MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Careful When You Use a Name Very Similar to OURS

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A mate recently gave me a heads up about a business advertising Solar Power solutions on Facebook.

Now when a ‘business’ advertises solar systems at a price point lower than what we at Straton Solar pay for the equipment AND that business has a business name suspiciously close to ours then I do like to find out just how they can offer these systems all over the country.

I am not saying that this is a scam – after all it could be a charity just looking to give stuff away to needy South Africans punch drunk with load shedding.

Judge for yourself as I present my misgivings in the video and listen to my conversation with their salesman.

One of the solutions offered was the following:

  • 1 x 5Kw Sunsynk Hybrid Inverter
  • 6 x 550w Canadian Solar Panels
  • 1 x 5.12Kw Lithium Ion Battery
  • DC DB Including Lightning Arrestors
  • AC DB Including Changeover Switch
  • Installation Including CoC and Green Card
  • 10 Years Warranty

All the above for the amazing low price of R79 327.00 Including VAT

You wil struggle to find a reputable installer who will do the above job for less than R130K.

BUT, that is not all folks – Stratton Power (the ‘business’ offering this incredible deal) told me on the phone that to ship the above would cost R4000.00 and that they would get a local Gqeberha based electrician to install. Stratton Power also confirmed that they were registered electricians. When I asked if they would be getting Straton Electrical to install I drew a blank. When I asked just where they got the name Stratton Power from (I expected them to say Briggs & Stratton) they couldn’t tell me and said I need to ask the owner of the company.

BUT, when I did a bit more digging I saw that their physical address is given as 1 Visagie Road, Nigel and that, according to Google, a company called Ardagh is situated there. In a previous life Ardagh was known as Consol Glass. So, I phone Ardagh to see if there was a Stratton Power at 1 Visagie Street, Nigel and I was assured that they had never heard of the company.

So, just for shits and giggles I plugged Stratton Powers offer into our quotation template and can tell you that they are selling their 5Kw Sunsynk Solar system for less than one can buy the equipment from wholesalers for.

More red flags came from:

  • The Stratton Power Facebook Page was established this year
  • The Stratton Power domain was registered on 11 April 2023 at 2:26 pm
  • The Contact Us link in the footer goes to a wowtravel domain
  • 4 ‘Other Pages’ listed in the footer have links going nowhere
  • There is something ‘off’ with their maths as they claim to have done 80 projects and yet in the ame breath claim to have
  • serviced 15 000 customers through 4 employees
  • A very aggressive gentleman on the other end of the line.

I phoned the business listed at Stratton Power’s listed busness address of 1 Visagie Street, Nigel after going off to Google Maps street view to see the premises and was very impressed to see these premises – especially for a new entrant into the solar market! After not being able to actually see any large signs or listing board outside the complex showing Stratton Power I then plugged the address in to a Google Search and was presented with a business name – Ardagh. Now Ardagh is the new name for a very recognisable business – Consol Glass Manufacturers. The lady at Ardagh confirmed for me that she is not aware of any business named Stratton Power in their complex.

Have a look at the video below for screenshots of other businesses offering (via paid for Google Ads I might add) 5 Kw Sunsynk Inverter and Battery Combinations for sale. Please note that these prices ranging from R61 500 to R69 999.00 DO NOT INCLUDE these items: Shipping, Solar Panels, DC and AC Boards, Mounting Structures, Cable, CoC, Installation or Registration. A reputable installer will not supply and install everything offered by Stratton Power for less than R130 000 and even then expect a shoddy job with used equipment.

Charity or Scam? What do you think?

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.