Having my doubts about Springfield Leather

[CaptQuirk]

 I started with Tandy, because that was a name I knew as a kid. After a while, I heard about Springfield, and gave them a try. The prices were pretty good, and so was the selection, but what set them apart, was a flat rate shipping offer. Oh yeah! I was on board for that! Well, the past few orders started costing more, and that is when I found out that they no longer had a flat rate. Ok...  Then I placed an order, and it was so screwed up. Stuff I didn't order, stuff I did order wasn't in there. Some of that was on back order, some of it was just not sent. I finally got the stitching wheel, and then got charged for it. Never got the snaps. And to top it all off, they screwed up and sent it on a net 30, and I just got the bill for that. Not sure I want to go back to them. Am I wrong?

[Elliot]

You haven't scratched the surface yet

It gets worse.

[thefanninator]

I did notice that they stopped the flat rate shipping but other than that no complaints from me. I ordered from them twice  in April and about a week ago. And several other times over the last 3 years. Call them.

Edited August 28, 2016 by thefanninator

[Tugadude]

I assume you've called them?  Did they get things worked out?  I buy from them frequently but tend to go into their store when I'm in Springfield on business.  I find them to be super friendly and knowledgeable.  Several of their employees that work the floor know me and always greet me.  

I'm in business and I can tell you my company makes mistakes.  But we're still a leader of the industry because we take care of our customers.  If you aren't satisfied, talk with the owner.  He is there most days I've visited.  I'm certain they want to get it right and for you to be happy.

As for the flat rate shipping, they posted the very legitimate reason why that had to cease.

Good luck.

[MADMAX22]

Don't buy from there amazon or ebay listings though, I was looking at some of the HO old world harness and they raised the price $90 for there listings on ebay and amazon.

They have good customer service, however being on the west coast with the way there website doesn't get updated for out of stock items it doesn't work for me. The way out of stock items/billing/communication is handled for those items I don't have the time or lack the effort to deal with. If I was on the east coast it may be a little different.

[CaptQuirk]

Ok, I guess I'm just over reacting then. It just seemed like a lot has gone wrong with the last few orders, and shipping is an issue with me, when it costs as much or more to ship as the stuff I just bought.

[MADMAX22]

I think we are all going to feel a shipping pinch even more in the near future. Now that almost everything is ordered online prices to ship things are going to steadily creep up. It use to be gas prices that was the excuse, now its just more money in pocket unless wages are going up somewhere I haven't heard about.

Then places like amazon and walmart are going to end up making there own delivery service then things will get interesting again. Even that will probably not be good for us the end user.

I still don't understand the price jumps in the past two years (for everything). Fuel went up what a couple years ago then came way back down however that gravy train of an excuse seems to be sticking around.

Edited August 28, 2016 by MADMAX22

[CaptQuirk]

It's like this for me- I live in the middle of the woods, near a small town most folks in the next county over don't even know about. The closest Tandy is almost 3.5 to 4 hours away. The closest Hobby Lobby or Michael's is about 1.5 hours away. I can sometimes get Chicago Screws, but most hardware store don't even know what they are. Rivets and snaps? Not a chance. The only way I can find leather, is if I jump a fence and grab a cow.

 So now I have a guy, who has seen one of my holsters on someone else, or the pawn shop recommends me (They think my work is "Jam up", which means they like it). Said guy now wants a holster, and he wants one fairly quick. I go through my supplies. Leather, check. Got enough to do the work. Then I notice I'm low on thread, or I bust my last needles (Have gone through half a dozen in a night), or run out of snaps (Again, gone through half a dozen trying to set one). It costs twice as much to ship as it costs to buy, and the wait is 3-5 days depending on where I order. Or, drive to Macon to find the Hobby Lobby is out... or closed.

 So I order from Springfield, and half my order isn't right. "We'll send the right stuff out, but some of it will be a while, we are out and don't know when it will be in. Coulda said something WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE. That would have given me the option to get it somewhere else in time, instead of waiting.

[JLSleather]

First order from SCL about 6 or was it 7 years ago. Pathetic. But everybody here said "give em a chance ..blahblah".  Second and third order... not much better than the first, though they "got me" for less money.  I remember one confused fella was on this site, going on about how great their customer service was... .he only ordered threee times and they messed up EVERY order,,... and i finally said.. 'they messed up every order you ever made, and you're HAPPY about it ?#!!@#@!!"  But then, I think "customer service" means giving you what you paid for, in the time i agreed to , at the price i agreed to.

I'm frankly APPALLED at that "everybody makes mistakes" crap.  I've had the cows over at cutesy tell me too -- hey, when you "get big" mistakes happen and sometimes you dont' have time to catch it.. blahblah".  So, then -- WHY doesn't it say at the top of your site (with all your other "pitches". that we have a lot of customers and may make a mistake, but we'll fix it even if it sets you back a month".  Never seem to see that.  

So I dint' order there much at all for quite a while. Snaps or screws, a bottle of dye.. etc.  Occasionally I'd get a side of leather, but without going through my receipts I'd say about half was unacceptable and got returned to them.  They DID always "accept" the return -- but seriously, my credit card company would not have given them a choice and they know that.  In the end, I prefer to just order where I can get what I need WITHOUT doing it twice.

NOW HAVING SAID THAT ↑ →→→♠♠→→→

I din't have a complaint when they stopped "offering" free shipping.  They don't owe me free shipping, and anything they shipped without charging me was a benefit... not something I was "entitled to".

The piece of leather i bought was overpriced,and not great looking quality.  But i knew that ahead of time, and agreed to that price. The leather itself, while not stunning and clean, was also not bad enough to return.  End result, I certainly paid more for that piece than I would have at Hermann Oak, but I wanted ONE piece of that weight, and they had one, so ...

And the last couple of orders (I did use them a couple times this year) were actually an IMPROVEMENT in the service from "before".  My orders were filled with the right items, in reasonable time, at teh price agreed to.  And that's all I ask of anybody I order anything from!

 

[TonyRV2]

I've used SL a few times this year without any issues.  Maybe I'm just lucky, I don't know.  If there's a better supplier out there with reasonable prices I'd sure be happy to hear about them.

[NVLeatherWorx]

I use them on a consistent basis and have seen improvement over what it was a year ago.  A year ago you could place an online order on Monday and it may not even ship out of SLC until the following Monday; now I can place one on Sunday, it will be fulfilled on Monday and submitted for shipment, and it will arrive at my door no later than Friday (and that is if it goes UPS, USPS is within 2 days and I live in the middle of the desert in Nevada).

There have been some issues in the past but, as mentioned elsewhere, that is not uncommon within business.  I have also experienced their desire to make things right by contacting them when something was wrong and we got it worked out with no issue.  In fact, there have been times when I have been offered additional items to make up for the mistake; their customer service (when given the chance) will fix the issue and make it right, very right.

 

[darkmatter35]

I just received my order which was from there special order section (shark) and some hard ware. total was $65.00 shipping included ($6.05). The shark was a vary nice piece and shipping was a reasonable price. arrived in three days. I can't complain

John

[CaptQuirk]

@darkmatter35- Out of curiosity, where are you located? Again, the closer you are, the less it costs to ship, and the quicker it gets to you.

@Everyone else- I understand that mistakes happen. Its just that it has happened the last few times I ordered, making my experience with them almost 50/50. I think much of it has to do with the fact that as a customer, you don't have a salesperson. You call up/ order online, and it is like Russian Roulette who takes the order, who fills the order, who checks the order and who ships the order. Way too many hands, too many opportunity to mess it up. I liked them, and still do, but too many mistakes cost me time, money, and customers don't want to hear about shipping issues. Blame it on microwaves and instant gratification, gotta have it NOW.

[dirtclod]

 Get ready to complain some cause priority mail prices went up today. Guess you need to move closer to the supplier and yea I have to order just about everything. Or start your own supply company and get everything at wholesale prices. Five hundred thousand ought to get ya started.

[CaptQuirk]

Yeah, mail prices go up, and yet the mail man won't deliver to my home, and often can't figure out how to put a small package in the mail box. What a waste of money! If I need something, UPS is the way to go... Go Brown!

[MADMAX22]

1 hour ago, CaptQuirk said:

Yeah, mail prices go up, and yet the mail man won't deliver to my home, and often can't figure out how to put a small package in the mail box. What a waste of money! If I need something, UPS is the way to go... Go Brown!

Sure if ya want your item being treated like a pinata. Ofcourse I will use UPS or USPS well before I go to fedex if I can help it. 

[CaptQuirk]

When I was being treated in Oklahoma, my wife sent me a care package. She paid the postage, THEY put the stamps on it. By the time it got from Georgia to Oklahoma, the stamps fell off. So of course, the post office there wouldn't release it to me until I paid the postage again. I'll take UPS any day. Besides, I have a sweet Chocolate Lab I'm trying to push on the UPS driver, since they color coordinate. I think its a perfect match

[darkmatter35]

5 hours ago, CaptQuirk said:

@darkmatter35- Out of curiosity, where are you located? Again, the closer you are, the less it costs to ship, and the quicker it gets to you.

@Everyone else- I understand that mistakes happen. Its just that it has happened the last few times I ordered, making my experience with them almost 50/50. I think much of it has to do with the fact that as a customer, you don't have a salesperson. You call up/ order online, and it is like Russian Roulette who takes the order, who fills the order, who checks the order and who ships the order. Way too many hands, too many opportunity to mess it up. I liked them, and still do, but too many mistakes cost me time, money, and customers don't want to hear about shipping issues. Blame it on microwaves and instant gratification, gotta have it NOW.

I live in Illinois, so not to far, they shipped priority mail so its one set price. Seems like SL problem is inconsistently.

John 

[CaptQuirk]

I'm wishing I never gave them another chance. I ordered 2 rounded punches, and one oblong punch. Total price with shipping is $35.60. I get 2 receipts. I email and ask, because it looks like I was being shipped two packages. "No, they are only charging you once". I check my card, and sure enough, there are 2 charges, one for the partial order, and one for the whole order. I'm sure they will fix it... eventually. In the meantime, that money is tied up and I can't use it. Yeah, they seem real friendly, but that doesn't help me out as much as accurate orders and timely delivery. Now, if only they could "accidentally" send me a couple sides of that Hermann Oak...

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

I just ordered from them two weeks ago. Order came correct. Shipping wasn't flat rate any more but was not too bad. Went back last week to order a gallon of dye and a gallon of finish and they wanted $42 in shipping. I found the same two gallons from a seller on eBay for $35 less shipped. I will continue to get my HO leather from them but I will price shop everything else. Even with their shipping though, I can get stuff cheaper thru them than the Tandy's down the way. 

Edited December 31, 2016 by Bolt Vanderhuge

[CaptQuirk]

Springfield has a much better selection than Tandy, but out of at least a dozen orders, Tandy has never made a mistake, Out of 6-8 orders with Weaver, maybe 3 were correct. Shipping cost is not even a factor at this point.

[CaptQuirk]

After 5 days, they finally released my money. I'm still not sure why it is just me that has such a hard time getting a correct order from Springfield. It isn't really that complicated.

[JerseyFirefighter]

On 12/31/2016 at 6:12 AM, Bolt Vanderhuge said:

I just ordered from them two weeks ago. Order came correct. Shipping wasn't flat rate any more but was not too bad. Went back last week to order a gallon of dye and a gallon of finish and they wanted $42 in shipping. I found the same two gallons from a seller on eBay for $35 less shipped. I will continue to get my HO leather from them but I will price shop everything else. Even with their shipping though, I can get stuff cheaper thru them than the Tandy's down the way. 

I went through this with them in regards to the gallon of dye. It's a haz mat fee for shipping a gallon. Oddly enough you can buy 4 quarts which equals a gallon and be saved that ridiculous hazmat fee. 

I didnt mind them dropping the free shipping. It was nice while it lasted. It seems as though they had gotten worse along the time everything they changed the way they process their order and everything is labeled from Rusty. Not saying he is the issue, but out of the dozen or so orders I have made since then, they have listed something as being backordered on the packing slip, and I received it in that very same order. I then get an email from Monique with a bill for the backordered item. It has happened on almost a half dozen times since July. 

 

They also need to shop for a new web designer.

[CaptQuirk]

I agree with a lot that you said. One of the items I ordered this last time (and apparently the reason I was double billed), was an economy oblong punch. They were ordering it from Tandy. If I had known that, I could have just gone to Tandy directly. A while back, I ordered an overstitcher. I wasn't billed at that time for it, because it was backordered. They didn't mention this when I placed the order on the phone. A week later, they got it in and shipped it, then tried to just take the money off my card. Of course, we were tapped when they did that. So then I get several calls from them wanting to get paid, which went straight to voicemail. As soon as I got the messages, I called back and arranged to pay.

I order several items, including a stitching chisel and antique brass rivets. They sent a lacing chisel, no rivets. I call, and they tell me to keep the lacing chisel, they'll just send the right item. I never did get those rivets. I like to talk to the sales people on the phone, to make sure things go right. That doesn't seem to work here. It goes from the any sales person available, to a nameless picker, to the packer. So many hands, so many chances to screw up my order. When I was selling auto parts nation wide, I talked to the customer, I picked and double checked the order, packed it, and shipped it. I knew every single customer because I talked to them with every order they made. Just gotta love progress!

[RoamingGnome]

I can't even get what I order at McDonalds. Whether they take my order face to face or at the drive-thru. And everywhere I go, with the exception of one or two local businesses, the typical response from an employee is barely more than a grunt.

The younger generation has no people skills largely in part because of texting, Facebook, Twitter, and all the other crap that prevents them from having to actually interact and communicate with another human.

I'm afraid customer service as many of us remember it is a thing of the past. It's all about volume, e-commerce, and less overhead for bigger profit.

I'll get off my soapbox now.