A BC charity group learned a difficult lesson to check a supplier’s rating at the Better Business Bureau after ordering shirts from a Richmond garment company that failed to deliver.
Sharole Bell with the Kinsmen Club in Kitimat ordered 16 customized shirts for her colleagues from the Co-operation Garments Distributor Ltd. Another Kinsmen Group had used the company before to make shirts, and she had liked the look of them.
Bell was told she would have the shirts within days, but nine weeks after sending off the $526.40 payment to the company’s owner, Kenny Cheuk, she still hadn’t received the products.
"He kept saying he was going to send them. He kept saying they were coming by transit, he was going to send me a way bill, never seen a way bill but he cashed the check," explained Bell.
The Better Business Bureau had problems with this company 5 years ago for the same issue and currently has 16 complaints against Co-Operation Garments. The company currently has an F rating at the BBB.
"The pattern among these complaints is typically a pattern of failure to deliver a product," said BBB spokesperson Evan Kelly.
Bell repeatedly called the company and left messages, but says despite promises the shirts were never delivered and the money was never refunded which is why she then turned to McLaughlin on Your Side for help.
Ross McLaughlin tracked down the last known addresses the for Co-operation Garments, but found nobody with the company. A Richmond storage facility listed as an address for the company confirmed that they’ve had customers like Bell looking for Kenny Cheuk.
However, when we got Cheuk on the phone to ask about refunding the Kitimat Kinsmen Club’s money he took action.
“She [Bell] call me again, again, again - many, many, many, many times. I say ok I will do that," he explained, “You tell her Monday I will totally refund the money to her."
It took a day longer but Bell received the money.
“I finally got my money!” she said, “I’ve definitely learned my lesson, for sure.”
So what happened to this company? CTV News has learned that Co-operators Garments Distributors Ltd. was dissolved six years ago and had outstanding court judgements against it, but continued doing business. Kenny Cheuk says he's now done for good and will shut down.
To help protect yourself from a similar thing happening to you, check with the BBB and look for other reviews before dealing with a company. Also, if you're dealing with a company directly, don’t pay for an order in full before you’re received a product.
