Frustrated by parts sellers (take 2)

[andypinboy]

Some time ago I placed an order for a few parts setting aside Easter to work on a machine. One element was a set of leg brackets (usual stripped threads in the existing brackets). I check the part number, all sweet.  Easter arrives, take off one of the old brackets - hmm new bracket just seems a tad different. Wider & the holes in the middle are much smaller (the ones that bolt the bracket to the cab). Try it in place & no existing holes align. Contact seller, says never had this prob out of a million, & the competition is selling dodgy brackets. But I bought the brackets from him?? So he suggests I post the brackets back to him cod so he can see what's going on, carries on about some recent revision rarara... I suggest he should really send me the correct brackets & a pre-paid bag to send back the incorrect brackets. Haven't heard from the seller since. Apart from frustration at wasting the only time I had set aside to do this machine, have any of you guys sent back stuff cod? Is it safe? Cheers, Andy.

[Chad]

Sending stuff COD is safe. When picking up they have to sign for it & pay the delivery costs, you also get a receipt for the package your are sending.
Only problem with COD is if the receiver doesn't pickup, the package will be shipped back to the sender and then you will have to pay the delivery charges to get the package back.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

so the hole that don't fit are the ones that you bolt the bracket to the cabinet?

maybe that is on purpose, so you are making fresh screw/nail holes rather than the old ones that may be stripped out?

I know they do this with repro side rails

[andypinboy]

Yeah Pete, that could be right - might be made for new holes - but then also the 2 middle holes are smaller than the typical pinny screw. I could bore those holes bigger I guess but it's a galvanised bracket.

Thanks Chad - that makes me feel better about sending them back cod. I've never come across this before - on the few times I've had to return something the seller has sent replacement goods asap & included a prepaid label or bag to return the unwanted goods. Fingers crossed the seller does pick them up - it would REALLY suck to get them back again with the added privilege of paying Australia Post 

Cheers.

[pinsanity]

COD in my experience is a sensible compromise provided as chad said the retailer has staff to collect the item and sign for it.

It beats having to send the wrong item back at your cost and then paying for shipping again for the correct item to be sent.

[Strangeways]

Might be worth posting a picture. The old style which resemble the original GTB leg bracket has a very thin thread for the leg bolt. Original Bally are slightly wider. The new style that I have found have more thread for the leg bolt to screw into. They can be mounted in two ways - effectively reversed. I didn't notice the nail holes - but that should not be a huge problem - use smaller nails ?

I love the "dodgy brackets" description 

[andypinboy]

here 'tis. so on the left is the original, on the right the new. the new bracket is a fatboy - so fat it won't fit properly due to the wooden rail that runs along the inside of the cab, no holes line up, & the middle holes are small "nail holes" rather than big enough to take a screw (the original brackets are affixed with all screws - 3 in a row each side, 2 in the middle).  

[andypinboy]

And here's some of what the seller emailed to me:

"Please send them back to me cod Australia post, so I can inspect them as I know on other Melbourne sellers are wider and are in correct"
"These are a -1 latest revision"
"I asked for the part number from your manual, maybe demoman uses something different, and you ordered the wrong part".

My thoughts:
Don't care what other sellers are doing I bought them from you.
Maybe the revision is the problem.
Part number is spot on. The manual lists 01-11400, the seller sells 01-11400-1 (the revised version for Williams/Bally), no I did not order the wrong part.
Most of all - trust me - I'm your customer, they are wider, & instead of you needing to inspect them why not just send me the correct brackets asap so I can finish my project.

Anyway sending them back today cod & will see how it goes.

[andypinboy]

I have just received an email alerting me the seller has refunded my money for the leg mounting brackets, & also threw in an additional $9+. Can't argue with that for good customer service. I'll update a bit further when I have some time.

[Homepin]

I understand your frustration but believe me the customer is most certainly NOT always right or blameless. I have had many boards returned to me as "faulty" or worked for 10 mins then blew up" - when they arrive invariably they have been attacked with a plumbers soldering iron or parts bent all over the place - no common sense or even care on the part of the buyer because the attitude is "I am the customer so I am ALWAYS right no matter what" - that doesn't wash with me I'm afraid.

[andypinboy]

Couldn't agree more Homepin - you are spot on. I don't think that the customer is always right either. However, I assure you I didn't widen the mounting brackets     I'm not sure what you sell but say a customer ordered a driver board & you sent him a different board by mistake. When the customer contacted you would you say "maybe you ordered the wrong board"? My guess is no. And, if you are a great business I think you'd send out a driver board immediately express post & then sort the rest out later. Am I wrong?

[pinsanity]

It has been shown twice now that bringing these incidents to the public's attention clearly is the most efficient way to get a satisfactory resolution without the back and forth posturing and argy bargy that typically accompanies a private transaction that has gone wrong.

Well done andy.  

And no I don't subscribe to the customer is always right philosophy either, but there is a difference between receiving the wrong part and receiving the right part but the receiver deliberately sabotaging/mishandling the item in the hope of getting a free replacement.

[andypinboy]

Thanks pinsanity.

You know it wasn't being sent parts that don't fit that annoyed me - it was the way it was handled. All I wanted was replacement brackets sent asap that fit properly - not to send these back, wait for the seller to pontificate, & then hope a decent set of brackets eventually arrive. I noted in an email to the seller that he should send me replacement brackets asap & he said he needed to see the brackets first.

Now the refund is welcomed, but even this had a sting. The seller had to include an AP post I put up congratulating Nino on his rtbb venture. And he asked that I refrain from posting his emails on pinball forums without speaking to him first. Not a great way to undertake a refund & not a great way to treat someone trained in law with a good understanding of both consumer & personal rights, including just about every piece of case law & statute on the same. I quoted some brief segments of the response from a business to my complaints about the product they had sent me. Nothing more, nothing less.

And I count this seller as one of the better ones. I say it again, any market where businesses can charge a $5 handling charge on orders, where prices are astonomical compared to overseas, & where customers are not treated well, is a market screaming for real competition. Marco doesn't have a handling charge - they are happy to sell me 1 of 3 different small bolts if that's what I order. Same goes for the companies in Europe.

I am happy that my money has been refunded & I bear the seller no ill-will. Indeed I hope he does well as he is one ingredient in a competitive marketplace.

Cheers pinball spare parts buyers.

[pinball god]

Again I am guessing who he who should not be named is, but the bracket looks like the ones I have purchased years ago and they worked great in my ToM and T2. I think the wood screws may have been a little tight but no probs and the leg bolts where just fine. Had no probs in 5 years an would buy again.

[andypinboy]

Y don't you have a guess about he who can't be named PG? These can't be the same bracket though - these are the "latest revision"  . Any chance you could measure across the width & let me know?