Just an FYI.

I have bought products from this outfit before and found the products to be satisfactory.  I have just had a very poor experience however and feel I should relate it so everyone understands how their policies apparently work when you purchase something from their web site.

I ordered their MOUT sling back in the spring and liked it.  I decided to get another this summer with a couple of spare buckles so I could basically have a pair of slings that would fit any long gun just by snapping in and out of their buckle system.

The second unit they sent was fine, but it turns out they have changed the type of buckle used since early in the year, so the new ones won't fit the old, etc.   My plan for interchangablity was bascially kaput with the new buckles, etc.

I wrote a letter asking for a refund, but only on the spare buckles that I bought from their web site.  I put it all in an envelope and mailed the spare buckles back a few weeks ago.

Today I got my original package back, unopened, "refused", with a note saying it was refused because there was "no RA number".  Which I am assuming means they refused to open my mail (which did have my return address on it) because I did not go through some process of getting their permission and some number before I returned the merchandise.

I threw the package in the trash.  This is no longer worth fooling with or spending the postage again for a pair of buckles.  I just don't think these people have a clear concept of customer service and how its supposed to work in the year 2004.  I find it highly arrogant and haughty for a dinky little company like this that sells highly marked up strips of sewn nylon to think customers need to ask their permission before merchandise is returned.  But I guess that is just because I am used to the standards set by merchants like Cabelas, etc.  and I have higher expectations.

So if you buy something from these guys be warned.  They apparently view customer service the same way the Federal Bureacracy does, and if you don't dot the right i's, cross the right t's and get their permission you can't return something that doesn't work out for you.

I don't know who you're used to doing business with, but I have never dealt with any body who didn't require an RMA number for returns.  That goes for guns, computer accessories, books, car parts, etc.  All it takes is a few minutes on the phone or a simple email exchange to let them know the who, what and why of the stuff you're returning.  They deal with a ton of orders and there are things returned to them for all sorts of reasons and it is important that these returns be handled correctly.  If they mixed up your return with somebody else's, sending you a replacement buckle and giving them a refund, then you'd really be pissed.

Posting negative comments like this without ever talking to the vendor in question is bad manners.

Bad things happen sometimes.  I think this might be the first time I've heard of bad things with CQB solutions.  I've always had great experience with them and found them to be a good bunch of guys.  I suggest you give them a call and at least give them the chance to make things right.

I do understand your frustration though.  Just gotta deal with everyone's procedures I guess.

They will make it right, all it takes is a little communication first.  Jeff even made an exchange on a sling that Botach Tactical sent me in error. They did not make it right, CQB Solutions did and at no cost to me. Send them an email and tell them what you need and I'm sure they will make it right.

RA # = RETURN AUTHORIZATION

It's just a number they use to refer to your case when they get the package. Tons of mail/internet order companies use them for returns, it's SOP. Take it easy.

Quoted: I threw the package in the trash.

I certainly hope that CQB Solutions learned their lesson!

These guys have always been great with me. I bought an adapter that we were not sure would fit with an Ace stock. It was close but did not fit. During a lengthly phone conversation, they told me to go ahead and see if I could make it fit and offered to replace it if I GOOFED IT UP. They would replace it and pay the postage. You can't ask for more than that.

Warranty Instructions at CQB Solutions/Spectre Website

If you haven't taken the trash out yet, try again after reading the link above.  They're a good group.

Quoted: I don't know who you're used to doing business with, but I have never dealt with any body who didn't require an RMA number for returns. ........ They deal with a ton of orders and there are things returned to them for all sorts of reasons and it is important that these returns be handled correctly.  If they mixed up your return with somebody else's, sending you a replacement buckle and giving them a refund, then you'd really be pissed. Posting negative comments like this without ever talking to the vendor in question is bad manners.

100% agree with the above.

Furthermore, I have dealt with CQB/Spectre on several occasions, and I was always overly pleased with their customer support, direct from the owner even.

Didnt those guys at least used to sell all the different types of material to make your own tactical gear? I think it would have been in Febuary when I seen it on their website, but now I dont. Anyone know what the deal is?

Quoted: Quoted: I don't know who you're used to doing business with, but I have never dealt with any body who didn't require an RMA number for returns. ........ They deal with a ton of orders and there are things returned to them for all sorts of reasons and it is important that these returns be handled correctly.  If they mixed up your return with somebody else's, sending you a replacement buckle and giving them a refund, then you'd really be pissed. Posting negative comments like this without ever talking to the vendor in question is bad manners. 100% agree with the above. Furthermore, I have dealt with CQB/Spectre on several occasions, and I was always overly pleased with their customer support, direct from the owner even.

+1, I agree also, they are great guys to deal with, some of the best out there these days, and not to be a jerk about this, but the amount of time it took to write your rant on this board, which everyone has a right to do, you could have emailed Jeff at Spectre and he would have responded= problem solved by a little communication.

Jeff is a great guy to deal with , when I built one of my ARs using a LE entry stock I e-mailed CQB asking about a sling . My answer was from Jeff  not someone that packs boxes for him . Then when I called to order it Jeff got on the phone and handled my order personally , he even upgraded my shipping for free so I would have it on my AR at a FDCC shoot that was coming up .  I have never dealt with a company that does not require a RA number so it seems to me you should have called and Jeff would have more than likely solved your problem .  

I also have had tremendously good CS with Jeff at CQB.  He sent me the materials to mod my original CST sling to work with my SIr for free, when he could have easily charged me for the parts, postage , or another sling.  At the range the rifle fell over and broke the ERB on the sling.  I EMAILED him and asked if I could buy another buckle.  Again he sent me one for free, however they had change the style buckle as you stated.  When I eamailed him again to notify him of the problem he told me to send my siling back, and he would replace it.  AGAIN for NO CHARGE, not even postage.  He sent me a brand new CST to replace the on e I had broken and wouldn't even let me pay postage on it, and I offered.  So I think you have had so kind of misunderstanding, because they have been the best company I have dealt with in a while when it comes to Customer Service.  And in this day and age of "screw the customer" buisinesses, Jeff's and CQB's service is truely appreciated!


-Hershey

I have dealt with Jeff several times and always had a great experience. He even custom made some items for me I was looking for.

Mike

bafd form in posting your rant. Jeff's number one concern is the customer, whether you buy one sling or a thousand-he want to make things right. Most manufacturer's require RA #'s- I have stuff going back to Bushmaster and Eagle ind.(both required RA #'s). Cabela's policy is clearly written on the receipt. CQB/Specter's(and most others) policy isn't-common sense would be to call and ask .

As for "the dinky little company" that you bought "highly marked up strips of sewn nylon" -make them yourself or buy them from a reputable company like BLACKHAWK

Defend them to your heart's content.  This is pathetic excuse making.

1. The U.S. mail has been an acceptable form of business communication for well over 200 years now.  It has not been voided just because somebody invented the internet, 800 numbers, and email.   I did take the time to write these people a letter explaining my problem and the reason for the return.    All well run companies at least open their mail.  

2. To fail to open the letter I sent, shows complete disdain for their customers, and arrogance.  I detest it, I am pissed and because of their arrogance and demonstrated contempt for someone who would bother to write to them, this posting is here.  And I will be happy to keep this thread alive as long as you guys want to argue the point.  I repeat, a letter sent in the U.S. mail as the one I sent them in still a valid form of business communication.

3. For those of you who are not in business or accounting.  The RMA concept exists soley as a simple contrivance to make sure returns are accounted for properly against original orders, reconcile inventory, etc.  When a customer returns merchandise without one, IF YOU CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE you contact them, or if you have a copy of the original order (which I was careful to send along), then you generate one on the spot and the accounting part is taken care of.  

I having been buying stuff on the internet for years and returned lots of mechandise without RMA's and never had ANYBODY boot something back to me, THE CUSTOMER, without a phone call, communication, note, something of some sort.  This was a first.  It represents a poor way to communicate with their customers.

If was very poor business practice on their part to throw the package back in the USPS un-opened as "refuesed" without even finding out what it was about.

Anybody with this pride in their standard operating proceedures, to the detriment of their customers, needs to stick with selling to the Government and such and quit messing with direct sales to those pesky public consumers who just don't always follow all the right rules and proceedures.

Quoted: Defend them to your heart's content.  This is pathetic excuse making.

I'm with you on this one!

I think you should continue your protest!  Every couple weeks, buy something from them and then send it back.  If it gets refused, throw the product away and post about it here.  If you do this enough times, maybe they will get the point...



PS This is a joke.  Please don't throw away any more CQB Solutions products... send them to me for proper disposal.

Quoted: 1. The U.S. mail has been an acceptable form of business communication for well over 200 years now.  It has not been voided just because somebody invented the internet, 800 numbers, and email.   I did take the time to write these people a letter explaining my problem and the reason for the return.    All well run companies at least open their mail.

USPS is still an accepted form of communication, and companies do open their mail; however, they do not open parcels without prior knowledge of what's in them.  Try that with any company: send them a package out of the blue from a private address and see what happens.  Although you may have sent a letter, you sent it in the parcel, which most companies do not regularly open without prior knowledge of who sent it, what's in it and why.  

2. To fail to open the letter I sent, shows complete disdain for their customers, and arrogance.  I detest it, I am pissed and because of their arrogance and demonstrated contempt for someone who would bother to write to them, this posting is here.  And I will be happy to keep this thread alive as long as you guys want to argue the point.  I repeat, a letter sent in the U.S. mail as the one I sent them in still a valid form of business communication.

Again, letters are a valid form of business communication and are regularly opened by companies.  However, the USPS considers letters to be composed of folded sheets of paper written on them with ink or lead, placed into a flat envelope with a stamp.  Objects that are not paper sized are considered parcels.  

If you had sent them a letter and they threw it back, its bad service.  If you sent them the package after prior communication and they sent it back, that would be bad service.  However, sending them a package out of the blue without prior communication is just not an accepted practice.  

Sorry a business envelope containing a plastic buckle is not a suspicicious parcel for anyone with any judgement.

If they looked at the return address but didn't have the initiative to see if it was a recent customer, then shame on them, lack of consideration.

If they bothered to punch it up in their system to see that I had placed a recent order and then maked "no rma" and sent it back through the postal system that is brazen contempt.

Double R76, we take the garbage out on Tuesday, just be sure not to cut you hand on the empty dogfood cans...woof

Quoted: If was very poor business practice on their part to throw the package back in the USPS un-opened as "refuesed" without even finding out what it was about.

That's the point.... They didn't know because you didn't have an RMA.  Here is my thing, if you would have just picked up the phone and said "Hey my buckles don't match."  I bet they would have said, "I'm sorry for the trouble, we changed the design this year.  If you would like we could send you the newer version to replace the old one for free."  But noooooo you got on a rant and just stuffed it all in an envelope, didn't get an RMA and no you are acting childish by just throwing it away.  I don't feel sorry for you and I will keep buying slings and gear from CQB Solutions/Specter Gear.  And are you kidding me.... you think $20 bucks for a sling is overpriced but you do business with Cabela's?  They are one of the highest outdoor products distributors on the planet!!!

Quoted: Double R76, we take the garbage out on Tuesday, just be sure not to cut you hand on the empty dogfood cans...woof

Don't worry, I saw the avatar and won't be making any trips through your yard for a couple buckles!

On a serious note, I have had more than one bad experience when dealing directly with a couple manufacturers (not CQB Solutions, but other highly regarded manufacturers).  They do make most of their money from government contract and wholesale operations, putting me in the "small potatoes" category.

My personal solution to this was to deal with distributors.  For example, the last time I ordered (3x) CQB Solutions slings, I got them from C4iGrant of G&R Tactical.  He was my personal contact for the items, we had excellent communication, and he sold them for less than I could have gotten them factory direct.  If there were to be a problem, he would make good on it because his personal reputation is on the line (his good name here).  If there is a problem that Grant can't make good on, he will have more influence to resolve it with with CQB Solutions than I because he works with them on a regular basis.  YMMV.

-Randy

Quoted: To fail to open the letter I sent, shows complete disdain for their customers, and arrogance.

Could the same thing not be said for the attitude of somebody who won't pick up a phone and call before wanting to return something, especially if doing so is not only a company's policy but an accepted industry standard?

I dunno, if it was me I would have emailed and asked what they could do to help me - email's free, unlike the Post Office.

Every parcel or package that arrives at my place of business must have a PO number or a return authorization number.  If not, our receiver won't accept it.  It's the only way to keep track of who ordered what, etc.

Quoted: I having been buying stuff on the internet for years and returned lots of mechandise without RMA's and never had ANYBODY boot something back to me, THE CUSTOMER, without a phone call, communication, note, something of some sort.  This was a first.  It represents a poor way to communicate with their customers. If was very poor business practice on their part to throw the package back in the USPS un-opened as "refuesed" without even finding out what it was about. Anybody with this pride in their standard operating proceedures, to the detriment of their customers, needs to stick with selling to the Government and such and quit messing with direct sales to those pesky public consumers who just don't always follow all the right rules and proceedures.

Well, if you've been buying stuff on ther internet for years, did you ever bother to read that company's website for THEIR return policy?  Did it ever occur to you that someone else may have different procedures than you do?  I'm sorry, but your rant is just reeediculous to me.  In the time it took you to write your letter(I feel like I'm repeating myself), you could have checked here:
Specter Gear's Return Policy

I believe it says: "All Returns must be authorized by Specter Gear."   That's their policy, and you didn't abide by it, so naturally, the returned your package, simple as that.  Just a company going by THEIR policy.  Geez, I'm only 25 and I know to check into a company's policy before I try to return something......

There is no way in hell that we satisfied customers are going to change his mind so let's put it to sleep and do something constructive like put my new MOUT sling on the latest build. Nice how quick that delivery was!

Quoted: There is no way in hell that we satisfied customers are going to change his mind so let's put it to sleep and do something constructive like put my new MOUT sling on the latest build. Nice how quick that delivery was!

Hey let us know how the new MOUT performs, I'm probably gonna run one on my carbine post AWB...

That's a good idea to hijack this thread....


I like the HST better then the MOUT.  I run two HST with HK snap hooks.  Although I'm thinking of loosing the HK hooks because they are putting marks on my lower and scratched my new VLTOR stock.  

I'm running my HST on a KAC QD single point mount... QD from the weapon and ERB on the sling, best of both worlds!  I'm thinking about adding a ERB-style buckle to my Troy sling...

-Randy

Quoted: I'm running my HST on a KAC QD single point mount... QD from the weapon and ERB on the sling, best of both worlds!  I'm thinking about adding a ERB-style buckle to my Troy sling... -Randy

I like that idea, I currently have some generic single point I acquired in a trade for nothing, and was planning to use, but seeing how I love my SOP so much, I think I'm gonna have to go for that setup for a carbine!  Thanks Randy

Jay

I don't suppose in any of this a simple phone call was an option? In this electronic age we forget the phone is still a marvel.

Jeff and CQB have bent over backwards to make me happy, I would suspect a phone call would help a lot. But remember that CQB was just recently bought out by another company and has a new website and presumably management.

www.spectergear.com

If Jeff isn't there anymore then I don't know what to say.

EVERY SPECTER PRODUCT is backed by a lifetime warranty, because we know what is at stake. SPECTER: FORMERLY CQB SOLUTIONS - 1107 East Douglas Avenue - Visalia, California 93292
Have a question or comment? Call us: 559.635.1172 or e-mail [email protected].




.

We have sold CQB Solutions slings here and locally since we they were a 3-man operation, and we provided their "issue" carry weapons(G30s, good choice, guys!). Jeff has NEVER failed to respond to a request for assistance with orders, even graciously dropshipping direct on small 1 sling orders to save us the double postage. Jeff at CQB/Spectre is a stand up guy, and requiring you to pick up the phone/write an email/write a letter under separate cover to get an RMA is hardly unreasonable.

You are in the wrong, be man enough to admit it. They way you "usually" do things has no bearing on this situation. Call, write, email or fax, get an RMA for those buckles, and if they don't help you out after that, I'll eat an HST sling.

J.

take it to the dealer buy phone or email.,not in here!........thank you

take it to the dealer buy phone or email.,not in here!........thank you

take it to the dealer buy phone or email.,not in here!........thank you

take it to the dealer buy phone or email.,not in here!........thank you