LanLabs

User Comment #3 by ML1920 on August 2nd, 2010 at 3:28 AM CDT

Do NOT do business with ShopL2! ----- July 2010 UPDATE: I traveled to New York to sue LanLabs in small claims. Long story (and it *is* a long story) short: I easily won and was awarded the maximum amount allowed by law, $5000 plus costs. LanLabs has not shown any intention to pay, so I have filed an Execution with the sheriff's office to collect the judgment. Now, even though I will finally get all of my money back (plus several hundred dollars more!), it still doesn't make up for the lost business I suffered and the general year and a half of irritation that this company put me through. Doug had *numerous* opportunities to make things right with me, and save himself from extra cost in the process. I still am compleley baffled by his behavior, because he did himself no favors. I have noticed a severe rise in complaints about this company since I first posted this review. I only wish I had known before! In fact, if potential customers take anything from my harrowing tale, it should me this: while in the hallway of the courtroom waiting for our turn, Doug was trying to intimidate me, and he admitted two amazing things. Amazingly, he admitted that during one of my attempts to get a hold of him while I was talking to another sales rep, he was actually listening in on the phone line and laughing at me! He told me this presumably to intimidate me, but his childish attempts were transparent and I actually found it hilarious that he would actually cop to this bad behavior. It made me smile when he said it, and he immediately realized that he made a mistake telling me it and tried to backtrack. Secondly, while trying to convince me that I was wasting my time, he admitted that operating ShopL2 was more trouble than it was worth, and that he had better things to do. Crazy. Seriously, do not do business with this company. Not to punish them, but to save yourself! ----- ORIGINAL REVIEW: They are currently in possession of a $4500 computer that I bought from them last September. The initial experience was terrible. They rarely return calls or emails, and their salespeople are dishonest. I got my machine after a lengthy delay (Shipped on 10/11/2008). Some parts were wrong, and the machine was mis-configured (it's a really long list/story), but I was just happy to be done with it. Then... one of the hard drives failed, so I sent it back to them for service on May 26th, 2009. It has now been over two months (today is August 10th, 2009) and I still have no idea if/when I will get it back. The last I heard from them was July 1st 2009, an email promising to call me the next day (they didn't). Then they simply fell off the radar. They do not answer their phone during business hours (answering machine) and they do not return calls/emails. It's as if they don't exist. I have contacted the NY Attorney General to file a consumer complaint. On top of that, they are now causing me to lose business (I am a digital/video artist and I use my workstation for a living). Whatever you do, DO NOT buy anything from this company, and do not patronize their other businesses. Even if, in the future, they ever seem to get their act together, or if other positive reviews start showing up here, know that it could all disappear in an instant, and you'll never know why. -----

Do NOT do business with ShopL2!

-----

July 2010 UPDATE: I traveled to New York to sue LanLabs in small claims. Long story (and it *is* a long story) short: I easily won and was awarded the maximum amount allowed by law, $5000 plus costs. LanLabs has not shown any intention to pay, so I have filed an Execution with the sheriff's office to collect the judgment.

Now, even though I will finally get all of my money back (plus several hundred dollars more!), it still doesn't make up for the lost business I suffered and the general year and a half of irritation that this company put me through.

Doug had *numerous* opportunities to make things right with me, and save himself from extra cost in the process. I still am compleley baffled by his behavior, because he did himself no favors.

I have noticed a severe rise in complaints about this company since I first posted this review. I only wish I had known before! In fact, if potential customers take anything from my harrowing tale, it should me this: while in the hallway of the courtroom waiting for our turn, Doug was trying to intimidate me, and he admitted two amazing things.

Amazingly, he admitted that during one of my attempts to get a hold of him while I was talking to another sales rep, he was actually listening in on the phone line and laughing at me! He told me this presumably to intimidate me, but his childish attempts were transparent and I actually found it hilarious that he would actually cop to this bad behavior. It made me smile when he said it, and he immediately realized that he made a mistake telling me it and tried to backtrack.

Secondly, while trying to convince me that I was wasting my time, he admitted that operating ShopL2 was more trouble than it was worth, and that he had better things to do. Crazy. Seriously, do not do business with this company. Not to punish them, but to save yourself!

-----

ORIGINAL REVIEW: They are currently in possession of a $4500 computer that I bought from them last September. The initial experience was terrible. They rarely return calls or emails, and their salespeople are dishonest. I got my machine after a lengthy delay (Shipped on 10/11/2008). Some parts were wrong, and the machine was mis-configured (it's a really long list/story), but I was just happy to be done with it.

Then... one of the hard drives failed, so I sent it back to them for service on May 26th, 2009. It has now been over two months (today is August 10th, 2009) and I still have no idea if/when I will get it back.

The last I heard from them was July 1st 2009, an email promising to call me the next day (they didn't). Then they simply fell off the radar. They do not answer their phone during business hours (answering machine) and they do not return calls/emails. It's as if they don't exist.

I have contacted the NY Attorney General to file a consumer complaint. On top of that, they are now causing me to lose business (I am a digital/video artist and I use my workstation for a living).

Whatever you do, DO NOT buy anything from this company, and do not patronize their other businesses. Even if, in the future, they ever seem to get their act together, or if other positive reviews start showing up here, know that it could all disappear in an instant, and you'll never know why.

-----

User Comment #2 by kenlevy on December 3rd, 2009 at 5:13 PM CST

We hired Doug with the understanding that he was to put forth a complete solution, hardware, software, and support to ensure that we get our new "server" system up and running, apparenty, all I bought was hardware and that in of itself contributes nothing to addressing our requirements let alone the needs of our company, as discussed with Doug and LanLabs. As a small business we must rely upon the knowledge and experience of the consulting firms we select to do business with, as we are not IT people we can do no more than set forth our "wants" as related to how we perceive technology improving the efficiency of our business and again, rely upon the guidance of so called IT Professionals, such as Doug, the owner of LanLabs; Unfortunately, I am quite disappionted in Doug and LanLabs and their lack of understanding or interest in our requirements or "wants" LanLabs may very well have the capability to "build" gaming computers but it is obviously that they lack the knowledge and/or experience to address the needs of a business more so as relates to a network. On a final note, be aware of their pricing policies, as LanLabs apparently, does not "charge" for the extensive amount of work required to set-up a server, particularly, the IT administration set-up; this I've now learned as a result of cancelling the balance of our "order" almost 20 days after we were quoted to have our "system" up and running, and now being told that we are responsible for the cancellation and restocking charges related to the cancellation. Unfortunately, Doug has chosen to threaten to sue us for the monies he believes is due him despite us having nothing more than some useless hardware of which we have paid for, in leiu of seeking an amicable solution.

We hired Doug with the understanding that he was to put forth a complete solution, hardware, software, and support to ensure that we get our new "server" system up and running, apparenty, all I bought was hardware and that in of itself contributes nothing to addressing our requirements let alone the needs of our company, as discussed with Doug and LanLabs.

As a small business we must rely upon the knowledge and experience of the consulting firms we select to do business with, as we are not IT people we can do no more than set forth our "wants" as related to how we perceive technology improving the efficiency of our business and again, rely upon the guidance of so called IT Professionals, such as Doug, the owner of LanLabs; Unfortunately, I am quite disappionted in Doug and LanLabs and their lack of understanding or interest in our requirements or "wants" LanLabs may very well have the capability to "build" gaming computers but it is obviously that they lack the knowledge and/or experience to address the needs of a business more so as relates to a network.

On a final note, be aware of their pricing policies, as LanLabs apparently, does not "charge" for the extensive amount of work required to set-up a server, particularly, the IT administration set-up; this I've now learned as a result of cancelling the balance of our "order" almost 20 days after we were quoted to have our "system" up and running, and now being told that we are responsible for the cancellation and restocking charges related to the cancellation. Unfortunately, Doug has chosen to threaten to sue us for the monies he believes is due him despite us having nothing more than some useless hardware of which we have paid for, in leiu of seeking an amicable solution.

User Comment #1 by kamuela-1 on September 7th, 2009 at 3:31 PM CDT

Exemplary service and support. The most professional on-line custom computer dealership, bar none.

Exemplary service and support. The most professional on-line custom computer dealership, bar none.