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I am writing this thread in the hope that other unsuspecting persons will not be, IMO abused and defrauded by this vendor, Fluidtek of Carlingford, NSW.
I have found the owner of this store, Eddie to be aggressively rude, arrogant and totally customer service devoid.
This is entirely my personal opinion and based centrally upon my dealing with this vendor and its owner over the past 48hrs.
In my observations it already has a very bad reputation in customer relations and a number of other aspects.
I have put over $5,000 into this shop alone over the past 5 or so years. The only reason I ever went there was it was CHEAP. I was a fool!
So without digressing too much here is the core of the matter:
1.
I had a 7300GT Sonic GPU fail within warranty and RA'd it to this vendor. 9mths earlier I had emailed Fluidtek THREE (3) times advising I had grave concerns for the HS fan as it was very loud and barely turned when moved with ones finger. The vendor ignored all attempted emails.
When I removed the dead GPU, the fan would BARELY turn...even with your finger it was stiff like an old rusty iron gate! I believe it overheated and this was the cause of the fault.
Fluidtek does not list its telephone numbers - nor accept calls from clients. So effectively you can only deal with them via email or face2face.
I would urge people to consider WHY would a business wanting to generate sales do this?
2.
Eddie claimed the 7300GT's fault was my fault - but RA'd it. He bragged he had the importer ,"..wrapped around my finger." Personally abused them and said they'd do whatever he wanted. So he would have it back in 2-3 weeks.
I purchased an interim 7200GS and left.
3.
Nine (9) weeks later I still had no contact from the Fluidtek. So I emailed them. Another seven(7) days later I still had no reply. I emailed again and two days later I was emailed by the Eddie advising to come in he'd sort it out.
4.
So I go over he is in a bad mood as upon greeting him and asking how his day is he says,"Same old f##king ****!". I have personally seen this vendor swear openly in front of and directly at clients.
Upon identifying myself he says,"Yup, they rejected it. Physical damage, its your fault".
Before I can even discuss that this can't be right as I am sure the faulty fan caused this he offers to replace the card with an 8500GT (an inferior card based on gaming).
I thank him profusely for this offer, he replies,"Don't thank me - I'm only going to charge the importer for this!"
I offer to pay more for a higher card, he accepts taking $50 for a Galaxy 8600GT.
I purchase some extra items and leave.
5.
I uninstall the perfectly working 7200GS and its drivers. Install the 8600GT and boot up. Boots perfectly.
I should point out lamely my entire system is vanilla and nothing overclocked etc.
Windows loads...hardware wizard pops up, I minimise it for a moment and open Skype....and suddenly I lose my display signal.
System still running....burnt electric smell.
Open case and see the 8600GT's fan isn't turning. Shut whole system down and remove 8600GT to see massive damage to a top left mosfet, see link to closeup of it:
img100.imageshack.us/img.../dscf0988we5.jpg
6.
I return it to Fluidtek - his store is full and immediately upon seeing me he yells,"Have you f&$#ed it up again?"
I am not able to explain he proceeds to very aggressively berate me in front of all his clients - I cannot get a word in edgeways - he is constantly yelling at me and EXCEPTIONALLY RUDE.
All attempts to reason with him are cast aside - he tells me he's voiding his warranty and I'll have to go to consumer affairs to TRY and get a refund.
He starts openly taunting me with this saying,"See you at the Fair Trading Tribunal my friend, good luck - you're going to need it." and "Go on take *vendor name* to the FTT, you'd love that."
He tells me to leave his shop immediately. I refuse to as I have not been given an official invoice by him.
He proceeds to come out from behind his counter and tries to usher me out. I advise him I am not leaving and he can call whoever he wants.
He repeatedly badgers me to leave his store.
I advise I want my receipt, so I can atleast prove I dealt with him and maybe have a recourse at the FTT or via the importer.
He refuses to provide this saying the handwritten note on another invoice is all I need as,"The importer knows my signature."
HE THEN CALLS THE POLICE AND REQUESTS FOR A SQUAD CAR TO COME AND ARREST ME FOR REFUSING TO LEAVE HIS PREMISES!
I am staying, advising all I want is my receipt and to have him speak to me in a CIVIL MANNER for 5 mins.
He refuses on both counts...saying its my PSU or motherboard and so my fault.
Eventually a gent I believe to be his Father speaks to him and he very reluctantly writes a few more notes on the OTHER invoice.
7.
He goes outside to smoke and proceeds to lecture me over again - he advises he's having me arrested and I'll not get a cent from him and will have to see him in the FTT.
I leave the store...fortuitiously before the police arrive.
8.
I speak to the distributor today, Altech whose senior tech upon inspecting the card advised that they get this damage on Galaxy 8600Gt's quite commonly. The damage is what you'd see in a manufacturing fault.
He advises that there is NO WAY a PSU or motherboard could cause the damage. The vendor was incorrect.
The only way I personally could cause the damage is by sticking a metal object into the underside of the card while it was running OR dripping water onto it - which he then says is basically impossible as the system would have to be running upside down to get it on the cards face.
He apologises as he has personally dealt with fLUIDTEK and had a bad experience himself but as its physical damage it has to be sent back to the manufacturer.
6-8 week minimum wait.
9.
I borrow a friend of a friend's IDENTICAL Galaxy 8600GT and install it - it runs perfectly.
10.
I tried to raise this at OCAU but their over reactive VV policy means even though I at no point name the vendor they delete the thread - especially as a brand new user with the callname 'Eddie_FT' posted personal abuse and threatening PM's.
11.
I emailed Fluidtek challenging them to up to a $10,000 wager on whether another 8600GT would work perfectly in my system or not - thus proving whether it was a manufacturing fault or a pre-existing fault with my system as Eddie & Fluidtek claimed. They declined to take this challenge up.
12.
I emailed Fluidtek advising I was going to publicise this matter as much as I could to warn other people and would go out of my way to bring this to others attention. As a result, Fluidtek have now contacted the Police and lodged a formal complaint!
So I post here to warn other prospective buyers.
In the past I have defended this vendor and its owner on Whirlpool, OCAU and even here when people were attacking him.
And look what happened to me!!!!.
Seriously, IMO Fluidtek & Eddie have absolutely no scrupples, acts in a manner that is by far the worst I've seen by any person employed by an organisation and simply doesn't care if people don't like his actions/abuse.
The only way you can send a message is NOT to buy from this vendor and to spread the word that he cannot be dealt with.
We have too many honest, hard working and fantastic vendors out there to justify dealing with this cowboy for a few 5% cheaper items.
Don't let it happen to you!
Anyone wishing more info on this matter is more than welcome to contact me - I have not placed this post out of malice, but rather to merely bring what I believe is important information to members for their own assessment.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Cheers, Nikko
__________________
WARNING: I strongly recommend AGAINST shopping at Fluidtek
Eddie is not only the rudest retailer I have ever met, but also one of the lowest human beings I have ever met. If Eddie was the last retailer of computer equipment in Sydney I'd get out of computers. The bars he has all over his store front are not to keep people from stealing from him they are there to protect his shop from the consequences of his own actions.
__________________
That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.
Aristotle
The following Member(s) said "Thank You!" to ExtremePC for this information:
Eddie is not only the rudest retailer I have ever met, but also one of the lowest human beings I have ever met. If Eddie was the last retailer of computer equipment in Sydney I'd get out of computers. The bars he has all over his store front are not to keep people from stealing from him they are there to protect his shop from the consequences of his own actions.
I would never expect people to take anything I write on face value and therefore I really appreciate having as respected a member as ExtremePC is having a similar view.
I cannot emphasise enough how bad he was during this incident. It was literally all I could do to stop myself from jumping the counter and grabbing him.
For those who are not aware of this guy, let me just say he speaks to people in a way that you would not allow ANYONE to speak to you. Let alone someone supposably running a business.
I know there will be a few people in here who have used Eddie & Fluidtek and will think,"Hey he's fine - I know how to handle him etc."
Thats your perogative but I swear on my mother's life that I thought exactly the same thing until this incident as I had seen other people get abused etc, read about it but always thought never me....
Wrong. And I largely have myself to blame.
__________________
WARNING: I strongly recommend AGAINST shopping at Fluidtek
I've known eddie to resell returns that he "thinks" are not really faulty, wouldn't be supprised if the reason he knew you "****ed it up again" is because it was someone elses return.
__________________
That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.
Aristotle
Yes, I have heard rumours that he does that as well. Repackaged returns that is.
As far as defending him....yes, like I said I was naive to do so - but thats how I want to highlight how much of a menace and disgrace this guy is.
I mean anyone can come on here and rant and rave etc......but I will tell the gods honest truth and I really thought I could 'handle' the guy.
Obviously I am never shopping there ever again and have made a lil side hobby of spreading my thoughts about him and his rat hole of a shop, Fluidtek to anyone that will listen.
__________________
WARNING: I strongly recommend AGAINST shopping at Fluidtek
I really can't abide rude bullies. I had seen several posts about fluid tek, and had already come to the opinion that it would be one store I would like to avoid... despite some people defending him as a "character".
When I was much younger I read a book by Maurice Beam entitled "It's a Racket" The one over-riding message of the book is that it is the felllow looking to score a super bargain, or make some easy money, who is most likely to get swindled.
This past weekend I got some great help in the "pub" here and learned how to recover my computer by installing a second hard drive. Some advised me to go to fluidtek and get one really cheap. But I preferred to go to my local Leading edge shop. There I purchased a Western digital 400gb hard drive for $190.00. But the key is, that the guy gave me the correct SATA connector and the mounting screws as well. Furthermore, if I had run into more trouble, I would still be free to bring the unit in and have them install it, with the labour cost and the warranty terms all being perfectly clear and above board.
Better the local guy you can build a relationship with, than a slightly cheaper dodgy guy, unless you are really into those sorts of games. Personally I am not into having a bad purchasing experience. It's a hobby. So if I can't afford the few extra dollars, then better I save up for later.
Still, getting a discount generally makes you feel good. But on the whole, it usually means you are buying older, not necessarily always obsolete, but older, stock just before the new products would have forced the prices down anyway.
Leading edge shop. There I purchased a Western digital 400gb hard drive for $190.00. But the key is, that the guy gave me the correct SATA connector and the mounting screws as well. Furthermore, if I had run into more trouble, I would still be free to bring the unit in and have them install it, with the labour cost and the warranty terms all being perfectly clear and above board.
King hilary.
Eddie sells WD 400GB for $109.
I would call it "not wise" to pay $81 more and be happy about it.
Yes he is rude, but I have not experienced his rudeness and frankly speaking can repay him twice if I have to with some of my own
Everything I have got from him was a brand I wanted and the only thing was faulty - a HDD, which he has replaced without questions asked.
I must say that I do not defend him and go there because it is cheap and 5 min driving from me. Rudeness is bad and should not be tolerated.
Someone has mentioned IT Estate, - good alternative IMHO for people who cannot stand Eddie.
We are not his core customers. People who cannot afford to throw $81 to the garbage bin for no good reason are. They sometime get upset but keep coming for more.
__________________ Linux World Domination... One Joke at a Time :)
Frankly this is far from the first bad report I've read about Eddie and Fluidtek and I really think given the reports that to buy from him at any price is taking an unnecessary risk. I agree that paying significantly higher prices is also not too smart but the fact is there are other discount retailers around if you have a look. It makes no sense at all to support some loony who treats his customers like garbage.
Warning: Horror Vendor Experience - Avoid FLUIDTEK!
