thercman Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Guys.. get a room... you hijacked an interesting topic for a personal chat.Hey guys... I was just bustin' your chops, just kidd'n around. Lol I figured as much. How can I hijack my own thread?!? Positive is always a good thing. I am usually the last one to complain. My wife gets on me about that when we are out at say a restaraunt and my order is not correct or something. I just don't say anything and eat it anyway. I understand that mistakes are made once in a while. However I believe in good customer service and I will pay more for the same product to get that service. I have had good customer service with The Kite Shoppe as well. Although I have yet to place an order with them (Jumping Jack Flash on my purchase list) they were very helpfull in explaining the kite in comparison with a couple others on my list. So when I do buy the kite they will get my business. Unfortunately the local kite store here closed down. I don't know if it was from lack of business or they just decided to retire. That puts me in the mail order catagory for my future kite purchases. I do have my own small business called The R/C Connection. My inventory consists of R/C cars and high powered rockets. Although it is just a consession and traveling shop at the moment (kind of just in limbo right now) I am looking forward to turning into a full blown store when I retire from the USAF in a few years. A while back I applied to carry Ozone kites and was approved but have yet to place on order. Maybe that will be on my things to do list when I return from the desert in September. It would be great to get some people in the area into kiting. DISCLAIMER: Since my business hsa been in limbo for a couple years this was not an advertisement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLTKiter Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 This thread has interested me as I was curious about the preference of mail order vs. brick-and-mortar. I live about 6 1/2 hrs from the beach, but whenever possible make my purchases at the local beach brick-and-mortar store (Kites Unlimited in Atlantic Beach, NC). What I wind up doing (and I did it just a few days ago) is call the store and tell them what I want. In this case it's a Sedgwick vented Rev I. Then when I get a chance to go (in about 3 weeks), the kite is waiting for me, ready for me to fly for my few days at the beach. It's inconvenient for me to just get my stuff there, and on some occasions when I can't wait that long, I use mail order such as GWTW. However, my concern is that if we don't patronize the brick-and-mortar kite stores, they'll go out of business and we'll lose the ability to see and touch the merchandise before buying it. And all we'll be left with are the drug store and discount house kites to "see and feel". MHO. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDenny Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I agree. I always try to help out the local guy. I went 1 hour out of my way, paid $10 more and had to wait for them to get it but got an extra 2 wrap frame from a new shop just South of here. If they stay close to the online prices I will try to give them some business. It is just so easy to order online at a good price and in a few days its at the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerochic Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 my concern is that if we don't patronize the brick-and-mortar kite stores, they'll go out of business and we'll lose the ability to see and touch the merchandise before buying it. And all we'll be left with are the drug store and discount house kites to "see and feel".MHO. Doug I had lost the kite shops that I used to patronize. What saddens me most about it, is that people miss out on some of the beautiful home made kite designs the owners would produce. I can still kick myself for not buying certain pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thercman Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I am all about supporting a local business and will pay more (within reason) for the product knowing that they have serious overhead. With that said I think the biggest problem is that people are so worried about getting a better deal and saving a few bucks that they miss out on the bigger picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Watson Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I had "interesting" dealings with a couple of places in the UK so went with Thekiteshoppe as it was one I looked at frome the Kitelife home page and I liked the Olde World type name. Theresa has been great. Only problem being length of time for postage. Have had from 5 weeks to 2 weeks. (not time too postage but time it takes to get from there to here)Not as much cheaper once postage is paid. Enough cheaper to put up with the wait, most importantly EXELLENT service. I think one of the main things that comes across is she is interested in getting it right for you. The kite train thing is good as well. You've got to remember, Baloo, That The Kite Shoppe is in Washington State. Quite a ways from the UK. There used to be a kite shop in my area (colors on the wind) but the owner got sick and had to close up. They didn't carry Revs anyway, but I still went to them for lines. Now I'm forced to mail in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thercman Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I actually bought my Rev from them. But it was about 4 years ago..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinKen Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 After searching the internet I decided to order my 5 meter Haka from Bestkites.com. During my initial e-mails back and forth to them all was good. They seemed concerned about my interests in their products and responded quickly. Upon placing my order I thought it would be a good idea to get a wind meter. Since I found it other places on the net for $20 cheaper I asked if they would price match and the response was YES!! I then placed my order via the internet for the Haka and a wind meter. Since the order was placed over the computer at full asking price I asked if they could just include an Ozone T-shirt to cover the price difference for the wind meter. Again they said sure. I was later informed that the meter would not be in until the following week and did they want them to wait to ship them together or not. I opted for them to ship them separately. The kite arrived soon after with just the kite in the box. I was a little disappointed not to see a shirt in there. A week go by and I send out an email asking about my meter. After a 5 day wait they respond with it was sent out and they have a number to track it. 5 days later still no package. Again I place an e-mail to them with the same response. Of course I am getting upset at this point. Another week goes by and I place one more e-mail. Of course days go by before I get response and it was the same crap. Finally my package arrived a month later with just the wind meter, no shirt! After looking at the package is was post marked for the 20th and they said it was shipping on the 4th. Basically this is a case of we will do anything for our customer to get their money and then who cares. I had planned on purchasing another kite from them before they started ignoring me. So I ended up paying full price for a product they said they would price match. They should not tell a customer one thing and do another. I will never buy anything from them ever again. Oh, here is a copy of the e-mail I sent 5 days about the $20 and I still haven't received a response. Hey Tony! I finally received my wind meter the other day. It was post marked for the 20th. I thought you sent it out much earlier than that. Anyway, you mentioned that you would price match the wind meter. I thought a fair compromise would be an XL Ozone t-shirt. Do you have any you could send? Thanks! Greg Sounds like Tony still needs to improve on customer support. Aerochic and I were having the same issues with bestkites a month ago. (see off topic, "the good and the bad.......) **FlyinKen** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloo Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Hi Watty. Was by no means a complaint, just an observation on the postage time. I DID say it was worth the wait though. I know US is a BIG place compared to little old England but one time it was 5 days from collection to Sanfrancisco airport. Then took 2 weeks from there to UK!! either a slow plane or they made it fly itself. Of course customs then held it up for another week or so, once it was released it was at my local depot within the day. The WORST thing about having to wait 5 weeks for my Rev B's is it meant they arrived a few days late to let me fly one of MY kites with JB. Had to fly his instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Watson Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 I understand Baloo. Sometimes shipping companies are really slow for no apparent reason!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Due respect, I'm going to lock this thread... It seems experiences have been shared, and enough has been said. If you have a separate experience worthy of mention, with Bestkites or anyone else, please open a new thread. No harm, no foul... Just moving us on to new stuff. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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