NOREVE USA DISTRIBUTOR BANKRUPTCY; if you've ordered from NoreveUSA, please read

[cc1013]

I just received the following e-mail as I have a pending order with Noreve.  I am going to work with my credit card company immediately to have my funds returned.

*****************************************************************
Dear Customer,

On behalf of Innovacases - Noreve Saint Tropez,

I am very sorry to inform you that the following company

Croucier Industries, Inc.
1436 E. 33rd St.
Signal Hill
CA  90755
United States
Tel: 001 866 804 9159

which has been representing Noreve in the USA for the past three years,
has just announced us it bankruptcy and the very soon closing of the company
(end of February 2010).

 We are very concerned and surprised about this bankruptcy since
our brand has been growing consequently in the past 2 years.

We are advising all customers of Croucier Industries, Inc
who have a pending order on www.noreveusa.com
to contact immediately their bank to cancel the payment.

Please make sure to reject the payment before the end of the week.
Afterwards it will be very hard to get the money back.

For your information, Croucier Industries has not paid Innovacases for the past 3 months. We have summonded our lawyers to take control of the situation.

All Noreve team and myself would like to present you our sincere apologizes for this exceptionnal and serious situation which is and will be affecting our brand image.

If you need any further informations, feel free to contact
our customer service representative Cynthia at info@noreve.com  

 For customers who want to receive their case,
we are advising them to order it again on www.noreve.com
and contact us to receive a special discount.

 Sincerely yours ,

Michaël MASSAT
Noreve Director

Innovacases | Noreve St.Tropez
Haute Couture for Mobile Devices

*****************************************************************

--edited subject to reflect that it's the distributor that has declared bankruptcy.  Betsy

[VictoriaP]

Yow.   

Good luck!  Definitely let us know what happens!

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Sounds like Noreve itself is okay.  Just one of their distributors is going under. 

Best to cancel payment ASAP.  You can always reorder when they find a new distributor.  Have you checked the status on Amazon?  Are they still offering Noreve covers?

[cc1013]

It seems that Amazon is still selling Noreve items.  So, they must be working with the office in France.

I found the e-mail confusing, but YES, it seems that it is just their US distributor.  Regardless, I've been waiting 7 weeks for this case (my husband suprised me with an order).  I immediately contact my credit card company and sent them all of the background detail, including e-mails as late as last week indicating that my order would ship this week from France.  Hopefully, my funds are returned.

While their cases look beautiful and the reviews of them are very positive, I decided not to pursue another Noreve case and instead ordered another Oberon.

-- EDIT:  I also modified the thread title to indicate that it was the USA operations.

[Cobbie]

Here's a thread relating to this:

http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,20612.0.html

[lulucello]

I had been considering a Noreve before I purchased my Oberon. But their websites were so annoying, with irrelevant photos and music, and hard to find pictures of the actual cover, that I gave up. But I still lust after the luxurious leathers and rail system for the Kindle.  I think I'll wait until the dust settles before giving Noreve further consideration.
Judith

[VictoriaP]

It seems that Amazon is still selling Noreve items.  So, they must be working with the office in France.

Not so sure about that.  A spot check of random Noreve items on Amazon didn't show a single one as coming through Amazon or direct from Noreve.  All the ones I saw were third party vendors.

Looking at the prices on Noreve France website (even subtracting out VAT) plus their shipping charges of "less than 20 euro outside of France" (that would be $26 in today's conversion to USD), PLUS whatever lengthy wait times came up--I'm thinking it's probably not worth it at this point.  It makes me hope Amazon keeps the next few kindles within the same case/size as the K2.  I don't want to give the rail system up when I upgrade Kindles next, and I sure as heck don't want to spent $100 or so picking up another case.

I had been considering a Noreve before I purchased my Oberon. But their websites were so annoying, with irrelevant photos and music, and hard to find pictures of the actual cover, that I gave up.

Agreed--their website is atrocious.

[Betsy the Quilter]

-- EDIT:  I also modified the thread title to indicate that it was the USA operations.

CC, I further changed the thread title to clarify it was the distributor, NOT a Noreve company.  Good luck and keep us posted!

Betsy

[LibbyD]

I had been intending to order a Noreve case for my new iPod but hadn't gotten around to doing it, so when I heard the news about the U.S. distributor going under I started looking for something else.  Nothing even came close to being what I want so I placed an order with Noreve France.  So far, so good.  I had an immediate response confirming my order and, as their website promises, another e-mail came the next day with further information.  I've ordered a color that's not in stock, so it will be made for me and shipped within 15 working days.  If anyone cares I'll report the outcome.

My opinion is that it would be silly not to buy a Noreve cover if that is what you want, and sillier still to pass up an opportunity to get the discount they are offering to those who have a pending order that was placed through the distributor.  It's great if someone can be satisfied with something else, but since I can't I will continue doing business with Noreve and consider the increased cost of shipping the price I have to pay for being particular about accessories.  

[loca]

Ouch...Well, I guess this stuff happens, especially these days. 

[cheerio]

saw this coming with their closing earlier

[kindlenewbie]

I've ordered a color that's not in stock, so it will be made for me and shipped within 15 working days.  If anyone cares I'll report the outcome.

I care! I received 1 Noreve K2 cover, love it, and am waiting for the other one. I'll have to get in touch with Noreve.com to reorder it as the email says. Please let us know how it works out. Thank you.

[VictoriaP]

I care! I received 1 Noreve K2 cover, love it, and am waiting for the other one. I'll have to get in touch with Noreve.com to reorder it as the email says. Please let us know how it works out. Thank you.

Make sure you work with your credit card company NOW to get your transaction refunded.  Otherwise you may end up paying twice and only receiving one cover.

[LibbyD]

I care! I received 1 Noreve K2 cover, love it, and am waiting for the other one. I'll have to get in touch with Noreve.com to reorder it as the email says. Please let us know how it works out. Thank you.

Will do.

[cc1013]

Well, I just got confirmation from my credit card company that they have credited my payment to NoreveUSA and closed the dispute.  Phew!   Even better, my new Oberon shipped today.

While I still think the Noreve's look beautiful and the rail system is very attractive, it just shouldn't be so difficult to receive their products.  I may revisit a Noreve sometime in the future, but for now, I'm happy to have my money back and a new Oberon on the way. 

[kindlenewbie]

Make sure you work with your credit card company NOW to get your transaction refunded.  Otherwise you may end up paying twice and only receiving one cover.

I just got off the phone with my credit card company. Thanks.

Will do.

LibbyD, TIA for keeping us updated with your order status.

[Betsy the Quilter]

I've stickied this topic temporarily at kindlenewbie's suggestion (good one,thanks!).  There are several good tips in here about how to handle the situation if you've ordered from NoreveUSA.

Please Note:  it is only the US distributor for Noreve that has declared bankruptcy, not Noreve itself, though they have closed their NoreveUSA branch.  As you'll read here, you CAN still order through Noreve in France.

It looks like they're offering a discount of some kind to people who have pending orders through NoreveUSA.  Read more here for information on that.

Betsy
Accessories Moderator

[kindlenewbie]

I received a 10-euro discount code from Noreve.com. The code itself looks like something unique to each customer who requests it, instead of their previous CardMe, Spooky15, etc. I'm still deciding if I want to reorder the case.

Betsy, thanks for taking my suggestion. Now NoreveUSA.com customers with non-Kindle pending orders can find this in a web search too.

[angelad]

Oh wow.  Hopefully they can rebound.

[MarthaT]

Oh wow.  Hopefully they can rebound.

sure hope so

[kevindorsey]

Noreve is a good company. Sucks to lose them.

[MarthaT]

Noreve is a good company. Sucks to lose them.

yes it does

[Betsy the Quilter]

Well, they are not lost completely, you can still order from the European company. 

Betsy

[Betsy the Quilter]

For information on a member's experience with Noreve (Europe), see here:
http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,21519.msg402423.html#msg402423

Betsy

[cheerio]

Thanks betsy