Kevin Ellis

Altair Astro order up date

On the 20/07/10 (under supplier reviews) I posted my problems with an order I had placed with Altair Astro for a Televue Binoviewer. In brief the order had been placed on 29/03/10 for which I was invoiced £803.50. After nearly four months the binos had not arrived and Altair Astro had not responded to any of my emails or telephone messages.

I have been asked my members to post my up date here as they were unable to post a reply on Supplier Reviews

Update

Following my posting I received several private messages from members of Stargazers Lounge who provided me with two additional ways of contacting Altair Astro. A mobile number for Ian and that Nick could be contacted via private messages in Stargazers Lounge.

On the 21/07/10 I therefore

Sent a private message to Nick through stargazer Lounge

Left a telephone message on the Ian’s mobile.

Left a further telephone message on the shop telephone.

Sent a further email to Altair Astro.

This is the response.

On 21/07/10 at 23:57 I received an email from Ian

“ I will look into this when I’m back in the shop tomorrow as we did have a cancelled bino order which I assumed was yours.”

On 22/07/10 at 15:45 I responded

“I have not cancelled my order. My log on account still shows the status as back order. I have also not received any emails, telephone calls or messages saying my order has been cancelled. Would you please provide an update today as promised.”

On 22/07/10 at 15:56 I received from Ian

“Very sorry about this I soley take the blame I thought you had cancelled the order but turns out it was another customer called Kevin (very odd). As I emailed who I thought was you to say that the binoviewers had increased in price and would he/you like to proceed or cancel the order. They did cancel but I thought I was talking to you at this point and cancelled the order.

Turns out I was wrong on that point and can get you another one if you like on our next order which we are now placing so will be here very soon.

I am extremely sorry for this confusion,”

On 22/07/10 at 16:45 I responded

“I am not sure why my log on account is still showing my order as backordered £803.50 if you cancelled my order.

I would also presume that you would have received the other TV binos ordered for the other Kevin that you did not cancel before any price increase.

Are you going to honour the ordered and invoiced price of £803.50.

Please reply today.”

On 22/07/10 at 16:57 I received from Ian

“Yes that's correct I have just looked as the one I cancelled was obviously not yours

Let me look at prices and see where we are

I will be in touch later today”

On 26/07/10 at 11:25 I received from Ian

“Sorry for not getting back as the wife decided to go and break her ankle just before she finished teaching on the last day before the holiday typical... :-\

anyway regarding the order I have looked over with Nick at the new costing and we have little margin to offer the same price but if you can find a similar uk product price we will of course match that for you. in the meantime I will cancel the existing order and if you wish us to match an existing uk product then please give us a call and we will offer that price. We are sorry about this but even the one that was coming over would have also been at that new price.”

On 27/07/10 at 22:58 I received a message from Nick

“Hi Kevin a customer sent us a link to your post. I understand you've spoken to Ian about this but we're unsure if you have decided to cancel your order or not. We haven't received any emails from you, but I've been given permission to send PMs. (I'm banned from the forum as we're not sponsoring it, so I can't respond on a post any more). We can't control the price from Televue, but we can get the product for you if you're prepared to pay the higher price allowing for the new exchange rate.

Televue tell us they're setting up a European distributor very soon and we will have to buy from them so while I suspect the prices will increase again soon the product will become readily available. Strongly recommend you try second hand if poss it may help.

Anyway we haven't charged your card and won't until you confirm. So I'll leave it up to you as to what you want to do next. If we don't hear from you by Friday we'll cancel your order and delete it from the system. If you want to talk to us call us at the shop and leave a VM if you can't get through. You can try to find a UK company who have it in stock as old stock may be cheaper - I think the Widescreen centre may have them or BC&F.

Anyway good luck whichever way you decide to go. Sorry about the wait it's outside our control -usual fun and games of the astro business and product availability...

PS: best to use email in future as I'll no doubt get banned from using PM too shortly.”

On 28/07/10 at 09:35 I responded

“I note from your email that you have cancelled by order.

I also wish to confirm that I am cancelling my order for the TV binoviewers”

On 28/07/10 at 12:16 I received from Nick

”Hi Kevin, you may have misinterpreted my PM on SGL - what we said was that we'll cancel your order if we don't hear from you by Friday. Could you please confirm?

Also I notice your post on SGL about us not responding to email - I'm really sorry about this - it could be caused by problems we had with email and spam. We think this is probably linked to a UK based competitor launching a trojan attack from their customer's computers to our IP address which had the side effect if us being listed as spammers (which we don't do obviously).

Would you mind forwarding the emails you sent to us? If I can forward them to my ISP as whole emails, then they will check the header info and make sure that your ISP is removed from the IP block list. It will really help us diagnose what the email problem is and solve it ASAP as it's affecting our sales. In the meantime the phone-line is fine and open from 10-4pm so give us a bell if we can help with anything else.

I have a feeling that obtaining Televue will become more expensive as time passes, as they tell me they're setting up an EU distribution point and we will probably no longer be able to buy from the USA direct in future. We've tried to hold the line on price but we cannot make a loss, I'm sure you appreciate that. If there's anything else you need please get in touch as our now email now works (mostly anyway)

Please respond and let us know what you want to do.”

On 28/07/10 at 13:10 I responded

“Please be advised that: I AM CANCELLING MY ORDER FOR THE TELE VUE BINOVIEWERS. I will now be deleting my profile.”

On 28/07/10 at 13:11 I received from Ian

“Got it thanks”

I also received a telephone message from Nick on 28/07/10 offering to sort things out.

I did not return the call.

The emails have been reproduced word for word.

It seems that the best way to contact Altair Astro is through Stargazers Lounge.” Hi Kevin a customer sent us a link to your post”

It seems that emails are only received after you post on Stargazers Lounge “We haven't received any emails from you” and “ In the meantime the phone-line is fine and open from 10-4pm so give us a bell if we can help with anything else.” Which is fine if you answer the phone or respond to messages left.

It also seems that orders could be cancelled on first names “Very sorry about this I soley take the blame I thought you had cancelled the order but turns out it was another customer called Kevin”

It would also seem that the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. Ian 26/07/10 ” I will cancel the existing order.” Nick 27/07/10 “ If we don't hear from you by Friday we'll cancel your order.”

It also seem that the ordered and invoiced price will not be honoured . “We are sorry about this but even the one that was coming over would have also been at that new price.” The price increased from £803 to £975.

“ but we can get the product for you if you're prepared to pay the higher price allowing for the new exchange rate.” The exchange rate on 29/03/10 (date ordered) was 1 GBP = 1.4956 USD and on 27/07/10 1 GBP = 1.5524 USD. So the price has increased even though the pound was stronger.

So what have I done?

On 26/07/10 I phoned Lee at Green Witch and placed a order for the Televue Binviewers at £955. As they were not in stock they had to be imported from Televue in the USA. On the 06/08/10, that’s 9 days later, I received an email from Lee to say they had arrived at the shop. I picked them up the next day. Green Witch kept me fully up to date email as to the progress of my order. Now that’s how to look after customers. Well done Green Witch.

Has anyone had problems in contacting Altair Astro?

On the 29/03/2010 I ordered a Tele Vue Binoviewer on line. My order was confimed by email together with an invoice for £803.50. After one week the binoviewers had not arrived. I telephoned and emailed Altair Astro by could not get a reply. When I logged on to my account with Altair Astro my order was shown as back ordered. This was ok but I wanted some idea on delivery. It was only at the Kelling Star Party that I was able to speak to Altair Astro. They confirmed that the binoviewers were on back order and that they could arrive within the week.

Its now the 20/07/2010 and I have still not received my order. I have sent numerous emails to Altair Astro on line via their web site and left numerous messages by telephone. No one has returned my emails or phone calls.

I have also noticed that they have increased the price of the Tele Vue binoviewers on their web site to £975, although my log on account is still showing my order as £803.50.

No money has been taken but I still want to know what is happening with my order.

I only hope they are at Kelling in September.