Okay so here's what happened....
A few weeks ago, Pam showed me a pretty sweet deal in Metrodeals. It was a 700 + GB external hard disk drive for only roughly around P2599.
Since we did have some good experience with Metrodeals, we knew that it was a steal. I wouldn't have agreed though if not for a fact that it was a good place to store my Xbox 360 games. So anyway, Pam paid for the hdd through her credit card and time passed.
We sent an email to the email add that was specified in the group buying website. It was obvious naman that once the deal is closed Metrodeal's participation was going to simmer down to a "middleman" but the talks for this deal would be between all buyers and SMPinoy Gadyet Centre...
We got a reply which was saying something like this:
"We starting delivery 2 weeks after redemption date (July9) but it depends on your reservation number/batch. Thank you!"
Okay fine, medyo snobbish pa yung dating ng email. Siguro nga wala pa talaga silang stock and siguro sa dami ng nagoorder sa kanila talagang naubusan sila and as such needed to do a batch by batch delivery system.
In between that week and today, a lot of things have happened; we slaved on a website, we worked pretty hard on other stuff, I covered and wrote good stuff on my blog and on Flipgeeks and so on and so forth. Bottomline, nakalimutan ko na yung tungkol sa HDD.
Today while here at work, Pam IM'ed to remind me of that awful, awful deal. Being that I was busy....
Yeah, that would be me, but replace science with blogging and internet culture then that's totally me.
... I was surprised to see the Facebook fanpage for SMPinoy Gadyet Center that there is a huge number of people who are really starting to get pissed at these guys. Apparently while I was PATIENTLY waiting for my HDD under the belief that there really was a batch delivery system, the other buyers were getting worried.
They had every right after all. Hindi madaling makapulot ng almost P3,000 to buy something. Yung 3k na yun marami ng mararating yun like 3 months worth of grocery or even 2 month's electric bill payment. O kaya pambaon ng mga bata.
Here's an example of comments/ violent reactions coming from other buyers such as myself and Pam...
"Drear SMP - I have dealt with Metrodeal a lot before and this is the first time that a merchant/vendor is not so easy to deal with. The voucher said Jul 9 to Aug 9. And then you said 4th week of July. It's already the end of the month. You should have correctly set the expectations of your customers. You should not have engaged in this kind of group buying business if you could not keep up with the volume. Please make sure you deliver or give us full refund with INTEREST."
(did not bother editing or proofreading this, sorry XD)
Pam also tried to send them an email. Here's what they had to say...
":Hi, Good day! We apologize you about what happened there's a little delay on the next batches and one of you there. and we will assure you that you will get your item by Aug 2nd-3rd week we will keep u updated by date and tracking no.We appreciate your extended patience and understanding regarding minor delays for deliveries. thanks and God bless! "
*sigh*
Nothing we can do about this at the moment. All we really can do and hope that this is not going to a scam. Medyo curious lang din ako what are the measures that Metrodeal is taking? After all it's also their name on the line. I mean shitty ang Deal Dozen in terms of their HR (Yes, I'm looking at you "HR") but I haven't heard of anybody complaining so blatantly and angrily for one of their messed up deals.
Calling them out for their lack of foresight in providing good answers for their customers and for their lackadaisical excuses. Ano to? Basta delayed lang, wala kayong maibigay na rason? O baka naman....
I'm going to look past their ineptitude for this (although I'm still calling them inept) and wait for two more weeks. Then lets see what happens...
i would like to know other possible victims. as of last friday, 03 august 2012 - i have enough! they request that messages be placed on private comment but i was blocked for being frank!
ReplyDeletePlease visit, like, and share this page. So we could have a listing of all possible victims like me.
oopss...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/victimsofMetrodealSmpinoygadyet
one of you ser.
ReplyDeletedito ako tumatambay to keep myself posted:
https://www.facebook.com/victimsofMetrodealSmpinoygadyet
ano na move natin?
siya nga pala ser,
ReplyDeletewag niyo delete ung mga email\chat\text history nyo. baka magamit natin yan.
been trying to contact them today coz they told me that mine would be shipped today but no luck.
they're not answering their phone nor answering my text.
with regards naman po sa metrodeal, meron silang terms and conditions saying na di sila liable sa kahihinatnan sa deal between the merchant and the customer (correct me if im wrong pero un pagkakaintindi ko), pero sna naman may magawa sila sa problemang ito kasi unang una makakaladkad pangalan nila.
hope we can get our item before this voucher expires or just want my money back!
ako din i was a victim.. i bought 2 HDs. i already filed a complaint to DTI.
ReplyDeletehere's their email add.
dtincrlegal@yahoo.com
Please try to report them your sentiments about SMPinoy Gadget so that they can prioritize our complaints.
they've already replied to my mail saying that:
" Good day Sir/Madam,
This to acknowledge receipt of your complaint subject to evaluation/action within 2 weeks from this date.
You may follow-up at 811 8231, look for Flor/Marly."
Hi, I'm so glad that I'm not the only one experiencing this. In a way, it fortifies my chances of somehow getting my money back. This has been a really bad experience and has really blurred the chances of my ever engaging in group-buying or any other online shopping in the future.
ReplyDeleteTheir horrible grammar, I can put up with, but this low quality of service bordering on scam is intolerable! My only assurance is that they still try to reply to complaints, because a real scammer wouldn't even bother.
Metrodeal is equally liable if this turns out to be a scam. They should disclose the owners of SM Pinoy Gadyet so that we can check the legality of its business as well as the immigration status of the owners, being an Indian national. We can have this swindler deported.
ReplyDeleteLet us see what DTI can do. If this will not be resolved by DTI, the other option is to file a case against Metrodeal and SMP. We will need the services of a lawyer then.
ReplyDeleteCount me in. I'm one of you who have purchased such HD.
ReplyDeleteHi guys, this is Gelene, actually I'm from the MetroDeal support team, we sent an advisory out to all buyers that the hard drive delivery is currently still underway as there was a recent delay due to monsoon and very bad weather. We expect that all units would be shipped within 2-3 weeks. My apologies for the delay and we will have a special surprise for every buyer as an added bonus for the long wait. Regardless if it's Manila Ocean Park, Splash Island, Star City or any other deals featured in MetroDeal, we always ensure that all deals are executed as good as possible :) You can also contact me directly at gelene.deocampo@metrodeal.com but I will be checking in here daily to give a comment on any questions that should arise. :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Gelene,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the added bonus (I don't want to act rude but the surprise of buying this Western Digital HDD is too much, I can't afford another surprise) but all we want is our purchased item - that is in good condition. I was thinking what if the item sent to us, after few weeks or months isn't working the way it's used to be or is defective but still covered by warranty, we will send it back to smpinoy right?
and then what? we will again wait for another lifetime before we can get our item back?
Speaking for myself, I really don't need tickets to Star City or Manila Ocean Park at the moment. All I need is that HDD...
ReplyDeleteHi @ Wilhelm & Thefanboyseo: This is Gelene again, thanks for the comments! We are pushing now for delivery within 1-2 weeks. In any case, what's your direct contact email address, so I can in the meanwhile trace you in our system and make sure the delivery address is correct so that it would be delivered right away. Pick up option would also be available. There is a 1 year warranty on the drive, so in case you experience any issue, just email me as well (gelene.deocampo@metrodeal.com) and an exchange would be arranged :)
ReplyDeletehi ms gelene,, ask ko lang kung pwde ba kyo mag post ng mga contact numbers ng sm pinoygadyet or kahit na sino na pwde makausap??
ReplyDeletewla rin kwenta ka email yan si Gelene Deocampo. nagbigay ng email add hindi naman marunong sumagot, same sa contact number ng SMpinoy. guys ano plan nyo dito? Im going to file a complaint sa DTI, if no resolution lawsuit nlng.
ReplyDeleteAko I'm prepping up my destruction derby on SMPInoy if they fail to deliver. Also having my fiancee start her official complaint to Metrodeal and SMPinoy.
ReplyDeleteWe must prepare a general list of victims/complainants who are willing to file a case against SMP/Metrodeal for FRAUD/SWINDLING (elements of which are present) so that we can ascertain the number of victims and the amount of damages that we will be seeking. If they will not deliver, I see no other way to resolve this case but through the courts.
ReplyDeletei agree with you matt...i knew it this would be a scam,,kasi nang makita ko umabot na nang 100 plus ang bumili eh nagduda nko..kaso nkbli nko nun,,,eh ngayon umabot na ng 1200 ang bumili so times 2600..nkaka badtrip tlga!!
ReplyDeleteIndividually, they can just choose to ignore us. They are confident that no one will be able to file a case considering the value of the item involved (PHP 2599). But as a group, this will be a completely different ball game wherein we can pool our resources to file a case in court where they will have no recourse but to answer the subpoena. I will start a signature campaign after 24 August 2012 for this purpose. Hoping for everybody's support and cooperation. It is high time to kick A#$3s!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely with you guys on this.
ReplyDeleteHad that same horrible experience with SM PinoyGadyet! >.< I definitely will support you guys.
ReplyDeleteAny news on your end guys? I'm still waiting for my order. Still no news from SMPinoy.
ReplyDeleteMay isang naka-receive na DAW ng item sabi niya. Pero sa tingin ko taga METRODEAL yun o kaya TAGA SMPGC yun.
ReplyDeletePls. relay your complaints to: NBI-Computer Crimes Unit Head Migdonio Congzon Jr.
ReplyDeleteNBI Anti-Fraud and Action Division
Tel #s: 5238231 to 38 locals 3491 or 3456, or the Computer Crimes Division at locals 3454 or 3455.
This is NBI's reply to my complaint.
ReplyDelete*********************
We acknowledge your complaint sent thru email, however we appreciate if you can dropby our office here at Computer Crimes Unit, NBI Taft Ave. to submit your affidavit including those of other victims if interested to file the case.
If you have other concerns please free to call us at 5238231 local 3455.
Agent Filipinas Silva-Astrero
CCU-NBI
To Those who Would Like to Put an End to this Issue Once and for ALL and in light of latest developments, let us now involve the NBI who are enjoining victims to file an affidavit of complaint in their Taft Av Office. Please send ur name, email, contact number, address, contact number, security code, voucher code to Mr. Generic Rivera ASAP for the creation of a masterlist of complainants or if you prefer, post them here minus the security code and voucher code for the time being. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi. Im also a victim of this scam (well i suppose it is by now). I have tried calling the numbers printed on the voucher but i never got thru. I also got the same replies but i never heard from them again. Have any of you tried going to their shop/warehouse in pasay? im planning to visit their place just so to confirm if they are really existing. Im with you in filing a complaint against SM Pinoy Gadyet Center. Lets keep each other posted thru this site. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt, I'll have my fiancee file because she's the one who ordered the HDD on Metrodeals.
ReplyDeleteHi Thefanboyseo...pleasure to be of help....we were left in the dark and given the runaround too long already. Our motto now would be "the more, the merrier!" Thank you also for providing the "venue."
ReplyDeleteinitially, please e-mail your complaints sa NBI : ccu_afad@nbi.gov.ph or afad@nbi.gov.ph
ReplyDeleteATTN: Agent Filipinas Silva-Astrero
cc: NBI-Computer Crimes Unit Head Migdonio Congzon Jr.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAko din, naloko din ako. Hindi na din matawagan yung cp nila. :(
ReplyDeleteI have experience the same thing. Is there anyone here na nakarecieve na ng unit?
ReplyDeleteHi Mary GC, any update on your plan to visit their office? Have you confirm the existance of thier office?
Hi Matt balitaan mo din kami kung ano latest sa NBI. Sana sugurin na nila yun mga tga SM Pinoy Gadyet na yan.
This is becoming more of a scam because SMP on its fb page, up until now, Sep.01, is using the 1750 Park Avenue Mansion, Pasay City address despite knowingly leaving that place of business and without providing the correct forwarding address. Obviously, Metrodeal is aware of this as when the deal was advertised/offered, this address is still being used by SMP (despite last being seen there in May). Abandoning the place of business surreptitiously is an evidence of intent to defraud buyers. If they will continue to hide, Metrodeal will bear the brunt.
ReplyDeleteWill just inform you guys on the progress of our complaint with the NBI.
I'm with you guys, add me to the list of complainants
ReplyDeleteGot mine today 09-04-12 around 1-2pm. Received an EMAIL from Metrodeal last night to pickup my item in there office at makati. If i can post there email i will but i dont know how. Ive also met 2 other victims of this SMPinoy. Gladly yes its a 1TB WD external HDD, size of a 2.5" HDD enclosed to be external, no power supply, just the supplied usb cable would do. Upon talking to a Metrodeal agent, something went bad with the deal between SMPinoy & the supplier, now since Metrodeal is involve bigtime they are the one who fixed the issue with the supplier. I dont know if i will belive them, but what the hell right. According to Metrodeal the item itself has a 7days replacement warranty & 3months hardware warranty, & they are the one who is responsible for the warranty meaning SILA NA ANG KAUSAP KO, SMPinoy is out of the picture dito. For the people who wants their unit ASAP please call this number, its Metrodeal new Phonenumber DAW 8231955 or EMAIL wd-deal@metrodeal.com (as you can see @metrodeal yan at galing pa yan mismo kay SMPinoy). I hope everyone gets their HDD, pero sana MAGSARA na kayo SMPinoy, p***n*i*a hassel ang binigay nyo samin!!!!
ReplyDeleteFor all the items are now being handled by Metrodeal, just got mine earlier, will post as soon as i have some time
ReplyDeletegood day mga bro,,,i just got mine this afternoon,,and they made it 1TB lieu of the 750GB w/c we originally purchased due to the delay in shipment... antay antay lng ng konti..
ReplyDeletehi guys, the HDDs have been delivered na nga raw but I'm hearing buzz na sobrand defective daw nung mga binibigay na products.
ReplyDeleteoo nga..ung skin defective,,sa una nka pag transfer pko ng mga files,,tpos bigla nlng ayaw na tangapin sa hdd..til now ginagawan ko pa ng paraan,,pero itatawag ko na to bukas,,kkainis,,hassle nanaman mag pa replace nito,,bwisit!!
ReplyDeletehi guys,,ung na receive ko defective,,sa una ayos pa sya nkatransfer pko ng files,,tpos nung ittransfer ko n ung pang tatlo file ko eh ayaw na tanggapin ng hdd..wala tlga sa ayos,,sobra hassle nman to gngawa nila satin,,kaya dnko bbli sa metrodeal,,mas mabuti pa mag tpidpc..kakabwisit!!
ReplyDelete@Thefanboyseo
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean na defective ung HDD? like it needs RMA for the HDD, or read/write failure na? Im running a software right now to check if this HDD from them is defective nga or hindi, but it would take a day before it finish.
The HDD that i got was DEFINITELY DEFECTIVE. It has 83.5% bad sectors, meaning to say more than half you wont even use it properly. First thing I notice was its getting an error of read/write failure when transferring a folder over 4GB. Since the HDD was pre-configured to FAT32 I opted to format it to NTFS. It failed BIG time, ive used Swissknife(a known software to format an HDD) & the hardcore stuff like formatting using command prompt, whenever you format it to NTFS it wont even initialize, thats the time I run the HDD check using HD Tune Pro & found all those bad sectors. Now ive called Metrodeal, what they have said is "wala po kami replacement as of the moment since lahat ng HDD ay sakto sa lahat ng customers" meaning wala sila spare stock for the people na may sira ang HDD. I really cant express what i felt to them & to the situation. The person that i spoke to said that their IT people will check the HDD if its really defective or not, she cant even give me an exact time how long it would take, but using my old Pentium4 desktop computer would only take a day or half, if it was found that it was really defective they would REFUND what i paid but it'll take ONE or TWO WEEKS! Crap! It was a good deal that's the reason why i purchased the item, now you are telling me that all those time that i waited was wasted. I should have spend that money to something else much more worth it compare to this. All what happend to SMPinoy & Metrodeal was a waste of money & especially time. I will still push through my complain to DTI & file legal matters to this incident, for sure they will hear from me in the near future.
ReplyDeleteHello po. Meron pa po bang d nakakareceive ng Hard disk nila? Kasi yung sa akin wala pa rin po hanggang ngayon. I really don't know what to do. I can't contact SM Pinoy anymore.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone!! I just got my WD HDD yesterday morning, 09/10/12. When I got it, I was able to transfer a file but then the file could not be read. I then proceeded to create a new folder but it shows an error message that says: "Error 65535." I then decided to format the HDD, but it won't format. So I went to the WD website where I saw that the actual physical attributes and the model number of the HDD I got do not correspond to the right harddisk on the site. Deciding to be cautious, I downloaded the formatting software from the WD website and the program cannot scan the HDD. The HDD shows up on Windows Explorer but the program cannot detect it.
ReplyDeleteThis is obviously a scam. We should not allow ourselves to be duped by anyone from Metrodeal or SMPinoy. I will join you guys if you decide to pursue the complaint against Metrodeal and SMPinoy. I am near NBI Taft.
This is the WD website for portable HDDs: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/external/portable/
good day guys!!! i also received my HDD last sept 5, but it was defected so i send an email to metrodeal regarding my queries,they told me to bring the unit on their office in makati,,so i did..the IT and employees are very accommodating. the IT checked my HDD and found out defective so he told me that due to limited stocks delivered from the suppliers they dont have a replacement as of that day and they dont know when is the next shipment and they dont know if it will be working properly,,so i just opted for a refund...because its all a waste of time to wait again...
ReplyDeleteI went directly for a refund after hearing the awful news. Sayang lang ang time na naspend nating lahat pero let's all charge it to experience na lang. At least may 1k mahigit na iiwas na sa Metrodeal from now on.
ReplyDeletethere are really fakes portable hard drive in the market especially on portable WD. Try to check this link, worst case, baka ganito laman ng hard disk niyo.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/what-s-really-inside-a-fake-western-digital-portable-hard-drive
Meron ba ditong naghihintay pa rin ng refund for the 1TB WD External Hard Drive na PROVEN DEFECTIVE? Nagstart i-process yung refund ko nung oct 29, 2012 pa and they said it will only take 30-45 days! Up until now wla pa rin! Monetary refund ang sakin pero pinipilit nila na baka pwede metrodeal credits na lang to buy other items, sabi ko sa knila kung ok lang sila?! With the experience i had with them sa palagay nila magiging customer pa nila ko? Hell no! almost 3 months nako naghihintay ng refund. pag tumatawag ako sa kanila puro paasa lang sinasabi ng refund officer na si Kim Ramos, kesyo nasa accounting dept na daw nila at wala pa daw sila feedback etc. Every week ako mag follow up, wla pa rin.. mkapag file na nga ng complain sa dti.. hayyy sobrang hassle!
ReplyDeletenakapagsend na ba kyo ng complaint sa dti? I just found out last month(July 2013) na fake pala ung HD na napurchase thru Metrodeal. During the first months na ginamit ung HD, laging nag-eerror kaya finoformat ko sya lagi. April 2013, humingi na ko ng support sa Western Digital, and they found out na ung HD is fraud and advise me to contact kung san ko sya nabili for refund. When I contact Metrodeal sabi sa akin ezpire na daw ung warranty. They will not issue refund daw. It is between the Merchant and me. Naghahanap ako ng email or any contact number ng Merchant pero wala ako makita. May nakapagrefund na ba sa inyo?
ReplyDelete