeed "brand new" it was a 2014 model. This was discovered after receiving the guitar via internet sell by researching the serial number. It should have been advertised as a "brand new 2014". If you buy a car that is advertised as brand new, it would be a 2020 model, not a 2014. Asked for a return or exchange, no luck. I own 9 guitars valued in the $35,000 range and have purchased some on-line with no problem. He just kept repeating that I had to return the case. I reminded him that I had asked for either a replacement ******* guitar case or a discount refund commensurate with the case damage. He said no, though he later in the conversation did say he would email me a prepaid label. I asked him again to refund me or send me a new case since the image they represented in their listing was not what I received. He refused and kept insisting I return the case. I tried to reason with him too, but he continued to say no even though he knew I needed to keep the case and thus I would rather have the discount or replacement.

  Business response

  10/27/2023

  We had listed a new old stock ******* electric guitar case, as they are not made anymore.

  This case sat on display at the store and was marked down accordingly, as it was not cosmetically perfect. 

  The customer purchased the case and wanted it shipped, even though they could have came and looked at it or requested more photos, which they did not. (We are in the same state).  

  We shipped out the case and they were unhappy with it and demanded a replacement even though again, these cases are not made anymore and we only had the one. 

  We offered to have the customer send it back and as soon as we got it, they would get a refund, but they kept refusing and demanding a replacement, which was not possible...

  After multiple phone calls, with the customer being more and more irate, we just sent them a return label and they never returned the case and kept it instead. 

  So now we are out of a case, and getting negative feedback from the customer. Beware of this person. 

  Customer response

  11/06/2023

   
  Complaint: 20683244
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The business response is pretty sad.  To say beware of the customer when they were the ones who sold the customer an ******* guitar case under false pretenses-it being described as new old stock in the online listing when they knew the inside and outside of the case was really in used and damaged condition is deceitful to say the least.  I have read several reviews of the company selling other things not as described-even one on the Better Business Bureau website.  *********** stated the case sat on display at the store and was marked down accordingly, as it was not cosmetically perfect.  How would the customer know any of that.  None of that information was ever in the online listing.  The listing never stated the case was at on display at the store or that it was marked down.  I have no idea how much it should cost or its value.  Please see the store listing in the BBB original complaint.
  *********** stated the customer purchased the case and wanted it shipped even though they could have come and looked at it or requested more photos which they did not.  (We are in the state).  At the time the customer had no idea where the store was located.  She discovered the ******* guitar case online and tried several times to order it online, but couldnt because of a glitch in the system, so she called in to order it and just as she always would with an online purchase, she ordered shipping to get it sent out.  
  The business tried to shift the blame to the customer for not somehow knowing the cases true condition when its condition was not disclosed either in the online listing picture or description.  The customer had no reason not to believe the case wasnt new old stock.  When the customer ordered it, the customer took the listing at its description and pictures.  The business stated the customer chose to pay to have the item shipped instead of coming in to the store which they said was in the same state like the customer should have come in instead of ordering from the comfort of the customers own home and getting the item delivered if the customer wanted to.  The customer had no reason to need to come in to the store to see the case just because the customer lives in the same state. The listing never set off any warning bells that the case was not as described.  The customer didnt initially look to see where the store location was and did not own a car.  Going to the store to pick up the guitar case wasnt convenient for the customer.  The customer assumed the business offers shipping as a convenience, so the customer bought it.  The customer didnt think the business would try to use it against the customer to try and make the customer responsible for the business not disclosing the case they sold the customer was used and damaged.  The listing described the item as new old stock and showed a picture of a new ******* guitar case, not one with any use or damage to the case, so I had no reason to think the case was anything except what it was described as-a new unused item old stock described only as new old stock.   The legal definition of new old stock according to The Law Dictionary is items in stock, still in their original packaging, never sold.  Wikipedia defines new old stock, or old stock for short as aged stock of merchandise that was never sold to a customer and is still new in original packaging. Music superstore Sweetwater defines it as instruments or parts that were built at some time in the past, but which are in brand-new condition, and were never sold.  The case the customer received was scuffed, dented, scraped, scratched, torn, ripped, cracked etc.  No where did the listing state this particular case was used or damaged.  It only said it was new old stock.  The actual description from the website listing read This is a new, old stock ******* guitar case that is ready to protect your instrument!  Comes with chrome latches and a black carrying handle that is strong and sturdy.  Nice blue plush interior.  The customer attached the original online listing from the website with the customers original BBB complaint.  The case in the online listing picture was new.  The case the customer was sent was used and damaged both inside and all over the outside of the case.   One other thing to note is that the case has a medium to medium dark gray interior, not a blue interior as was stated in the listing, and it had a huge hole inside it and  the inner wood and plastic structure was cracked.  Please see customers pictures of the damaged ******* guitar case sent to her.  These things were not pictured or described in the description and lead the customer to believe the case advertised online was not the same one sent to the customer and should have been been sold as is or as used since it was scuffed, dented, scraped, scratched, torn, cracked etc.  
  Because they didnt, the customer could not have known or guessed the true condition of the item and should have the right to have be able to ask for a discount.  A discount is better than returning the case.  The customer was trying to make it a win win for everyone and not a total loss for either party-the business not getting the sale and the customer not getting a discount for the damaged case.  The business stated they shipped out the case and the customer was unhappy with it and demanded a replacement even though again, these cases are not made anymore and they only had the one.  The customer was told that there were several in stock in back by the employee who completed the customers order by phone.  That was why the customer initially asked for a replacement case.  Plus it was packed in a cardboard box that was not its original ******* box and was way too big for it, so that the case slid around in it and there was an uncovered rectangular hole in one end of the box so big the case could have fallen out of it during shipping.  The case itself was haphazardly wrapped in bubble wrap.   Items marked new old stock are supposed to be in their original packaging.  They are supposed to be in new condition.  If they are not in new condition, they are not defined as new old stock.  The business stated they offered to have the customer send the case back and as soon as they got it the customer would get a refund, but that the customer kept refusing and demanding a replacement, which was not possibleFirst, the customer had to contact the business several times-no one got back with the customer and just luckily the customer called and was able to finally speak with someone.  After the business tried to ignore the fact that they lied in the items online listing description and told the customer the customer was lucky to get the damaged case, they finally relented and stated they would refund the customers money initially.  Once time went by and they did not refund it, the customer had to call back.  Now the company changed their story and said the customer had to send the case back to get the refund.  They wanted the customer to pay for the return, but the customer stated  that wasnt right.  The  customer got no reason for the change and thus didnt trust the company would give the customer the money back after she sent the case back, so she asked for a discount.  In addition, the customer had read several reviews where they had done the same type of bait and switch thing before and then refused to pay the customers back.  The customer didnt want to end up with nothing-no case, no money for the case and the shipping, plus the customer had no other guitar case and needed to protect the guitar from the elements immediately, so instead the customer asked for a discount for the damage which the company flat out refused and which the customer didnt understand.  It would have meant the customer got a discount for the damage and the company wouldnt have lose all the money for the sale.  ************ wouldnt want to give a discount to avoid having to take back an item.  The customer is happy.  Everyone wins.  Instead they blame the customer for their selling them something under false pretenses and refuse to listen to or work with the customer to come up with a solution that works for everyone.  The customer read many reviews where the business gave deceptive descriptions and some management were rude to or short with customers and the customer had gotten some of that attitude from the company as well.  Instead, the customer figured the best thing to do was to file with The Better Business Bureau so they could help the company see selling items with deceptive descriptions isnt the way to run a business and they should try to work with the customer even if it isnt exactly what they want in order to give good customer service.
  Lastly, the company states now they are out of a case and getting negative feedback from the customer.  They say beware of this person.  I find it strange the company said we are out of a case.  What does that mean?  The customer paid for the case, so how are they out of a case?  They are only getting negative feedback because they sold the customer a case as new old stock that was used and damaged.  The definition of new old stock is not cuffed, dented, scraped, scratched, torn, ripped, cracked etc.  No where did the listing state this particular ******* guitar case was used or damaged, but that is what the customer received.  *********** could easily have sold it as used or as is.  Instead they used a deceptive tactic.  That was not right.  Theres no need for them to try and discredit the customer.  All she is asking for is the discount.  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  On March 23, 2023 I made an online purchase from Midlothian Music for a set of 4 new E34L Groove Tubes. When I received the product, the internal packaging was badly damaged and held together with scotch tape. The tubes also appeared to have been previously installed in a guitar amplifier.I decided to briefly test them to see if perhaps they were still usable for me. In less than 5 minutes, it was clear that they did not match properly and were not usable in my amplifier. I contacted Midlothian Music asking to return the product and they refused to take them back, stating that tubes are not returnable and also saying I had installed them in an amplifier. This statement by Midlothian was incorrect: I simply tested the tubes and had not installed them. Furthermore, they had sent me a used product that was previously opened, used, and defective. During my attempts at communicating with the seller, I was sent multiple emails from Midlothian Music full of erroneous justifications on why they would not accept a refund.It is clearly wrong to misrepresent a product online and then refuse a return when I could tell within 5 minutes that I didnt receive the product in a new and expected condition. I would like the return the product for a refund, but Midlothian Music has so far refused to do so.

  Business response

  04/24/2023

  We sent the customer a brand new, un-used set of amplifier tubes that we sent out exactly how we received them, shipped, from the factory.
  The packaging was never messed with or tampered with. We only bubble wrapped the package and cardboard boxed it for further protection.
  
  The customer said that the tubes were not working properly but the customer did not even use a tube tester in his photos, he used an amp biasing machine and it is improper to use that for testing the tubes.
  
  We had stated in our listing (and you can see the same on many other sites, guitar center, sweetwater etc. that they do the same) that the tubes are not returnable and the customer made no efforts before hand to reach out to us with any questions.
  
  I have attached the photos from our listing.

  Customer response

  04/25/2023

   
  Complaint: 19880880
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The business sent me previously opened used tubes that were not in proper working order. I did initially check the current draw using a bias tool and found the tubes to likely be unusable.
  I then was able to use a commercial grade tube tester the next day (Maximatcher II) to confirm that the tubes did not properly match and were unusable to me. I informed Midlothian that I had used a tube tester to verify the problem, but they ignored this information and made a false statement above claiming that I hadnt done so.

  I re-packed the tubes and asked to return them in the exact same condition that they had been delivered to me, but the business refused to accept them. 

  Midlothian Music has attempted to off load used unusable tubes onto me and is making fraudulent claims about the situation. The reason they wouldnt take the tubes back the day after I received them is likely because they know they sent me a defective product.

  Sincerely,
  *********************************

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