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In late 2011 we were tipped off to them by clergy who were being treated rather badly by this 'company' and on the basis of information received, we began a time-consuming investigation into them and their actions.
Much of the problem rests with the website and its payments being processed via PayPal and let us be very clear here - it is NOT a PayPal issue but rather a 'Ars Sacra' one which has been notified to them on numerous occasions but nothing was done about it (and indeed remains so) all this time later.
One particular and most recent case is highly worrying in relation to this 'company' and should serve as warning to anyone else considering dealing with them....
** Story 1 **
Vestments were placed in the on-site shopping trolley last October and the order placed on hold for some time by the intending purchaser and when the purchaser went back to the 'company' site in May of this year they placed the order and the cash was taken from the PayPal account and message was emailed to the purchasers account to indicate that it has been paid.
The order sheet from 'Ars Sacra' indicates the order as pending with payment received acknowledged with the word 'yes' and the purchaser awaited shipment.
As we write in August 2012 (3 and a half months later) 'Ars Sacra' still has not shipped the ordered and paid for vestments and is now denying it ever received payment despite their own site and purchaser account indicating it HAS been paid.
When the purchaser enquired as to whereabouts of the shipment, they were told to provide the PayPal receipt to show it had been paid as they (Ars Sacra) did not believe the paperwork provided by the purchaser which came from their own records and customer account!!
The purchaser requested a fax number to send the paperwork to but believe it or not, 'Ars Sacra' do not have such a number and then began calling the purchaser dishonest and a liar!!
This despite the fact that the paperwork exists and we here in CW have it to hand (notated copies provided by the purchaser) and indeed records of the calls.
'Ars Sacra' have also now shut down the purchasers account in the last few days which was perhaps intended to allow them to prevent the purchaser from exposing through the account paperwork that they have indeed paid for goods which 'Ars Sacra' now refuses to ship despite being paid for it.
We are aware that despite reporting this 'company' to the Polish Embassy (who also seem to care nothing about this very flagrant abuse and arrogance) nothing has been done by this 'company' except harass the purchaser for 'evidence' of the purchase yet they have been provided with it from their own site and offered it via every possible avenue.
It remains unresolved.
Obviously the Polish Embassy (vis-a-vis Artur and Jidruszak, and the assistant to the Ambassador) endorse such sharp practices by their own towards others but it does not mean it is acceptable behaviour whether in Poland or outside.
** Story 2 **
Again, another cleric found himself in the position of having ordered from 'Ars Sacra' that they sent the wrong item despite having it clearly stated on the order form what was required.
As soon as the package arrived, he notified 'Ars Sacra' of the error and expected the matter to be resolved simply.....how wrong can you possibly be?
Let it be noted that when you order with 'Ars Sacra' you also pay the shipping costs so when 'Ars Sacra' eventually replied asking what the problem was despite it being made clear in the most simplest of English 'Ars Sacra' insisted that the wrong vestment be returned first before they would forward the correct item.
So, the purchaser has already paid for the vestment and the postage, then receives the wrong item and wishes to know what next...
...only to be told to send back the wrong one (at their own expense) and they correct one would be then forwarded...
...and an offer was made that if the purchaser wished to keep the unwanted vestment an offer of a 10% discount would be offered !!
Now, remember 'Ars Sacra' have messed up the order, sent 8 emails 0ver 7 days asking what the problem was (despite it being in plainest of English) and then on Monday 20th August, instructed the purchaser they were going to send the correct (and originally ordered) vestment the very next day Tuesday August 21st inst.
However, on Tuesday 21st, an email was sent (one of many more abusive ones from 'Ars Sacra') to the purchaser that the vestment was NOT going to be sent until the wrong one was sent back and the correct one would be sent.
This ran contrary to the agreement of the day previous via email and when this was questioned, the person handling the emails replied it was not them sorting and replying to the emails the day before so no the vestment would not be sent until the other was received.
The matter still remains unresolved and may indeed remain so.
* * * * *
CW: we have been threatened by 'Ars Sacra' that we would be brought to court for defamation if we decided to go ahead with publishing this information.
We challenge 'Ars Sacra' to prove us wrong on anything we have published here, and indeed what further information we intend to publish here over the coming days and weeks.
Nothing published here is unvouched and we can prove
* that the order placed with you in May 2012 is FULLY PAID;
* that the 'Ars Sacra' site indicated this (before the account was shut down by 'Ars Sacra') - evidence which 'Ars Sacra' refutes despite coming from their own site;
* the existence of the PayPal receipt showing that it was paid (which 'Ars Sacra' now disputes the existence of but which has been offered to them on at least 12 occasions since first requested by them);
* their PayPal facility (and this is NOT a PayPal issue) is not working as it should;
* they ('Ars Sacra') have failed to be mannerly, professional and indeed customer friendly in their 'attempts' to resolve these highlighted issues.
If 'Ars Sacra' wish to get in touch and contradict anything and everything we have published here - and will publish - please do so by getting directly in touch with us on
clericalwhispers@gmail.com
and we promise to be more professional and expedient than you and indeed those resident in the Polish Embassy.
For now, all we can do is advise anyone dealing with 'Ars Sacra' to be careful and remember the old adage - Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)!!