half price car audio review

Hi everyone

this blog was made just so you can know about my experience with half price car audio. So let's start from the beginning. I purchased three (3) sub-woofers from them just over a year ago. However One of them blew about 2 months into my ownership. I sent it back before my warranty was up. (they give you a 1 year warranty) In the beginning of my claim, it look like everything was going to be OK. Here is our conversation:

Return #5817 is authorized.

Now that your return has been authorized, please carefully read the following: 

****IMPORTANT****
Your Return # needs to be written clearly in large print on all sides of the package you are shipping back to us, if this is not done then your package will be refused and you will be responsible for shipping it to us again. To expedite your return please ship via FedEx service. Using any other service will add a 1-2 day delay to your return's processing time.
****IMPORTANT**** 

To expedite your return please print this email out and return it with your order you are shipping back to us. 

When you ship the order back to us you need to ship us back everything that was included with the product, this may include but isnt limited to the original box, any paper work, and any parts associated with the product. If the original item package box is not included YOU WILL BE charged a 35.00 dollar flat fee for replacement(s)/repair. If sending a package back for refund you MUST include the original box or the item will be sent back to you or an additional fee will apply. The address you should ship to is listed below: 

Half Price Car Audio
1738 N GREGORY DR
NIXA, MO 65714 
Phone: (877)701-4253 The Issued RA number is good for a 30 day period

So I was happy they where going to take care of me. Then this happened:

Jerome <Jerome@halfpricecaraudio.com> (sent by eirenehifisoundconnection@gmail.com)	Apr 8
to me

Hi,

We appreciate your business with us, but we truly apologize for this inconvenience. As our warehouse was shipping your order out, we noticed that the Kicker CWR12 CompR 12" Car Sub Woofer Speaker 2-Ohms DVC 1600-Watts Peak (40CWR122)  - Closeout was physically damaged and we didn't feel comfortable shipping damaged products out to our valued customers like you. This is currently on back order with no known ETA. However, we would love to offer instead the Kicker CWR12 12 Inch CompR Series 2 Ohm DVC 1000 Watt Peak Power Subwoofer (40CWR122) at no extra charge.

Please see below:
http://www.halfpricecaraudio.com/Kicker-CWR12-12-Inch-CompR-Series-2-Ohm-DVC-1600-Watt-Peak-Power-Subwoofer-40CWR122-KIC13-40CWR12-D2-N.htm

If not, we would love refund your purchase, but before that, would you perhaps be receptive to the idea of putting your order under store credit? The store credit doesn't expire and you can use it to purchase another product altogether from our website!

We'd really love to hold onto this order and take our chances with you, but, of course, we'll be glad to refund your money otherwise.

Thank you! Please let us know how you'd like to proceed.

Have a great day!

-- 

Sincerely,

             JEROME

Department Manager for Customer Service

I was like OK. That's not horrible since they are willing to work with me. But I was concerned since I have two (2) other sub-woofers and was not sure how it would be affected. So I asked,

Jerome,

Thanks for getting back to me. I hope you are having a blessed day. If wanted to take the store credit how much would it be? I only ask because I actually purchased 3. Not sure how that would affect the other 2? Could you explain that? ( How it would effect the other 2)  That would effect my choice.

He replied

Thank you for the response. At the moment, the store credit will be $118.48 for the subwoofer. The subwoofer is exactly the same brand and model and pretty much there would be no difference at all. Please let us know if you are okay with it so we could get this shipped immediately. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

So, First if anyone knows just because they are the same brand does not mean the will perform the same. My speaker that was not working was 1600 peak power. This new one would be a peak power of only a 1000. So I would have to limit the others to a 1000 in fear of blowing the new one. I purchased 1600 watts not a 1000.

Now keep in mind it is taking 2-3 days every time for a response. So I called and spoke with a very very rude lady who told me" I was not getting nothing and no refund. I can have that speaker and that's it". I tried to reason with her but she would not hear it. She kept cutting me off and almost raising her voice at me. I told her I wanted to speak with her manager and she" told me it didn't matter because they are not going to do anything for me either". So in frustration I said thanks, I will just work with Jerome. These next two attempt to reach out did not get a response for almost 2 weeks. 

on April 19 I sent this,

I would be interested in the Kicker ZXS1500.1 Mono Amplifier 1500 Watts ZXS Series (12ZXS15001). What would be my cost difference?

on April 22 I received this:

Hi,

Thanks for your response. Thank you for the message, we will go ahead and submit your refund request to our billing department for processing.

If you need anything else please don't hesitate to contact us through phone or email.

Have a nice day!

On April 27 I sent this because I had no confirmation:

Just checking up on the refund. Any word or when I should receive as well as how?

I then got this the next day:

Thank you for following up! Seems that this has been taken cared of over the phone and you've been inform that we are Beeton the refund range of this order and can only send a replacement for the returned item.

We can ship out the replacement today.  It's the        KIC13-40CWR12-D2-N.

Thank you!

So it seems like the girl who told me I wasn't getting anything was making sure. By now I am speaking with sales not Jerome. So they sent me this sub-woofer I cant use and I'm just out even after they ran me around and said they would refund then it went to store credit to nope you just get this. I recently sent them an email explaining my intentions on a blog and other media awareness this is what they had to say:

This statement is a defamation to our company and is untruthful.
Firstly, you have purchased this item a year ago, we have provided you a replacement even if it is only short of a few days to be 1 year, and will be past warranty. We have never denied you a replacement, the only thing we denied is your request for a refund.

We can not refund an item that had already been used for a year, no store or company has a refund policy that will let customer use the item for a year then if you decide to get a refund after using it, you get it without any contest.

We have followed through all policy that is set by eBay and is in accordance to US Market laws and fair trade.

If in case you will push through all you said in this email, we will make sure to exercise our rights and protect our company to the full extent of the law. We have been in this business for a long time and this isn't the first time that we will be seeing customer in court to persecute those who try to destroy our company with false pretenses.

You still have a store credit on file, that will not expire. We can be civilize, to each other and use that on another item that you might like, just let us know on what item that is, we might throw in a good discount if you ask us kindly.

Thank you!.

Funny thing is that they are threatening me and telling me I can not tell the world how they treated me. "it's not the first time they have taken customers to court" Even more a reason not to do business with them. I would love to go to court. =) Then they tell me that they can not refund because it was over a year. First off, it was not a year, and I only asked for a refund after the said they could not replace what I paid for. After all it was offered to me. 

When it is all said and done, I have several sub-woofers and several amps. I have three vehicles and the all have upgraded sound systems. This sub they sent me is no being used because I have no use for it. Maybe one day I will. But they sent it to me after I asked them not to. And I'm not going to spend more money on shipping to ship it back. 

Mainly I just want to help that young high school kid who saved up all his money mowing lawns so he can make sure to do business when a worthy company. So this is only the beginning. I plan to send the Trade Commission a letter as well as the Attorney General. I won't stop there, Iwill be intouch with the BBB and I will continue to tell everyone as well as make post after post so people know who half price car audio really is. I encourage all who has been treated poorly to do the same. 

Thanks for reading. Please share with friends and family who you think this may help now or in the future. And check out some reviews I found. The link is below. Wow 171 reviews with only 1 star, Ouch!! I guess I'm not the only customer they threatened to take to court...lol


http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Half_Price_Car_Audio