Musicman20 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Unfortunately, after giving the online store another chance, I've been let down again. I'm giving them a chance to rectify it, and I'll happily give them a good rating, but they are not helping themselves here. Item arrived quickly. Packaged well. Just an effects pedal. Nothing super expensive. I could have gone to Andertons but GAK seemed to have them in. Pedal arrived, box looked fine, opened it up, it's obviously been used - minor scratch. Power cable unraveled, missing manual, missing rubber feet, missing cable (links to iPhone)....I've bought a pedal from this series before and they've always come with these accessories and the online manual confirms it. Immediately start return process. They are open all day. They are posting on social media etc. No response. I try twitter. No response. I try their online chat - no manners from the online team, then they leave before I've asked them to reserve another for me whilst we wait for the returns people to deal with it. It's 2017. Why on earth they can't just say 'sorry, we messed up, I'll get this picked up immediately on Monday and have another with you with the courier?' No apology, no nothing. I've not tried to return an item I don't like. I want it! But, I paid new so I want new and I want to use the accessories it is meant to come with. I very much doubt I will give them a chance again. It's like a lottery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeystrange Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Did you try calling them? They're generally pretty good over the phone. The only odd thing they do is if you order over the phone you can only speak to the person that took your order about returns. Which isn't helpful if it's their day off or they're on holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 [quote name='joeystrange' timestamp='1486237607' post='3230308'] Did you try calling them? They're generally pretty good over the phone. The only odd thing they do is if you order over the phone you can only speak to the person that took your order about returns. Which isn't helpful if it's their day off or they're on holiday. [/quote] Tried and they said use the online returns form...which I had already done. One update is they have now reserved a replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 I stopped using them after a terrible experience involving a product return and lazy / arrogant phone and internet contact. They couldn't give a monkeys and they were the ones who had messed up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 It's also really annoying that they leave products up on their website that are discontinued as "available to order" and slash the price on it, so they show up as one of the cheapest on google shopping, yet you have ZERO chance of getting the product from them. Just a cheap shot to get competitors price matching something they don't have or getting traffic to their site, even though they know they don't have the product you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antnee Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 "Available to Order" got me before. Was having a bad day so ripped into someone there, suggesting they changed their terminology but it clearly has fell on deaf ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 I have no grudge against young musicians; I'm only 35 myself, but I've noticed they tend to have very young staff just ripping metal in their demos....and none of them seem very professional in terms of 'we are a business'. Manners and customer service can ruin a business if not used properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 I've used them several times and recently bought a Fender Deluxe Precision from them. I can't fault them at all. I've even told them Thomann were cheaper and they dropped the price. No complaints from me but have to agree if its scratched and obviously been used that's pretty poor. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 I had an issue with them last year, bought an amp, contacted them to make a return, tried telling me I was out of the returns period - because they waited for about 3 days before opening/replying to my e-mail. I challenged this, on the basis of simple mathematics, as in, just count the number of days from date item arrived to date of e-mail. OK, send it back. Then it took about 2 months of going from this person to that person, all of whom "were dealing with it". In the end I sent a very rude terse e-mail and from then it was sorted. Unless I absolutely have to, it`s unlikely I will use them again after that episode, however up until this time I`d never had any issues at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Utterly disgraceful. I've never ordered from them because of all the horror stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 I have only bought from them once, and that went fine. I would have bought from them a second time, but the site page for the speaker cab I wanted said to phone them. My wife called them and the chap on the phone, rather snottily, told her that it meant they didn't have any left, and then he hung up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 (edited) GAK used to be my go-to site when I was window shopping for bass gear. I once got into an email discussion with them over a discounted Sterling they had advertised as a special offer, only to be told the price on the website was a mistake, and the guy actually tried to put me off by offering it to me at the RRP!! From that moment on they were out of the running, and I have read a couple of horror stories about customer service which ensured there will be no u-turn, even for a good deal. It's pathetic that, in this day and age, there are still music shops going strong with snotty staff and bad service, when so many good 'uns have gone out of business. Edited February 5, 2017 by Funky Dunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1486245453' post='3230374'] It's also really annoying that they leave products up on their website that are discontinued as "available to order" and slash the price on it, so they show up as one of the cheapest on google shopping, yet you have ZERO chance of getting the product from them. Just a cheap shot to get competitors price matching something they don't have or getting traffic to their site, even though they know they don't have the product you want. [/quote] Not true for me at all I was searching the net for Aguilar soapbars, and GAK were the cheapest. " special order only " ...oh oh, alarm bells But i ordered and they turned up in about a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1486247133' post='3230393'] I had an issue with them last year, bought an amp, contacted them to make a return, tried telling me I was out of the returns period - because they waited for about 3 days before opening/replying to my e-mail. I challenged this, on the basis of simple mathematics, as in, just count the number of days from date item arrived to date of e-mail. OK, send it back. Then it took about 2 months of going from this person to that person, all of whom "were dealing with it". In the end I sent a very rude terse e-mail and from then it was sorted. Unless I absolutely have to, it`s unlikely I will use them again after that episode, however up until this time I`d never had any issues at all. [/quote] Just a classic example of how inappropriate handling of a fairly simple issue destroys the relationship between a customer and a business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 [quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1486264140' post='3230459'] Not true for me at all I was searching the net for Aguilar soapbars, and GAK were the cheapest. " special order only " ...oh oh, alarm bells But i ordered and they turned up in about a week. [/quote] I'm talking about discontinued products though, not products that are actually available to order... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 I recall being told that the rack compressor I wanted was 'crap' and the guy on the phone flatly refused to sell it to me; I forget exactly how he phrased it, but the essence was that if I was daft enough to insist on buying it I'd have to put the order through the website myself as it wasn't worth his while to take the order over the phone. Needless to say I knew exactly what I was ordering, what I wanted it to do, why I didn't need anything better and, following that exchange, why I'd be getting it from somewhere else! Incidentally I did just that and it still works fine. On the other hand I recall searching for rack-ears for an amp that I'd picked up ex-demo a good while after they were discontinued, and the only place that seemed to even list the right hardware was GAK. I called up and spoke to a very helpful guy who went and rooted round until he found the last remaining set (incorrectly labelled and in the wrong place), cheerily took all of about £18 for his time and effort and they arrived the next day with no fuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 Another update - tested the pedal anyway - it is definitely not new. The factory presets were nothing like they should be (they can be changed via App - luckily I have products from this brand so I have some cables it needs), so I had no idea what the pedal actually sounds like. Factory reset, sounds great, so I still definitely want one but I want a new one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 Oh, and to give Amazon credit, they have pedals that are £50-100 for free shipping whereas most stores don't. I know there is a lot of anti-Amazon gear heads out there, but for pedals, strings etc, they are great. No fuss delivery, no fuss returns.....always VERY polite. So, I've skipped using stores for the other things I wanted this month and gone to Amazon, again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1486285686' post='3230499'] I'm talking about discontinued products though, not products that are actually available to order... [/quote] Yup, my mistake. The Ags were not discontinued Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Thats a shame. I have bought loads of stuff from GAK and never had an issue. I bought a lot of items on one order and some of the stuff was out of stock. I paid up and got all the gear they did have. They contacted me by email when the out of stock came in and told me when I would get it, and I did. Spot on I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 If and only if the following situation arose would I use them: I need some strings right now in an emergency because a very last minute gig came up and its a new set type of sound I want, and I happen to be in the same town as the shop. There is some equipment that happens to be exactly at the right price and it cant be got for the same price any where else. For example the great GAK closing down sale : all equipment half price. Other than that I'm not keen on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisan Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 (edited) They sent me a second hand "new" bass recently & were not particularly helpful in sorting it out,we got there in the end but it left a sour taste. I don't think I'll be using them again. Edited February 6, 2017 by artisan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 (edited) [quote name='artisan' timestamp='1486374299' post='3231119'] They sent me a second hand "new" bass recently & were not particularly helpful in sorting it out,we got there in the end but it left a sour taste. I don't think I'll be using them again. [/quote] This is what I feel has happened to me, albeit a pedal. I think it is no doubt a floor model or a previous return. I don't understand why they don't keep a closer eye on returns and make sure they come back immaculate...and then decide if they should go on display as a display model/return. The website should specify, as Andertons do on their site. The icing on the cake was when the stock presets of the pedal were nothing like they are meant to be. Clearly someone had messed around with it and decided they want to return it and left some of the bits out of the return package. Instead of GAK dealing with that, they've essentially passed the hassle on to me! I have now heard from the returns dept, so hopefully should have a new one asap. I know it's a bit rough of me to cause a fuss, but it's just the time organising returns/re-packing, emailing, waiting for new items, etc....it could have easier been saved had it been checked! As a total opposite experience, ordered a pedal on Friday from Amazon, arrived Sunday, brand new, free delivery for a pedal which is only £58! No issues. Edited February 6, 2017 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukrobbiej Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I usually find that a little review on their Facebook page soon sorts things out. I had to do this with gear4music once when I wasn't happy with the service. A little review of my experience on Facebook and I soon had the manager emailing me and pulling out all the stops. I have bought from GAK before, but usually face to face, and they are generally good blokes. The only time they weren't was, ironically in the bass department, where I think the guy was annoyed that I was interrupting his practice time to ask about fretless basses. That was just my perception though. No doubt, you have been extremely badly treated in your case, and they should have sorted it better. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Does anybody send the link to these threads to the offenders or their customer service depts?? Lets them know that they're not getting away with poor service and that in the end their reputation and sales suffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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