Any idea what's going on with La Couronne du Comte?

[Vpen]

The website for a few weeks now says:

 

Due to a malfunction, it is currently not possible to pay in the webshop. We are working a solution!

 

And they are not responding to emails as well.

[Soer]

I think they have financial problems!!!!!

[marlinspike]

On 9/18/2022 at 6:51 PM, Soer said:

I think they have financial problems!!!!!

I hope this isn't true, as I recently gave them quite a large pre-order.
I see one google review that says they called a nearby business and were told the Couronne has closed. A lot of recent posts about them not answering the phone too.

[marlinspike]

If anybody has any outstanding orders with them, they should probably do what they can to get their money back sooner rather than later it seems. They have always had long wait issues, but suddenly now reports are that their store is closed, they don't answer the phones, and the owner seems to have removed his linkedin as it still comes up on google but the link is now dead.

It's a shame. I've always been pleased with them and perfectly happy to wait, but because of what seems to be happening I have to take steps to protect my own interest.

[TSherbs]

Yikes, always unfortunate to hear.

[Soer]

If a shop doesn't answer their phone or mail, that is a bad omen.!!!!!!

And this has been going on for approx 2-3 weeks.

A lot of customers are complaining about the long delivery time ,and when you cancel the order it takes a long time to get your money back!!!

 

Use google translation >>>  https://nederlandreview.nl/online-shoppen/la-couronne-du-comte-ervaringen-beoordelingen-reviews

[SpecTP]

that's not good.. I've got 2 Montblanc orders waiting for quite a while now.

[Geert Jan]

If I check below I fear the worst. Looks bankruptcy was declared. I really hope the manage to restart their business. In the meantime I wish the best to Dennis and his team. Please note they may have more than one company and the others might still be healthy.

 

https://www.faillissementen.com/failliet/297074/la-couronne-du-comte-bv

Google translate turns this into:

On 21-09-2022, the court of Breda declared the company La Couronne Du Comte B.V., registered with the Chamber of Commerce under number 63724073, in a state of bankruptcy, appointing mr. H.L.J.M. van Grinsven as curator. The insolvency number is F.02/22/137. The legal form is a private limited company with an ordinary structure and the main activity of this company was 46499, GH ov. consumer art. (non-food) n.e.c..

[TSherbs]

1 hour ago, Geert Jan said:

If I check below I fear the worst. Looks bankruptcy was declared. I really hope the manage to restart their business. In the meantime I wish the best to Dennis and his team. Please note they may have more than one company and the others might still be healthy.

 

https://www.faillissementen.com/failliet/297074/la-couronne-du-comte-bv

Google translate turns this into:

On 21-09-2022, the court of Breda declared the company La Couronne Du Comte B.V., registered with the Chamber of Commerce under number 63724073, in a state of bankruptcy, appointing mr. H.L.J.M. van Grinsven as curator. The insolvency number is F.02/22/137. The legal form is a private limited company with an ordinary structure and the main activity of this company was 46499, GH ov. consumer art. (non-food) n.e.c..

 

That's dated today!

[Geert Jan]

Indeed the formal decision by the court today, but the process must have started earlier. How much earlier is guesswork, but my guess it would be around the day of the 'malfunction' in the checkout.
Regardless: sad news.

[marlinspike]

20 hours ago, SpecTP said:

that's not good.. I've got 2 Montblanc orders waiting for quite a while now.

Hopefully recent enough you can file a dispute with your credit card.

Given the timing, I am sure they knew what they were doing when they took a payment from me for 3 Montblancs that they didn't yet have in stock but would get eventually.

[PatrickA]

So sad, yet another specialised shop gone. Not too many pen stores left where you actually can hold and try a out a pen

 

It looks they went straight in to bankruptcy, skipping a receivership period. Normally a sign that the administrator doesn't see any options for recovery.

 

For those who made pre-payments and can't get a refund from their CC/PayPal below the contact details of the administrator if you want to submit a claim.

 

By the way according to Dutch law normal creditors/pre-payments are pretty much the last group in line to get their money after tax, bank, employees, etc. Of course only if there is something left.,

 

 

mr H.L.J.M. van Grinsven

PO Box 414 5000AK TILBURG

Phone +31 13-4668888

[Linger]

Yeah, this hurts. Any usual sympathy I feel towards businesses going bankrupt (which is simply tragic for all involved) eroded immediately...my last order was 26 august so three weeks ago...they KNEW the direction but took my money anyway...

[DvdRiet]

40 minutes ago, Linger said:

Yeah, this hurts. Any usual sympathy I feel towards businesses going bankrupt (which is simply tragic for all involved) eroded immediately...my last order was 26 august so three weeks ago...they KNEW the direction but took my money anyway...

 

Oh, man! Sorry to hear this! That must have been just before they put the notice up on the website that they were having 

 'technical difficulties' that were keeping them from accepting online payments! I'm assuming you paid with iDeal? I've been wondering if there's any kind of insurance that covers this sort of thing if you can't get it back through the payment method. (I'm counting my blessings that my last two orders went without a hitch!)

[Linger]

Am afraid not...I spoke to the curator's office this morning. They hope to be able to ship products ordered and that are on stock and/or to be received by LCDC...meaning they did not yet fully understand the modus operandi of (a) LCDC in general and of (b) high end japanese urushi pens in particular.

 

Mentioned before in this thread, consumers like us are the last in line...the bricks and mortar store might be in a different BV not included in the bankruptcy...meaning there won't be much to liquidate at the end...

 

I am angry to have to admit that I had 3 pens on order...all high end...one even higher than high end...this HURTS!

[DvdRiet]

51 minutes ago, Linger said:

Am afraid not...I spoke to the curator's office this morning. They hope to be able to ship products ordered and that are on stock and/or to be received by LCDC...meaning they did not yet fully understand the modus operandi of (a) LCDC in general and of (b) high end japanese urushi pens in particular.

 

Mentioned before in this thread, consumers like us are the last in line...the bricks and mortar store might be in a different BV not included in the bankruptcy...meaning there won't be much to liquidate at the end...

 

I am angry to have to admit that I had 3 pens on order...all high end...one even higher than high end...this HURTS!

 

Oh, no!! That REALLY hurts! And yeah, I was searching around to see if I could find anything about what happens when a webshop goes belly-up, but all I could find was guarantees if the shops are members of SGR (travel agencies) and CBW (home decor). Keeping my fingers crossed (well, duimen, then) for you that they had made and paid the orders so that you could still receive the pens. But I have to admit that it doesn't sound promising, given how late the order was into what in hindsight was surely an obvious malaise in the bank accounts. 😟

[SpecTP]

I'm reaching out to my cc companies to see if there are any recourse.

[DvdRiet]

1 minute ago, SpecTP said:

I'm reaching out to my cc companies to see if there are any recourse.

 

I've been hearing from others that they can recoup at least part of the money if they paid with credit cards or PayPal (recently enough). But this happening has made me realize the general risk that we take quite regularly here in NL by paying upfront with the iDeal system of direct bank transfers. As far as I have been able to find out so far, that gives us zero recourse. Normally that is not a big deal for everyday small(ish) purchases and it's a very convenient system. But in the case of more expensive items, it's a more serious risk. I have also sometimes paid a bit more than I felt 100% comfortable with, I have to admit, but in general, I never really saw it as a bigger risk than anything else. I may be using the credit card or AfterPay a little more often now, after this lesson...

[TSherbs]

1 hour ago, Linger said:

Am afraid not...I spoke to the curator's office this morning. They hope to be able to ship products ordered and that are on stock and/or to be received by LCDC...meaning they did not yet fully understand the modus operandi of (a) LCDC in general and of (b) high end japanese urushi pens in particular.

 

Mentioned before in this thread, consumers like us are the last in line...the bricks and mortar store might be in a different BV not included in the bankruptcy...meaning there won't be much to liquidate at the end...

 

I am angry to have to admit that I had 3 pens on order...all high end...one even higher than high end...this HURTS!

 

yeah, very sorry that you might not be compensated

[Lam1]

Oh, no! I have a very large outstanding order with them, and IO can't call my CC because this was a complicated process: I placed an oder for a Montblanc last December and it never shipped. So, 3 months ago I cancelled that and put more money to order a Namiki Emperor. They certainly knew what was going on by then and took my money anyway!