Altair Astro .... nil communicado !

[Rainmaker]

Just wondering if any UK based members know of Altair Astro is still in business?  

I have sent them a few emails asking about the availability of their heavy duty universal saddles and AZ-EQ6 pucks but the silence has been deafening....

Maybe they are not interested in selling to overseas?  

 

Thanks in advance,  Matt

[Stu]

I don't think this is unusual Matt. There are a number of excellent retailers who reply very quickly to e-mails though.

[baggywrinkle]

I have been sending emails too......no replies.

[Stu]

Often the excuse given is about messages getting lost in spam filters, but as said, other retailers don't seem to have this problem.

[swag72]

I contacted Nick from AA last month via PM on Facebook...... he responded quickly and then when required we went to email. All in all I had very good service from them.

[carastro]

They are good retailers but communication is what lets them down unfortunately.  I think they are just too busy.  

 

[ronin]

They seem not the greatest at responding, no idea why. It may be they get so many that they give up trying to keep up with it all. We assume also that people make fairly simple emails - have you got, how much, can you ship to, whereas I suspect they get a lot asking more general questions. In some ways I guess that it may be an almost necessity to employ someone full time just to respond to emails and that is a fair overhead.

Altair seem to have moved towards the importer/distributor side as well, Altair branded items are sold by several retailers and that may impact the normal retail selling. OVL tend to not respond greatly, they request you go via a retailer, same for D Hinds.

If it is Altair items then perhaps try Tring Astro, they seems to be supplying many of the Altair branded items, they also seem to respond to emails, but if the item needs sending to Aus then make sure they get that message load and clear.

Still will say Altair do not respond a great deal it would seem. I stood outside their shop one Saturday and the person inside would not even open the door to say they did not open on a Saturday. Wouldn't have done any harm to have said hello and explain. Also not opening on a Saturday is a little odd here, if at work then often Saturday is the main day to get to a place, and Altair do have the sort of monopoly in tne Norfolk area, Norwich is a very short trip away from Aylsham and there are number of people interested in astronomy at Norwich. Would have thought Saturday was a good day to open shop then concentrate on the internet stuff during the weekdays.

[JG777]

I spoke to them last week and ordered another clamp for my Sabre from them. All delivered quickly without fuss.

[Rainmaker]

Thanks everyone for your responses,  I think I will look for a more interested business.  They must be doing well to bypass a GBP500 sale.  Cheers,

Matt

[jambouk]

I gave up with them several years ago; they never replied to various emails or even responded to answer phone messages. I never even thhink about them now if I want something.

[Stu]

20 hours ago, swag72 said:

I contacted Nick from AA last month via PM on Facebook...... he responded quickly and then when required we went to email. All in all I had very good service from them.

Is that their preferred method of ordering Sara? I guess Nick knows you better than any of the rest of us so perhaps not a normal experience?

[swag72]

I don't know Stu..... I was just on FB and tried it! I don't think Nick knows me from Adam, AA isn't my usual retailer

[Cleetus]

I have one rule when it comes to retailers not answering emails - I never buy anything from them!

[geordie85]

Try sending  https://www.firstlightoptics.com an email. I've always had fabulous service from them, even when my emails aren't about a current order.

[Dave In Vermont]

As others have said - This situation is normal, many people before you have encountered their prolonged absence in returning emails & phone-calls.

I'd write them a letter asking them to contact you regarding a sale. Copy & Paste it. Repeat daily, or whenever you remember to.

A business that does this over here would not be in business very long.

Happy Hunting -

Dave

[MattJenko]

I have had emails ignored as well, but also very good service at other times. I bought an ex-demo RC6 off them at Kelling this year for a remarkably good price, but they didn't have the extension tubes. They said to drop them a note, which I subsequently did and sure enough, the tubes arrived through the post, no fuss, no extra fee. I ordered a Planostar flattener and some adaptors a week ago and all arrived promptly even with a complimentary T-Shirt. They do great kit and are good guys, just think they get swamped at times.

[Scott]

I bought AA once. It won't happen again. 

[ChrisLX200]

Well when we've all finished demonising Altair Astro...   Maybe I've been lucky but I've only had a good shopping experience with Altair Astro. However, as they say, YMMV!

ChrisH

[Owmuchonomy]

I have dealt with them both via a retailer and directly. Their response has usually been fine.  The best route seemed to be via Lee at Greenwitch (Birstall).  He seems to hold the cards.  On a general note I tend not to use e-mail in all walks of life; so much potential for a misunderstanding.  I'd rather pick up the 'phone.

[jambouk]

1 hour ago, Owmuchonomy said:

I have dealt with them both via a retailer and directly. Their response has usually been fine.  The best route seemed to be via Lee at Greenwitch (Birstall).  He seems to hold the cards.  On a general note I tend not to use e-mail in all walks of life; so much potential for a misunderstanding.  I'd rather pick up the 'phone.

Lee is great at Greenwitch.

I find it hard to believe any modern day retailer, of anything, doesn't use email. If a company can't cope with email for whatever reason then just say so on the website and in other advertisments and publicity and don't publicise email addresses. 

Having said that, they never answered the phone or resoonded to my answer phone messages either! 

Always found the guys at shows very pleasant however.

[kriss13]

Apparently I am in the bandwagon of BAD experience from Altairastro.

Ordered 2 ES eyepieces , money taken , no product shipped and no answer , email or calls. Is like they don't exist anymore.

I am reporting them to EUROPOL as a scam site.

It is unacceptable to play dead on others money.

 

UPDATE 1:

Ian contacted me via his personal email (after putting messages in a bottle on FB and here), telling my eyepieces are on back order. He said that he send replies to my emails sent via the Contact page but I receive none.

I hope they fix this communication issue because soon people will stop shopping there. That phone number nobody answers and all this email/junk/spam thing.

Others don't have this problem so it is fixable.

 

UPDATE 2:

The eyepieces arrived,  only a week delay. Could be worst, but also could be better

 

[Darren Hill]

I've tried asking them a direct question via their website too. I find it a little ridiculous to have a internet storefront and then not reply via email, especially over different timezones. Seems like they make some good products. I thought this was the point of email, to allow flexibility in response time. It's been six months, maybe I'll give them the benefit of the doubt while waiting on them to get back to me.

[newbie alert]

On 05/09/2017 at 16:24, kriss13 said:

Apparently I am in the bandwagon of BAD experience from Altairastro.

Ordered 2 ES eyepieces , money taken , no product shipped and no answer , email or calls. Is like they don't exist anymore.

I am reporting them to EUROPOL as a scam site.

It is unacceptable to play dead on others money.

 

UPDATE 1:

Ian contacted me via his personal email (after putting messages in a bottle on FB and here), telling my eyepieces are on back order. He said that he send replies to my emails sent via the Contact page but I receive none.

I hope they fix this communication issue because soon people will stop shopping there. That phone number nobody answers and all this email/junk/spam thing.

Others don't have this problem so it is fixable.

It shouldn't be possible to pay for something that's not in stock.thought it was a law to do with internet sales.. 

I ordered a altair product from my local shop..he said it was out of stock and I thought it be a couple of weeks so paid anyway..4-5months later i was getting slightly annoyed so i sent a snotty email to altair..got an instant email back from Ian who was more than helpful and gave me some info that I didn't know..About a week later the shop contacted me to day it had arrived..then tried to get me to pay for it again! Lucky I had the receipt on me..

[Stu]

7 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

got an instant email back from Ian who was more than helpful and gave me some info that I didn't know

I wonder whether you view that as good or bad customer service? Waiting 5 months longer than expected and having to chase doesn't seem ideal to me?

[Starlight 1]

I phone for some parts one day  got them the next , No paper work for payment. But I only 10 miles down the road.