# The Wizard of Aahs... is no more



## DaveTrader (Jun 11, 2011)

Not sure if anyone has heard yet, but...

Having purchased a few suits from Jeff at the Wizard of Aahs, I gladly referred a friend of mine that was looking for a suit for an upcoming event. Two days ago, Jeff invoiced him for the suit purchase and my friend made his payment. Just today, my friend received an email from Jeff explaining that he was in a nasty dispute with Ebay and that they had seized his Paypal account - essentially shutting down his business on Ebay!

Sadly, the email went on to say that after he gets this sorted out with his current customers (my friend included), he is getting out of the clothing business. I surely hope he reconsiders as his suits were of decent quality at an affordable price point.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

I wonder how that happens, a dispute with ebay that could result in such a major problem.

He could probably do fine just by setting up his own website, couldn't he?


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Wonder if this has to do with the tax ID push they started.


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## Preacher (Jul 5, 2008)

Just got the same letter from Jeff. I got a refund from paypal for two suits I purchased last week. Jeff said at first they simply took control of his paypal account and then they started automatically issuing refunds. He's going to work it out with me so that I can pay through google wallet. I do hope he stays in business.


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

With ebay/Paypal, it takes ONE BUYER to claim fraud, or push a nonsensical issue to get them to shut down your PP account, and in the terms of the PP user agreement, they can impound your bank account funds should they so desire. 

Just google it, and you'll see some absolute HORROR stories about PP.


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## Preacher (Jul 5, 2008)

Here is an article written by Jeff if anyone wishes to see it. 
https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/letters/blog.pl?/comments/2012/7/1343446241.html


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## MikeP (Apr 18, 2008)

Sad. Jeff was great and his suits were a wonderful option for those on a tight budget. I'm currently sitting at a conference in one of his suits I purchased right out of law school.


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## TweedyDon (Aug 31, 2007)

Preacher said:


> Here is an article written by Jeff if anyone wishes to see it.
> https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/letters/blog.pl?/comments/2012/7/1343446241.html


QFE.... This was a real eye-opener of an article for me!


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## dba (Oct 22, 2010)

Haven't bought from Jeff yet, but I've kept the email he sent me in response to a question I asked him. It can't be just the people on this forum that think highly of him. Hopefully he'll resurrect his business away from eBay and continue to sell quality clothing at an affordable price. Good luck, Sir!


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

TweedyDon said:


> QFE.... This was a real eye-opener of an article for me!


Ditto. As one who left Ebay in favor of instituting the e-comm on our own already existing site back in 2001-2002, Jeff's article made me happy about what was, at the time, a very risky, fearsome decision.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

dba said:


> Haven't bought from Jeff yet, but I've kept the email he sent me in response to a question I asked him. It can't be just the people on this forum that think highly of him. Hopefully he'll resurrect his business away from eBay and continue to sell quality clothing at an affordable price. Good luck, Sir!


It seems that he has left the retail business for good to do something else instead. I wish the best to him whatever he does.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Preacher said:


> Here is an article written by Jeff if anyone wishes to see it.
> https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/letters/blog.pl?/comments/2012/7/1343446241.html


Thanks for the link, sad state of affairs. Best to Jeff.


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

Thanks for the link. I, too, and wearing a Wizard suit today (passed over an Oxxford and bespoke for it), and it is such a shame, as my recent MTM/bespoke ventures have me longing for a new, well-tailored 'Daniele'.


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## cdavant (Aug 28, 2005)

I was thinking about dumping eBay before this. It will be gone Monday. 
But Jeff has a name and reputation. He doesn't need eBay to sell suits. Start with a website and give it some time. Just, please God, don't let us see "Buy one Wizard, get two free..."


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

He has his website up and running though I don't know if it is complete. He says he will be happy to provide clothes to old customers but isn't sure if he wants to open it back up to new customers. I imagine if the demand is there he would though.

I asked if it was OK to post his new website address here but haven't heard back from him yet.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

OK just heard back from Jeff, here's his website:

 www.thewizardofaahs.com


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## Liberty Ship (Jan 26, 2006)

Thank you.



zzdocxx said:


> OK just heard back from Jeff, here's his website:
> 
> www.thewizardofaahs.com


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Sad. It seems a bit like eBay want to control the marketplace to maximize revenue rather than offer a versatile platform for the seller to develop the business that suits his/her sector. 

Availability is king, search 'optimisation' can kill a lot of businesses. They don't seem to realize that changes in that should be slow, organic.


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## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

I gave up on E-Bay a long time ago. No insult intended to those who use PayPal but I had a close friend early on, (5-6 years ago) who went though a living hell with PayPal.

As TweedyDon and a few others know I find another way to pay, anything but PayPal.

This truly is a shame for Jeff,...
Regards,


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Should anyone be interested, someone else I know who had a horrible situation with PayPal discovered WePay, which is a payment processor and online storefront in one. It doesn't do anything to drive traffic, but if you use their tools to build a shop on your own site it's very useful. And their customer service is excellent.


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## ArtVandalay (Apr 29, 2010)

I'd like to get away from Paypal, as well. Are there any other online payment methods other than Paypal and Wepay that anyone has experience with?



127.72 MHz said:


> I gave up on E-Bay a long time ago. No insult intended to those who use PayPal but I had a close friend early on, (5-6 years ago) who went though a living hell with PayPal.
> 
> As TweedyDon and a few others know I find another way to pay, anything but PayPal.
> 
> ...


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

Google wallet, but not sure how well it works for person to person. As a business, it works great.


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## Richard5418 (Feb 9, 2009)

Now that the Wizard of Ahs seems to be out of business, I am looking for another good online option to buy suits.
Suggestions would be most welcome!

Richard


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Actually, it seems he is _not_ out of business, just off eBay. Check out the above website. I'm not sure I want that style of suit but by golly the price is right so I bookmarked it. Best wishes, Jeff.


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## Mox (May 30, 2012)

I've been debating about whether I should say anything about my own experience. I brought up the fact that the suit is half-canvas when he advertises that it is full canvas. In the end, he gave me my money back even though I hadn't noticed until a month or so later, but not before he gave me a whole lot of verbal abuse and tossed a fair number of insults my way. He apologized at the very last, but only after I kept my cool through the whole thing. That was not the experience I was expecting, considering his reputation.

If he was leaving the business as he had stated, I would not be bringing this up, but I think it's fair to talk about, considering he still has a site up and he kept the stance that the suit was fully canvased. I'm happy that he gave me my money back even after the extended time period, but I feel he is still falsely advertising.

He did his best to convince me that I didn't know what I was talking about, but even though I've only recently taken an interest in clothing, I'm not new to deconstruction and engineering. It was simple enough for me to teach myself to program in a dozen different computer languages, to rebuild and tune carburetors, and a number of other technical endeavors. Figuring out how much canvas a jacket has is pretty darn easy in comparison.

This is the spot where I could feel the canvas end.









Just to be clear, I think those are good prices for nice suits, but not as nice as represented. Some may be fully canvased, but the one I was sent was not. I even asked a local tailor who carries Baroni: "Are the Baroni suits full or half canvas?"
Note I did my best not to lead.
His answer was "Half."

Jeff accused me of fishing around until I found a tailor who would give me the answer I was looking for. That was not the case. I believe there have been others on the forum that have confirmed that their own Baroni suits have been half canvased.


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## 77Pat (Dec 14, 2008)

ArtVandalay said:


> I'd like to get away from Paypal, as well. Are there any other online payment methods other than Paypal and Wepay that anyone has experience with?


Google Wallet https://www.google.com/wallet/

Amazon Payments https://payments.amazon.com/sdui/sdui/index.htm

For person to person:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/
American Express Serve


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Good luck to you.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

^+1. But, sorry to say, I didn't find anything tempting.


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## Spex (Nov 25, 2012)

"Interesting" belt loops on the Veronesi trousers. Never seen anything like that.

I shall continue to lament the fact that it's difficult to find a nicely constructed navy blue patch pocket blazer/sportcoat for under $500... sigh...


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

Spex said:


> "Interesting" belt loops on the Veronesi trousers. Never seen anything like that.
> 
> I shall continue to lament the fact that it's difficult to find a nicely constructed navy blue patch pocket blazer/sportcoat for under $500... sigh...


"Interesting", as in horrid? Or were you too just taken aback by the horrid billowing of the pleats?


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## EclecticSr. (Sep 21, 2014)

Several years I purchased a suit from Jeff on a lark to see what quite a few people were raving about. Charcoal pinstripe DB. Not great, but not bad for a suit that cost somewhere North of $300.00. I would have to rummage through that closet to check if it is full canvas but don't think it is. Forget which model. Never had it tailored. Don't think it would even fit now. But now that I'm reminded of it I'll pull it out and probably donate it to one the veterans charities than send us those plastic bags when they have their used, in this case a new article, clothing drives. Thanks all for reminding me.


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## JPM (Feb 5, 2013)

Perhaps its best sometimes to keep ones opinions to themselves. The Style Wizard has been a friendly supplier to AAAC over the years for moderately priced, quality for value suits and the like. The styles range, but no one is making you buy anything. I for one have dealt with Jeff and have a beautiful Baroni/Daniele blazer (with shell buttons for which I get comments all the time) a Daniele wool and silk charcoal plaid sports jacket and another wool/cashmere Valentino sport jacket, all of which are good quality, look good and serve me well. Jeff was always GREAT to deal with and provided excellent customer service. I suspect that his son in law will provide the same quality service. Good luck Justin.


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## MRR (Nov 19, 2009)

JPM said:


> Perhaps its best sometimes to keep ones opinions to themselves.


Perhaps. But helping someone have reasonable expectations is an example of a good time to give an opinion. Most of my decisions, and all of my good ones, came from reading negative reviews to see if the negatives actually apply to me. Not voicing opinions gave the world the Edsel.



JPM said:


> The Style Wizard has been a friendly supplier to AAAC over the years for moderately priced, quality for value suits and the like. Jeff was always GREAT to deal with and provided excellent customer service. I suspect that his son in law will provide the same quality service. Good luck Justin.


I am coincidentally wearing the one suit I purchased from The Style Wizard a couple years ago. The cut is not what I really like, but I am on the thin side. I'm sure the style is spot on for most builds. The construction is top notch. I do not resent my purchase one bit, was upset to see the Wizard leave, and am happy to see the return.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

I would have liked to see items I would want to purchase on their site. The more vendors with well priced clothing the better. I just didn't see anything tempting for the price. As far as the trousers mentioned, having them modeled by
men they fit poorly doesn't create a visual appeal and sales. If they are starting out and looking to showcase their products, they should make them look as appealing as possible. That I thought the belt loops horrid is my prerogative. To each his own. There were some nice items on the site, just nothing special to entice me. Believe me I want to be enticed.


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## mhdena (Jan 4, 2008)

Not sure about the pants, but the Daniele suits had decent reviews from their last go-round. The navy birdseye looks the same as before.


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