Scopes'n'skies query

[A McEwan]

Hi all.

Nearly four weeks ago I placed an order with Scopes'n'skies. After a couple of weeks it hadn't turned up, so I phoned on 8th Aug an was told the delivery would be in the following week. It didn't arrive, so I tried phoning again a few days ago. No answer all day. Same the next day. I've sent two emails over the last three days, with no response, though my second got a "read receipt" this morning.

Are they on holiday? At Star Party? Closed down? Anyone have any idea how worried I should be?

Thanks,

Ant

[ashenlight]

Hi Ant,

You might find this thread useful

http://stargazerslounge.com/astro-lounge/78740-scopes-n-skies-bad-service.html

I don't know if they are on holiday/star party etc, but I do know that it took them a LONG time, 2 emails and 4 phone calls to deliver a red light torch and a planetary filter to me - even though they debited my account a mere day after placing my order.

Their customer service is in my opinion atrocious (admittedly, some have had good experiences). They are inconsistent and do not provide reliable service.

Keep trying to contact them. I found the emails worked best, but it still took them a long time. Keep at it I hope you get what you have paid for - I bet they have taken money from you already!

[A McEwan]

Thanks Amanda, I noticed that thread just now - long after placing the order! Will send more emails. Don't mind things taking a while, as long as I'm reliably informed of just how long they'll take!

Thanks for your input.

Ant

[ashenlight]

No probs Ant I'd have no problem with the wait either, as long as I was informed as you say, a bit of communication wouldn't go amiss y'know?! All the best with it

[A McEwan]

Fingers crossed that I'll have good news to report soon!

Ant

[Catanonia]

Good luck dude. I hate bad service. This hobby has many great providers and the bad ones tend to stand out in my opinion. Please do update

[Harmartolos]

Ant,

I've been waiting for stuff I ordered a couple of weeks ago to turn up - no luck as yet.

Like you I have had no joy with telephone calls or emails - they just don't respond.

I have managed to talk to someone using the live adviser bit of their web page, sadly they just don't seem too bothered that they have taken my cash but failed to deliver the goods.

On the plus side I payed using Paypal so I will at least be able to open a dispute through them - they may get a better result than me.

All the best sorting you stuff out.

[Harmartolos]

Hey, what do you know? My stuff turned up today - better late than never.

[Whippy]

On a Sunday?

[Harmartolos]

No - technically it was yesterday, but as I had not yet been to bed and was unwinding at the end of the day, I was still in Saturday mode. The stuff actually turned up about 10.00am Saturday morning in a DPD van.

Just need some decent weather now so I get out and use it, what do I do about that?

[alfingido]

Well, I feel I have to defend them a little ( at least the Pulsar Optical side)

I ordered a Skywatcher 300P Flextube Dob from them last Wednesday. it came Thursday at 3 pm (DHL) But, the base was missing.

I emailed them again ( phone was just ringing out all the time) then rang them and got through. This was now about 4pm.

Very nice lady in customer services said she got my email and was just about to ring me to say the base had just been sent out. She was very apologetic and assured me the base would arrive next day.

1:30pm Friday and the base arrived.

Thats pretty good service ( apart from not getting the base first time) so I have no cause to complain.

I just ordered a Colli Mate from them, I`ll be interested to see how long it takes to arrive...

Allan

[ashenlight]

If they could just offer some kind of continuity in their customer service and give you something to depend on I'm sure they'd be fine. I certainly don't mind waiting for things or chasing up problems aslong as I am reliably informed of what is going on...

[DeanWatson]

Indeed, its a shame. There was a thread a while back on the Sky at Night forum where a lady md of the company became MOST shirty at those who had the temerity to criticise their company. The sad thing is that while there are occasional gripes about suppliers (and to be fair just as many positives form customers, even occasionaly some in support of this one), on the whole SNS come up with alarming regularity in the complaints stakes, which of course leads one to believe that they really ARE as poor as they are so regularly portrayed by the customer base.

I work in a sales environment (business to business) and there is an old adage of ' let down one customer, lose nine'. The trouble is our community is so incestuous and everyone knows everyone that word can and DOES get about.

[johninderby]

I was speaking to one of their suppliers last spring about Scopes'n'Skies poor customer service, and he told me that if Scopes'n'Skies didn't do something abouit it he would "Take matters in hand".

Their service seems to have improved a lot in the last few months though, could it be a coincidence?

John

[Beulah]

I order from several other companies including FLO and other non-astro related suppliers (naming no names), and my experience is that 100% of them send out what I want with consistent success and quality, otherwise they don't get my business.

I also do all I can to promote such good companies through word of mouth and always give good feedback to the company itself.

If I need something tommorow because of a deadline, I want it tommorow or else. These days it's common courtesy to give an estimation of shipping and delivery, whether it be a day or a week - and stick within those boundaries. When the $ was better, I dealt with a lot of US companies who made sure their product was from warehouse to front door within 48hours, or an accurate delivery estimate with a tracking # (amazing, isn't it?) Some UK companies have a LOT to learn.

The odd, or even ONE error is acceptable, especially when kept informed about the error and how it is rectified, but why stick with a company that is inconsistent, or stuck in the pre-service industry? I'm sorry, I don't have time for companies such as those, and thankfully we have a lot of choice thanks to the web. It's not charity, it's about keeping up with the times and customer's expectations if you want to survive.

[warbster]

I ordered my 1st scope from scopes n skies last week, they emailed back to say they are out of stock and my purchase would be dispatched on the following Monday, and if this was a problem then I could phone them to change/cancel my order.

I called them to say the wait was fine, the scope was then delivered on the Monday.

So I was pleased with there customer service.

[A McEwan]

I finally got through to them on the phone on Monday. I was told the item was still out of stock but that they 'hoped or expected' to get it in sometime this week and then it owuld be shipped out to me. So still nothing 'definite' re delivery time. I reminded them that the same thing had been said to me two weeks previously, and pointed out the emails that I was awiting reply to. I was told they had been inundated recently and were now getting around to things again.

Thing is, I have dealt with them in the past and had no problems at all. Obviously those items were in stock and ready to go. I hope they improve a bit as their prices and listed stocks are very good.

Ant

[part timer]

The problem with scopes and skies and pulsar optical is that when you order you have no idea if you will be one of today's lucky ones who get what they paid for.

If something is in stock then it seems to go well.

But if they don't process your order immediately they just don't process it at all.

They do not answer calls or emails. If they do answer they have been known to tell complete porkers (and I am speaking from personal experience). I have ordered from both of them (unaware they were connected) and had the same run around twice.

I would only ever use them if you can go to the shop and buy something over the counter immediately. Anything else is just Russian roulette and there are plenty of suppliers with very good records (e.g. FLO and Modern Astronomy)

[A McEwan]

An update. I phoned on Fri 4th Sept and was told the item had arrived in stock. I mentioned that I was told it would be with me by now, so could the assistant check that it was actually physically in stock and confirm it would be sent that day. She went off and came back, confirming that. I asked when to expect it - Tuesday or Wednesday the following week seem reasonable? Was told yes. I asked could they phone me if there were any further problems with the order.

Nothing had arrived by today (Thursday) so I phoned again (4th follow up call I think). When they found my order reference I was told I had been misinformed and that the item is not expected for another week to ten days. Absolutely unbelievable. How many times does the story change? I told them I wasn't happy and to cancel the order and give me a refund.

My objections to this kind of service are:

1. I have given my money for something that even after 7weeks is not actually in stock (and it's not exactly an Astrophysics refractor!)

2. In that time, I have twice been told false times of expected arrival.

3. I have once been told that the item is actually in the store (again, falsely).

I can unerstand items being delayed and the supply chain breaking down sometimes, but I do object to being lied to by a company that has taken my money.

All I have to do now is keep an eye on my bank account to see that the funds are returned. After all, I was told it would be there within the next week or so.....

Ant

[JSER]

I am amazed that anyone uses this supplier.

Following on frfom the mountains of complaints from the Sky at Night forum (I have now left), I would not shop here.

Also I would never pay for something in advance.

I have mainly used Ian King Imaging, an Astronomer himself so he knows what he is talking about and when he says it's available, it's available.

JR Devon.

(Hi Antony)

[A McEwan]

Hi JR,

Yes, the best astro businesses seem to be the ones that are run by astronomers themselves, and there are many to choose from. Best to stick to them, in future I think.

Although, in the past, I have dealt with s'n's perfectly well, though on those occasions they obviously just happened to have the items in stock so I was lucky.

Ant

[A McEwan]

Well, after a week there was no refund. I phoned again, asked to speak to the manager (who was at lunch) so explained the situation to the person who answered the phone. I explained how dissapointed I was and how determined I was to take it further if I didn't get the refund ASAP. Thankfully, later that day, it was processed. This encounter with S'n'S is now over, and I have my money back.

What an ordeal! Still, they got there in the end...

Ant

[daz]

That is appalling service, and there really is no excuse!

[beamish]

I guess I must be very lucky ! Only ever bought little stuff but often enough, they've always been prompt with e-mail updates re order and deliveries:icon_scratch:

Karlo

[lfc t]

I wouldn't use them again. Ordered a telescope from them a month or so ago, it was £30 more than most other suppliers but was advertised as in stock for imediate despatch where everywhere else was out of stock. They charged my card straight away so i expected delivery in a few days. No such luck, after a week i e-mailed but got no reply, so phoned and got told it was out of stock and wouldn't be available for about 2 month. After cancelling the order i still had to e-mail to remind them to give me a refund. I noted that after i cancelled the order they changed the telescope status to out of stock.

With customer service like that i've deleted them from my favourites and will never use them again. Might of been a different matter if they'd mailed me to tell me it was going to be a few month before i recieved my order but to just take my money and leave me to wait is inexcuseable.

Placed my order with FLO, at least they explained the situation so i know what to expect lol.