ALL IS NOT FAIR WITH WAYFAIR … or … ANOTHER PITTSFIELD FIASCO?
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 18-20, 2019) — You’re an online business. You lose $151.7 million in the third quarter 2018. Customers file countless complaints about bad service, cheap products, and “bait and switch” practices. Your customer relations are a mess. You’ve just been hit with a lawsuit accusing you of stock fraud and the illegal pocketing of $87.75 million. More suits are said to be in the works.
You are Wayfair, the online furniture company.
You are the company that Pittsfield mayor Linda Tyer went gaga over when she announced last month that Wayfair intended to open a satellite operation in Pittsfield worth 300 jobs.
Now, it appears to be another of the mirages that have become standard operating procedure in the city (WorkshopLive, the Beacon Cinema, Eversource, Spice, Nuclea, ad infinitum, ad nauseum). Of course, all of this must play out in court.
Tyer insists the bad news will not affect the move into Pittsfield. Dispassionate reason would disagree. Companies usually don’t expand when they’re facing these kinds of problems. Off the record, the wise guys say the Pittsfield office will never open. Prediction: Wayfair in Pittsfield is toast.
Did Pittsfield get taken again? The mayor won’t be smashing a bottle of Dom Perignon against the launching of the S.S. Wayfair from dry harbor into the Clock Tower building anytime soon. You know. Clock Tower. Managed by developer David “St. Mary’s of the Star I Want Millions of Taxpayer Dollars” Carver, whose major tenant there just happens to be The Boring Broadsheet. Gosh, do you think that will affect the newspaper’s coverage of Wayfair?
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The class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston alleges:
- the company made false and inflated claims to investors.
- The fake news drove the stock up from $107 a share on Aug. 1, 2018 to $150 share by the middle of September.
- When it hit $150, the insiders sold out and cashed in, making almost $90 million. The dates are interesting. Not long after, Wayfair announced its expansion in the Bay State, including Pittsfield.
Wayfair has been losing money for some time. In the third quarter of 2018, Wayfair lost $151.7 million, $75.3 million more than it lost in a similar period in 2017. Analysts say the fourth quarter will shows losses, possible even worse ones. That is not sustainable, and it bears the signs of a tanking company.
Tyer also made the incredulous statement that “lawsuits of this nature are a part of doing business as a public company.”
Truly? Being accused of probity, fraud, and corruption in federal court is a routine “part of doing business?” The comment reveals a nonchalant — no, shocking — attitude about graft that every citizen should find unsettling in the extreme. After all, Pittsfield is a “public company” owned by citizen shareholders. Maybe what she’s saying is that this is an ordinary “part of doing business” in Pittsfield.
THE PLANET is hearing a lot of scuttlebutt about Wayfair. The story is far from over. Meanwhile, here are a few of the hundreds and hundreds of complaints about Wayfair from the Better Business Bureau. You can check them online for yourself at www.bbb.org.
01/02/2019
On 12/29/18 I ordered the ****** Dark Greg Area Rug. My order # is ********** and my total came to $95. Today is 1/2/19 and I just received the rug and I’m HIGHLY disappointed. First off, it was folded instead of being rolled. So when I tore the plastic off, I had to unfold it which made the rug have TERRIBLE creases that will be extremely hard to get out (if they’ll even come out). The rug is terribly thin, the colors are faded, and overall, it looks a mess. I should have read the reviews BEFORE I made my purchase because it looks like a lot of people are having the same issue. Now I feel like I’ve wasted $95! I tore the plastic off and everything so it’s impossible to ship back. And probably too much work anyway. I’m just so, so disappointed. Terrible quality product.
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12/31/2018
I ordered from Wayfair for the first time ever and deeply regret it. My item, a king size bed frame, should have been delivered over two weeks ago and since then I have spoken to many wayfair reps and managers who continue to give me the run around – one minute the package is lost, the next it’s on the way, the next it’s lost again. Calls have not been returned and I am livid. This has been a huge inconvenience as I recently moved into a new home and have been sleeping on the floor. I had family come visit for the holidays and instead of being able to stay in my home they had to spend hundreds of dollars last minute on a hotel room. Wayfair initially refunded me $200 and said I would receive my bed a week later. It’s now been ANOTHER week and no bed and Wayfair has decided that they’ll be sending me another bed frame until my actual bed frame gets here – which could be weeks they said. That means that when my actual bed that I ordered arrives I will have to deal with the hassle …
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12/29/2018
I made an order on November 29th, 2018 for the amount of CAD$356.15 for a Step One 5 Drawer Dresser. It is now December 29th, 2018 and I have yet to receive such delivery by this company. I have been dealing via phone and email back and forth with multiple representative and even a manager by the name of ******* * with the email address *******@wayfair.com. ***** is the shipper for this order and they have failed to deliver this same order countless times. I have contacted both ***** & Wayfair to make sure the delivery driver to press my apartment buzzer code #*** as I have requested and noted down specifically on my order record. I have explained numerous times that I have been into a recent accident where I ended up injuring myself which caused my foot and my back to be immobile. I have notified both ***** & Wayfair multiple times to please make sure to advise the driver to press my apartment buzzer to notify me to let them in as I am currently physically unable to…
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01/09/2019
I purchased a gift for my daughter-in-law from WayFair. When it arrived, it was addressed to her, from her. She did not realize it was a Christmas gift from me, so she called the company who did not identify me as placing the order. WayFair, then, sent a UPS driver to pick it up and return it to the company. They have not re-imbursed my credit card for the amount ($78) and are calling it fraud on my part (for asking for a refund). Both, I and my daughter-in-law have excellent credit ratings and are professionals. We do not commit fraud. WayFair needs to re-imburse my credit card.
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12/31/2018
Ordered tile for my home Dec 16 and I still didn’t receive. Everytime I call customer service they tell me 2 business days your order will be shipped. I want what I ordered. Now I’m being told nobody is available to release my order for shipping. I don’t know what to believe. The tile is for my master bathroom. It’s holding up renovations and I can’t use the bathroom.
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When precisely did the city of Pittsfield go from being a Rockwellian dream into nightmare painted by Hieronymus Bosch?
On that pleasant note, have a great weekend, everybody.
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“Nothing is so healing as the human touch” — Bobby Fischer‘s last words.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Water should be free, there is zero shortage.pay for the cost to process it and maintain.Also, discontinue plowing out Salisbury Estate, my street hasn’t been plowed at all today…..
And this Ellen Kennedy at the council meetings bobbin her head up and down, has to stop.
She is the epitome of the gobsig network.She took 200 thousand dollars of our hard earned tax dollars for her athletic field at BCC. She could have come with that amount of money by getting rid of Christina Barrett Wynn and half the salary of another no show staffer who wouldn’t be missed by anyone. Her and her lot are the same as our lot here in pittsfield only they rob our pocketbook at the state level. We are caught no matter which way we turn.
Great article on John (where’s my hairbrush) Kerry – a traitor who should be prosecuted for violating the Logan Act!
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/01/20/pollak-john-kerry-should-just-go-away/
Gigiloon one fought enemy soldiers the other fought bone spurs. Case closed
Kerry is a fraud just like you.
Lenny. Was told that you never served claiming brain spurs. Your way out of your league moron Kerry served and the Gman served and you didn’t and those are the Facts.
Kerry faked three purple hearts.
Lol..just sayin..
Great spoof by SNL on another Democratic fraud – Pocahontas Liz Warren.
What a pathetic group of presidential candidates – Warren, pedophile Biden, and potentially Kerry!
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/01/19/snl-lampoons-elizabeth-warren-likens-her-2020-presidential-run-to-a-necessary-prostate-exam/
Gigiloon. You and breitbart are one in the same. Two goons.
Presidential Net Worth before and after being elected:
Before:
Bill & Hillary Clinton—$480,000
The Obamas—$3M
Donald Trump—$4.5B
After:
Clintons—$100M+
Obamas—$40M+
Trump—$3.5B
Trump sacrificed his wealth for our nation, the rest sacrificed our nation for their wealth
JB. This proves scump is not as smart as he would like you to believe. What about those 7533 confirmed lies. Have you forgotten about them??? Decent people find this very troubling. Jeest saeing
VFW
Or those 33,000 “missing,” emails Art? I agree fully w/you, I find 33,000 vs “7533 lies,” very troubling. Just saying too.
Channel 10 Kimmell roast of trump on 11:35
If that’s the case every Santa Classic in The U. S are predators..
If terrorohsee is out there,u suc at plowing.
Pissfield hit its Homicide Stride
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/one-man-killed-in-pittsfield-shooting,562147
Yup. The police dont see any threat to the general public. Until who ever did the shooting is apprehended there IS a potential threat to the general public. For Gods sake this is only common sense. Body cams would tell all of us what we need to know but more than likely we will never know. How many is this to date?? How many are a unsolved. The only thing we know for sure is we need a new mayor and a new chief. That you can bet on
I don’t believe there is a threat to the public unless you are involved in gangs and drugs. The only way to shut this down is with intense police presence to suffocate them. Pittsfield does not have that manpower.
Spa girl. The gobsigs love your last sentence. There are too many chiefs in the police department and not enough Indians. That and proper personnel assignment would be the first steps to better coverage of the city by the PPD. Add to that body cams and boots on the ground. These last two criteria would help build citizen police relationships and that would significantly increase the number of eyes looking out for the city. These have been recommended to the mayor and the chief by guess who?? Yup the Gman. If he had been elected mayor these protocols would be in place and maybe just maybe the homicide rate would be lower. His philosophy is if you dont try something nothing will change. Do you agree with that?????
Ok, Art, since you are the Gmans right hand….I mean right hand man, please ask him “how boots on the ground (walking beats),” would have had made an iota of difference of a shooting on Edward Ave or any other location, beyond walking distance of a foot officer.
So, you’ll put two walking beat officers on the Westside and Morning side, plus North Street, 24/7. Good plan, but what about when the merchants at Berkshire Crossing requests multiple walking beats, especially Art, this is basically your tax-base, not to mention those who use stores/parking lots (thieves), as places of opportunity.
So, Art, please lay out your police plan and the GMan’s proposal to bring violence to an end.
I mean, I never heard the police leadership putting their uninformed .02 in the Pittsfield water issue.
I await Art….
Instead we have a District Attorney who is not going to be tough enough on drugs.
Assaults by former Pittsfield priest recalled in the Berkshire Eagle today by an assault victim makes my blood boil. These priests have not been prosecuted by law. Have not been labeled sex offenders, have not been sent to prison. The Catholic Church should be shut down. Nothing but a Country Club for homophelias at the expense of so many young innocent boys.
I am a catholic and am as sick of these perverts as you are. 99.9% of all catholic priests are not like these monsters and the catholic worshipers world wide are demanding that the church clean up its act. To say that the catholic church should be shut down is to disparage all catholics and I know you didn’t mean that. Did you???
ART
Good point. No doubt, there area enough bad apples to draw fierce criticism of the Church and its hierarchy. That’s one thing. It’s quite another to say the Church should be shut down. It has too many good people, and does too much good work, to call for that. Can you imagine the uproar if you suggest that Judaism should be banned because of Israel’s actions in Gaza or that Islam should be outlawed because of terrorism. The only religion that’s fair game for this type of demonization is the Catholic Church. THE PLANET denounces that type of typecasting.
I agree with you on this Art Seller.
Whether the Bible, Torah, or Koran; no morality comes by worshiping fiction. Live your lives with compassion and service.
Speaking of blood boiling….Another murder in Pittsfield….this time on Edward Avenue….more crime in Pittsfield. Police don’t think there is any danger to the public.
Read the comment section of the article. People really see Pittsfield as crime central and blame it on our Progressive politics and lots of drugs in this city. We know where the drugs are coming from.
https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/01/pittsfield-police-investigating-early-morning-homicide.html
Pat,how does SS,Medicare,Healthcare,Mental Health coverage,Minimum wage,Union wages,Education,Family Medical leave be seen as causing murder.Regressives who don’t support taxing the wealthy and giving them financial freedom without responsibility to society cause crime.
Drugs coming over the border Dusty that Progressives refuse to do anything about…….Progressives want to give money to big government School Committee NOT to the people in the community who are suffering from lack of jobs and high taxation. The far left wants wealth redistribution from the wealthy to big government as long as they are the ones in charge of all the money and power. Just look at France as an example of how socialism does NOT work and leads to chaos.
Pat ,you don’t speak well for the Republican Trump regressive party of greed.
The sad beat goes on. This isn’t a manpower problem. This is much more complicated. That said, as far as manpower is concerned, the PPD has too many personnel doing desk work. Its resources are misaligned, and the force is plagued with dissention. That combined with a green D.A. who is apparently more concerned about “cultural change” than she is about prosecuting criminals, does not bode well for the city.
I agree Dan V. This new DA is not going to be tough on drugs and that is what is needed. I didn’t think the previous DA was tough enough. This one is even worse.
Manpower is part of the problem, they do need more officers and I agree they need more out on the street.
The department should be at 130-140. The problem is the longer they wait, the more staff they will need. It’s a vicious cycle.
The other major problem, leadership. Wynn is a GOB affirmative action hire who has zero clue how to police effectively. Tyer is clueless and quite dull and wouldn’t know a good idea or effective community anything if it came up and bit her on the … nose.
It is a manpower problem and we need to add 40 officers and it can’t get done.Schools are stealing all the money.Corporations like HE and the problem of Wayfair is nothing new to us who see corporations for what they are.They are too trusted but nothing We can do .Greed
Valenti is the best.
Pat. If crime were under control, Tyer and Wynn would take credit. It isn’t under control and Tyer and Wynn have to take credit for it not being under control. Its that simple. Keep you doors locked. We are all in peril because of them.
People are being murdered near Sacred Heart Church and there’s no sign Yon McCandless Tyer or the council get it.Tyler street sucks,deal with it .Let’s save Elm street.There is no way to pay for all of Pittsfields problems…..we are done because we can’t acknowledge the obvious.