Britax & Mt Buggy Notice

[strollerlady]

Enjoy

Happy Thanksgiving.

Jen

[McQ]

She's all over strollerswap and I was wondering how to get more info on her. I was curious with her story and even more curious when all of a sudden her inventory became huge and then started to include mountain buggys.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[Piglet]

She explained the situation in her first email on StrollerSwap. She has a friend that wanted to get in the business of selling baby stuff, but he had some problem that I don't recall at the moment. He had a lot of inventory and she is helping him unload, with little or no mark-up for the sake of clearing out his inventory. That is why she is not an "authorized" retailer. I am not vouching for her or the product, but I have been a long time StrollerSwapper and she has been on there for almost as long as I have. I am sure she can give you the background, but I don't think it is right to say negative things about her without knowing the full story. Also, I have a hard time believing that someone can manufacture a fake MB or Britax - a lot of people have been very happy with Alitia and the transactions seem to be going smoothly. Not one complaint of a "fake" product.

[sunny2003]

I posted this on the car seat board but just want you to know that I called Britax and the serial number and manufacture date on my artic cat Marathon are valid plus the seat looks like the real deal in its box with warranty card, instruction booklet, latch, tethers, etc. I'm thinking it would be hard to knock off a Britax, KWIM?

Viv
Mommy to Kayley born on 4/28/03

[Momof3Labs]

I have to say that I didn't quite buy her story about selling off product for a friend - her inventory seems to be growing, not shrinking. My guess is that she is ordering through a friend who is an authorized retailer, and they are doing this "under the table" to get a better price for everyone (and sell more car seats and strollers).

That's how the last Robeez "co-op" worked!

But I agree that these don't sound like knock-offs - too much work and too expensive (not to mention HUGE potential legal problems).

[cvharris]

Jen,

Wow, you've really placed a lot of anti-Alitia messages all over the car seat forum and now this one. If you haven't had a negative experience purchasing products from her or do not know anyone else who has, why all the messages?

[pamela mom of 3]

Her is something she wrote on the carseat forum.....

"Hello everyone,

I am very sorry if anyone has had any problems with the itmes I am selling. I am helping my freind Tommie sell them. He is an authorized dealer of Britax and Mountain Buggies. I am taking names and payment from the people who would like to order and sending all the info and payment to him. He does not want to deal with each and every person so I do it for him. I am staying at my in-law's house right not so I have to use my hotmail email addy. I can also be contacted using [email protected], but I can't check that email as often. If anyone would like to call me and talk about the seats or anything else just email me and I will be more than happy to give you my phone number. The seats come new in the box with full waranty. If anyone has purchased a seat and would like to return it I would be more than happy to give them a full refund.

Thank you,
Alitia Mongesku "

I will add i have not done any business with her, but i know many at strollerswap have and have been pleased with the transaction. I'm honestly not sure what to think on the whole thing..but i do question how one could "knock off" britax or MB's.... i suppose all i am saying is more should be found out before we presume guilty?? :o

JMO ;)




http://pages.ivillage.com/cl-pamelamomof3:o

[Alitia M]

Jen,

If you purchased anything for me I will be more than happy to refund your payment. I have to check, but I do not think you did. If you would like to call me and talk about any problems you have with me feel free to email me at [email protected] OR [email protected] These seat are the real deal. My friend was going to stop selling baby items, but has since changed his mind. We are now going to open a store and I have hopes of getting a website up. Tommie does not want to deal with each person so I do it for him. He ships the seats not me. I send him payment and shipping info and he sends them out. Feel free to email me for my number.

Thank you,
Alitia

[strollerlady]

Alita, if you purchase from Britax, he has to have a store name, why are you and Tommy so afraid to give out your company name... How can you work for someone to does not want to DEAL with his customers.


Jen

[Alitia M]

Jen,

I am going to find out his store name tonight. He would rather sell the seats for less and have someone else deal with sales. So sorry I have causes you such stress.

Alitia

[toomanystrollers]

Geez,
In defense of Alitia and her friend (I've never purchased anything from either), running a "brick and mortar" store is a lot different from doing mail order/online sales. I can understand why her friend does not want to deal with e-commerce. I work for such an individual who would rather not deal with his customers (that's what he pays me for) and despises the mail-order aspect of his business (because of all the hassles - i.e. returns). And I imagine Alitia's friend could be risking his Britax/MB contracts by selling at reduced prices?

I feel it's inappropriate to "bad mouth" a person's business reputation without a valid, hands-on complaint rather than based on speculation.

Just my opinion,

[heidi_timms]

Just curious, has anyone here purchased a stroller from Alitia?

~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[savoie]

To make a fake car seat that would pass for a Britax would cost more per unit than what it costs Britax to make the "original". This is a basic rule-of-thumb in manufacturing: the more units you make, the cheaper it will be per unit.

These seats are fairly large and have a high percentage of injection-molded plastic. To make large injection-molded plastic objects, you need an unbelievably powerful press (hundreds of tons of force!) that is very expensive. This is not something that a person selling a few units (or even a few hundred units) on bulletin boards would be able to afford.

[hipmaman]

I ordered 2 Huskys and an RA cover in 2 separate transactions. They looked like they came directly from Britax (w/ Britax adress and originated from NC).

I was very leery at the beginning and had asked Alitia to give me very assurance that I would not be conned out of my money. She gave me a telephone number and graciously agreed to let me pay after receiving the items.

The only hitch in the transaction was that she and I miscommunicated on the payment method. But all ended well and I got what I wanted for a good price. And if anyone want to look at those items and tell me they are fake, then I want to see that fake operation because they would have done one he!! of a job copying them. I would be impressed with such an operation, kwim?

Anyway, just thought I speak up on this issue a bit. But I can understand the anxiety we feel when dealing with e-commerce that we have not heard of.

[slpmama]

Are you in Canada, Tam (I saw your username on the Canada board). If so, just wondering if your carseats were shipped to Canada & what approximate costs of shipping and duties were. I'm just getting familiar with the these boards and the whole e-commerce thing, so I'm nervous about ordering through Alitia - but such good prices, and for great products not available here (I'm in Ontario, BTW)

[hipmaman]

Email me at [email protected]. There are things you have to know before buying a non-Canadian certified carseat.