Astro-Devices (Ukraine)

[BinocularSky]

Prepare for a saga!

This particular saga began on 2018 March 21, when I ordered a Parallelogram Standard III Pro from Astro Devices; it ended today (2018 June 29), 100 days later, when the order was eventually completed.

I always contend that any fool can behave well when things are going to plan, but that the mark of a good vendor is how s/he behaves when things go wrong. And, boy, did things go wrong with this (through no fault of Astro-Devices, I hasten to add!). Full credit to Valentin, the man behind Astro-Devices who acted honourably throughout, and ensured that I eventually received what I had bought.

Mar 22: My order was dispatched and Valentin sent the tracking info.
Mar 24: Tracking showed it as having left Kiev for the UK. It then went "off radar". I was not overly concerned, as I had heard from others that it was normal for things to do this for ten days or so.
Apr 12: Still nothing; I email Valentin. He responds that there are sometimes long delays and, quite reasonably, asks me to wait a while longer.
Apr 23: Still nothing. I email Valentin and ask him to get the matter sorted out. Valentin says that he would deal with it the next day.
Apr 25: Valentin tells me that he has been unable to get any info from the postal operator, except that they say I should wait another ten days. He also mentioned that a number of UK-bound packages seemed to have got lost. He says he will send a replacement if it does not arrive by then.
May 09: Still nothing. I email Valentin and ask him to send the replacement, by a more reliable shipping method, for which I an willing to pay the extra (he had previously indicated that this would be about $45)
May 14: Valentin ships the replacement by a different method, but does not charge me the extra.
May 15: Valentin tells me that his new shipper would not give any guarantee, so he has retrieved the package.
May 16: Valentin emails to tell me he has found a new shipper, and has dispatched it "priority".
May 21: Arrives in UK Customs!
May 24: Still in customs. I contact ParcelForce (handling UK end) and asked them to get things moving as this was meant to be a "priority" service. PF tells me that it is waiting in Customs! They also say that there are delays in Customs. Really? The only new bit of info they give is that HMRC refuse to say how long the delays are.
May 26: I make a written complaint (online) to HMRC about their non-priority handling of a priority package.
May 31: Package arrives. M10-3/8" adaptor is missing.
Jun 01: I email Valentin. He assures me that hi included it and wonders if it got "lost" during customs inspection. He tells me he has to go away on business and will need a week or so to make a new one.
Jun 22: Valentin emails to tell me that he has posted, by airmail, the new adaptor and gives me the tracking number.
Jun 29: Tracking number still not recognised at this (Royal Mail) end of the system. As I'm about to email Valentin, the postman arrives - with the adaptor.

Saga over.

The shipping for the mount has been increase to $29. My opinion is that most of us would be prepared to pay more for a fast, reliable method. Alternatively, I have suggested to Valentin that he could do with a reputable UK dealer to handle UK sales, and to whom he could ship in bulk.

There's always likely to be a little uneasiness when ordering from a country we don't know much about. What this saga has reinforced for me is that, as long as we are dealing with honourable people, things that go wrong will be put right. And, that said, those who wait for far longer, sometimes a year or more, for stuff (or warranty repairs) from some astro suppliers might be surprised that I think 100 days is a long time!