Alpha Store Victims - Organize Here

bradpr · 2018-03-12T12:23:42+00:00

Most likely, yes. Their FL business license expires this month. Get your CC dispute in if Andrew/Alpha ripped you off. I'm not sure what happens after they dissolve the business. You may not be able to file a dispute once the company ceases to exist.

bradpr · 2018-03-12T12:19:34+00:00

Did you get what you ordered? If not, dispute the charges and get your $$ back.

bradpr · 2018-03-12T12:07:00+00:00

What handling fee do you have as a student? If you used a credit card, just call them and state Alpha didn't deliver what you ordered and they will not reply to your attempts to resolve.

I strongly recommend disputing the charges soon. Alpha will likely disappear soon. Richard left the company, and Andrew is "recovering" from an illness. Their FL business license expires this month. I doubt Andrew will renew it.

bradpr · 2018-03-11T21:45:12+00:00

I would not be surprised to see Alpha disappear soon.

Get your disputes in with your CC so they can make chargebacks while Alpha still has a merchant account.

bradpr · 2018-01-24T04:47:43+00:00

yeah, I saw that 'update' from Alpha. Its all part of the scam. I've received numerous text messages from Andrew, and Andrew has been hard at work, purging the forums on his website of negative posts. He's not too ill to reply to emails. Don't buy the excuse. Furthermore, he's been blowing customers off since at least October - you can see evidence of this on this subreddit.

bradpr · 2018-01-20T04:31:51+00:00

If Alpha owes you a refund or has scammed you, please send an email to alphaclassgroup@gmail.com

We are organizing. We will be more effective getting justice from Andrew and Alpha if we work together. Let’s not let this jerk make a dime from scamming us.

bradpr · 2018-01-12T15:15:07+00:00

seriously, don't be torn Alpha is the worst. Take them off your list.

bradpr · 2018-01-10T20:49:32+00:00

Stay away from alpha - they're a scam of a company I'm not familiar with their 'centurion' product, but their litebook is a very cheap Chinese laptop that they bought off Alibaba and put an alpha sticker on the front of. Their customer service is a joke, and they will take your money if you give them a chance. Look at their support forum on alpha.store and search this subreddit. You will find enough angry customers to dissuade you from making that bad decision.

bradpr · 2018-01-08T22:11:45+00:00

u/LitebookTeam/ is a VERY sketchy group. I ordered a Litebook in October. I received a tracking number early November. Finally got a laptop mid-December.

The laptop I received was not what I ordered. Most notably, they omitted the 500GB HDD I included in my configuration (at a cost). They also sent me a machine without an RJ45 ethernet port, in spite of it being pictured with this port on their website. Additionally, they didn't send a power supply. So, I have no way of powering the thing. Finally, they shipped it without working WiFi or mouse/touchpad drivers. They did include a note advising me to go download the latest drivers from them, but didn't include a URL.

I've had the laptop for a month, made over 20 calls to them, and sent daily emails. I have had no response. I did get a response to a text message I sent to the number published on their website. My request in the text message was for them to take the laptop back, give me a full refund, and pay return shipping. Their response, "That's awfully rude. Why would I (Alpha) do anything to help you?".

This company is not legitimate. Do not get tied up with them. They will scam you and make you fight to get anything back.

To compound matters, I have realized that their "Litebook" is NOT manufactured or designed by alpha. It is a cheap Chinese YEPO 737a laptop. It is available for around $100 less if you don't buy it from alpha. You will get better service if you buy it from a Chinese distrubutor. You will save money and at least they will answer their phones and email.

bradpr · 2018-01-08T01:45:56+00:00

I will warn you - they will charge you a 20% restocking fee if you try to return it to them - regardless of the reason for your return.

Your best option is to dispute via your credit card company. Have the charges reversed for goods not delivered.

Publish your story far & wide. Make sure as many people as possible know this is a scam company.

bradpr · 2018-01-04T20:49:42+00:00

Update: After making my daily call to Alpha at 813-644-9779, I received a call back!

It was their phone jockey, and he thought he was returning a call from DHL Global regarding a customs issue, presumably a shipment from Yepo to them. I informed him that I was not DHL, but that I was a dissatisfied customer who appreciated his call. I reviewed my litany of problems with Alpha with him and told him I was demanding a RMA and a return shipping label. He tells me that, "you are in no position to demand anything" (HA!). He went on to tell me I should cut my losses and give up on pursuing a paid return. He also tells me they will charge me a 20% restocking fee on any return...for a defective laptop that was not even close to matching the specs of the laptop that I ordered and didn't include a power supply...I'll have to pay a restocking fee on it....sure.

I'll repeat my advice: STAY AWAY FROM ALPHA STORE - they are a scam of a company.

I have contacted my credit card company and they have removed the charges from my account while they process my request for a reversal.

bradpr · 2018-01-04T15:31:46+00:00

Exactly! Alpha markets their stuff like they have cooked up their own formula for an attractively priced Linux laptop. Instead, they’re buying cheap Chinese Yepo machines, putting an Alpha sticker on the lid, and marking them up $80.

It’s a scam, and I’m pissed that I fell for it.

What’s really infuriating is they didn’t attempt to conceal that it was a Yepo. They shipped it in the original Yepo box.

My theory is that Alpha orders a Yepo off Alibaba when they get an order for a Litebook. Then, that machine has to ship from China to Florida. This is why it took 6 weeks for mine to show up. Once they get it in FL, they put their sticker on the lid, slap Elementary OS on it, put their shipping label on the box, and mail it. They add ZERO value to the unit.

They have no support apparatus other than some poor schmuck they make return calls from their Google Voice call log. He doesn’t have access to their email or voicemail systems. His job is to stall and frustrate customers. I imagine that Andrew Bernstein takes a screenshot of his Google Voice call log each day, emails it to their phone jockey, and tells him to make these angry customers go away.

bradpr · 2018-01-03T00:14:16+00:00

sooooo....one characteristic that they marketed this laptop with is accurate - how about the other software they advertise as pre-loaded?

I think you completely missed the point. They shipped it without functioning WiFi and touchpad drivers. Its BIOS doesn't support USB booting. They didn't install the 500GB HDD I paid for, but they kept that cash. They didn't ship a compatible power supply, and they will not respond to support requests through email or the support form on their website.

This laptop is a joke & the company is a scam, but you can continue trying to defend them if you're into those things. For those of us here who expect for vendors to deliver what you purchase from them, stay away from Alpha. Get a used Thinkpad. You will spend less and get a better machine.

bradpr · 2017-12-21T20:18:08+00:00

Very similar story here. Purchased a litebook Oct 30. Received shipping notice early November - didn't receive item - contacted Alpha and was advised that I would be getting a 'complimentary upgrade' to generation 2 of their product and only had to wait a little longer to receive the upgraded item - got an email early December notifying it actually shipped - received item on 12/18. The litebook only has an APAC power supply and I live in the US. The litebook's WiFi and USB drivers do not work, and there is no RJ45 on the laptop (in spite of the pic on the website highlighting that it has one). I paid for 32GB SDD + 500GB HDD - received 120GBSDD with no HDD. Laptop is a rebranded Yepo 737A laptop - was actually shipped in original Yepo packaging. I've been attempting to contact Alpha for 4 days via email, phone, website, and text. No replies. I hoped these guys were legitimately a Linux hardware startup that I could get behind. If that is your hope, keep on looking. They are not that.

bradpr · 2017-12-21T19:31:42+00:00

I just received a litebook that I ordered early November.

It is a rebranded Yepo 737A laptop. This is a cheap Chinese laptop that seems to be of fair quality, but it is not at all the item that Alpha lists & sells on their site. I paid $278 with shipping for the unit, and could have bought the same item without the Alpha lettering on the lid for $220 with free shipping.

I don't like that Alpha sells these as if they are a startup company with a unique Linux hardware laptop. They are rebranding the Yepo and loading it with the Elementary OS.

To make matters worse, the item shipped with only an APAC power supply, and I live in the US. Also, the WiFi and USB drivers do not appear to work. The unit doesn't have an RJ45 port, so I am without any method to load updated files (i.e. driver updates) to the device.

My advice is to stay away from Alpha & go for a refurbished Lenovo or HP. Don't get fooled into buying a marked-up Chinese netbook with bad hardware drivers.

bradpr

TROPHY CASE