"MinnkotaMonster.com" may be a scam

[score300]

I ordered my I-pilot on March 2. A couple of days later got an email stating the I pilot was on back order till the 12th. I still haven't gotten my I-pilot and I received an email from the company yesterday stating they are NOT a scam. I'll post the letter below. I also found on the BBC board and another Florida board where Minn Kota is not affiliated with this company and other people having problems as well. Here is the links to what I found and the letter from the company.
Scam?: BBC Lounge: BBC Boards
SCAM Warning!...MinKotamonster.com


To all of you that have received your Minn Kota products, I thank you
sincerely for your business and am grateful that you are happy with your
purchase.

To all of you that have orders on backorder, please be patient, they will
come. If you are unhappy with your service, please email me and I will be
happy to refund your order amount in full.

It has come to my attention that there has been some slander and "scam"
warnings being posted on forums and I just want to rebut the allocations of
the validity MinnKotaMonster.com.

The website was started back in November 2009. The website was developed to
sell Minn Kota products that are dropshipped from our wholesale company. The
shopping cart uses (currently and soon to be changed) PayPal as a payment
processor.

Since the beginning of the year 2010, Our sales skyrocketed! We grew so fast
that not only did the wholesale company feel it, but also threw red flags up
with PayPal, which I have been using for 3 years.

So, along with backordered products at the wholesaler, PayPal decided to
restrict and limit certain aspects of the account until we verified that the
business that I was doing was legit.

I showed them my paper trail of the business and they lifted restrictions so
that the wholesaler could continue. What PayPal did however, was limit the
Credit Card used to make the purchases from the wholesaler to $3000 per day.
Which is unacceptable because I do well more than that in one day in sales.
This limits me and the wholesaler to just 3 orders being processed per day.
Completely unacceptable! I tried to reason with PayPal and they basically
didn't want to hear how horrible they treating me and a thriving business.

So now I am working with a national bank to use their payment processing
with NO restrictions on the amount of money coming in or going out. I am
hoping to have that in place within a week.

As far as some of the other comments being posted out there, yes, I am
filing bankruptcy. NOT on the business. ONLY personal assets. That is
because of some personal things that have happened in the past year and a
half. I don't mind sharing though. The bankruptcy stems from a divorce and
from being laid off for 6 months last year. But that is OK, because that is
what gave me the drive to creating this business anyway. I am working a full
time job again so I can't always answer the phone right away, but if you
send me an email I will get back with you as quickly as possible.

So, to anyone wishing to drag MinnKotaMonster.com through dirt, this is my
story, my business, my life...and this is legit. I'm a real person just like
all of you out there trying to survive this down economy and trying to pass
the savings to you.

With Great Sincerity,

Jason Nightingale
This email address was given to us by you or by one of our customers. If you
feel that you have received this email in error, please send an email to
[email protected]
This e-mail is sent in accordance with the US CAN-SPAM Law in effect
01/01/2004. Removal requests can be sent to this address and will be honored
and respected.

[guest01]

thats why I wont make a big purchase on the web. I gotta have somewhere to go if things go wrong. I hope it works out for you

[SpeckChaser]

is not a scam site. I ordered an I-Pilot for my Terrova from them back in mid-December and received it within 5 days. I had a minor communication problem with the web site owner but he did respond and I received tracking information via e-mail almost immediately. This site was the only one I could find at the time that could get me one before Xmas. Every other place I checked had them on backorder. I had no problems with my order and no reservations about recommending the site.

The response to the I-Pilot has sort of overwhelmed Minn Kota, plus they are now offering several of their trolling motors with the I-Pilot factory installed. I understand Minn Kota is scrambling to meet the demand for this product so please be patient.

[score300]

I have tried 3 different #'s to try to contact this site. 2 of them have been disconnected and one doesn't even offer leaving a voice mail. I did however receive a response via email a few minutes ago.
Wes,

I have issued you a refund. The i-pilot is due in to our supplier until 4/2.

Regards,

Jason
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Message from MinnKotaMonster
From: Wes Stewart <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, March 18, 2010 6:50 am
To: [email protected]

From: Wes Stewart
Email: [email protected]

------------------------------------------------------

I need to know the status on my order #135 ( I-pilot for Terrova). I
recieved an email stating that arrival to your company would be 3-12-10. It
is now 3-18-10 and I have heard nothing further. Please update me on my
order. Thank You

Wes Stewart

------------------------------------------------------

[Shine Runner]

Dang. I hope they get things worked out. They had some of the best prices I could find.

[theoutdoorsman2]

I got the same email yesterday I ordered my copilot from them and had it in two biseness days. I would say he has fell on hard times and then paypal anit making it no easier it is just a guy trying to make ends met not abig corpporation where its poof and its done

[Lutefish]

I feel compelled to add my experience to this discussion as I made a purchase recently from Minnkotamonster.com and had no problems. I ordered a Minn Kota Terrova 55/AP from them on 5 March this year. My account history with them showed the product was ordered on 8 March. I sent an email to the [email protected] asking what they meant by “ordered”. I promptly received a reply from “Jason” saying “I am out of the office right now but I will contact you when I return. "Ordered" is just a note for the warehouse and staff”. This satisfied me, as I was not keen on waiting for a backorder. During the week of 7 March I kept checking my account to see if there were any change in the order status. There was not. On 15 March I called 913-713-8367 and asked about the status. They checked immediately and answered it would be shipped that day. Indeed it was. I received the UPS tracking # etc., and the package arrived 18 March. I found the time period from ordering to receiving the trolling motor reasonable. I know that buying over the Internet is not instant gratification. I have waited longer for stuff bought from outfits like Cabelas.

Since I live in Minnesota I have to wait a while longer (ice-out end of April) before I can check out my new motor. However, I hooked it up and did a “dry run” and it works like a charm! Can’t wait to do the real think though!

Good Fishing To All!!
Best/Terje Brandshaug from Minnesota