Paid $416.38 for Meyda Lamp # 27159 on July7, 2009. After changing shipping dates often, company sent email on 10.5.09 requesting direction since item had no shipping date. Filed on-line request for refund on 10.05.09. Called company 10.8.09 and told refund "should" be returned to bank on 10.8.09. Called (800.718.1710) on 10.12.09 and was told all the agent could do was initiate another "ticket." Called San Francisco number (415.268.4700) and was told supervisor "may" return call after "meeting with corporate." No call was received by 8PM CST when supervisor was purportedly off work. Still no refund for item never delivered since 7.7.09.

This company, Mercantila, operates under various names. I attest from personal experience that they practice fraudulent transactions. In addition to this, they employ a company called Powerreviews that enables them to control what people say about them, and possibly post false positive remarks about that company to balance the bad reviews that do make it through to sites they do not control... thankfully I believe this site is not currently subject to their power. Buyer Beware. I regret ever dealing with them.

Bottom line: Absolutely not, buyer beware, read reviews from other websites, some slick online companies like Mercantila use shill accounts and fancy webpages to build false confidence and every marketing trick they can. This review is unfinished, because I am still waiting for the delivery of my product, a $350 exercise bike. I didn't do enough research on this company before I made my purchase, and I regret it now. This was my first purchase from Mercantila, they are the parent retailer or sponsor of nearly 250 other small online marketers. They don't seem to actually make or do anything, just another middle man to act as go between with customers, an increasing common practice in online marketing and sales. I searched around online and couldn't find any price deviation so they may exclusive rights to sell to the product I am still trying to receive. I'm will put enough specific information in this review that they will know who I am, and I have no issue with corresponding with them directly if they wish to follow up. I am placing this review on several such websites including the one that Mercantila (and about 260 other merchandizers pay to host reviews for them). I placed my order through Mercantila directly, although several of their affiliate companies also display this item, in hopes that I might get better or faster service since I couldn't buy directly from the company that designed and has my product (which is actually made in China). I ordered my bike on 19 May, it showed 'in stock' online. During the order I received an anticipated delivery date of 27 May (I now believe this is a totally false date, to give the allusion that something has been done with the intent to reduce the chance you will do your homework after purchase and cancel the order immediately). Mercantila charged my credit card, moments after I placed my order, most company's wait until your order is shipped, so I found this a little alarming. Within a day or so I received several phone calls from a Mercantila marketer trying to get me to buy the extended warranty (another common gimmick). They got my number by making it required during checkout, they got me again. I called and left several messages asking them to please just ship my item, but they didn't stop calling until I actually got someone on the phone and spoke with them. About a week after the anticipated delivery date, there was still no tracking info, so I filled out their online form, no response. A couple weeks passed and I send in another request for any information. It's been nearly a month now, and just today did I receive an email response, it said the warehouse (remember they drop ship, so this is odd), doesn't have a tracking number, but they are looking into it. I can't reply back to that email, it bounces back, deliver fail, and no other email or phone number is provided. This company now has my email, phone number, home address, billing address and credit card number and security ID from the back. I'm starting to get a sick feeling, and will be watching my accounts like a hawk. I went back to their site and navigated my way through to find where they leave a place for you to respond and told them my complaint and asked them that if my product wasn't delivered by 27 Jun to cancel my order and I will seek reimbursement through my credit card. While doing this I read some of the fine print, and it appears that if for any reason I have to ship the product back, I have to pay 'full shipping' even if it is damaged upon receipt. If you look around enough on their site, you'll find that they also Do Business As: The Internet Superstore, DriveSPEED Designs, The Brown Box, Red Carpet Shopping. If they make this right I will update this review. One little test you can try, go to buzzillions owned by powerReviews (the company Mercantila pays to "deliver... product reviews") and see if you can find this review, if not, they deleted it, and if that's no worse that paying people to write false positive reviews to "drive the highest sales uplift", you can read about this at Reuters, May 21, 2008 article. I'm only partially relieved knowing that I may have saved someone else from going through what I have, and the slim chance they will actually make this right. I do have some hope because I have read one account of this kind of thing happening, so stay tuned, I promise an update.

I ordered a tricycle with tray $94.95 on 12/11/2008 You sent me an e-mail stating that you could not get this for me and you would return my $94.95 to my paypal account that was 12/19/2008 I have not recieved it yet is there some problem that I am not aware of. Anna

Let's just create a template and we can all just fill in the date of the "purchase", the item "purchased", the variety of ways we attempted to seek resolution and the intensity of our anger. 11/21...credit card given to Mercantila via the internet to purchase the loft tent bed. Received an email telling us it was being shipped...just not all at once. Attempted to contact them through the website to no avail. Also, many attempts through the phone but no success. Notified Citicards of the problem and will have to work through them. Note the link to the Better Business bureau report.

http://goldengate.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=99&bbb=1116&firm=50748

Please note that Mercantila is the same as any number of other sham businesses, so beware.

Anyone live locally who can initiate legal proceedings?