My experience (so far) with UncleMikes.com

ber266148 · July 12, 2002, 09:24 PM

Here's an email chain I promised this person from Uncle Mike's (holsters, etc.) I would be posting here. As promised, I'll also post any follow-up I receive Monday (or thereafter). Note that I purchased the holster online at their site on Tuesday, July 2. (I just received a response to my first email to them today.)
=========================

Dear Kim:

That is not at all satisfactory. You're telling me that you can't ship a product for 2 weeks because of inventory!? And I notice that a full 4 days passed before you even bothered to answer my mail. Moreover, when I called your offices a few days ago, I was informed that your online ordering service sends no shipping notice as a rule. I hope that the person to whom I spoke was misinformed. If not, these practices are examples of terrible customer relations! I really think that you should consider shipping this product to me overnight at your company's expense as consideration for having delayed shipment for so long.

Know this: I will be making this experience known to all five of the shooting-related online discussion groups to which I subscribe. Your handling of the matter from this point forward will probably affect the decisions of many of the readers of my story. Is Uncle Mikes a good company overall who made one blunder but owned up to it and did right by a customer wronged, or are they more concerned about a few bucks now than, perhaps, many future purchases by this and other potential online customers in the future? What shall I tell them? I'll know by Monday, I suppose. If you reply to this message with a Fedex/UPS tracking number telling me to expect my package Tuesday morning, you will have impressed hundreds (perhaps thousands) of potential customers. If you do not, you will impress them, too, albeit in an altogether different way. Your call.

--- Kim BURLISON <[email protected]> wrote:
> We have just finished up inventory. We have your holster in stock and it should ship out
> beginning of next week. Sorry for the delay.
>
> >>> SHAWN STONE <[email protected]> 07/08/02 06:10PM >>>
> Hi, folks.....
>
>
> Any way of knowing the ETA of this holster? I haven't received it yet, and I haven't
> received
> a shipping email, either.
>
> Thanks,
> Shawn ([email protected])
>
>
> Note: forwarded message attached.
>
>
> =====
>

harbinger · July 14, 2002, 08:56 AM

I understand your frustration, but personally think you went a bit overboard with your letter.
Most companies take an extended vacation around the 4th of July. Probably why they didn't respond to you ASAP. Then again, depending what time you ordered on the 2nd, that should have given them ample time to respond before the holiday. Then AGAIN, most people like to take the first week off for vacation, so they were probably understaffed, and working for a large retail store myself, I know how much fun that is.
Two weeks for inventory seems excessive, but I don't know how they run their operation over there, so.....I think I should stop babbling and finish my morning coffee.

I'd give 'em a chance to make things right, though, before jumping down their necks. Just my opinion.

Quartus · July 14, 2002, 10:01 AM

Way overboard. From first question/response to major threats in ONE email exchange. Way out of line.

Yes, a notice about delays due to inventory should have been posted on the web page.

Two weeks in not excessive. This is not GM - this is a small company, and the points about July 4th are quite valid.

I don't see anything here that would discourage me AT ALL from buying Uncle Mike's.

ber266148 · July 15, 2002, 08:14 PM

And their reply, as promised...

Shawn,
I apologize for the inconvenience and the length of time it has taken to ship your holster. We
shipped your holster red label (at our expense) today under the tracking number
XXXXXXXXXXXX. You will receive the package tomorrow.
Again I apologize for the length of time. By no means do I expect an explanation to take away
your frustration, but hopefully it will ease some of the negative thoughts about our company.
Being a manufacturer, we are not equipped to handle consumer orders the same way that a catalog
house does. We offer our products on line as courtesy to those consumers that prefer to order
online directly from the manufacturer and also to those people that are unable to find our
products locally.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Kim Graham
Technical Support Supervisor
Michaels of Oregon CO.

Blackhawk · July 31, 2002, 09:34 PM

You went ballistic 10 days after placing an online order with an intervening holiday resulting in 6 business days...?

Relax, maybe cut back on the caffeine....

**Rich Lucibella** · August 2, 2002, 03:44 PM

Well, I guess I need to step in and offer my experience as a Vendor to Michael's of Oregon.

When they have promised to buy ads in S.W.A.T. they have responded professionally and timely....no hassles getting the written order, the artwork or the payment. That's hardly the rule in the print industry.

Aside for comparison:
Recently, my AT&T cell phone went belly-up under warranty. They require 10 business days to send out a replacement. I'm not happy about it, but I do understand it.

I also think Kim's action and professional response say a great deal about the Company.
Rich

July 12, 2002, 09:24 PM	#1
ber266148 Member Join Date: July 7, 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 16	My experience (so far) with UncleMikes.com Here's an email chain I promised this person from Uncle Mike's (holsters, etc.) I would be posting here. As promised, I'll also post any follow-up I receive Monday (or thereafter). Note that I purchased the holster online at their site on Tuesday, July 2. (I just received a response to my first email to them today.) ========================= Dear Kim: That is not at all satisfactory. You're telling me that you can't ship a product for 2 weeks because of inventory!? And I notice that a full 4 days passed before you even bothered to answer my mail. Moreover, when I called your offices a few days ago, I was informed that your online ordering service sends no shipping notice as a rule. I hope that the person to whom I spoke was misinformed. If not, these practices are examples of terrible customer relations! I really think that you should consider shipping this product to me overnight at your company's expense as consideration for having delayed shipment for so long. Know this: I will be making this experience known to all five of the shooting-related online discussion groups to which I subscribe. Your handling of the matter from this point forward will probably affect the decisions of many of the readers of my story. Is Uncle Mikes a good company overall who made one blunder but owned up to it and did right by a customer wronged, or are they more concerned about a few bucks now than, perhaps, many future purchases by this and other potential online customers in the future? What shall I tell them? I'll know by Monday, I suppose. If you reply to this message with a Fedex/UPS tracking number telling me to expect my package Tuesday morning, you will have impressed hundreds (perhaps thousands) of potential customers. If you do not, you will impress them, too, albeit in an altogether different way. Your call. --- Kim BURLISON <[email protected]> wrote: > We have just finished up inventory. We have your holster in stock and it should ship out > beginning of next week. Sorry for the delay. > > >>> SHAWN STONE <[email protected]> 07/08/02 06:10PM >>> > Hi, folks..... > > > Any way of knowing the ETA of this holster? I haven't received it yet, and I haven't > received > a shipping email, either. > > Thanks, > Shawn ([email protected]) > > > Note: forwarded message attached. > > > ===== > __________________ Shawn Ft. Worth, TX ---------------------------------------------------------- Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is... 'never try'." -- Homer Simpson

July 14, 2002, 10:01 AM	#3
Quartus Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2001 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,823	Way overboard. From first question/response to major threats in ONE email exchange. Way out of line. Yes, a notice about delays due to inventory should have been posted on the web page. Two weeks in not excessive. This is not GM - this is a small company, and the points about July 4th are quite valid. I don't see anything here that would discourage me AT ALL from buying Uncle Mike's. __________________ . Better to know what you don't know than to think you know what you don't know.

July 15, 2002, 08:14 PM	#4
ber266148 Member Join Date: July 7, 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 16	And their reply, as promised... Shawn, I apologize for the inconvenience and the length of time it has taken to ship your holster. We shipped your holster red label (at our expense) today under the tracking number XXXXXXXXXXXX. You will receive the package tomorrow. Again I apologize for the length of time. By no means do I expect an explanation to take away your frustration, but hopefully it will ease some of the negative thoughts about our company. Being a manufacturer, we are not equipped to handle consumer orders the same way that a catalog house does. We offer our products on line as courtesy to those consumers that prefer to order online directly from the manufacturer and also to those people that are unable to find our products locally. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Kim Graham Technical Support Supervisor Michaels of Oregon CO. __________________ Shawn Ft. Worth, TX ---------------------------------------------------------- Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is... 'never try'." -- Homer Simpson

August 2, 2002, 03:44 PM	#6
Rich Lucibella Staff Join Date: October 6, 1998 Location: South Florida Posts: 10,229	Well, I guess I need to step in and offer my experience as a Vendor to Michael's of Oregon. When they have promised to buy ads in *S.W.A.T.* they have responded professionally and timely....no hassles getting the written order, the artwork or the payment. That's hardly the rule in the print industry. Aside for comparison: Recently, my AT&T cell phone went belly-up under warranty. They require 10 business days to send out a replacement. I'm not happy about it, but I do understand it. I also think Kim's action and professional response say a great deal about the Company. Rich __________________ S.W.A.T. Magazine Weapons, Training and Tactics for the Real World Join us at TFL or at AR15.com or on Facebook

July 14, 2002, 08:56 AM	#2
harbinger Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2001 Location: Lewiston, ME Posts: 185	I understand your frustration, but personally think you went a bit overboard with your letter. Most companies take an extended vacation around the 4th of July. Probably why they didn't respond to you ASAP. Then again, depending what time you ordered on the 2nd, that should have given them ample time to respond before the holiday. Then AGAIN, most people like to take the first week off for vacation, so they were probably understaffed, and working for a large retail store myself, I know how much fun that is. Two weeks for inventory seems excessive, but I don't know how they run their operation over there, so.....I think I should stop babbling and finish my morning coffee. I'd give 'em a chance to make things right, though, before jumping down their necks. Just my opinion.

July 31, 2002, 09:34 PM	#5
Blackhawk Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2001 Posts: 5,040	You went ballistic 10 days after placing an online order with an intervening holiday resulting in 6 business days...? Relax, maybe cut back on the caffeine....