Ivana's Trunk

Review: Over the years,I have purchased many items from [redacted], the owner of Ivana's Trunk in Mequon, Wisconsin. It has always been full to overflow of items. The overflow products are in boxes lined up along the front desk on the floor. Some boxes are sitting on cushions of chairs and ottomans just waiting for someone to go through them and price them. I was always rather shocked at the quantity of boxes jammed full to the brim of what seemed like nice Knick Knacks, etc. I have purchased 2 couches, a large amount of crystal glasses, statues and two purses along with inexpensive jewelry. I have enjoyed browsing and my purchases. [redacted] apologized when I told her I tripped over a box placed in middle of floor in back. I grabbed a table to block my fall. On February 9, '14, I picked up 3 vases that didn't sell. I also purchased $56.00 worth of goods. It was 2:00pm and [redacted], the owner wasn't there, but her helper was. I said that I had a silver plate standing casserole plate in my car in a brown bag with my name on the bag. "Could I leave it with you today, as I may not be able to get here for a week or so." The lady said "Yes, and I will tell [redacted] about it later today." I thought it would get a high price as it was silver plate. I again wrote my name on the brown bad on one side. [redacted] knows me and has my ph number because I have an account w/her and I have sold 1 or 2 items. I called on Tuesday Feb. 11 at 1pm and [redacted] wasn't there. I told another lady that I left an item in a brown bag and described the casserole dish. I never heard from [redacted] and I left town the last week of February for 5 weeks. I just assumed I would be assigned a number and on April 4, 2014, I phoned and got [redacted] herself. She had no memory of my silver plated dish. "But we are V busy this time of year." She told me she located my card in her rolodex. "I will call you soon."It is May 6th and no call from [redacted]. I guess she wants me to forget my ornate, silver plated standing casserole. I want my fee if it sold. This is a scam.Desired Settlement: Ivana's Trunk is not a Revdex.com member. I hope my true complaint will help others. The bookkeeping is sloppy and what about all those boxes that were there whenever I went in to shop.I want my item back. I want a payment what it is worth. Or I want to be given something of equal value. Maybe my silver casserole made it to someone's Easter Sunday dining table. This was my mother's. I tried to call three more times after April 4th. Each time I got [redacted] and she stated, they were still trying to find it

Business

Response:

I want to thank Ms. [redacted] for calling attention to her silverplate casserole. We handle thousands of items a year in the store as well as doing estate sales and clean outs for our clients. It is unusal that we cannot locate an item for a client. I have been in touch with her regarding her item and honestly, it has been misplaced within the store. We are still trying to locate the casserole and would welcome a visit from her to see if she can find it. If she is unsuccessful in identifying it, we most certainly will compensate her for it. However, the replacement value will be based on current market value price. But I believe she needs to come to the store and take a look around first. I would like to remind Ms. [redacted] that we have been very flexible with her and her items in the past. We have allowed her to pick up her items beyond the date allowed by the consignment agreement which she signed. Certainly she could have more patient with us as we have been with her.

Never again will I conduct business with Ivana's Trunk. I contacted Ivana's trunk to sell antique glass plates. The record keeping for this business is atrocious, and she does not take responsibility for activity at her store. Her excuses with me were: 1) We use a paper filing system and it's not updated yet, 2) The item is somewhere in the store - it's the seller's responsibility to find it, 3) The item was probably stolen, or 4) A customer switched tags and that's why the item sold for less money.

The owner picked up the items from my home and issued a Consignment Agreement on May 16, 2014. She did not complete the "Agreed Sales Price" column which I now reflect was odd. The items were placed for sale at her business located at 6835 West Mequon Road. Sellers beware - at 120 days (to the day) any items remaining become her property. However, if you attempt to pick your item up after the required 90 days display period . . . you may not be able to find it in the store. At this point a clerk may tell you, "Perhaps the item was stolen, or maybe sold, I can't tell from the files what happened. Come back in a few days and talk to the owner."

From what I can discern, every item has a tag which lists the contract date, price, item count, and customer ID. When the item is sold, this tag is pulled and taped to a page in a 3 ring binder, which identifies the customer ID. I'm guessing these tags are pulled on a monthly basis, commission calculations are made, and a check is sent to the seller. It's the method a person running a garage sale would use . . . not something a business should adopt.

Here's what happened in my case. I stopped on September 7 to visit the store for the first time. The only comment I can make . . . the place is an absolute mess that is stuffed with items. At that time I chose to pull my items from her store (I had not visited it before). Well, only some of them could be found. Of course, all items were plateware of the exact same design. I took what I could find from the store. For the item not found, I was advised the status of the item was unknown. I saw the clerk look in the 3 ring binder and no tag was on my page - which indicated the item did not sell.

The following Monday (September 9) I call the owner who advises, "Oh your item was sold. You will get a check at the end of this month or next month. I'm not certain when." If I had not raised questions at the store a few days before . . . would I have received a check? Who knows. Clerks at the store seem to have zero authority, and any question regarding consignments is directed to the owner. She seems to hold all the reins; that's never a good sign.

The checked arrived on October 23. The item "sold" was actually one of the items I retrieved from the store. It was priced lower than the item physically sold. I called the owner and brought this to her attention and she said, "Why did you sign the tag then? At that point, you confirmed the items you picked up." Here's the flaw in her method. The tag refers to an item number . . . which is not even listed on the Consignment Agreement. But after reviewing the Agreement one can guess the item number is order in which items are listed, as in 1, 2, 3, and so on. She then says, "The tag also included the item description." I doubted this and she said, "I am sending you the tag and then you owe me an apology." I would call that an arrogant request and chuckled. She sends a copy of the tag in the mail . . . the back of it says "salad plates" which could have been easily added after our phone conversation. She certainly does not like being "called out" regarding her practices.

Nevertheless, I would never conduct business as a buyer or seller in her store again. I am not seeking any settlement from her, but merely wish to warn others. If items are "stolen" from her store, or if tags are "switched" she said the store will accept no responsibility. She will eagerly enforce every tiny and minute aspect of her Consignment Agreement. Of course, as a business person that is her choice. But the lack of transparency in her record keeping methods does nothing to add integrity to her store. Consignment stores are based upon trust, and I do not trust this person.