Axminster Customer Service

[fezman]

I've seen a few threads of late having a moan at Axminster. Be it for poor customer service, loyalty, prices etc. Whilst I'm sure these are all valid points (and I agree with some of them myself), for balance I want to outline some good news for once.

I have been after a Veritas RH PM V11 shooting plane for a while. Nowhere has stock available on line, including Lee Valley themselves. Whilst commencing what i expected to be another fruitless search, I happened to notice that Axminster Newcastle had "Low Stock" of said item. Display model I thought - been caught with that one before!

So i gave them a ring, diverted to head office, where Mandy was ever so helpful and tried to get me back through to the store. It didn't happen. So she said someone would call me back. About an hour later, Dean from Ax Newcastle, gives me a ring - 10 minutes later I have a confirmation email for an order for a plane that is like Hens Teeth elsewhere. I was still a bit apprehensive it would be the display model. It also took a few days to arrive, and I called Ax Head office to chase delivery (Mandy answered again!), who reassured me it would be on its way. When it arrived today, it was BNIB and I have to say it is one of the nicest bits of kit i've used.

So fair play to Mandy and Dean - great customer service all round.

 

[shed9]

I bought a couple of MFT's early last year during the start of lockdown, there were numerous issues with delivery in that they kept getting damaged in multiple deliveries. I understand issues will happen with deliveries, it's how those issues that get dealt with that makes the difference in customer support. Have to say, Axi were superb in how they resolved the entire process. They went above and beyond and all this whilst still adapting to partially remote working.

Credit where due, they have my support as a customer.

 

[ArferMo]

And forever after buying from Axminster they will spam your email without mercy. The only way to stop them is to quote the GDPR. B'stards.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Good to see some positive feedback on Axminster - hopefully the start of an upwards trend.

 

[bourbon]

I have two Items from Axminster. A bench grinder with a wide white wheel on it, and my radial Pillar drill. Both ex display. I did negotiate money off them though.

 

[C64]

Similar situation to the OP when I called Axminster before xmas to check on a credit note for a returned item as they don’t show up in accounts. Whilst on the phone, the lady confirmed that a Veritas plane I was looking at was available at my nearest store but it was likely to be the last display one to which I was fine with as long as it was actually there.

Shortly after placing the click and collect order online, I had a call from the store saying the display plane was available but there were some superficial blemishes on it; basically a faint fingerprint rust mark and some lacquer had peeled away from the back of the tote. I thought it was decent of them to call me beforehand rather than being ambushed about it in-store after travelling all the way down there. After checking it, I bought the Veritas plane with a 5% discount on the price which was nice since the blemishes didn’t bother me and fixable anyway.

 

[bourbon]

oh yes, I wouldn't expect to pay full price for ex display stuff

 

[eribaMotters]

My experience with Axminster started some 30? years ago soon after them buying out Roy Sutton in Kent. I have used them as a private buyer and spent a lot of my Secondary Schools Technology Dept budget with them. In those 30 years I cannot recall any occasion when I have not been more than satisfied with there service. Two incidents spring to mind, one where a pipe clamp set was not true and another sent out immediately, a second regarded cool blocks on bandsaw top guide resulting in a full top and bottom set within 48hrs.
The same cannot be said for delivery services supplying there goods. I recall ordering a cement mixer one Friday afternoon and being woken with it's delivery early Saturday am.

Colin

And two cases for school, new switchgear on a disc sander and a new motor on a Delta Bandsaw, again all within 48hrs.

 

[Droogs]

The quality of customer service has at not point been in doubt just the quality of componants

 

[C64]

I tried pushing for more off but they were having none of it and I wasn’t too fussed. I know some people bemoan Lie Nielsen and Veritas for being overly pricey when cheaper alternatives are available but one thing in their favour is give it a couple of years and you can easily get your money back if the plane doesn’t work out given the inflation rate of their core tools.

 

[Doug71]

I have had good and bad with Axminster, my most recent was good.

I needed a replacement bolt that holds the blades in on my Axminster planer block as one snapped. I called Axminster but ended up on hold for quite a long time. The gentleman I eventually spoke with was very helpful and very thorough, he was also very chatty! I had the part next day which was great, the only negative I got from it was if the chap had not been so chatty with everyone my call would probably have been answered in a quarter of the time

 

[pgrbff]

The quality of customer service has at not point been in doubt just the quality of componants

I have had no end of customer service issues . From not getting replies to emails, being given poor answers, waiting a month for a faulty item to be collected and even longer for a refund.
when they changed their mail order process I was amazed to see that despite paying in £ from a UK. Bank account I pay higher prices ordering from Italy than you do if you order from UK.

 

[Doug B]

I have been after a Veritas RH PM V11 shooting plane for a while.

On a different note I bought one a few years ago hope you’re as delighted with it as I am, I made a couple of boards using the Veritas track & haven’t looked back cracking piece of kit.

 

[robgul]

And forever after buying from Axminster they will spam your email without mercy. The only way to stop them is to quote the GDPR. B'stards.

I think that "spam" is a bit harsh as that's normally mail from unwanted sources that have harvested your email address . . . BUT I would agree that the Axminster emails are relentless! I have a couple of solutions: 1 I have my own domain so I usually use something like nameofsupplier@my-domain (so I can then identify source of incoming messages) 2 Set filters on incoming mail - either by the sender email or recipient email. So my axminster@my-domain incoming gets filtered to a folder that I may scan through from time to time - obviously i have to watch out for order-related emails. Works for me.

Most email client software should let you filter on the sender email address.

 

[Blackswanwood]

If you page down to the bottom of any marketing e-Mail from Axminster it has a link to unsubscribe from future e-mails.

 

[robgul]

If you page down to the bottom of any marketing e-Mail from Axminster it has a link to unsubscribe from future e-mails.

Yebbut some of the offers are worth considering . . . . what is also annoying is the "sale" or "clearance" promotions where most of the stuff listed is out of stock.

 

[MarkDennehy]

And forever after buying from Axminster they will spam your email without mercy. The only way to stop them is to quote the GDPR. B'stards.

"I don't know why they keep sending me lots of pictures of lovely tools love, I didn't ask for them, I'm not browsing to buy yet more tools for the shed, honest, but look at this one here..."

"Spam"

 

[artie]

And forever after buying from Axminster they will spam your email without mercy. The only way to stop them is to quote the GDPR. B'stards.

I can't say that's my experience I've bought a good few items off them in the last 5 yrs or so.
I bought from them 1-9-20 and the confirmation email I received is the last communication I had.

 

[fezman]

Yebbut some of the offers are worth considering . . . . what is also annoying is the "sale" or "clearance" promotions where most of the stuff listed is out of stock.

There is a filter on the left side of their search results page that says In Stock / out of stock.

 

[robgul]

There is a filter on the left side of their search results page that says In Stock / out of stock.

There is a filter on the left side of their search results page that says In Stock / out of stock.

That's not quite the point . . . . if they don't have it then it's not available in the sale/clearance and shouldn't be listed . . . with today's database driven stock control/website/e-commerce technology it's not difficult.