Next Best Thing

The Next Best Thing in Jacksonville, NC took my $150 swing, sold it and did NOT provide my percentage (for the contracted 6 mos)& poor communicationI brought a swing to THE NEXT BEST THING in Jacksonville NC. The swing sold and I requested a check for my percentage of the sale. As contracted, I would be able to pickup check for up to 6 months. I went to pick up my check in FEB (at the Jacksonville location) and was told "we do not have your check, but we're under new management... I will have someone followup." I did NOT receive callback. I followed up a week later and was told "since the company is under new management perhaps you can get in touch with the old owners at the Havelock or New Bern location." So I called the Havelock number and left a message for the old (jacksonville) owner. Again, I left a message with an associate but I did not hear back. I called Havelock again (now March) and spoke with someone who said "I see a message here but the owner is out of town, I will try to reach her and call you back." I received a prompt callback from the associate stating "I was unable to reach the )old) owner but left a message and they will followup via email." I received an email response stating... "I researched the consignor payout for the consignor. She did indeed have a check written for August 15,2013. There was no note on her account to mail the check, and since she lives locally she is required to come into the store to pick up the check by February 15, 2014. As stated in the consignor agreement that she signed, consignor checks that are issued are only valid for 6 months at which point they expire and the consignor loses their money. The new owner of the store may try to accommodate her, but the responsibility was placed on the consignor to pick up the check before it is expired. At this point there is nothing due to the consignor unless they brought in additional items that may have sold after that check date. Since the Havelock, New Bern and Jacksonville stores are all under new owners, if they choose to offer a discount it is under their discretion. There is nothing I can do for her at this point.Sorry,[redacted]"I am extremely displeased with the run-around. And unfortunately I still have items (for sale) at this consignment shop. The new owners won't take responsibility for the "PREVIOUS OWNERS" and the "OLD OWNERS" won't take responsibility for the (current) associates lack of knowledge in regards to the whereabouts of my check. From my perspective, this company has poorly executed their change in management. I gave them property that I purchased for $150, and got nothing in return (except a headache). I expect to be compensated for the sale of MY ITEM. I expect a company to callback in a appropriate time frame, particularly if their 2 weeks of poor communication is their justification for no check. I feel they gave me the run around (wasting time for two weeks) so they could justify taking my percentage of the sale. It's shameful that a children's company would do this to a new mom. Desired SettlementReplacement of baby item OR check for percentage of sale as contracted Business Response Mrs. [redacted] requested a check on July 18,2013, for August 15, 2013 payout,when she came in and made a purchase. Her check was written and waiting for her at the store from August 15, 2013 until February 15,2014(6 months). She arrived in the Jacksonville store on February 26, 2014, and dropped a bin of items to consign. The associate she talked to in the Jacksonville store on February 26, 2014, told her that her check had expired because it was past the 6 month window, but that she would see if she could find out anymore information. That associate did in fact try to contact the previous owner of the store, but the previous owner now lives in [redacted] and their response had not yet been received by the Jacksonville store. The current owner of the Jacksonville store on the 27th of February, had gone through the consigned items Mrs. [redacted] had left for consignment and contacted her to pick up anything she couldn't sell for her. At that time Mrs. [redacted] asked again about the check. The new owner advised her to contact the New Bern or Havelock store for more information because of the time frame the check was written in. She stated that she took over in December and did not write checks dated from August. The current owner of the Jacksonville store did not know the New Bern and Havelock store are now under new management.On February 27, 2014, Mrs. [redacted] called the New Bern store,for the first time, and spoke with an associate about her check. The associate told her she would try to contact the old owner, because the New Bern and Havelock Store were also under new management. The New Bern store associate emailed the previous owner and this was their response. from New Bern associate:"On Feb. 27, 2014, a consignor from Jacksonville called stating that she didn't receive a check from her payout. Her name is [redacted] . Her payout was from Aug. 2013. Can you let me know what I need to do."from Previous owner: "I researched the consignor payout for the consignor. She did indeed have a check written for August 15,2013. There was no note on her account to mail the check, and since she lives locally she is required to come into the store to pick up the check by February 15, 2014. As stated in the consignor agreement that she signed, consignor checks that are issued are only valid for 6 months at which point they expire and the consignor loses their money. The new owner of the store may try to accommodate her, but the responsibility was placed on the consignor to pick up the check before it is expired. At this point there is nothing due to the consignor unless they brought in additional items that may have sold after that check date. Since the Havelock, New Bern and Jacksonville stores are all under new owners, if they choose to offer a discount it is under their discretion. There is nothing I can do for her at this point." a copy of her consignor agreement was also sent as a reference in the email.Mrs. [redacted] then sent an email to the New Bern Store email as listed below: "I went to the Jacksonville location prior to feb 15 (and made purchases WITH receipt) at which point I was told my check was not available due to new ownership. At which point I kindly requested a follow up call from management. I called again several days later as a follow up to which I was told "sorry we cannot help as we do not have the check but perhaps the old owners would help. So, I was referred to the havelock and New Bern location. I've contacted jville, havelock and new bern in hopes of having this situation resolved. I have tried to be patient but at this point I will be calling Revdex.com and additionally filing a complaint with small claims court. "No phone call was ever made to the Havelock store, only to the New Bern Store. A second associate has spoke with her from the New Bern store in hopes of trying to resolve the situation. The Old owner is now living in [redacted] and the New Bern store has continued to address concerns with the consignor on behalf of the old owner.The New Bern store has contacted the Jacksonville store and they have provided a record of when Mrs. [redacted] came into the store and when she inquired about her check. As stated above, the first time she came into inquire about her check was on Feb. 26, 2014, which was noted in her consignor account 11 days after her check expired. Mrs. [redacted] has had ample time to pick up her check and to make inquiries about her check from August 15, 2013- until February 15, 2014. At no point during that time did she do so. It is her responsibility to uphold her end of the agreement, and she did not do so. All consignors have the same agreement, and have the responsibility to pick up their check in a timely manner. Mrs. [redacted] failed to do so.Mrs. [redacted]'s check was the last check on old owner's books they were waiting to clear. On February 20, 2014, the old owners of the Jacksonville store closed out their books for the year. The company is no longer in business as of February 20, 2014.