TinkerTailor Report post Posted October 16, 2015 There is one supplier which I won't name publicly who advertises on this site who is not checking their email frequently. IF YOU SELL LEATHER SEWING MACHINES (or anything) CHECK YOUR MAIL DAILY!!!!! I can not give you my money if you don't tell me how much!!! I was hoping to get this machine on the way to me this week. You may not be in a hurry to sell but I am in a hurry to buy. I have emailed a request for a quote 3 times this week and got no reply. I sent the first on Monday with a follow up question in a second email and re-sent the request early Thurs morn from a different account in case the first was flagged as spam. It is now Friday. No reply. I sent out requests to 4 suppliers on Monday. All of them have got back to me right away with a landed price for what I want but one. I sent the email on a holiday Monday for one and they got back to me at 730am on tues..... As for the machine I was most interested in.........No info grrrr. As to the inevitable comment about phoning them, First, I have a day job. Can't spend time on the phone for this during working hours. Second, I want a quote with shipping all in to me and i want to see it on paper. My particular situation does not allow me to do accurate shipping quotes on websites and i had alot of questions i did not want to forget. I also wanted to be able to compare quotes for equivalent accessories packs. I want to get the right machine and accessories. While I am venting, What is with you all having lost leader deals on machines on your websites??? Several companies I have talked to have up to 3 machines on their sites, that were really good deals. All either nearly new refurbed clones or clean original machines for a good price that "just" got sold. All of these machines have been on their websites for a while and they all "just" sold???? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LumpenDoodle2 Report post Posted October 16, 2015 Breathe deeply, and relax. :-) I agree with what you're saying, some companies seem to think that they would run so much better if they didn't have those 'pesky' customers annoying them all the time. As to the loss leader deals, they are getting too common a thing wherever, and whatever you shop for. I've never had one of those 'bargains' in stock when shopping. Especially on the internet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted October 16, 2015 I am relaxed, however I am on a timeline. Time is money. I understand delays, they happen. However communication is key and is the first step in service. I am posting this in the hopes that the employees of this company that are members here may see it over breakfast and open outlook when they get into work. The website clearly says all over it to email inquiries. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted October 16, 2015 communication is key and is the first step in service. This is exactly what I was thinking. If they can't be bothered to answer a request for information leading to a sale, then how good is their service and response time going to be later, when they are NOT making a sale? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Art Report post Posted October 16, 2015 The IFoLG meeting is this weekend, I suspect they are on the road. That doesn't mean they can't read their email on the road. What about service problems? When you only sell leatherworking machines, with low margins AND low volume, things can get a little tight. If you sell a broad spectrum of machines, you are going to be in a lot better shape. Loss leaders are a sales tactic, see them for what they are. Art Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted October 17, 2015 Nothing in reply. I am now getting a machine shipped from the east coast to the west, Roughly 4500kms/2800 miles.I have decided due to this communication issue to get a machine from a supplier much further away. due to thew fact that they get back to me RIGHT away. I need to know that when i need something, be it needles, thread or accessories, i don't have to play a song and dance a jig to get service. I want to have a relationship with a company that is prompt with communication, fair, honest, and willing to tell me where to get things i need but they don't have. I was hoping for local too.... This bothers me because throughout this search i have been heavily favouring proximity to me. I really wanted to shop local, but communications with the local shop did not go positively. I will not shop anywhere that openly slags their competitor. His tiawanese made 441 machine was more, and i told him so. I then asked him what makes it better? sell it to me. He did not tell me a single high point on his machine, just that the other guys were 2bit fly by night hacks. I hadn't even told him who the other machines I was looking at are. One of those machines comes from a shop that has been open at least 40years and is no small potatoes. Bad move local guy. As to the shop i wrote this thread about, I tried to get a quote direct from the importer in the US as well as a quote from the re-seller of those machines in Canada that is fairly close to me. I have not received any info from the importer and the local canadian guy who has been on top of keeping me in the loop, but also has been waiting for info about drop ship prices as he does not have exactly what i want in stock. I feel bad for him because he has been helpful, but i don't think he is getting the info himself.. In the time i have been waiting for a quote I could have already had the machine here. I may have been able to get some work done on it and had it start paying for itself. I need to make things for xmas season, and craft fairs start in a 4-5 weeks if not sooner. 1 week is a long time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted October 17, 2015 TinkerTailor; Beware of drop shipped machines from China. They are usually assembled enough to ship, but not to sew. They expect the importer to be a dealer with a sewing machine mechanic who can adjust everything and make it sellable and sewable. Once major Chinese sewing machine company offered to perform a true expert setup and timing and sew it off for an additional fee amounting to about $200 USD, for a person who was consulting with me. In effect, they would become his dealer, which is not part of their usual business model as manufacturers. As for dealers not responding to emails in a timely fashion, many of them are very small operations with maybe one or two employees. Some are barely in the Internet age and are used to doing business over the phone (via a toll free number). One I know personally spends most of the day actually working on industrial sewing machines for a variety of needle trades. They do not have anybody dedicated to doing email or online inquiries. Like the song says: Some can and some can't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted October 18, 2015 (edited) TinkerTailor; Like the song says: Some can and some can't. I totally see what you mean about chinese drop shipped machines, plus i realized that a machine that had been dropped might be broke........ On another note, this song you speak of intrigues me..... Edited October 18, 2015 by TinkerTailor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted October 18, 2015 I totally see what you mean about chinese drop shipped machines, plus i realized that a machine that had been dropped might be broke........ On another note, this song you speak of intrigues me..... Here ya go, with Roger Miller's Husbands and Wives. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
