I Tried to Return a Product and I've Got a Life Threat

Recently, I bought a Lifeproof case for my Samsung S8, from Dr. Boom store, located on Bourke St, on Melbourne CBD.
I didn’t try the case in the store, because you are not allowed to do that (I should’ve left the store right there, but instead I purchased the $100 case). I tried the case at home, only to realize it wasn’t a good fit for my phone, the edges where inaccessible, and it felt wobbly inside the case.

Due to work obligations I had to postpone my visit to the CBD to return the case for a few weeks. But I put it back in the original packaging, which is in as new condition.

Before returning to the store, I called the number on the receipt, to ensure an expediated service upon arrival, I explained my situation, they said no problem and connected me to the store, so I could talk directly with them.

Immediately the store clerk said they have a 14-day return policy, I replied Australian law grants 90 day. She said that is a rule of the store and is only 14 days. Short story she wouldn’t budge so I called head office again. After a short conversation they said they will call me in a few minutes.

I receive a call from another store clerk saying no problem, if the product is still in the package and you have the receipt you can return it, I agreed and attend the store after work.

At the store, I was received by both clerks, one of them was quick to say she wouldn’t return the product because it is store policy, again a lot of back and forth, I pointed out, even the receipt says: Store policies can’t contravene Australian laws. One of the clerks concluded: there is nothing we can do, that is Head Office’s order. While the other had the nerve to say You and your laws mean nothing to me. Kind of frustrated and tired of the argument I left the store and called head office again. Explained my situation again.

After an hour of me waiting outside the store I received a call from a Service Manager, who didn’t give me his name.

He made the point that maybe the case is defective, and he could send it back to Lifeproof, to be checked. I wasn’t happy with the solution because it would take an enormous amount of time, so I told him I will reluctantly agree on sending it to the factory, but I will rate his service and describe the treatment I’ve received from the staff at the Bourke St. store, on many forums on internet. He said with these exact words:

“If you say one word about my store online, I have your details, I will find your house and I will go and brake both your arms, if you say anything of this on the Internet I will put you in a bag”.

He then proceeded to hang up on me, I tried to call back to get his name, but now the operator refuses to give me those details.

Related Stores

Dr Boom Communications
Dr Boom Communications

Comments

        • +3

          @ensanguined: gadgets boutique

          it's in the profile. no hiding

        • @Aceboy884: unfortunately aceboy ozbargain is probably the wrong place to be on the retailers side of anything.

        • +1

          @Gallifr3y: LoL yeah I figured

          Such intensity in these debates

          Everyone just need to take a chill pill

  • +5

    What happens to the "fellow bullies" who have been identified with their I.P addresses?

    • +4

      Jack "the snake" Zervos shows up at their house and throws faulty Lifeproof cases at them until they buy them all and keep them, and more importantly they cannot tell anyone. I think Jack Zervos thinks he's Jack Reacher?

      • +7

        Don't forget, he will slow your arms down with brakes.

        • +2

          What I want to know is will be using discs, or pads to brake them?

        • +1

          @buckster:
          From his war cries, I will extrapolate that they are drum brakes.

        • @tshow: couldn't help but lol, nice

  • +6

    Wow I don't post much in the comments, but reading the 1 star reviews on product.com where Mr Boom replied.
    They are all nasty replies, pretty much blaming the customer every time - will never shop there ever!

  • +2

    Here is the man himself doing the threatening if anyone is interested.

    https://au.linkedin.com/in/jack-zervos-036b9313

    "Effective multi-channel business leader and change agent."

    • +1

      His photo is on his own website….

      https://www.execucon.com.au/fasttrack-unfair-dismissal

      • +7

        For some reason, that's exactly how I thought he would look. Picture that guy with a red face boiling with anger, sweat beads slowly forming on his forehead and under his arms while he frantically types out death threats in anger. Its all making sense now…

        Looks like Jack broke one of his golden rules on that website:

        "Pick your battles and only fight the ones that will make you or save you money not the ones that will cost you…. "

        Also why in the hell does that URL have the words "unfair dismissal" in it?
        https://www.execucon.com.au/fasttrack-unfair-dismissal

        ????

        • +3

          Haha same.

          Definitely a case of short man syndrome.

      • +2

        Looks like someone who drives a white van slowly down suburban streets.

      • +2

        By combining demonstrable corporate and commercial success, formal relevant education and qualifications with access to a network of other professional services providers that individually you may not have the size or opportunity to engage with our team delivers solutions to the many and varied organisational challenges you would normally face in isolation or simply hope go away, but never do!

        Wtf?

      • Have a look at the contact page. It has his mobile number and address! Hahaha!

        • +1

          Imagine what he is already signed up for

        • Think website is down. I can't access it. Is it just me?

        • +1

          @WishIHadAfridge:
          try desktop, i couldnt access from mobile

      • +5

        He's kinda like a moderately tanned George Costanza

        • LOL

      • My god, that is a really terrible website.

    • “Activity
      Desth by leadership”

      Jack liked this.

      LOL

  • +8

    I have also arranged for 10,000 flyers to be printed with this message and your photo and these will be distributed throughout the Melbourne CBD in the next week.

    Surely if he really has lawyered up, his lawyer would advise him to not dig himself into a bigger hole?

    • Plot twist: Solicitor Millis Oakley is actually OP.

  • +2

    All the best OP, keep us updated when you can! Will be avoiding Dr Boom stores now for sure!

    • Should tack on fraud for unlikelihood of being a real doctor as well.

  • +8

    Read the latest review. Someone posted this review (read the end)

    Darcy says NO MORE to Bullies like Dr Boom Communications

    There are forums for consumer complaints to be heard and social media or the internet is INDEED one of them!

    The Bourke Street Google Review page has been bombarded by a spate of 1 star reviews instigated by our inability to do our job in a timely or professional manner

    I fully intend to print NO LESS THAN TEN FLYERS AND DISTRIBUTE THEM AROUND THE PRACTICE LETTING EVERYONE KNOW THAT THEY DO NOT SELL NOKIA 3310 CASES AT THIS LOCATION

    • +1

      Haha…Dr Darcy McArsey. Love it!

      • +3

        I lost my marbles. I was on the floor laughing.

        Read the one under Darcy

        It's a 1 star review by Mr "Jack Jervos" looking for a doctor

        😂😂😂

    • +13

      And on one of their other stores someone posted this, too funny!

      Had a bad buying experience at this store. Bought a faulty Lifeproof cover and was told "no refunds". Dr Boom himself approached me in this store while I was shopping and told me "boom, boom, boom, boom, I want you in my room" while brushing up against me. I was extremely distressed and my child now has nightmares about the Vengaboys.
      Thanks for nothing!

      • How come very similar case with op? LifeProof case again what's so good about it I wonder.

  • +6

    I'm gonna have fun with this guy. LOL

    Cow dung will be coming to his mailboxes soon

    • Hypothetically, how does one do this?

      • +3

        http://sendshit.com.au but they want $35, you could do it yourself cheaper.

        • $35? That was my budget for sending $0.01 parcels to a certain Gerry.

        • i can't believe there are company that relies on sending manures across the country and make a living out of that

      • +1

        Wrap the poop in glad wrap and ship it to him in an express post satchel. I have plenty of cow poop and work has plenty of express satchels. My mate once did it to me for being a terrible wingman when approaching the girl of his dreams and her mates

        Gonna Call a stripper to his location.

  • +7

    I had the exact same situation when I had issues with a life proof case a year or two ago. kicked me out of the store and purposely damaged it further himself while demonstrating how I misused causing the breakage (which I never did)…. I still feel angry about it and I wish there was a way for me to show how screwed the store is

    • +3

      If you post a review on Google, he is offering $100 if you post your receipt number -maybe this is your chance of getting your money back.

      • I will happily post a review but I don't have a receipt as it was quite a while ago which involved moves and everything. I think I got rid of it when I gave up on pursuing it. I could probably find the transaction on my bank statement

      • +7

        I have a higher chance of getting my full rune that was meant to be trimmed 12 years ago, than ever seeing the $100.

  • +1

    Make more sense to pay by credit card. You can lodge a charge back request to your bank.

  • +19

    Omg the reviews are epic

    I purchased a headset from this store for my young son to listen to his favourite music on plane flights. The headset failed after 1 month. I took it to the store and Dr Boom grabbed the headset off me and licked both the earplugs, handing it back to me and told me "they don't call me the master of boom, boom for nothing". I had to cover my sons eyes and we both hightailed it out of the store while Dr Boom stood there staring at us. Incredibly creepy! Avoid this place!!

  • +6

    something that this jack zervos guy is about to learn about the internet:
    http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/913/758/a12…

  • +18

    This company seems to breach their own privacy policy which is rather concerning.

    " We won’t sell or give away your name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number or any other information to anyone. "

    https://www.drboom.com.au/company_privacy_policy.html

    Yet on product reviews (https://www.productreview.com.au/p/dr-boom-communications.ht…) so many of the reviews have been responded to with a full name (that differs from the productreview account name).

  • +3

    Oh wow. Checked out their product review page and the tone of his response to bad reviews even a year back supports your story.

    • +1

      and all recent excellent reviews are very weird

  • +5

    Good on you OP. Stand up to bullies like this guy… Dr Boom no more

  • +3

    …what a read! :)

    • +6

      meh, its 2018, i have plenty of choice and i vote with my wallet. if your store is expensive with poor customer service, ill go elsewhere, and ill tell as many people as i can along the way. if you want my money, you better be prepared to work hard for it.

      • -6

        The OP threatened the company with bad feedback, he is no better then they are . This is also only the ops side of the story.

        If it's law and they will not accept the return go to fair trading and lodge your case.

        • Assuming OPs story is how it's written above, I would not say that is threatening.

          Telling someone you are going to publish your bad experience is just being upfront.

  • +10

    This is how you go from Boom to Bust.

  • +1

    Boom crash opera

  • +1

    Don't we have a media personnel amongst us who can just publish an article?

  • +9

    Looks like legit reviews get $100.. should I post a new bargain?

    "If you are a legitimate Dr Boom Customer then please post your receipt number onto this review, email us your contact details through our web contact page and we will arrange for $100.00 to be deposited into your nominated account within 24 hours with our thanks and sincere apologies.."

    https://www.google.com.au/search?client=ms-android-optus-au&…

  • +11

    I think it's disgusting that they're posting the full names of those who write bad reviews about them.

    Thanks OP, you've done the OzB community a good turn by letting us know not to use this rude, rubbish company. They're the real bullies.

  • +14

    You never know what's going on behind the scenes. There could be a boss-level character called Dr Doom that has authority over Dr Boom. Dr Boom may have been told by Dr Doom that if he doesn't threaten someone's life then he and his family will see the same fate.

    But don't go all judgmental on Dr Doom. There could be an even more miserable guy above him called Dr Gloom that issued the same threat to Dr Doom.

    And all along, little did we know that Dr Gloom is OP's estranged father, who unbeknownst to the greater community, lost his medical licence for performing medical research on his own son that caused irreversible amnesia.

    Product Review Rating for the Human Race: 4 stars

    • +5

      Sounds like a premise for a 2D indie game.

      Setting - accessories shop.

      Play 8bit music. Protaganist hurriedly enter from screen left. Dialogue triggered.

      "Hello sir", the explanation of an ill fitting phone case ensues. The room darkens. Red lights pulse rhythimically. It is a siren.

      "I will brake your soul!". An ominous laugh resonates against the walls. Ricky is outgunned. The five foot Dr Boom morphs instantly into a towering behemoth, spikes adorn pierced flesh. Dr Boom is no more. Ricky now faces Dr Doom.

      "A hopeless situation", Ricky thought to himself.

      Dr Doom makes his first move. A quick swipe from the gargantuan clawed right hand. Ricky does not cower. He makes no futile attempt to cling onto the mortal coil. Expecting a sharp pain and the finality of death, Ricky lets out his final sigh.

      No pain. No impact. No claws.

      Ricky opens his eyes expecting to see the unknown of the afterlife but he was meant with the flickering fluorescent lights of the shop, just as it was when he first entered. Dr Doom nowhere to be seen. Only a phone lying face up and on its screen reads, "call ended".

      Screen fades into darkness. The game starts.

      • this is the first time i've ever pleasured myself to an ozbargain comment

        • You've clearly not come across a great bargain.

  • I seriously think they are linked to some shady underworld business. OP do you have security cameras at home?

    • Probably store front for some bikies gangs. Money laundering in progress.

  • +3

    Dr. Boom is obviously a scam. For one, he's not even a real doctor!

  • +2

    Funny to see the march 18 and march 20 comments are 5 stars, new accounts and same avatar icons, they were happy with the service. Gold star.

  • +1

    Buy LifeProof case it comes with life threats.. How ironic. This store destroys the brand name the case company has built for years.

    • Actually, nah. The brand is awesome, albeit their manufacurting process can be tighter. Their cases potentially require an exchange to get the right fit but LifeProof has been an easy bunch to deal with. No idea why the retailer(s) make it sound like it's a huge inconvenience (especially since they have to do it anyway so may as well do it with a smile).

      • +1

        probably because dr boom is not an authorised reseller? so they have to wear the cost of any exchange or loss? what do people think?

  • Deal Extreme or Ebay for mobile cases. $3 a case for leather look cases and they look great.

  • as cases go this one takes the biscuit..

  • -7

    Oh wow, you people giving him negative reviews based on this experience is quite unfair to be honest. If you genuinely have a bad experience then by all means post your side of it and give that 1 star that really means nothing in the end. The funny thing is the owner retaliated and probably shot himself in the foot. Calling out his full name and all is quite unprofessional and probably just as bad as giving negative reviews when never even setting a foot in the store.

    • +2

      I don't think people are giving bad reviews Judy because of this one story. We are mad because the way he has been reacting to people in such unprofessional way all these years. Besides this is not the first time on ozbargain anyway.

      It is all over due for such reckoning like lol.

    • I absolutely agree with you, that is unfair. However, after looking through a bunch of the latest reviews on DR Boom's Product Review page, quite a few of them are from users with only one review which is slightly suspicious regarding these sorts of things. Even one person brought up this issue and the owner didn't deny it.

      Another thing I just checked. They have more reviews than Target and Kmart, what are the odds? I've emailed ProductReview.com to look into this but very happy to be proven wrong though if their reviews are found legitimate.

      • Put it through the the ACCC. They have been big on this thing lately.

        • +1

          put them on the checkouts FUTUBE.

    • Wouldn't the same thing apply if you actually have a good experience then post 5 stars. Have a read at earlier comments about fabricated reviews on product review from the owner giving himself 5 stars

      • They are indeed fake and not faking them, though I would say we should not be hypocritical and not post reviews that are not based on our own experience. In any case you are probably more likely to get legitimate bad reviews than good one. Whats the saying? Have a good experience tell one person.. have a bad one tell 15? If I see something that has glowing reviews I always smell bullshit anyways.. especially if it came from google or facebook

        • Most people don't look at the reviews. They have a quick glance at the over all score. His overall on product review is 4.9

          I say destroy his Google rating

        • I'd encourage you to read the next comment down which links to a previous post where Dr boom themselves decided to comment (and sock puppet)

  • +10

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/165479 Looks like it’s not the first time they’ve had trouble reported here. This is old and OP on the old thread has been a member for a long time.

    • It would be interesting if he posted their side of the story here again.

      • As always posting their side will only make it worse for them. Dunno why people so desperate to give their side as it almost ways backfires

        • I think it’s ok to provide an alternative side but he needs to do it with a better attitude. There’s been public examples in the past where customers have done what OP has done but the public had sided with the business due to the way the business had handled it.

          It’s ironic that the business is called Dr Boom communications considering how “well” the manager / owner has communicated.

          He needs to hire a CX or PR consultant as well as reassess how he does business as he seems to be his own worst enemy right now. I would’ve doubted OPs story initially if it wasn’t for the overwhelming evidence that’s in his response over the years.

          Presenting customers’ private information in public is a major no no. That in itself would stop most people shopping there if the word got out.

    • +1

      Ah so this is not new. Dr boom had this rude mentality since 2015. Well surprise they still exist till now. Very aggressive responses toward customers. And faking reviews are his trademark…… pathetic.

      Hey someone (or op) should contact today's tonight or current affair… Let's put the end to this mob, selling counterfeit at shopping mall and charge full price. Yeahhhh

      • +1

        agreed, these bullies need to be stopped.

    • +7

      Haha. OP is definitely one of THOSE customers.

      One of those customers who wants what they paid for to work as expected? How dare OP.

      if it's not faulty and you simply change your mind, you are not entitled to a refund

      There was a fault.

      Welcome to Australia, it's a phone case, who spends $100 on a phone case

      What does Australia have to do with this? People can spend however much they want on their phone accessories regardless of where they are located.

        • +3

          The OP said it wasn't a good fit, not that it was faulty. Point being, I highly doubt it wasn't a good fit or faulty as Lifeproof cases for $100 are normally top notch.

          Lifeproof cases normally are good, but as OP mentioned Lifeproof admitted that the case did indeed have issues with its fit and was replaced with a revised model by Lifeproof at no cost to OP.

        • Tsk tsk at all the people commenting on here saying its change of mind and "no fault"

        • +1

          Are you the guy thats been throwing death threats?

  • -1

    Hopefully they from dr boom to dr bust. Reminds me of a computer shop I once went to with 3 letters (surprisingly, not MSY).

    • +2

      Nah, msy give minimal service, few mistakes, but they are not rude arrogant or threatening customers. and the most important, they sell cheap. Really cheap. I've been to few brick stores where they just couldn't match msy prices let alone beat.

Login or Join to leave a comment