WARNING: Stay Away from SAFER SEAS/VIDEO SUPPLY DEPOT!!!

P

placefilms

New member
BROKE INDIE FIMMAKERS BEWARE!!! I bought a set of lights from Safer Seas/Video Supply Depot in January 2005. I made the purchase through their website using my credit card and PayPal as the payment method. I thought everything was fine until approximately 40 days later and still no lights. I sent a complaint through the dispute process on PayPal and they started and investigation. When the resolution time expired, I was not refunded my money as PayPal indicated that there were insufficient funds in the company's account to cover my $400+ purchase.

Just prior to the expiration period, I received an email from Safer Seas stating that they were out of town for a few weeks and had not attended to their website. They further stated that PayPal had frozen their account and that if I contacted PayPal and had them to release the account, Safer Seas would send my lights with a few added items. I told them that PayPal had already informed me that the money had already been collected by Safer Seas and that if they wanted me to contact PayPal, they (safer Seas) should overnight my lights to me first. Of course they balked at thay solution. I went as far as to speak to a Safer Seas representative who reiterated the release of the account and I reiterated the overnight delivery of my already paid for $400+ lights. To date, I have not received my lights and SaferSeas/Video Supply Depot has my money$$$$. At that point, PayPal stated that they would continue to freeze the account in an attempt to collect my money. PayPal further stated that they could not do much else because I had not made the purchase through EBay and was not eligible for their refund plan.

I financed this entire production out of my own pocket in an attempt to realize my dream and have suffered from this THIEVERY. I have a family with several children and this was like taking food out of my kids' mouths. This company is a RIP-OFF!!! STAY FAR AWAY FROM SAFER SEAS/VIDEO SUPPLY DEPOT!!

Fortunately, I have a contact who has allowed me to borrow their light kit for my production and the production is about three weeks from completion and then on to the post-production stage of the game. This loss really hurt my pockets as I cannot afford to spend another $400+ on another set of lights after I had already purchased the DVX100a and other hardware.

If I can just save one other filmamker from making the same blunder that I did, then I feel somewhat satisfied. AZnd I haope they care to respond, because I still have all of the email interaction with their company, as well as my interaction with PayPal to verify all of my FACTS. SHAME ON YOU, SFAER SEAS/VIDEO SUPPLY DEPOT!!!!!!!!
 
I'm sorry to hear this story. Prior to our production last summer, we tried to purchase through Safer Seas and had no joy getting any response from them. In hindsight, I'm glad we didn't.

If you're East Coast, you should use some of the awesome resources we have here instead - Safer Seas is reportedly at San Rafael, CA company.

e
 
:shocked:

perhaps they won't come out and tell their side, but my own one-time ALMOST purchase from them makes me sympathize with your rage. I too, was FREAKED. Makes me appreciate the simpleness of a good sales transaction.

You order something. It comes in. I don't have time for anything but that.
 
SaferSeas/Video Supply Depot has closed and the principals declared bankruptcy. I suspect that at this point there is no recourse.

Bill Turner
Schneider Optics
Century Division
 
No recourse? Hmmm... I think it's probably illegal to go out of business, yet maintain a "storefront" and collect money through it.

They may not be any recourse for folks who bought before the bankruptcy, but those after? Assuming it *is* shutdown.

Dan
 
I guess I got lucky...kinda

I guess I got lucky...kinda

Last summer I was buying all of my equipment (DVX100A, G5 Mac, Field Audio Kit, Lighting Kit, Wide Angle Lense) I found a few auctions by SaferSeas for a Field Audio Kit and a Lighting Kit.

I bid on them and won, then I talked to them on the phone, and decided to buy the Pansonic .8x Wide Angle lense too. So my purchase being over $1000, they I recieved my package, only to notice I had no lights, just the light stands, nor did I have the soft boxes that came with. I called them and worked it out with them, and they said they sent it out on a Friday and it should arrive on Monday. When in actuallity they waited until around Thursday to actually ship it. It took a lot of phone calls to get some straight answers, but in the end I got my equipment.

They are a bunch of lying asses, I was lucky enough to have them bound to an eBay contract that they wouldnt be able to get out of very easily.

Sorry to hear about your problem.
 
Wow, that's awful.

Sorry to hear they did that to you. But it sounds like you'll get your project done, and come out on top!
 
Yeah.. saferseas is definately a scam, however its a well played one because the website was oh so pretty.
 
I bought an Audio Technica mic from them over a year ago. It was like pulling teeth to finally get it delivered. I feel very fortunate to have gotten it. I made several posts here and elswhere telling how sh__y they were. Sorry you didn't see one of those.
 
Placefilms,
Sorry to hear about your ordeal but I have to wonder why you waited 40 days to do something. There is no excuse for the merchant except that sometimes bad things happen unexpectedly however, it is your respsonsibility to stay on top of it. Up until now I've never heard bad nor good about Safer Seas. Unless you were told that your item was on backorder, you should have been on top of them after one week. There isn't any place in the US that UPS or FedEX cannot deliver a package to within 7 days of shipping. It really sucks that you lost all of that money but 40 days, come on?
 
really sucks that you guys got burned. only advice i can offer is do your research. and if the offer looks too good to be true it probably is. helps to post here as well and see what the concensus is on the company involved ahead of time...
 
Videoguy1,

Who says he hasn't been trying to get them on the phone or by email since he sent them his money in good faith? The onus is on the vendor to send the goods once the money is received, not on the consumer to chase them down.

You have it a little backwards my man.

Oh, I have a buddy who lives in San Rafael who has offered to pay them a visit if you want your goods picked up. Not that this means anything, but he's a Teamster and is very helpful.

Let me know?

e
 
placefilms said:
BROKE INDIE FIMMAKERS BEWARE!!! I bought a set of lights from Safer Seas/Video Supply Depot in January 2005. I made the purchase through their website using my credit card and PayPal as the payment method. I thought everything was fine until approximately 40 days later and still no lights. I sent a complaint through the dispute process on PayPal and they started and investigation. When the resolution time expired, I was not refunded my money as PayPal indicated that there were insufficient funds in the company's account to cover my $400+ purchase.


Overlandfilms,

According to Placefilms himself, he says he waited 40 days to file a complaint with Paypal. Yes you are right that I don't know for sure if he made attempts to rectify it prior to the 40th day but it is highly unusual to allow something like this to go on for that amount of time. As I had also stated; that unless he was notified of a backorder, he should have been tracking the progress of the order. After a week went by, he could have corrected it with Paypal then and not run into the expiration date so fast. BTW: I'm sure or at least I assume I'm sure that you have heard the phrase "Let the buyer beware." Again, I'm not making excuses for the vendor however it is each and every consumers responsibility to fully investigate who they are doing business with and under what terms. This applies to EVERYTHING, not just video gear. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten frustrated with my wife when she has bought things online and had problems with returns or other issues only to find out that the merchant's policies were pitted against us. She now no longer buys anything online without checking all of the fine print and the reputation of the vendor. Placefilms also could have better protected himself by using a straight up VISA, MC or AMEX transaction instead of Paypal. I don't think it's fair that he got taken for a ride but there are just too many posts on this website that warn about these things. He could have asked about Safer Seas before buying. I too have been victimized by unscrupulous people and/ or vendors but you live and learn and hopefully keep your guard up.
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Come on guys! People who visit here are internet savvy on the most part. So why do people get burnt by these scumbags?!?

resellerratings.com - check everyone out there.

If they're not there, ask on a site like this for good suppliers. A lot of us buy from the same places and so we can recommend very honest stores. Even if you pay a little more - the peace of mind is worth it. EVS, B&H, ZOTZ Digital etc etc. Buy from them, don't think about anyone else, click a few buttons on the site, order your goods, give CC number, have a beer, go to the beach and wait, without a care, for your gear to arrive - ON TIME and in good condition!

I think EVERY forum like this should make people read a set of basic things when they sign up for an account, and lists of trustworth suppliers should be near the top of that list!

Sorry to sound to evangelical about it, but it just amazes me that people still get burnt.

Aaron
 
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