Everything Attachments - Bankrupt?

[Smokeydog]

September of last year watched Ted demo a new tree puller design. In the background you could see the new building. He made some remarks about having trouble with contractor and was removing the tree for another building. He talked on the evolution of design, materials and how his was different from the Danuser Intimdator design. Both he and his son were born on Labor Day and would be an introductory sale that holiday.
I bought one. Online only because holiday weekend office was closed. Paid 100% upfront.
Called following week to check delivery and AG tax exclusion. 5 month delivery. That same day salesman called me back saying I made mistake and needed about 10% more money upfront. Website I couldn’t change pricing so I didn’t understand. Something didn’t smell right and salesman Rick was angry at me trying to explain their website. So canceled order. Got refunded. Hindsight see I see I made the right call.
Enjoying several EA attachments and buying experiences from the past about 6-7 years ago. Appreciate their attention to detail and materials trying to improve implements. Hope customers that have paid are made whole.

 

[rh74]

EA is in-contrast to my present situation….wherein I called the folks that custom made my pallet forks to ask what a SSQA would cost me for my loader… and they emailed me the drawings for my approval before they committed… I‘ve been contemplating for almost two weeks whether or not I actually WANT the thing….and they’ve now called and informed me it’s been fabricated and is ready for shipment…. They’d prefer payment before having FedEX Express pick it up.

If they have the item and are ready to ship it, they should be paid in full. This is normal, as they have no way to collect payment after it leaves their business. The consumer has an option to get their money back if the item is not delivered. The worst-case delivery time in the lower 48 is 10 days. If the item doesn't come, they will have their money back within a normal CC billing cycle. Basically, the shipping is same as going to a local dealer and buying the item and taking it with them. The buyer is the delivery person.

Now you have EA collecting full payment for an item they didn't have and couldn't ship, again they never had an item that could be picked up or shipped. They told people lead-times that they knew were outside the time frame of a CC pay back laws (the law is 60 days, the CC can extend the time frame longer, but not shorter).

There's a huge risk to the buyer when paying for something in full when said item doesn't exist. The items that EA took money for did not exist. This puts all of the risk on the buyer. Buying something is always a risk, so as a consumer, we have to evaluate the risk before making the purchase.

I personally will not pay in full for an item that doesn't exist (again meaning the item is not in-stock or has to be made). I would however make a down payment (small percentage for example 10% or less) on an item that was not in-stock or had to be made. As long as it would be in available to ship or be pickup in less than 60 days. I would also pay the remaining balance in full when the item is ready to ship. If the item is not delivered within a reasonable time frame, I would do a CC pay back.

I guess what I'm saying is beware and understand the risk before handing over any money. There will always be risks when making a purchase, just try to limit it as much as possible.

 

[fried1765]

September of last year watched Ted demo a new tree puller design. In the background you could see the new building. He made some remarks about having trouble with contractor and was removing the tree for another building. He talked on the evolution of design, materials and how his was different from the Danuser Intimdator design. Both he and his son were born on Labor Day and would be an introductory sale that holiday.
I bought one. Online only because holiday weekend office was closed. Paid 100% upfront.
Called following week to check delivery and AG tax exclusion. 5 month delivery. That same day salesman called me back saying I made mistake and needed about 10% more money upfront. Website I couldn’t change pricing so I didn’t understand. Something didn’t smell right and salesman Rick was angry at me trying to explain their website. So canceled order. Got refunded. Hindsight see I see I made the right call.
Enjoying several EA attachments and buying experiences from the past about 6-7 years ago. Appreciate their attention to detail and materials trying to improve implements. Hope customers that have paid are made whole.

I ran afoul of the EA (Rick?) anger on a different subject.
That said: I do have two EA attachments, and they are both first class.
I would buy from EA again, IF.... I were ASSURED of their integrity, going forward.
Somehow,......I don't think THAT is going to happen though!

 

[mcmxi]

I guess what I'm saying is beware and understand the risk before handing over any money. There will always be risks when making a purchase, just try to limit it as much as possible.

You make many good points in your post. Mitigating risk is always a good idea.

 

[mcmxi]

As for me being a contractor, it's in response to your post about how contractor's do business building a new home or remodel. Which again is completely different than buying a catalog item from vendor like EA.

There are thousands of examples every year where contractors screw over customers. Significant down payments for parts yet to be ordered or work yet to be performed are commonplace in many industries.

In my world vendors are now charging huge sums of money for "set up, gauging, fixtures" etc., with the intent to get a significant amount of money up front. They do this so that we are more likely to order large quantities of parts from them in the future rather than find another vendor. This is now the norm but wasn't as recently as four or five years ago.

I've seen a significant shift in who has the power when it comes to vendors, so much so that they are getting away with making garbage with little to no concern. You wouldn't believe some of the deviation requests that I have to look at. I would be ashamed to send out some of the parts we see regularly.

 

[Jim’sMX]

I’d like to get paid in June for firewood I’ll deliver in November than I could pay Homestead for a box blade that got delivered in August. This thread is entertaining and hope it doesn’t get shut down. Real facts about the situation have been revealed that I would not have learned about otherwise. There are new tractor buyers everyday who will want attachments. some will come here looking for advice and some will wing It. It will be a good resource on the risk of paying up front. I started looking for a root grapple right before the ea news broke.

 

[mcmxi]

I’d like to get paid in June for firewood I’ll deliver in November than I could pay Homestead for a box blade that got delivered in August. This thread is entertaining and hope it doesn’t get shut down. Real facts about the situation have been revealed that I would not have learned about otherwise. There are new tractor buyers everyday who will want attachments. some will come here looking for advice and some will wing It. It will be a good resource on the risk of paying up front. I started looking for a root grapple right before the ea news broke.

Did you end up ordering a grapple from Homestead?

 

[ctfjr]

As a business owner/contractor, your comparison is way off. Tractor attachments are not custom and can be sold to someone else after it has been built. Building a home or remodeling one is truly custom. Once the work is started it can't be taken back or sold to someone else. The next important thing you missed is that the work is done with a contract and a pay schedule. The amount of the down payment is negotiated if the owner is paying without using a lender. 1/3 down is not normal and shouldn't be accepted by the owner. If a lender is involved, they dictate the pay schedule amounts. The contractor doesn't get paid until they have met the milestones defined in the contract. If a lender is involved they require a third party inspection to verify the milestone has been meet. Then because a contract is involved the contractor can be held on civil and criminal charges.

I'm sorry but no real business (big or small) takes full payment for something without delivering the goods or services. For example take your tractor in for repair, do you pay them in full before they start the work? I don't think so nor will they ask you to.

Trying to justify the pay in full for something that might be delivered in the future is just nuts and why people got scammed.

Good post.
I work for a plumbing / hvac distributor. We deal with a variety of customers from retail showroom accounts to large mechanical contractors. On special order material from retail accounts 50% up front is our standard practice - including all the specials on a recent $250k plumbing material list for one house. Yet we will order in $100's of thousands of specials for our trade customers with nothing up front.

 

[Jim’sMX]

Did you end up ordering a grapple from Homestead?

Yes I did and I’m anxiously awaiting delivery on or before 3/22. If I could have found one locally at or below 300lbs I would have preferred receiving upon payment. $2157 is a huge amount up front.

 

[fried1765]

Yes I did and I’m anxiously awaiting delivery on or before 3/22. If I could have found one locally at or below 300lbs I would have preferred receiving upon payment. $2157 is a huge amount up front.

I would say that YOU still have complete control.
IF you have not RECEIVED your item within 60 days of your order, just cancel your original order, and then re-buy/order it at the same time.
That would give you a second 60 day window.
If nothing by then,....cancel again,...... and move on!

 

[GeoHorn]

If they have the item and are ready to ship it, they should be paid in full. This is normal, as they have no way to collect payment after it leaves their business. The consumer has an option to get their money back if the item is not delivered. The worst-case delivery time in the lower 48 is 10 days. If the item doesn't come, they will have their money back within a normal CC billing cycle. Basically, the shipping is same as going to a local dealer and buying the item and taking it with them. The buyer is the delivery person.

Now you have EA collecting full payment for an item they didn't have and couldn't ship, again they never had an item that could be picked up or shipped. They told people lead-times that they knew were outside the time frame of a CC pay back laws (the law is 60 days, the CC can extend the time frame longer, but not shorter).

There's a huge risk to the buyer when paying for something in full when said item doesn't exist. The items that EA took money for did not exist. This puts all of the risk on the buyer. Buying something is always a risk, so as a consumer, we have to evaluate the risk before making the purchase.

I personally will not pay in full for an item that doesn't exist (again meaning the item is not in-stock or has to be made). I would however make a down payment (small percentage for example 10% or less) on an item that was not in-stock or had to be made. As long as it would be in available to ship or be pickup in less than 60 days. I would also pay the remaining balance in full when the item is ready to ship. If the item is not delivered within a reasonable time frame, I would do a CC pay back.

I guess what I'm saying is beware and understand the risk before handing over any money. There will always be risks when making a purchase, just try to limit it as much as possible.

You may misunderstand my comment. I never “approved” the fabrication as they requested… therefore I do not feel I “owe” them to pay and accept shipment. My post was a request for opinions as to whether nor not I should consider taking delivery.

 

[rh74]

You may misunderstand my comment. I never “approved” the fabrication as they requested… therefore I do not feel I “owe” them to pay and accept shipment. My post was a request for opinions as to whether nor not I should consider taking delivery.

Sorry for the confusion. I wouldn't feel obligated if I didn't approve the fabrication.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Interesting reading:

Register of Actions

portal-nc.tylertech.cloud

 

[GreensvilleJay]

WOW ! 1st, really neat you can FIND the 'legal paperwork' AND that there's 15-20 PDFs available to download. One,23xxxxx910,pdf, should be read by all.Typical wordy in leagalese,but my take is he got caught trying to 'divert assets(houses,etc) to family for free' and now cannot 'creatively dispose' of anything. Seems to confirm what most here thought.

This would indicate EA's days are numbered and a HUGE red flag to everyone who paid up front to try to get their CC purchases reversed NOW,though I suspect they already know about the situation.

Thank you for posting the real information !

 

[old and tired]

Started this legal stuff on: Filed on: 10/05/2023 And the website is still up and running??

 

[ayak]

Well I’m glad at least the courthouse got paid.

 

[D2Cat]

Should be part of a buyer's due diligence.

Everything Attachments | Better Business Bureau® Profile

This organization is not BBB accredited. Online Retailer in Conover, NC. See BBB rating, reviews, complaints, & more.

www.bbb.org

 

[Daferris]

Interesting reading:

Register of Actions

portal-nc.tylertech.cloud

Thank you for posting that. It does indeed look like the end result is EA id done and dusted. That is sad for the employees, customers and vendors. I truly hope that the folks like Ted and family that took the company down the drain pay a steep price for the fraud that (well not proven in a court of law) appears to be pretty evident.

As to all the folks that are smiling that "I told you so" I without any malice would suggest you look yourself in a mirror. Does trying to look smug in the light of other folks pain really truly a) do any good b) If the shoe was on the other "foot" would appreciate those comments? Social media is a 2 edge sword while is is very useful to exchange ideas, help and inspiration. It also can equally be used as a way to inflict pain, misery and just plain misinformation. But then that's just my $0.02 opinion.
I hope that the website is at least changed to where an order can't be paid for soon. While our legal system I feel is the class of the world with making sure everyone's rights are respected. A very strong case can be made that it just plain moves too slowly.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I don't think most are 'smiling smug' about the situation. Many ,like me, have seen this 'situation' played out before either on shows like American Greed' or in real life, three of my customers did, though not the 100% up front payment plan.
Sounds like the real court battle begins on Monday and I am surprised the TRO doesn't specifically say he can't accept new orders.This allows for cash in, but NOT out'. The website appears to be 'up and running' though I won't test with MY credit card and then try to cancel....I'll let someone else do that.
As for the speed of the courts. The last case here took 5-6 years from locks on the gates until the banks(secured creditor) got most of their coins, the 232 unsecured got nothing.
Since the court 'paperwork' seems to be online/available, it'll be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks.

 

[Plant 175]

That means absolutely NOTHING.

Peanut confirmed that !