RUTLANDS - WARNING - POOR ATTITUDE!

[Inoffthered]

I just spend MY money elsewhere, it's no skin off my nose, it's more of a problem for them as I run a busy business fixing boats and they have lost £1000s. This is the second time I have mentioned it on this forum, but did not start a post about it, just responded to an OP about Rutlands. I explained what happened, if you do not see it as important for a shop to know if their goods are faulty you are unlikely to be swayed by my trivial story. You pays your money you takes your pick
Paddy

You can spend your money where you wish, although you admit yourself that it is a "trivial" story yet you have written off a company on the basis of that "trivial" story. I hope your customers are more forgiving of trivial issues.

I was merely agreeing to the comments made by others that there is a bandwagon and lot of unjustified Rutlands bashing.

Perhaps I am more accepting of the fact that sometimes things go wrong. I didn't think that Rutlands did anything wrong in dealing with your problem they offered to replace the offending item but you consider that to be a "struggle".
You also appear to have assumed that Rutlands would not pay postage for the return of the faulty item. In all probability had you asked, they would have sent/emailed a freepost return label but I can see how it adds to a sense of grievance.

 

[doctor Bob]

I have a commercial business and spend many 1000's per month. But neither Rutlands or Axminster are getting it, I probably spend a couple of hundred in each per year. The rest is bought from more trade shops where you can build up a rapport with the guys on the phone, no quibble 40% on everything, more if you try and push it. No one running a decent sized business would buy only from Axi or rutlands. I'd never buy any big machines from them, service from dedicated machine dealers is just on a different level, when I hear horror stories of waiting for parts it gives me nightmares, I'd want the part that day or the next, otherwise I'd be paying half a dozen guys to sweep up.

 

[stuffimade]

LOL - not one trivial instance, and obviously not unjustified... perhaps read the whole thread... you are funny

I just spend MY money elsewhere, it's no skin off my nose, it's more of a problem for them as I run a busy business fixing boats and they have lost £1000s. This is the second time I have mentioned it on this forum, but did not start a post about it, just responded to an OP about Rutlands. I explained what happened, if you do not see it as important for a shop to know if their goods are faulty you are unlikely to be swayed by my trivial story. You pays your money you takes your pick
Paddy

You can spend your money where you wish, although you admit yourself that it is a "trivial" story yet you have written off a company on the basis of that "trivial" story. I hope your customers are more forgiving of trivial issues.

I was merely agreeing to the comments made by others that there is a bandwagon and lot of unjustified Rutlands bashing.

Perhaps I am more accepting of the fact that sometimes things go wrong. I didn't think that Rutlands did anything wrong in dealing with your problem they offered to replace the offending item but you consider that to be a "struggle".
You also appear to have assumed that Rutlands would not pay postage for the return of the faulty item. In all probability had you asked, they would have sent/emailed a freepost return label but I can see how it adds to a sense of grievance.

 

[scrimper]

TBH I am a little concerned after reading this thread, I have never dealt with Rutlands before but last week they sent me an email for a Dakota bobbin sander for £100 and a £5 voucher off as a first purchase, I have always wanted a bobbin sander but not wanted to spend a huge amount of cash as it would be for occasional use, anyway in a rash moment I ordered one and it arrived the next day and is as advertised.

After reading the negative stuff in this thread it has made me dubious of buying from them, I always thought they were a reputable company?

Do they have any satisfied customers here?

 

[marcros]

i have used Rutlands a few times. Overall, I am not a fan of them, but I would offer the following comments based on my own experience:

1. If it is branded goods, and in stock then you will probably not have an issue
2. In my experience, if you have to deal with their customer services, it is a very hit and miss experience. I have had to do it twice. Both times were painful and on one, I just gave up. The first was eventually resolved, and involved point 3 below.
3. Dakota branded stuff is generally poor quality, in my experience. You get what you pay for, and in some cases you want the cheapest possible item for a one off job. Some is so poor quality that it is not fit for purpose. I bought a small anvil and it was so soft that you couldnt use it for bashing metal (on a jewellery sized workpiece basis) on. They did replace it, but the second one was no better and was chipped on an edge too. For the price I paid, I was sick of taking anvils to the post office, so I gave up on it. It proved the point that you cannot get owt for nowt, which for the special offer price is what I was attempting to do.
4. If stuff is out of stock, then dont place it on backorder because my stuff took months and was eventually cancelled.
5. Dont believe the special offers- the stuff is often never sold at the RRP, so the 50% off is rubbish. It is also often widely available elsewhere at a list price equivalent to the special offer price.
6. Dont believe the reviews

There are a lot of suppliers out there. some universally good, some not so. I wouldn't say that I will never use Rutlands again, but I actively try to go elsewhere if I can, partly because I dont like the marketing campaign that they use- Special offers every day, then a better special offer on the same stuff than the day before, but mainly because of points 3, 4, 5 and 6. Others have had an entirely positive experience with Rutlands. If it was just the customer service that was lacking I could like with it, because it isnt like buying a machine or big item. As a consumer, we are well protected by laws. It is the "special offers", the reviews and the poor quality dakota crap, some of which I think are potentially borderline fraudulent, that puts me off using them

 

[Wizard9999]

I think a very sound summary from Marcos, much in line with my own views about Rutland, caveat emptor and all that.

The only think I would mention is that on one particular branded item I was looking at recently the Rutland price seems to be well above the best price out there. The item in question is a Magswitch Universal feather board, Rutlands £47.95 (no claims of special deals to be fair to them), but I easily found the same item for £36.01 elsewhere (also no mention of special price). So on this particular item Rutland were a lot more expensive, so don't assume the prices on branded goods are always the best, or even close to the best.

Terry.

 

[Inoffthered]

TBH I am a little concerned after reading this thread, I have never dealt with Rutlands before but last week they sent me an email for a Dakota bobbin sander for £100 and a £5 voucher off as a first purchase, I have always wanted a bobbin sander but not wanted to spend a huge amount of cash as it would be for occasional use, anyway in a rash moment I ordered one and it arrived the next day and is as advertised.

After reading the negative stuff in this thread it has made me dubious of buying from them, I always thought they were a reputable company?

Do they have any satisfied customers here?

They do have satisfied customers, I am one for a start.
They have always delivered quickly and on the very rare occasions I have had an issue they have dealt with it promptly.

Are you in any way unhappy with your dealings with Rutlands? You bought an inexpensive bobbin sander and it was delivered the next day, have you used it yet? (I bought the bobbin sander and have been very pleased with it).

There are a few contributors on this forum that think the sun shines out of Axminster's flexible hose and who think that Rutlands are agents of the devil.

Make you own judgment on the basis of the way you are treated , not on the basis of propaganda from other posters.