Ferg Report post Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) Has anyone bought leather from http://kentuckyleatherandhides.com/ I ordered and received a hide from him I wish to return and be refunded to me but I cannot make contact with him. Sent him a couple e-mails and tried phoning to no avail. I know he has limited hours but do not know what they are. Any enlightenment appreciated. Ferg Edited March 22, 2017 by Ferg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
garypl Report post Posted March 22, 2017 Just curious Ferg - was the quality OK? Looked at the website and the prices seem low if the quality of the leather is good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg Report post Posted March 23, 2017 Well, I am afraid this is going to be another of my very few bad encounters with suppliers. I ordered a Latigo side priced at $125. Now I have been around long enough to know that I should not and do not expect this to be a top of the line hide, this one is a piece of junk. It has stain blotches all over it plus for Burgundy it is more just ugly brown. My wife tried to call him today and no one answered the phone. I sent him another e-mail saying: "Anyway, are you going to honor the refund? I have no problem with paying the shipping for the hide to be returned to you." I got an e-mail this evening saying he felt my e-mail was "Nasty" and he wasn't going to answer me. I have no recourse but to take it up with PayPal, I paid with them. Ferg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
garypl Report post Posted March 23, 2017 That's a shame that he replied like that. I run a small business and my mantra to my employees is " take care of the customer" - if they are not satisfied with a product, tell them they will get a refund no questions asked if they return the product in unused condition. If you were not satisfied with the quality, they should have immediately told you to return it. Negative publicity is much worse than simply taking care of an unsatisfied customer, assuming the product is returned as new. From where do you normally order leather? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimTimber Report post Posted March 23, 2017 5 hours ago, garypl said: Just curious Ferg - was the quality OK? Looked at the website and the prices seem low if the quality of the leather is good. Some of the pics look good, and some look nasty. Some of the hides have stripes running across them like this one: http://kentuckyleatherandhides.com/products/beige-colored-finished-borehide-leather-j1-5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg Report post Posted March 23, 2017 We have owned a business that sells many thousands of product to folks all over the world. In forty years we haven't had to refund on a product more than half a dozen times. If someone has a problem, we refund or send a new item free of charge and do not ask for the item to be returned. Ferg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted March 23, 2017 I visited the site and not even the picture of burgandy Latigo looks like burgandy. It looks like you said muddy brown colored. Just vote with your feet. Sorry his bullet proof front page guarantee wasn't honest. A little off topic, but... We learn lessons all the time that cost us money. When I'm around a new employee if they ask to borrow 10 bucks, I gladly loan it to them. It is a cheap way to find out about a person. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrstn53 Report post Posted March 23, 2017 I've ran into the owner a few times at some of the Southern Indiana leather auctions. The last time I encountered him, he spent probably fifteen to twenty grand on hides and equipment but he also purchased everything other leather workers would not bat an eye at. I made a mental note never to purchase anything from him after he bought several cases of Fiebings dyes and conditioners that looked like they had been sitting in a open air barn for 20 years and overheard him mention the retail price he could sell them for. If figured if he is willing to try and pass off questionable quality bottles of dye as new, then he might not be a person I would want to do business with. I don't know the man personally, but he seems to partake in shady business practices. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimTimber Report post Posted March 23, 2017 16 hours ago, chrstn53 said: I've ran into the owner a few times at some of the Southern Indiana leather auctions. The last time I encountered him, he spent probably fifteen to twenty grand on hides and equipment but he also purchased everything other leather workers would not bat an eye at. I made a mental note never to purchase anything from him after he bought several cases of Fiebings dyes and conditioners that looked like they had been sitting in a open air barn for 20 years and overheard him mention the retail price he could sell them for. If figured if he is willing to try and pass off questionable quality bottles of dye as new, then he might not be a person I would want to do business with. I don't know the man personally, but he seems to partake in shady business practices. Wow... That's good to know! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MADMAX22 Report post Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) From looking at his site there is no mention where most of the leather comes from, a couple say America which is a very vague statement. In most/all of my dealings with leather suppliers if they pay the wholesale price for Hermann oak (for example) they are going to say where it comes from, same goes for say Sedgwick leathers or any other good/decent tannery. Its a selling point. When they dont mention then you either have to assume they dont know (bad) or they are from a source most wouldnt intentionally buy from usually (no name tannery in mexico for example). Also looking at his site he has a "story page" but no story, the front photo looks photoshopped (I would bet he doesnt have a big sign hanging in front of his old timey looking shack). Things like that throw me off. Hey having a old style website not an issue, having a minimalist but thought out website sure, having one with fake looking photos of what I assume are suppose to be his store front ehhh Ill look elsewhere. All just IMHO. Edited March 23, 2017 by MADMAX22 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg Report post Posted March 24, 2017 I seldom bite on anything from this particular type of seller. He is close enough to me to save on shipping so I thought I would take a chance. MY BAD! I use quite a lot of Kangaroo. Love the leather. I have bought some from reputable dealers I wouldn't give my dogs to chew on. I have been buying leather etc. for enough years to know most of the time, if a deal is a deal. I appreciate everyone's comments. I sent a note to him through PayPal a couple days ago. I received an e-mail from Michael this morning with his shipping address. Will let everyone know if I get a refund. Ferg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MADMAX22 Report post Posted March 25, 2017 Ferg I dont think anyone was pointing to you as messing up or anything, just giving pointers for people dealing with various resellers. Heck most all of us have to get a few customers to take a plunge and order the first few. Just so happens in this case ya got the bad side of 50/50/90. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg Report post Posted March 29, 2017 I placed the problem with PayPal. Day or two after, the owner e-mailed me the address to return the hide to. Done that, had the tracking number of course so I checked delivery which was made this past Monday. He verified it yesterday, I got my refund on PayPal this morning. He sent me another e-mail telling me how nasty I am etc. and that he wouldn't sell anything else to me. Do you suppose he may have even thought I would buy anything else from him? Anyway, another lesson learned, I have my money back and he has his piece of crap leather. Ferg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimTimber Report post Posted March 30, 2017 Glad that was resolved for you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nrk Report post Posted April 20, 2017 On 3/23/2017 at 5:26 AM, Ferg said: We have owned a business that sells many thousands of product to folks all over the world. In forty years we haven't had to refund on a product more than half a dozen times. If someone has a problem, we refund or send a new item free of charge and do not ask for the item to be returned. Ferg a man's words Ferg. bravo wish to have business with you ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
