The Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York has given an F rating to an Elmsford online collectibles business that specializes in Funko Pop figurines.
The nonprofit appraiser of businesses and charities cited consumer frustration with Big Apple Collectibles in 297 complaints collected by the BBB in the past three years.
“Consumers claim that after purchasing and paying for merchandise from Big Apple Collectibles the company continually delayed the expected delivery date,” the BBB states in an Oct. 4 press release. “In some instances, consumers who became frustrated and requested refunds from the company were instead given store credit.”
Many reviewers claimed that the collectibles they bought were not delivered for a year or more, if then, and when they asked for refunds they were told that a 25% to 30% restocking fee would be charged.
Big Apple was founded in 2017 by Marc Ghiron, according to a state corporation record.
“We pride ourselves on the ability to bring you the collectibles you want at low prices,” Big Apple states on its website, “while offering you the largest, single curated offering of Funko products all in one place.”
Funko Pops vinly toys feature oversized heads and wide, blank eyes on small bodies. Funko Inc. claims it can “popify” anything, according to news accounts. The figurines include pop culture characters and superheroes, historical figures and modern celebrities, cartoon characters and movie icons.
Big Apple also sells other types of collectibles, trading cards and apparel.
Customer reviews on the BBB website gave the internet retailer an average of 1.13 stars out of a possible 5.
“I would not even give them one star,” Herman J. said in a Sept. 16 review.
He claims that 11 months after he placed a pre-order for Funko Pops and the toys were available in stores, he was told that a refund was not possible until after one year. When he wrote back a month later, Big Apple allegedly said it had a new policy: a 25% restocking fee on refunds.
“So you are stealing 25% of my money to restock a product that you do not have in stock and never shipped to me,” he asks in his review.
Big Apple did not respond to an email asking for its side of the story. Its online website does not list a phone number, and a number found on an online telephone directory leads to a message that the mail box is full and is not accepting messages.
