Ellis not replying to online buyers’ emails

NUMEROUS online customers of failed Ellis Fibre in Dunedin are concerned as to whether goods they have paid for will ever arrive.

The receiver, KPMG, is telling them to sit tight while the value of the stock is being assessed, and to watch for advertisements in the Otago

Daily Times, so they can begin the claim process.

There had been expressions of interest in buying Ellis Fibre already, KPMG partner and receiver Andrew Hawkes said

yesterday when contacted.

‘‘There’s been several expressions of interest already for the business, [a sale] would be a good outcome for all,’’ he said.

Ellis Fibre has been manufacturing bedding products from wool, feathers and down for almost 50 years, up to the present from its Kaikorai Valley site in Dunedin.

Several online customers contacted the ODT, concerned whether they would receive goods purchased in recent weeks.

One Ellis customer said, ‘‘I have emailed and messaged them, but they didn’t reply [to] my email.

‘‘They closed their website a few days ago, and I know nothing about my order’s updates,’’ the customer said.

Ellis was placed in the hands of receiver KPMG this week by director and shareholder Glenn Alexander.

The business is for sale, but closed its website earlier this week.

Another customer said, ‘‘We’ve been waiting since before Christmas and have just been given excuses each time I have inquired about the order.’’

Mr Hawkes said he did not yet know the extent of stock in hand and was yet to realise what its value might be.

‘‘Unfortunately, online customers are likely to be trapped as unsecured creditors,’’ he said.

However, he encouraged those customers to respond to KPMG and they would be sent a claim form.

Mr Alexander had twice avoided two other, separate, liquidation proceedings in the past seven months, having paid debts of, respectively, about $10,000 and $50,000, but a third entity was due to seek liquidation next month, over a debt of about $32,000.

I have emailed and messaged them, but they didn’t reply [to] my email. They closed their website a few days ago, and I know nothing about my order’s

updates

Ellis Fibre online customer.