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Posted: 10/6/2009 11:50:39 AM EDT
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Has anyone done business with these folks before?
I sent a shotgun to them to be parkerized, because the price I was quoted was very good and the work shown on their website looked good. Initial communication was swift and thorough. Along with the refinish, they were also going to repair the cantilever barrel, since one of the holes was stripped where the cantilever mounts up. I was quoted a 3 week wait time, which was perfectly acceptable. 3 weeks later, on a Monday I get a call for my credit card info, and was told that the shotgun would ship on Thurs, Fri, or Mon. and I'd get a tracking number via email. Well, Monday comes and I still have no tracking info. I email them with no response. I tried calling and left a voicemail. My email was finally answered on Thursday and I was informed that the second hole stripped upon reassembly and they had to drill/tap and touch up the barrel and was led to believe the shotgun was to be shipped soon. This was on 9/24. I still haven't received a tracking number. I emailed on 9/28 asking for an update. No response. I emailed on 9/30 with no response. I emailed on 10/02 with no response. I called on 10/02 and left a voicemail with no response. I called yesterday, 10/05, and left a voicemail with no response. I emailed again this morning, included in my message that I'm growing very displeased with an otherwise pleasant transaction, and haven't received a response yet. I don't feel that I'm being impatient, since I was told the shotgun was about to ship and it apparently has not been. I can understand delays, since shit does happen, but the lack of communication has left me very dissatisfied. It's a pity, too, as I had at least 3 other projects I was hoping to send to them, but after the way things have gone, I don't think I'll be using them again. *UPDATE* I finally received an email from Steve at PBI stating that a death in the family forced him to shut down PBI. He got my messages today and contacted UPS, who had placed the package in the wrong place. It is now moving. |
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So, ironically enough, I got an email response on the day the OP was posted saying they placed the part back into rotation to have the stripped hole repaired. Apparently a 30 minute repair turned into 2 weeks of waiting. This is strange, since the last email I received from them before that led me to believe the shotgun had already been repaired and was about to ship.
I received a UPS tracking number on Thursday, 10/8. The package has not moved. The tracking info says that "billing information has been received" which, as most of you know, means the label has been printed but the package hasn't been received by UPS. I've emailed 3 times in the last week asking why the tracking shows no movement and I've received no response. I want to know if the package was "lost" by UPS, or if PBI just hasn't done anything with the package since purchasing the label. Delays happen, I understand that, but A: you communicate with your customers, B: if you caused a problem, you fix it immediately, you don't make the customer wait. At this point, I recommend that everyone stay far away from this company. Even if the refinish job is top-notch, it will be overshadowed by their horrible customer service. |
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Doesn't sound good though, does it.
Sometimes, when you ship something off it turns into a real nightmare. It's even worse if you can't get it resolved eventually. My cousin sent a M37 Ithaca barrel to the factory (when it was still in NY) for repairs. Everything was cool on the phone, no issues. All of the sudden he hears a rumor that Ithaca has declared bankruptcy and shut down. The phone doesn't get answered, his letters aren't answered and they've got his shotgun barrel. He finally wrote the AG of New York and initially got a promise to help him get his shotgun barrel back but even after a couple of trips to NY when he was told that he would be able to go in and pick up his shotgun barrel turned out to be wasted trips. He never got it back or any money back even though they charged his credit card and he spent all that money on the trips to NY. Sometimes its just plain painful. I sure do hope you get your shotgun back. Even a bad refinish job is better than no shotgun at all. |
| Do you know anyone in the area of the place you shipped it? Try posting in the hometown forum and see if someone who lives by them could stop by for you and see if they are legit ot what. Keep sending emails and documenting everything and everytime you send something. Go another few days and if nothing, get the cops involved if they still haven't got back with you. |
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Yes Steve replied to me after I sent them email informing them of situation.
Glad it's resolved.CEW |
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