we've been scammed and need help
 

Purchased (stupidly without a credit card) 74E worth of goods at Perini's in the Florence Central Market and never received shipment. We've tried phoning with no answer and e-mailing twice and no reply and there is no fax # listed on the web site. Anyone have any suggestions short of going back (which I would love to do) and kicking their arses!

Other than that we loved all of Italy - and we did see a lot.

I wish I could help but I'm posting in order to bookmark. Since you did not use a credit card, this might turn out to be a €74 lesson. Nevertheless I wish you the best of luck.

PS If you are looking for volunteers to go to Florence to kick some arse, sign me up. :-)

ha ha, that would be so funny if 100's of Fodorites showed up at that market and harangued the merchant about this lady's order..!
"so, signore Merchant - have you mailed off Barbara Jean's order yet? If not, I'm gonna stand here and tell all your customers!"

Perhaps you haven't given it time to arrive? I've had post cards take 2 months to arrive from Italy.

I would consider posting a new thread entitled "Who's going to Florence soon?" and seeing if some Fodorite wouldn't be willing to go to Perini's and ask a few questions for you. I'd do it if I were going.

Write the tourist office there and ask what they think you should do. Hopefuuly, they will phone them.

Yes, I DO know who you can call/email for help, as this is a serious matter, you CANNOT let anyone in Italy get away with theft or an attempt theft (if that is in fact what it very much sounds as if it is) -your first point of contact, to get advice, is to CALL THE US CONSULATE IN FLORENCE:

Tele. #-055 2398276

The City of Florence Tourism Bureau is WONDERFUL if you have a problem- particularly if it involves a hotel-, BUT you should let the tourist office know as well, as they state on their website "help to tourists in cases of theft:"

http://www.comune.firenze.it/english...mo/uffinfo.htm

Florence's City Hall website, in English:

www.comune.firenze.it/english/homenglish.htm

Good luck.

How long ago did you buy the goods and how did Perini say they would ship them? (Since you do not mention paying for shipping, I would assume that Perini would choose the cheapest - and slowest - way to ship them.)

Have you phoned during local time in Florence?

If you did not receive an e-mail in reply, could it be that there is no one there who can write in English?

Since you paid in cash, do you have any proof of the purchase?

There might be one or two possible ways to approach the problem, but these questions (except the one about knowledge of English, which you perhaps cannot answer) would have to be answered before proceeding further.

The Florence Tourist Office may or may not be able to help - if you have a proof of purchase - but I frankly doubt that the American Consulate will lift a finger.

Barbara Jean-since Eloise has not had experience with these offices, and I have, I urge you to contact both.

Thanks all to great help - I will contact the appropriate offices -
We have given it sufficient time - our friends ordered from another vendor and received their package over three weeks ago.

Thanks again to all the great responses - I'm so glad I found Fodor's.

Just because someone else received their goods 3 weeks ago, from a different vendor, has little bearing on what you should expect.

What sort of things did you buy? Some things are delayed by US customs which can delay things up to a week right there.

How heavy? It can quite literally take months to receive something sent surface.

When did you make the purchases?

And if there is no answer on the phone - it is possible the vendor closed up for his own holiday.

So you may or may not have been "scammed"

Hi BJ,

You do have receipts?

((I))

Sorry this isn't so helpful as I don't have the agency's name or phone number and email address, but in our hotel there was a tourist channel that an agency advertised a free service for visitors who are at home and are in the situation like you. They will represent you if they take your case.

what's the e-mail address. when i lived in italy, i found it odd that the locals didn't complain directly for bad service, etc. it was explained to me that you just never patronized the place again and you told all of your friends not to either. seems to work. give us the e-mail and we can all send messages saying we will never step foot in their establishment.

I bought some things from Perini's in Florence several years ago, no credit card, and received them. I have heard frequent complaints about the Italian postal service but never about Perini's until now. The phone that I have for them is 055/2398306
Their website is www.periniitalia.it
These people have been in business too long to be scammers (My information is from 2003)

Actually there is a barely visible e-mail:

[email protected]

Looking at that website (and wow does it make me hungry :) ) I think it may be entirely possible your goods are stuck somewhere in US customs. You haven't told us what you bought - but food items can often be a problem.

Don;t know what you consider sufficient time - but 10 to 12 weeks is not unknown if sent cheapest way. If it's been longer than that - certainly follow all of the above. If no - it may still be on the way.

We have ordered things from the Perini family several times without any difficulties. Things coming from Italy do take a long time to arrive; it is not as "instant" a society as we are use to. Just about the time I gave up on my majolica ever arriving, it did.
I can assure you that the Perinis are a reputable, wonderful family. We have had dinner with them and enjoyed their stall in the Central Market. Please let us know when your shipment arrives; I hate to think that Fodorites will boycott the Perinis!

barbarajean10,

You haven't said when you purchased the goods. Three months in shipment from Italy to the USA is not unusual as noted by others above. Items that I have posted myself have taken even longer.

I too when shipping items home in the US to me via the Italian PO (land as it was the least expensive) received the articles about 3 months after I had them shipped barbargean. So it could be that you will receive your purchases.

It definitely might take awhile. It took months for some things we bought while in Italy to be shipped to us because the Mailboxes, etc. that the vendor used for shipping was closed for the entire month of August - you kind of just never know when it comes to Italy and the mail!

As a former consul, I urge you not to call the consulate. They'll say how sorry they are, if they're not in a bad mood, but that's about all they can do. They can help you if you've been arrested by the Italian government, issue a passport and ship your body home, but they cannot and will not get involved in a private dispute with a merchant.

Barbara Jean,

Several people have asked what you bought and when you bought it and you haven't replied. It's really difficult to help somebody without all the facts.

Your only other post was in mid August and you said your friends' goods arrived three weeks ago, so we must conclude that you travelled at the end of August or in September. Shipping from Europe to the USA is expensive; if you go to Perini's website you will find that a €10 bottle of olive oil will cost over €60 to ship. If you paid €74 for the goods and nothing for shipping then they MUST be coming boat mail. Boat mail can take anywhere from two to three months from Europe to USA.

I don't think you've allowed nearly enough time given the information we have to be trashing their company. If the goods haven't arrived by January, then you have a complaint. When you phone them, you must phone during Italian business hours; also, some internet companies (mine included-Comcast) routinely block emails from Italy. Use a hotmail address when you email them.

You must have been there with me as I did the exact same as you....I think I also took the stupid pill!!!I have tried to contact them by phone, e mail and all I get is ""CALL BACK..No English!!""I also just tried to write them, but somehow feel that even though Perini is supposedly good, I feel that I LOST!!!!Oh well, another lesson in life!!

Wanted to update this...We received the entire package from Perini....Not exact, but close enough....Somehow I did not think they were scammers...I will still try to order from them in the future.