Eric Barlow -- bartop-arcades.com

[mvolke1]

Hey All,

I ordered a bar top from bartop-arcades.com, Eric Barlow. It was about 9 months ago. I get emails every few weeks if I reach out to him and he says he's about to cut my cab, or he's had a CNC machine breakdown. There's always an excuse. Do you know if I should just consider my money flushed down the toilet, or have any of you had a successful transaction with him?

He took his BYOAC account down, so he's not on the forums anymore.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

[PL1]

It appears that he hasn't nuked the "bartop-arcades" KLOV account yet.

He was logged in there yesterday, but hasn't posted anything there for a month -- about the same time he stopped posting here AFAIK.

His Hyperspin forum "ebarlow99" account shows him last posting there about the same time.


Scott

[yotsuya]

Woah, ebarlow99 doesn't post here anymore? Crazy! Too bad.

You should probably remove his sticky if he's no longer active here.

[PL1]

(Un)done.

Thanks for the reminder, Yotsuya.

That thread is here if anyone is looking for it.


Scott

[yotsuya]

Thanks, Scott!

I mean, I hope all is well with him. Seemed like a good guy, but the last post he made in SarverSystem's review sounded like real life was catching up to him. That should be a warning to anyone trying to make this hobby a business.

[PL1]

I mean, I hope all is well with him. Seemed like a good guy, but the last post he made in SarverSystem's review sounded like real life was catching up to him. That should be a warning to anyone trying to make this hobby a business.

Very true.

That post is here.


Scott

[pbj]

This hobby is unfortunately filled with thieves.

Chargeback at the first hint of ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow---.  Always.

Your money is gone.

[HaRuMaN]

Hey since this guy scammed you, I'll give you a bartop kit at a discount if you're still looking for one.  Just let me know.   

[pbj]

Hey since this guy scammed you, I'll give you a bartop kit at a discount if you're still looking for one.  Just let me know.   

[HaRuMaN]

pbj's gotta pbj?   

[dkersten]

Wow, I thought it was pretty darn cool that he would offer a discount since the guy got scammed.  Guess I just still believe in people's ability to be fair, honest, and kind...

[yotsuya]

pbj's gotta pbj?

Exactly. Don't get worked up about it. 

[pbj]

how exactly is helping someone who got a scammed a bad thing?

Where did I say it was a bad thing? 

[mvolke1]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I emailed him yesterday and he replied that he was cutting the cab as he emailed. He's been telling me that for a while, so we'll see what happens.

Haruman, thanks for the response. I may just take you up on it if this doesn't work out. Ideally, it does. I had shipped him extra parts and stuff, too. It's a bummer.

[HaRuMaN]

Just let me know.   

[Rick]

Just let me know.   

Unless you're Canadian. Then, let me know.

[mvolke1]

Still no arcade. I'd say to stay away. Looking like a scam.

[Sarver Systems]

So I got the last of his cocktail cabinets?

[yotsuya]

His website is still up, and it even lists new products for September. Did he rage-quit here?

[PL1]

His website is still up, and it even lists new products for September. Did he rage-quit here?

He hasn't posted at KLOV or Hyperspin since July 30th -- about the same time he quit here and deleted his posts.   

Latest item I see on his site under "New Products" is a TMNT Control Panel 4 player Date Added: Monday 22 July, 2013.

What am I missing, Yotsuya?


Scott

[Sarver Systems]

I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I am 90% happy with my cabinet, and he was always quick to respond to my emails and messages via FB and here.

[yotsuya]

Latest item I see on his site under "New Products" is a TMNT Control Panel 4 player Date Added: Monday 22 July, 2013.

What am I missing, Yotsuya?

Scott

Uh, the big grey bar on his front page that says "New Products For September":



Now, it could just be a script or whatever, but if I came across the page and didn't know any better, I would think he was actively updating it.

[yotsuya]

I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I am 90% happy with my cabinet, and he was always quick to respond to my emails and messages via FB and here.

Wow, I'd love to see what would happen if you were 100% happy with it. 

[PL1]

What am I missing, Yotsuya?

Uh, the big grey bar on his front page that says "New Products For September":

Cue the "Scott walks into a bar" jokes.      

My guess is the list is generated by a script since the products shown under the bar are, in matching order, #2-10 when you sort old-to-new.   


Scott

[yotsuya]

My guess is the list is generated by a script since the products shown under the bar are, in matching order, #2-10 when you sort old-to-new.   

Me too.

Regardless, if he's out, he should take the site down. It's just going to cause confusion otherwise.

[HaRuMaN]

Lol.  I like to give Rick a hard time but I'm not trying to run him off (and he knows that).  I even stickied ebarlow's thread for him.  So clearly, I was out to kill the competition.   

[Rick]

I like to give Rick a hard time but I'm not trying to run him off (and he knows that).

I know we have a good time, and we both know when we're joking around. I'm certainly not going to run off and ragequit because of a few lighthearted insults. (Besides, if I go, there won't be any quality bartop manufacturers left!)

[HaRuMaN]

I like to give Rick a hard time but I'm not trying to run him off (and he knows that).

I know we have a good time, and we both know when we're joking around. I'm certainly not going to run off and ragequit because of a few lighthearted insults. (Besides, if I go, there won't be any quality bartop manufacturers left!)

And I like keeping Rick around so there's someone here to steal my Malenko's ideas! 

[yotsuya]

I like to give Rick a hard time but I'm not trying to run him off (and he knows that).

I know we have a good time, and we both know when we're joking around. I'm certainly not going to run off and ragequit because of a few lighthearted insults. (Besides, if I go, there won't be any quality bartop manufacturers left!)

Wait, we're only supposed to be joking with Rick? 

[Rick]

Wait, we're only supposed to be joking with Rick? 

Quiet, you!

 

And I like keeping Rick being around so there's someone here to steal give appropriate credit for my (puh-leaze) Malenko's ideas!

FTFY

[retrogamedude]

Got scammed once on a PC forum, started sending him his personal info including address, phone numbers, SSN then work info.  It's amazing how fast I got my money back. 

[Rick]

Regardless, if he's out, he should take the site down. It's just going to cause confusion otherwise.

Doesn't look like he's out. He's hanging out and active on Bartopmania.com.

[yotsuya]

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, Rick. Someone with an account here and there should shoot him a PM.

[Rick]

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, Rick. Someone with an account here and there should shoot him a PM.

I just joined up - I'll reach out, and figure out if he even knows there's a complaint.

[yotsuya]

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, Rick. Someone with an account here and there should shoot him a PM.

I just joined up - I'll reach out, and figure out if he even knows there's a complaint.

Yeah, find out why he rage-quit!

[Rick]

Yeah, find out why he rage-quit!

PM sent. He seems to be active on there, so I'm hopeful I'll get a response. (I told him if it's none of my business to tell me to GFM, so he's definitely got that option open.)

[mvolke1]

So Eric refunded my money today and apologized. He said he saw my post. I told him it wasn't personal, but I needed to know if others had issues.

[yotsuya]

Don't feel bad - you had every right to make this post. I'm bummed about ebarlow99. Seemed like a good guy. Hope all is ok.

[Rick]

Don't feel bad - you had every right to make this post. I'm bummer about ebarlow99. Seemed like a good guy. Hope all is ok.

He replied to me. Very civil, no hint of any animosity at all.

[Rick]

Now that I'm on a PC, and not on my phone... (which would WORK if TAPATALK WORKED, Saint!)

Eric asked me to convey his apologies - again - and is very concerned about his reputation. He didn't leave BYOAC to be shady, or any other reason other than the negativity that we all seem to get at one time or another... I, for one, have never had issue with the guy, and wish him well. I'm happy to hear that the troubles that created the necessity for this thread have been rectified.