@choppie3 I really do hope everything works out to your satisfaction. I'm guessing you have your reasons to go your route, but I feel you should consider the following when making your decision.
- There's not much incentive for them to make and ship you the new pieces since they already have your money. Or they can just take their time doing so.
- Liability is on the shipper (you) for the return. If you value the package at $15 (as appropriate to avoid the hassle of a 9801 return claim) then you would only be compensated $15 if it's lost or damaged.
- If you value the package at $400, then the vendor could refuse receipt if customs charges a tariff. If that happens, you'll most likely have lost that package to customs.
- If the package is lost or damaged, then the vendor won't get those pieces back, and I'm pretty sure they won't send you your new pieces either.
- You'll be out an additional $80 regardless of what happens, and could even be out the $400 since you were liable for the return shipment.
- If all this takes too long, you may no longer have the option to dispute this purchase through however you paid for this, so you'll lose your leverage to get this resolved.
- There's also the possibility that the replacement pieces might also have some issues. You really won't have any leverage then either.
There really is a good amount of risk here, so just some food for thought. I do hope it all ends well.
I'm going to take another photo for comparison and post it here for more to comment on to validate my complaint. During a chat session on their website, I pointed out the GROSS difference in the photo com paired to what I received. Their reply was, the cameras we use are the most expensive and are accurate.... Its HILARIOUS that the photo I took with my phone.....looks EXACTLY what I'm looking at in front of me on the table...!!!!
@choppie3 Were you going to post a picture from the vendor for comparison? Or just put a link to the website of your purchase.
In reading your 'UPDATE', there seems to be so many pitfalls that I would strongly recommend a clean and straight forward resolution. Just return the entire set and get a full refund now. If and when they do make a new set, then you can then buy it when it's ready. And be sure that the vendor pays for the return and they give you the shipping label.
I saw that the vendor has a watermark on the photo, would have given up who it was. Their not going to send a shipping label, been going back and forth with the email. Best case is, it will cost me another $80 dollars to ship them back. After its over, I'll have paid what they normally charge for the set when it's not on sale....but I'll be able to get the natural boxwood for the light side which they don't offer.....I'll post the photo and vendor when It's all over.... everyone here can then decide on opinions of the whole transaction. Once you visit their website and look at the exact set I bought, looking at their pictures then compare them to what I received.... I'm hand making a custom chessboard for this set with 2.5" squares suing re-purposed woods I've saved for several years. Oak and Walnut.....should be a nice project. Of course I'll post photos here....