ForexMinute.com – In a post on Reddit, two emerging entrepreneurs from Canada described their not-so-ultimate experience with the world’s most renowned Bitcoin ATM manufacturers, Robocoin ATM. They are now planning to take strict legal actions against the company for literally robbing them of their hard earned investments. Grab your tissues before reading further….
It all started one day when MetaLab founder Andrew Wilkinson, along with his buddy Rajiv, the founder of Sparklit, decided to install a Bitcoin ATM in their hometown, Victoria, Canada. They were a true cryptocurrency enthusiasts and simply wanted to help its economy move forward. They chose Robocoin ATM as their trustable Bitcoin ATM manufacturer, and placed an order without knowing what lies ahead.
In the meantime, the two buddies secured a place for the ATM in a local pub, at a cost of $250 per month. They further announced the arrival of a new Bitcoin ATM on local radio, as per the early-March delivery date given by the Robocoin team. Please notice that that date of radio announcement was Jan 30th ‘14.
Stage I: The Delay
Scheduled to be delivered somewhere in the first week of March, the said Robocoin ATM didn’t have a smooth ride to reach its owners on time thanks to the unprofessional attitude of Robocoin CEO Jordan Kelley, and his teammates. In a series of mail snapshots listed by Andrew, we see Jordan-the-CEO giving multiple excuses, along with fake delivery periods. At first he promises to deliver the kiosk at the end of March (not delivered); then he blames the delay on the new Canadian polymer note (unprofessionalism); then he fells proud of his CoinDesk.com thing, while dictating April 30th as the final date of shipping (not delivered), then comes the shipment delay; followed with more reasons that seem worse than those given by a late Pizza delivery boy (even Spider Man was late, seriously??)
Meanwhile, Andrew and Rajiv keeps paying up the monthly rent. Meanwhile, the Robocoin drops the kiosk price by $5,000. Meanwhile, our men are made to pay an additional $2,000 to clear the kiosk from customs. Meanwhile, even I feel like breaking my computer in rage.
But wait, the machine finally arrives on June 20th (same year). Andrew and Rajiv begins the setup procedures.
Stage 2: The Setup
Due to a very commendable policy of Robocoin, one needs to book an appointment with their team to put the ATM into production. And our guys, already frustrated with god-forbid delays and unnecessary rents they have been paying, ask the CEO to put them on with Frank Clark – the tech support guy. Here’s a portion from their overall experience that says the rest.
“We spend weeks on the phone with Frank Clark, their super agro support guy, just trying to get a single transaction to work successfully. Unfortunately, Robocoin is built on Windows XP (CORRECTION: Windows 7) and a complete nightmare to configure. First, the ID scanner doesn’t work. Then the webcam keeps going black. Then the palm scanner refuses to work.”
“For anyone who wants to see, here’s the logs of some of the frustrating conversations that we had with Frank: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rk4rj398jdli6h4/Robocoin%20Support%20Logs.zip?dl=0,” Andrew writes.
Note: It is July 13th and the machine has failed to perform even one single transaction, even when the setup was performed under the guidance of one of the Robocoin’s officials. Furthermore, it was not provided with any manual. The pressure is mounting on Rajiv and Andrew. The pub owner is asking to remove the machine, because it beeps out of nowhere.
After a couple of mail exchange, support guy Frank tells them that the machine is defective.
Stage 3: The Defect and the Refund
Frustrated by this entire fiasco, Rajiv mails Jordan to simply take back the machine, and return their money only to know that the CEO is out and wants them to ship the kiosk to Turnkey. In the meantime, the Robocoin operation guy mails them, asking a whopping $5,000 restocking fees. Rajiv quickly mails the guy back, reminding him that it is Robocoin who delivered a defective machine at first place. “You are in breach and really should pay all our costs including rent, shipping, customs, and employee time in order to make us whole,” Rajiv writes while calling restocking fee “absurd”. And hear nothing…
It is August 4th.
August 6th, nothing.
August 19th, nothing. They ship the machine back.
And all of a sudden on August 23rd, the CEO Jordan Kelley returns with a “supposed” solution to defective machine (a USB error, perhaps). He further has the guts to ask Andrew and Rajiv to stick to their oh-so-well team. But wait, the machine is never delivered to the Robocoin office, as its still in transit. So how on earth they figures out that USB- error. Liar-liar pants on fire?
Stage 4: You Sent Back a Damaged ATM. Stop. Let me help you on Vegas trip. Stop. We will refund you soon. Stop. We are in process to refund you. Stop. I am doing my best to make sure that you guys become whole. Stop. Hopefully, we can end this, at least, semi-amicably. Stop.
Stage 5: Just a snapshot of the request posted by Andrew and Rajiv.
To contact the reporter of the story: Yashu Gola at yashu@forexminute.com
It all started one day when MetaLab founder Andrew Wilkinson, along with his buddy Rajiv, the […]