I've got several*, and I still bought the LeeValley. Of course, that was just to get the catalogs.
*Fun, but let's get some work done, huh? OTOH, I've got a couple moulding planes that are interesting profiles and a treat to work with. As is an old coffin plane with a Sandusky Tool blade from the same lot...
If I have a complaint with Lee Valley's service is it sluggish shipping. Most mail order companies seem to be able to get the box on the truck within a day, but even when everything is supposedly in stock LV seems to take at least several days, sometimes longer. That isn't a life-and-death issue, but who wants to wait for a shipment of shiny new tools any longer than necessary?
Way back when I worked for a company with a mail order division the policy was the replacement shipped when the returned item was received and found to be a legitimate return. Sad to say, but the company had learned the hard way that there are just enough unscrupulous customers who wouldn't return the supposedly defective item, or would return something that had clearly been damaged by their hand, that it was unwise to ship a replacement on trust. I recall other tricks, like returning an item actually purchased from another supplier, or removing a desired accessory and shipping back everything else, or in effect renting various tools to try them out and returning them on some feeble excuse (the same guy doing it over and over). It's the old story of the bad apples making it less pleasant for everyone else.
It's inexcusable to leave money on the table a second longer than necessary, IMO. The most successful mail-order businesses ship the same day. I got an order from McMaster-Carr within 48 hours (8:00PM Monday to Wednesday's mail) of placing the online order. Same for New-Egg and Amazon (my drill press took six days (Tuesday to Monday - the trucker called Friday afternoon to arrange delivery, Monday).
It would be different if no one gave this sort of service. The fact is that they do (that seem to make loads of money doing it at very competitive prices). LV gets good money for "service" that others already give, standard. If this thread is evidence, I don't see where paying for service is working.
Funny you should mention Newegg, I'd never order from them again. I bought a video card from them that was DOA, and when I called to get a return authorization number they not only wanted me to pay return shipping but the woman in "customer service" gave me a lecture on how they don't actually have to take anything back, they could tell me to return it to the mfg. (the mfg. had already told me to send it back to Newegg). So I asked to talk to a supervisor and asked him if he wanted me to reverse the charge on my credit card and wait for them to send a UPS call tag or was he going to cover the return shipping without me doing a chargeback--he chose option two. I wasn't asking for a refund in advance, just for them to pay the shipping on a defective item. I can understand charging return shipping if someone just changes their mind, but on a defective product? That was the last time I ordered from them.
I haven't bought much from them recently (maybe once every four or five months), but I have bought a *lot* from them in the past. I've never had a problem with NewEgg. There are some products where their return policy is suspect. I go elsewhere. That's the nice thing about capitalism.
"They didn't actually have to take anything back"? Yeah, right. You did as I would have done, though. "Which orifice would you like this in? I can be nice and you can eat the shipping, or...".
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Tried them (Newegg.com) a few times and have no complaints. But living in California and using them I have to pay taxes or weird Landfill fees for items that have dangerous or what California thinks is dangerous substances made to use the product. I'd feel better if they gave you a coupon and when taken to a recycling electronic center you could redeem it for your cash back. But no California would rather collect a fee and have you dump the suspect item in a landfill. I now buy all my electronics at Tigerdirect.com and not charged ridiculous fees!!!!!
I'll go one better than that: I once ordered some metalworking tools and supplies from MSC, online, at about 10:30 PM, for standard ground shipping. The box was sitting on my doorstep at 4 the next afternoon.
Of course, it helps that I'm in Indianapolis, and they're shipping from a warehouse in Elkhart IN (about 120 miles north of Indy), but still, I think that's pretty impressive. They're usually not quite that fast, but I don't recall *ever* waiting beyond the second calendar day after placing the order.
I use Tiger Direct for most all of my computer and electronics purchases and they've been great; I've never had a single complaint with their service.
Agreed. They're never in any hurry to get the order out the door, and on more than one occasion I've gone to a different vendor for that very reason.
I've heard at least 2 people complain about the products they sell. As if they might be selling "seconds" or something.
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That would be an exception for me. McMaster delivery is next day if I have the order in by 5. The rare exception is if the item has to ship from another location. Our shipments come out of Chelmsford, MA.
Well now days with most every thing charged on the credit card it is easy to charge the customer again if they don't rreturn the defective part. That is how most deal with insuring a legitimate claim.
Honestly, that's sounds a little screwy, especially for Lee Valley. A Starrett carbide scriber I bought almost a year ago from them, broke about
1/8" of the tip off. Contacting LV, they immediately sent me a replacement with instructions to send the defective one back in the same box with included postage paid return label attached.I'd suspect that the delay might well be attributed to our vaunted postal delivery system. Compared to what you guys have in the US with really fast delivery times, our Canadian system is mired some place back many decades. Yes, the order was regular delivery schedule, but the cost for overnight or rush type delivery is exorbitant under the Canadian postal service. One thing people can do with shipped orders from Lee Valley is get the tracking number from their online account info page and then track it through the post office.
Again, you're talking about US postal and shipping service. It's really expensive to get anything close to US service in the Canadian market. In many ways, especially this one, we are not competitive. Add to that border delays and tax concerns and you begin to see the problem.
Same here. Even weekends--I've ordered stuff on Sunday and had it on my doorstep Monday morning.
I think our postal system is faster because it has less to deliver and the same amount of people. Cheaper for over night because they are trained to loose money. On line tracking? LOL. That gets updated for the first time about 1 day after you receive the package.
Not that you were suggesting it, but FYI...Canada Post is not a government owned corporation. As they own 90% of Purolator, which _is_ profitable, a lot of resources are focussed in that direction. A very good friend of mine retired from his job at Canada Post a few years ago. He was the Marketing Director. He made it clear that a lot of work is being done to smooth the interface between USPS and CP. It is of benefit to both countries that we can exchange goods as quickly as possible. Americans forget that Canada is the largest trading partner the USA has... unless you look at the EU as a single entity. Of course, if you throw the TSA in the mix..well all bets are off. They have to fondle EVERY package...:-)
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