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Another lame attempt at intimidation
Last month, on 20 June 2001, I posted a message (month200106/msg00477.html)
with the subject line "A rose by any other name..."
Many times here on the APD we see people making assumptions and
generalizations. The one that comes most to my mind is how so many people
refer to just any red soil or clay as "laterite". My post was an attempt to
prevent a similar extrapolation from occuring when dealing with the then
current "boil du jour".
In the days before I made the above noted post, there seemed to be some
confusion over which of a number of apparently related companies was the
subject of a negative BBB report. Given the eagerness for the principal of
at least one of those companies to sue, I made the post in an effort to make
folks aware that maybe it would be best to do some research before making
any assumptions or accusations surrounding the customer service and/or
business practices of any firm or firms.
It seems that someone at Pets Warehouse got the (mistaken) impression that I
was in some way coming to the company's dense, for shortly after I made the
posting, I received an electronic "thank you for your comments" message from
"Bob" at Pets Warehouse.
On 22 June 2001, I responded to "Bob" privately, telling him that my
original posting to the APD was purely for list member's information, and
was in no way any indication that I supported him or his company one way or
the other. I gave him my personal opinion of the situation (just in case he
cared to know) and made a suggestion on how it could be resolved without
further damage to his company's reputation (again, just in case he
cared...).
Yesterday (02 July 2001) I received the following note from Pets Warehouse.
It is posted here together with the quoted portions of the earlier
correspondence:
----------------
BEGIN QUOTE
----------------
Thank you again,
We have archived your comments for the damage awards.(loss of biz)
PETS WAREHOUSE.COM
For pet owners that are passionate about
the animals they choose to share their lives with!
http://www.petswarehouse.com
mailto: pw at petswarehouse_com <mailto:pw at petswarehouse_com>
1.800.991.3299
-----Original Message-----
From: James Purchase [mailto:jppurchase at Home_com]
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 9:09 AM
To: pw at petswarehouse_com
Subject: Re: APD lawsuit
----- Original Message -----
From: "pets" <pw at petswarehouse_com>
To: <jppurchase at Home_com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 3:33 PM
> Thank you for your comments
>
> Bob
>
> PETS WAREHOUSE.COM
>
> For pet owners that are passionate about
> the animals they choose to share their lives with!
>
> http://www.petswarehouse.com
> mailto: pw at petswarehouse_com <mailto:pw at petswarehouse_com>
Dear Mr. Novak,
Please don't take any comfort from the comments I posted to the APD
regarding the confusion surrounding the different versions of your company's
name. My goal was to merely point out that nothing can be inferred from a
group of closely related companies doing business under the same trade
style, and to advise anyone interested how to untangle some of the confusion
by conducting searches of information in the public record.
The actions and public postings made by your company's representatives (and
I assume, by yourself) in this whole debacle are deplorable and will serve
to damage your company's business and reputation far more than any perceived
slight you may have felt. While I have ordered from your company in the
past, you can be assured that following this mess, I shall never do so
again, nor will I ever recommend your company or its services to anyone in
the future.
You may not be aware of it, but some of the people on the APD are among the
most widely respected and well known people in the aquarium hobby and the
industry. As you have seen, they are not the type of people who can be
intimidated by a school yard bully. Your tactics are sending the wrong
message to potential customers, and I suspect, to potential investors in
your company.
The only sensible course of action open to you would be to immediately drop
all of your legal actions against your (potential) customers and the members
of the APD and to post a public apology on that forum, stating your regret
over the entire incident and your hope that people will give your company
(and yourself) a second chance. Anything less will only serve to further
damage your already sullied reputation.
James Purchase
Toronto
----------------
END QUOTE
----------------
It would appear that Mr. Novak is of a mind to come sniffing at my doorstep
for "damage awards".
I do hope that he's not afraid of heights.......for I fear that the last
step off of my 22nd floor balcony can be a real let down. Of course, its not
the fall that gets to you....its the sudden stop at the bottom.
This whole situation is really getting rediculous and Mr. Novak's antics and
attempts at intimidation are starting to get annoying. I'm not afraid of you
(or your lawyers) Mr. Novak........go back to Business School and take a
refresher course in "Customer Relations". You have merely succeeded in
turning someone who was initially totally ambivalent about the situation
into someone who very definately has a negative impression of the way you
conduct business.
There are approximately 1,500 list members on the APD........I wonder what
the effect of 1,500 e-mail complaints would be on his mood? There is
absolutely NO WAY that we should allow this gentleman to intimidate ANYONE
for their personal opinion.
I have never been afraid of bullies and I don't intend to start shivering
now. You push me and I'll push back.
James Purchase
Toronto