Edited on September 7, 2023
Suddenly, after I posted this story in a Facebook group, Robert has miraculously found nearly $400 dollars and decided to refund me. It's interesting how quickly his tune changed as soon as this went public. Stay far away from this seller.
Published on September 6, 2023
On September 13, 2022, I made a purchase on Etsy from user RAWTALENTART ("R.A.W. Talent Art"). Although I was not directly referred to them, I recognized their work from a popular YouTuber who collects retro games and consoles. This seller had plenty of feedback and several public, scot-free social media profiles, so I believed they could be trusted.
I decided to purchase the following item: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1259618752/custom-nintendo-gamecube-console-led
Here is a screenshot of that purchase:
I understand that most of these custom consoles are made to order, and I'm rarely in a rush to get anything, so I wasn't suspicious after months of not receiving my console. After two months, I even began to ask about purchasing another console. Fortunately, I never followed up with them about this.
Here is a full screenshot of our Etsy communication up through that date:
Over the last few hours, I have been in communication with this seller. They are now claiming they will refund half of my money and send me the console. When given the information needed to refund me, they continue to stall and make more bizarre attempts at gaslighting me. They go on to claim that I am a "keyboard warrior" for attempting to recover over $300 that they have held from me, which will see its one-year anniversary in exactly a week from the day I'm publishing this.
This seller clearly has many happy customers, and they are obviously capable of delivering well-made custom consoles, as their feedback and reputation suggests. I also fully understand that people go through tough times. However, it is extremely clear that this seller has no intention to do good on their word, and their desperation has now reached inexcusable levels of irresponsibility and immaturity. They update their social media every week, they are constantly listing new items on their Etsy page, etc. I do not believe they are in the dire financial straits that they claim they are, and even if they are, I will no longer sympathize.
Robert Wallington (sole owner of R.A.W. Talent Art) stole more than $300 from me and refuses to refund or send me the console that I paid for. If you buy from them on Etsy or eBay, do not allow them to stall beyond your buyer protection window. They cannot be trusted to make good on their word, even after being given an entire year to do so. It's extremely clear that this seller cannot behave like an adult and handle their responsibilities.