Shockwave Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) Hello all. I have been after a two tone sunburst Modern player jazz for a while, Fender UK seem to be unable to keep them in stock in many places on the lead up to Christmas, usually I would go with Wunjos but they were unable to get one in time for the Christmas gigs. I really wanted to see it in the flesh as they can be a bit and miss in wood selection and quality control. So I Left work early at 3PM today to go to Guildford and try out 2 Fender Modern Player 4 string Jazzs and a 5 string version. On the Andertons site it stated that they were in the Guildford warehouse. I rang them up an hour before I left asking if they could be transferred from the warehouse to the store so I could pick one (I really needed a 4 string, the 5 was more for research). The guy said it wouldn't be a problem and will be there by the time I got there. I arrived just after 5PM and asked to try the basses, they brought out the 5 string and I mentioned to the guy that I was really after the 4 string and that I was just curious about the 5. Some time passes and I start getting worried, when yup you guessed it the 4 strings never arrived from the warehouse and they are unable to transfer them today. I told them on the phone hours in advance that I wanted to try those basses and that I was coming all the way from London especially, the round trip (Travel time only) took me just over 3 hours on a cold train(I got back just after 7:30PM from a 3PM start.) The best the shop manager could explain was that when they told the warehouse to deliver 2 4 strings they assumed it was a mistake so only delivered the 5 string. The manager was acting blaise about the situation and offered nothing to me. If the warehouse guy thought it was a mistake, why did he not RING the store to confirm??? Overall very disappointed, I left empty handed and very angry. Out of pocket for the train fare and over 5 hours wasted. Not acceptable. Wunjo's would never treat me so shabbily. Edited December 4, 2014 by Shockwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1417728666' post='2623613'] I feel for you. It has never been in my nature to cause a kerfuffle, but the older I get the less tolerant I am becoming in Acting blasé? "Right, I don't want to talk to you any more. Where's your supervisor?" etc etc [/quote] That was the manager... He spoke to the guy at the warehouse on the phone in front of me and didn't even have a go at him. Seriously, if my junior tech did something like this to a customer I would have gone livid. Edited December 4, 2014 by Shockwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 They're quite active on Facebook, might be worth mentioning it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 really capt lee? andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Graham' timestamp='1417730591' post='2623630'] They're quite active on Facebook, might be worth mentioning it there. [/quote] Not sure what they could do to be honest. I refuse to go back there and I wanted to see them in the flesh which was the whole point of going down there. I guess if they want to drive the 25 miles to my place, both basses in hand then maybe. [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1417730632' post='2623631'] really capt lee? andy [/quote] Eh? Edited December 4, 2014 by Shockwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 lee anderton, all the youtube videos he is capt lee. this is a shame tho have got my last few musical purchases from them all have been spot on! andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Customer service is normally immediately apparent. Wunjo's are imho #1 bar none and clearly Anderton's fell very short on this occasion. They will lose out in the long run with this kind of service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I had a similar experience there a few months ago. I rang in advance and asked them to bring over a Guild Starfire for me to try - they had one in the shop already but having read some reports of dodgy workmanship I thought it best to try as many as possible. As anticipated, the one in store had various unfortunate defects so I asked for the other one to be brought down. I waited about an hour (trying out other basses so not entirely time wasted). I let the guy know I was still waiting. No problem, he said, and went off to find it. At least another 20 minutes waiting... By then I just thought sod it and left, but not before letting the staff know why and also that I had fully intended to buy the bass, cash in pocket and everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I don't know what it is about businesses in this country, but it's not new (if that's any consolation) - around 1978 I'd applied for an account with a major supplier (several times)and been ignored - t'was only at a trade show where the MD happened to be on the stand that I got any action (& I mean instant...) - try going to the top - it usually works. The Facebook thing is mob-effective but marks you out as a pain in the backside, and guarantees that you'll be on the back row for any 'deals'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Well I`ve bought a couple of times from Andertons and both times I also rang in to make sure the items were there, and I had no problems. Hopefully the incidents mentioned are few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Without going into details, my experiences of them are bad too. There are far better guitar shops in the south, as far as I'm concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I've dealt with them before on numerous occasions, Markbass amp, 2 fender p basses and a mm stingray, no probs at all, although when i went to pick the mm up i asked the manager if he'd throw a set of strings in on the deal and he said no ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1417732828' post='2623662'] I rang in advance and asked them to bring over a Guild Starfire for me to try - they had one in the shop already but having read some reports of dodgy workmanship I thought it best to try as many as possible. As anticipated, the one in store had various unfortunate defects so I asked for the other one to be brought down. [/quote] Interesting. I bought one from Wunjo and it is flawless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I was unimpressed with them too. Much better at Guitar Guitar in Epsom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 [quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1417814146' post='2624343'] i asked the manager if he'd throw a set of strings in on the deal and he said no ?? [/quote] Oooh that would have stopped me buying it if it was sold as "new". Strings are part of the bass and if they're not new it's not worth full price! To be fair though most shops aren't bothered about strings but you'd think whacking a £15 set of strings on a bass you're paying £1500 for would be pretty standard practice? I have to say though, my phone calls and online orders from them have always been problem free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Just to add my two penneth (and some balance) I've bought 3 basses and a Taylor acoustic guitar among other things from them over the last 3 years & every time I purchase anything from them, or even telephone to enquire, the service has always been exceptional. I live around 1 1/2 hours drive away and always give them notice of what I want to try/buy - to be fair to them I would always try to give them 24 hours notice to make sure what I want is there (in the shop), in order to avoid a wasted journey, although I have been known to call them up early on a Saturday and drive straight there to try/buy. Speak as you find I always say - they've always looked after me well and I am a tad surprised to hear negative comments about them - clearly they got it wrong on this occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Another positive experience for balance: When I was shopping for a Squier VM P5 this summer, I rang around all the usual big online stores to see if anyone would weigh one of their stock items (I have a really screwed back so getting as light a bass as possible is the main deal for me). Anderton's were the only shop who could be arsed to send someone over to the warehouse to weigh a couple for me. They did indeed find me one of the lighter ones and I bought it very gratefully. All the other stores would do is send me a bass and I could return it, at my expense, if it was too heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Some shops (or more the people who are running them) just have off days. I've had excellent service from shops where I have also received horrible service. The horrible service was extremely similar to Shockwaves but for a boss GT10B. I would send them an e-mail explaining what happened. They may go out of their way to make it up to you (think free stuff!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Again for balance, I've used Andertons for years. Never had a single problem. I was in there yesterday trying out a head and the service was faultless. One personal observation was that the place seems to have a ton of staff and perhaps in your experience the message got garbled as it went through too many people. Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madshadows Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Never been to the store but I bought a Guitar on-line from Andertons a couple of weeks ago and the service was excellent as was the guitar. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1417814528' post='2624351'] Oooh that would have stopped me buying it if it was sold as "new". Strings are part of the bass and if they're not new it's not worth full price! To be fair though most shops aren't bothered about strings but you'd think whacking a £15 set of strings on a bass you're paying £1500 for would be pretty standard practice? I have to say though, my phone calls and online orders from them have always been problem free! [/quote]yea, fantastic over the phone, i think that's one reason i use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 [quote name='Shockwave' timestamp='1417728808' post='2623614'] That was the manager... He spoke to the guy at the warehouse on the phone in front of me and didn't even have a go at him. Seriously, if my junior tech did something like this to a customer I would have gone livid. [/quote] If the manager had a go at an employee in front of a customer that would have been far more unprofessional than a warehousing error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefrash Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 [quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1417886583' post='2624905'] If the manager had a go at an employee in front of a customer that would have been far more unprofessional than a warehousing error. [/quote] Exactly what I thought when I read that post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 For my sins, I'm a manager. I wouldn't dream of having a go at an employee in front of a customer. What I might or might not say afterwards to that employee is entirely another matter(!). People make mistakes - it happens - it's life - deal with it (professionally) and move on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 At least they will get something from the warehouse (or attempt to) to be collected from the shop, unlike a certain retailer on the South Coast who won't, even if you call ahead. My own experiences (and that of other members of my bands) with Andertons have been quite positive, including one instance of keeping one till open when I rocked up just before closing to try some guitars and trade one in. However, they do appear to have dropped the ball somewhat in the OP's case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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