Friday 12 December 2008

Congratulations to Studio & Stage!

Congratulations to Studio & Stage on yet another negative feedback on eBay.

This brings their score to 85.2%, an all time low. In the last 6 months they have received 9 positive feedbacks and 4 negative - suggesting that almost half of their customers don't enjoy the wonderful service they would have us believe they deliver.

The good thing is they aren't selling very much through eBay. I hope that people who buy direct from their website do their due diligence and find this and other sites which expose S&S for what they are - cowboys.

Thursday 27 November 2008

S&S go from strength to strength

"Studio and Stage Is Under New Management.
[Oct 2008] G Clark and Co

Recognising the innovation and talents of the freelance commercial studio design artists, stage engineers, technicians and specialist prop makers who founded Studio and Stage in 1996 we happily invest finance and infrastructure to develop the retail and hire side of this business. Our intension is to provide the organisational support which was at times missing in the business. Coupled with a new order/workflow system, removing administrative pressure from the teams who actively manufacture will result in faster turn around times and an improved customer serviceIn 2009 we intend to consolidate and expand our market position. Improve and expand our product range and continue to provide accurate and functional equipment to happy customers at extremely competitive prices. Our client base has been in the visual arts, both on stage and screen, photography and video production and increasingly to corporate event organisers. In 2007 we are expanding to promote our production and sales of quality equipment to buyers on the internet. We will soon cease to offer our products on Ebay in the belief that their listing and payment policies are extortionate and unfair to buyers and sellers alike.
We continue to expand our AV hire business with products ranging from portable staging for halls and small venues, special effects and backgrounds to full lighting and sound rigs. "

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This was lifted from their website. Interesting to note their plans for growth in 2007! Gits. It will be such a shame to see them go from eBay, where they made their first sale in months just recently.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

Just saying hi

Been a very busy month so I haven't had time to do any digging on our favourite cowboys.

Doesn't look like S&S have been very busy though. From what I can see the last sale they made through eBay was back in September. Strangely, if you click on the View Item button, it suggests that the listing was cancelled by eBay. I may have got that wrong though.

Anyway, it's lovely to see that they aren't fooling eBayers.

I also noticed that on their website they claim to be opening new showrooms soon. No other details though (they don't seem capable of finishing a job off - look at the state of their website. Half the links don't work. Try leaving a message on the comment form, for example.)

I reckon they're about to be kicked out of their current premises. Or perhaps they're doing a runner from people like us (i.e. customers). All speculation, of course. But what fun.

I'm left wondering why they have posted pictures of Bradford and Leeds Theatres on their site. I believe Mr Joss works under the stage at The Alhambra (or perhaps he lives there?).

Well, while Mr Joss enjoys his grubby existence, I am off to America to make a short film. I might use that piece of crap dolly as a luggage cart.

Thursday 9 October 2008

I wonder . . .

Do you think that picture of Jenni to the right is actually a post-op picture of Richard Joss? Just a thought . . .

Google Ads

I've signed up to AdSense because I am interested to see how it works before putting on my 'real' sites. Apologies if the ads are an intrusion.

Richard Joss - Man of Many Monikers

How exciting: some more background about Richard Joss - the mastermind behind the scenes at Studio & Stage.

www.artwardphotography.com/ribcreativeltd.html

This great material comes courtesy of Anon Y Mous, who is another unhappy customer I have been corresponding with.

Briefly, this is a history of the complaint made by Arthur Ward, a photographer based in Belfast, who bought and never received an item from Richard Joss, who at that time was trading as Rib Creative Ltd and/or Studio 20.

There are some interesting parallels to be drawn between Art's experience and mine (and others who I've been in touch with). What was especially interesting was to read the language style of the emails that were sent to Art - very similar grammar, writing style, chosen expletives etc. They could have been written by The Mysterious Christopher Knox.

Reading more deeply reveals that Mr Joss may have used different names at various times, including Richard Chadwick and possibly Russell Dyson. So what's to stop him calling himself Christopher Knox? Or Jenni? ;-)

Mr Joss seems also to be trading under the name of Accolade Photography at an address in Bingley. (2 Adelaide House, Crosley Wood, Bingley, BD16 4QF if anyone's interested). It's a block of residential flats. His phone number is 01274 406574.

Why not give him a call, see if he's well?

Friday 3 October 2008

The Mysterious Mr Knox

I have just had an intersting email exchange with someone who has had dealings with Studio & Stage but is not a customer. That's all I am saying about my source!


He told me that he has never heard of Christopher Knox and doubts if he actually exists.


He also said that as far as he was concerned, Studio and Stage is run by Richard Joss (a name already supplied by another kind poster to this blog). He added that Mr Joss was "in his late fifties, balding and would probably not survive a mile run" (not that I would either, mind you!). Finally, he said that to the best of his knowledge, Studio & Stage is just one person.

How interesting . . .

Could this be the face of Richard Joss? Our reconstruction artists have pieced together what we know about him to come up with this artist's impression: