A few years back we were conned by Atlantic Trading Company, a distributor with excellent references. After ordering $6400.00 worth of Grandpa Po’s Originals, they disappeared, as did all their references. We contacted the FBI and the local Police, who informed us that we were victims of an elaborate scam. They set up their victims, put references in place, grab what merchandise they can and disappear.
We pretty much kissed the $6400.00 goodbye until we received and email from a regular customer of ours who bought Grandpa Po’s Originals at a 99 Cents Only store for the unbelievably low price of… 99 cents. We were surprised as none of distributors sells our product to 99 Cents Only stores. We called the corporate office and they confirmed 99 Cents Only stores bought the exact amount of Grandpa Po’s that was stolen from us a few months earlier. When asked who sold it to them, they got very quiet, only saying they do not divulge that information. Odd for a business to refuse to name a legitimate distributor. We pressed. They finally released a generic name that, of course, led nowhere.
I wrote David Gold, the chairman of 99 Cents Only stores, not asking for reimbursement, but for information to help the authorities track down the guilty parties. No such luck. But we did hear from their lawyer. His concern was not about the selling of stolen goods, it was about the covering of their butts.
Not surprising, but interesting, don’t you think?