Outstanding HF order since 4/20/06; Opinions Please

[Dan S]

i have sent the following email to HF customer service

subject:

Outstanding order since 4/20/06

Body:

On 4/20/06 I placed two orders. The first was received in the 4 to 6 weeks as specified. However, I still have not received the second order. I have called, or used your “live help” option several times to get updates on my order, LOG NO: ######. Each time I have called the customer service representative was very prompt and kind. But, it has been 5 months since I placed my order, and I still don’t have a definitive date on when I will receive it. I would like to know whether or not this item is still available for purchase. Will you please inform me of the status of my order? Sincerely, Daniel Sherman

I know profit margins for HF are low, so I have been trying to take that into consideration. I have always been kind and courteous, when dealing with the customer relations representative, but I’m starting to become annoyed with this issue.

What do people think I should do next?

[Karl_T]

Get a refund and take your money elsewhere

[wildcat]

Purchases that I have made from HF have mainly been at the store on in stock items. I have never had much luck with backordered items at any store. The few times that I have purchased online have taken at least a month to arrive. A replacement sealkit took nearly a year (by which point I had long since made a new one). I agree - I have had nothing but great success with the phone reps but gosh what can they do but appolgize if the parts are not in the country. The way I look at it is by buying from HF we are accepting some risk (time lost, money lost, etc) in order to get insanely low prices. You bring up an interesting point - what are HF's margins? I suspect that even when something is on sale they are still making a killing. When you go to the store it is often possible to talk them in to lowering the price even more than sale price. Of, then there is the whole extended warrenty scam... the local store lowers the price as much as the extended warrenty in order for the customer to buy the extended warrenty at no additional cost. Must be a better kick-back on the warrenty sale than the item sale. Anyway, big big tangent. Ask if the item has been replaced with another and your order was never updated and then ask for a refund. You are a REALLY patient person I don't recall you saying what you ordered but could you get it from Enco, Grizzly, etc for about the same price?

[Dan S]

I ordered the faceplate, steady rest, and follow rest for my 8x14. I have contacted LMS, and they will have everything in stock come mid December, so if HF doesn’t have it to me by then, I will cancel my order, and get what I want from LMS.

[Dan S]

I gust got a reply to my e-mail, i have received a similar derivation of the answer every time i deal with customer service.

Hi, Your parts are currently on order from the manufacturer and are being shipped in from over seas. Please allow some more time for the parts to arrive. We apologize for the inconvenience.

[aggie_67]

After expediting order for many years their reply reminds me of the old saying the check is in the mail. Old plant remedy is to ask for the shipping number and name of the ship transporting the order. If they can't or won't supply that information it may still be on back order and I would go else where.

[unterhaus]

Originally Posted by aggie_67 After expediting order for many years their reply reminds me of the old saying the check is in the mail. Old plant remedy is to ask for the shipping number and name of the ship transporting the order.

Maybe they should check to see if the ship is drifting in the Pacific somewhere. There was a recent story about some fishermen that were stranded in the middle of the Pacific for a couple of years. They survived by catching birds and drinking rainwater.

[USMCPOP]

I was thinking of ordering the same for my HF 8 x 12 (14), but not if it's going to take forever. Does Little Machine Shop carry the accessories for the 8 x 14, or only for the 7 x 12 size? LatherMaster might be a source.

[Dan S]

lms does carry the parts for the hf 8x12, they are currently out of stock as well.

[Kipper]

My opinion is that after 5 months you should have done something :shrug: So far as I see after 5 months i'd put you into the "profit without purchase department" and forget about you...hth

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by Kipper My opinion is that after 5 months you should have done something :shrug: So far as I see after 5 months i'd put you into the "profit without purchase department" and forget about you...hth

I wouldn't say that I have done nothing, i call in every 2 weeks or so for an update. As of this moment, they have not charged me. If i don't have my order by the time LMS gets the parts back in stock i will cancel my order with HF, and get the stuff i want from LMS.

[wildcat]

Would the parts and accessories for the Grizzly 7x12 or 9x19 fit your lathe? Grizzly seems to be pretty good about keeping parts on hand (at least in my experience).