Major Problems with Solar Cellz USA - No Product and No Refund

[SilverbackMP]

This will be a long one. Multiple Posts to follow.

TLDR:

Ordered six Sunny Boy inverters from Solar Cellz USA September 1st 2023. One was eventually delivered via FEDEX. Series of excuses and promises of refund (which never materialized) followed. Bottom line - out $11,528.36 including five inverters, shipping charges, and sales tax.

Reported to the North Carolina Consumer Protection Division (Attorney General's Office) with negligible results. Communication from the vendor completely stopped. He's still in business as I am still getting targeted ads.

Made contact with the Charlotte PD today (who of course, doesn't want to actually do their job); will be soon filling a complaint with the FTC and getting lawyers involved - something I didn't want to do. My credit union charge back limit is 60 days. And I didn't want to even post this, as shown by the duration that I've let this go on for.

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So in late August I learned that SMA Sunny Boy inverters would be discontinued. Since I just built a system around 4 Sunny Islands (two brand new, two trailer take offs) and three (one backup) Sunny Boy 7.7s, I was a bit concerned. Especially since I planned to use the same hardware should I build other systems for the farm.
September 1st, 2023 - I found a quantity of six SMA Sunny Boy inverters in stock with Solar Cellz USA (https://solarcellzusa.com/) operating at 3540 Toringdon Way Suite 200, Charlotte, NÇ 28277 which lists Nathan REDACTED as the CEO. I called him and verified that the product was in stock.

On September 1st, 2023, I placed and order for six units that came to a total of $12,540.00 with additional shipping of $544.77 and tax of $749.27 for a total of $13,834.04. Note that the shipping was listed as “FedEx Ground” and each unit, in the cart, had separate shipping charge.




September 9th, 2023, I received a notification that my order had been shipped. Notice the delivery method being FedEx Ground.

Sep 23rd, 2023 - Nathan sent me an email that they were trying to contact me. I made telephonic contact with him on September 26th. He was looking for a phone number to send the order via a Less Than a Truck (LTL) commercial shipment. I had provided my mom's telephone number in the little additional info box in the initial order and when I called him the first time, but provided it again.

I stated that one of the reasons that I had ordered through him, was because of FedEx shipping. I am currently in the Republic of Korea (prior US Army) working on my wife’s permanent visa and the individual FedEx shipments were something that my mother could handle. I agreed that a palletized LTL shipment was acceptable as long as delivery was to be done via “short truck” with a gate lift. He agreed.

Nathan sent me a follow up email on the same day (September 26th, 2023) that they would be sending out my order tomorrow (September 27th, 2023).


On October 19th, 2023 - I notified Nathan that we had not received the shipment. I asked for tracking numbers.

October 20th, 2023 - Nathan emailed that the order was currently enroute and that they would supply the tracking number.
Note, I never received a tracking number from Solar Cellz USA.

October 26th - I notified Nathan via email (attachment 3) that one Sunny Boy was delivered via FedEx (Tracking number REDACTED). I asked him if the others were coming via FedEx as well. Nathan replied on the same day that the rest of them would also be arriving via FedEx. Note no tracking numbers provided. The existing FedEx delivery does not appear to be a multi box shipment per their tracking or labels.



November 2nd - I strongly enquired via email about the status of the rest of the shipment….questioning if these were ever in stock.

November 7th - Nathan replied that they were “still looking for my LTL shipment” and they were “investigating.” LTL? Are we back to LTL? I thought we were back to FedEx ground (which is not LTL).



November 24th 2023 - I notified Nathan that he had 24 hours to resolve the order or issue a refund (of the five remaining inverters, applicable sales tax, and shipping charges) or I would take action including notification of State Attorney General's office.



November 25th – filed complaint with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division. POC Linda REDACTED. I also notified Nathan via email that I filed the complaint.



To be continued....

 

[SilverbackMP]

So this was his initial response to the NC Consumer Complaint filing:



Yeah, dude. I gave you phone numbers two different times. Sure. And now South Korea is China? Yep.

And then he claims that I threatened to "hack into his system." Nah dog, I threatened to do exactly what I'm doing now. Ranking this shit up to the top of Google.

After that was a series of email with all three parties where he claims he didn't have a good phone number...despite being given it and a chain of email evidence that he did.

To be continued....

 

[SilverbackMP]

On November 18th, my mother made telephonic contact with Solar Cellz USA.

Between that date and the 30th of November, I repeatedly ask Solar Cellz USA (Nathan) for a status update. So I asked the NC Consumer Protection Division to prompt him. Apparently that did the trick as he tried to blame Christ M. (Redacted) at SMA on the lack of delivery...yet when I ordered these, they were supposed to be in Solar Cellz USA's warehouse. Hmmm...

Which was the reason I placed the order with this particular vendor. Because of drop shipping and shit like this.



I asked for a refund:


To be continued...

 

[SilverbackMP]

In early December I send pleasant emails such as this one:



At this point, this dude is starting to meet the North Carolina State definition for "Fraud" and he's violating several FTC regulations.

 

[SilverbackMP]

This reply takes the cake. Harassing emails? I have yet to get belligerent. Not "helping my case." My case? My case? This f#&$d has not sent the product or refunded my money like he stated he would.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Yes, I can get a little more vocal when I am getting screwed:

 

[SilverbackMP]

Side track with SMA's response after I tracked down the individual that SolarCellz tried to pass the buck to:



Here SMA (Chris) confirms that they are NOT part of the money exchange:

 

[SilverbackMP]

So I haven't heard from Solar Cellz since December 19th.

I tried to call Linda at the North Carolina Consumer Protection Division several times, I get voicemail, left a message a couple of times. Emailed her on the 16th of January. She stated that she would call me (never received) and then she sent me an attachment with what she said were "the last emails, I received from the company" ....which were just the emails from the beginning of the complaint where Nathan was claiming he didn't have a phone number.

She has been Cced on every communication, so not sure what is up with that.

Since then, I have been sending Nathan "vigorously" worded emails about once a week, hoping I wouldn't need to result to this posting and other reviews, involved lawyers or other federal, state, or local law enforcement, yet here we are.

I attempted to file a report with the Charlotte PD this morning, but they passed the buck to the state.

FTC is my next target, along with BBB, Google Reviews, FB reviews. And the Missouri Attorney General. And likely lawyers. I am not going to get screwed. Even if I have to spend more in lawyer fees than the product is worth.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Well, I just figured out his listed address is a flex workplace and that he just has a mail service with them. So likely a complete drop shipper or outright scammer. Possibly working out of a storage unit. Thought I was doing my due diligence with making telephonic contact with him initially. And looking for any Google reviews. Apparently not.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Yo Nathan,

You ain't gonna hide. See my username? See that last two letters? Know that I was in the Army? Can you put two and two together? I will hound your azz forever until I get my money back.

 

[740GLE]

How long does it take to get your wife a visa? Sounds like you’ve been out of state since this all started

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

when you google their company name, you find https://solarcellzusa.com/about-us/

and when you then google the address listed there, a roofer, a lawyer and a window cleaner are listed as "most popular at this address"

Of course, hindsight is 20-20

A few years ago, I ordered an exterior door ($10k) for my residence online. The firm had offices in New Jersey, Florida and Los Angeles. I drove by their showroom in LA and verified that they were legit.
Placed the order online and 50% were due immediately. The other 50% were due before delivery would take place, estimated 90 days later. The door was hand-crafted in Eastern Europe to exact spec, that's why it would take so long (incl shipping). I made the 2nd payment when requested, about 140 days after the order. Of course I never received anything. The LLC's owner filed bankruptcy in New Jersey. Unpaid employees in 3 states.

50% had been paid with credit card, and I got those back. The other 50% were paid with a debit card. Lost.

Never use a debit card.


Eventually, I made contact with the manufacturer directly. They sold me the door at 50% discount. So, in a way I was made whole.

Hopefully you have similar luck.

 

[marionw]

Business is licensed in North Carolina NC Sec State
File a complaint with the BBB. They will attempt to contact the business as well.
File an online complaint with the NC Sec State Office File Complaint

 

[SilverbackMP]

How long does it take to get your wife a visa? Sounds like you’ve been out of state since this all started

It's a process (hell, getting a US passport takes 8 months now). Plus we have some medical stuff going on.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Weirdest coincidence of my life. An hour after posting this, Fedex showed up out of the blue with a second (of six) Sunny Boys. I still want a refund for the four others (as was offered and accepted...which is called a contract).



Even if they make me good on product, it's still a shitty way to run a business. I suspect he's a drop shipper and my money was/is probably tied up with a distributor.

When I ordered these, all the heavy hitters were out of stock...so I started searching out smaller suppliers. Lessons learned.

But this delivery gave me another bit...a middle initial and a new address on the shipping label. Just in case papers need to be served.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

Does the package have any reference to Solar Cellz USA at all?

 

[SilverbackMP]

Does the package have any reference to Solar Cellz USA at all?

Yeah, it does. And with the owner's name. And it's out of Charlotte. So I guess maybe not a drop shipper? Probably working out of a storage unit or garage. I need to google the address...was busy working on my shop and now running payroll for my business (I'm on a break). I still bet my money was with a distributor who probably didn't want to miss an opportunity to clear out discontinued product...even though they violated state and Federal law/regulations in the process (i.e. FTC 30 day rule).

 

[marionw]

Go to the FEDEX website with the tracking number and see if it shows you the shipping data, when FEDEX picked up/received the shipment and what routes it took. Package looks beat up, hope it was packed well.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Go to the FEDEX website with the tracking number and see if it shows you the shipping data, when FEDEX picked up/received the shipment and what routes it took. Package looks beat up, hope it was packed well.

I opened it (so that part was me) and it appeared ok.

 

[marionw]

Maybe SMA can tell you some info about the inverter using it's serial number. I.e. is it a refurb unit, previously owned etc.