Somewhere on a ship

I asked a personal friend of mine who is in the interior decorating business to assist in organizing some blinds for my bedroom. She suggested that I use the services of American Shutters since their quality is very good. I was asked to pay 50% deposit which I duly did. A month later a requested an update and my friend forwarded the SMS she received from Melinda Roberts in Randburg where she placed the order, saying that their lead time is between 30-40 working days which was not shared with me. They are unable to provide me with a definite installation date as the blinds are apparently somewhere on a ship. All I get is empty promises that they will get back to me. I decided to involve the CEO (Duncan Snyman) with little to no success. I have not signed any documentation and am told I cannot cancel the order and that it is manufactured and already on its way to South Africa. The order is custom made for your requirements and sizes so we cannot resell it to other clients. PLEASE DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM UNLESS IN WRITING. LESSON LEARNT!