Problems with access to tandyleather.com

[ABHandmade]

2 minutes ago, Constabulary said:

I would guess it is because of Geoblocking - you have an IP address from an "unwanted country". 

F.I. I have no proper access to the Harborfreight website from my regular browsers (Chrome, FF, IE)  due to my unwanted IP address I guess - the website looks scrambled and and is not usable.

Try the TOR Browser and set your Exit Node (Exit country) to US - I think that solves the problem.

However be careful what you are doing - If you don´t know the TOR Browser google what it can do and what the risk is. Sorry - I cannot explain it well enough in english so please google it.

- OR -

Try a VPN AddOn for your browser like winscribe (or similar) and set your country to US.

Both works on my end with the Harborfreight website.

The choice and risk for both options are on your side.

Honestly, I don’t want to make online purchases using anonymous access (proxy or something similar). If the site "does not trust me," why should I trust him with my personal and billing (payment) information?

[Constabulary]

sure - I understand - I don´t want to discuss this I just wanted to show you some options. Good luck. 

Try some German dealers

https://www.ledermacher.de/

https://www.rickert-werkzeug.de/

[ABHandmade]

2 minutes ago, Constabulary said:

sure - I understand - I don´t want to discuss this I just wanted to show you some options. Good luck. 

Try some German dealers

https://www.ledermacher.de/

https://www.rickert-werkzeug.de/

Thank you!

[mikesc]

OK..( I'll be quick because I'm still caught up in the French Bureaucracy thing ) Update..

About 15.00 today..one of my fixed lines rings..the male caller asks to speak to "Mike".
Asks if I have time to "visit" ( very polite..) Introduces himself..
He is Jeff W ( he did give me his full name..but that is his to give out if he wishes, not mine )
Jeff is from Tandy HQ..calling me back..it is his voice -mail that I left my message on..
He apologises for the problems I encountered getting any kind of information when I phoned on Monday evening ..

He explained that "yes" the Ukraine is one of a group of countries that Tandy began GEO IP blocking recently..

Jeff is not from the IT section, but he knows "why" the GEO IP blocks were put into place..

They had an "intrusion"..the Ukraine was one of the countries that they were able to trace the intrusion back to..

So..for now..it ( and some other countries ) are being GEO IP blocked ..this may change..

Jeff apologises to any innocent parties in those countries being blocked..

The "intrusion" is also the reason that people have been asked to create new passwords..

Jeff assures me that no credit card data was compromised..
( he did give me some more details about what happened, but, again if he wishes to give them in a public forum, that is Jeff's decision..
Personally IME, it is never wise to discuss one's own site security in detail, or even in outline, in any public venue, admins, and sysadmins are paranoid for good reasons..Yossarian would ( in some ways ) have made a good sysad :)

Apparently you can reach Tandy via email..maybe Tandy have a system in place for dealing with orders via email..
I forgot to ask if they do..

But, I did thank Jeff sincerely for taking the trouble to phone me back ( not many companies anywhere bother ) ..
and for explaining..

He told me that he had found what he thought was the forum that I mentioned in my message on his voice-mail..

He asked if it was leatherworker.net..he has read this thread, including my last message..

I confirmed that it was indeed this forum..and also made it very clear that in no way do I / nor did I claim to be speaking for Johanna or leatherworker.net..
I'm just a member, trying to help another member, because if we can, that is what we do..

I suggested that he "join" and explain more fully if he wished..
I also suggested that it probably would not hurt Tandy to have a Tandy presence here..

Jeff said that, actually while looking to see what forum we were members of, and who was having trouble accessing Tandy, he discovered that he was already logged in here, he already has an account.. :)
He said he'd join the thread and post in it..

I said that I'd post first to let members know that he had taken the time and trouble to call me..
I'll add that Jeff seems like a nice guy, ( we talked for close to an hour ) good sense of humour..

Edited March 20, 2019 by mikesc

[ABHandmade]

Mike, many thanks you again for your active participation and help!!!
I am glad that Tandy, in the person of Mr. Jeff, has confirmed her customer focus and that the name and reputation for them is not an empty phrase.
I hope that very soon the Ukrainians will again be able to use Tandy's services and goods.

Edited March 20, 2019 by ABHandmade

[bermudahwin]

32 minutes ago, mikesc said:

Update

Thank you Mike,

That is good to know.

Harry

[neilyeag]

Access to the web site is also now blocked from Thailand.  I tried to email customer service but no response.

[mikesc]

Yes, Jeff said that Thailand was amongst the other countries that were blocked, he also said they had received email from Thailand from someone about being blocked,..But he did n't say that they had not answered the email..Surprise that he has n't stepped into this thread yet as he said he intended to to let blocked members know what ( if any ) the progress is on getting things back to normal, or arranging alternative ways to order..

 

Jeff ?

[Jeffro2058]

On 3/21/2019 at 5:47 AM, mikesc said:

Yes, Jeff said that Thailand was amongst the other countries that were blocked, he also said they had received email from Thailand from someone about being blocked,..But he did n't say that they had not answered the email..Surprise that he has n't stepped into this thread yet as he said he intended to to let blocked members know what ( if any ) the progress is on getting things back to normal, or arranging alternative ways to order..

 

Jeff ?

Hi Mike,  thank you for taking the time to share your follow-up conversation with Tandy Leather. A secure website is our main priority. It's important that none of our customers' information is compromised. We feel like we have taken the necessary steps to provide the security needed at this time. Unfortunately that means that some of our valued customers are blocked from our website at this time, depending on their country of residence. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate their patience and understanding as we work through this process. All of our customers are important to our business.