struggling with Record spares

[sunnybob]

Anyone else bewildered by Records spare parts system?
A simple matter of buying bobbin sander sleeves has turned into a maze of time wasting and frustration.
the story so far;
look on records site.
add to basket.
cant buy without creating an account.
create an account.
cant buy without creating ANOTHER account with another company that handles records parts.
W>T>F>?
Now I have two more passwords and security details to remember, and all I'm buying is sanding sheets!.
Create the second account, and pay the money.
NOW i get an "on back order" notice.
Hold on, this company tells me they will send the parts from the nearest dealer to my address. Does that mean I have to wait till some small firm amasses enough orders to get some in? or does it mean record power has no stock anywhere of a simple bobbin sander sleeve and is waiting for the next boat from china to clear customs?

I'm told that i can cancel the order if i want. whats the point? My bobbin sander is useless without the correct sleeves.
I try to find out how long the back order is likely to be. Uh Uh, Record cant tell me, I have to contact the other site, and the second site (KIBO) gives me an electronic runaround that wears me out.
So now they have my money, and I have no way of finding out when (or if) they will ever arrive.

OK Record, I'm out. last time I shall buy any of their products.

 

[ScaredyCat]

https://www.dm-tools.co.uk/browse.php/level/4/section/6203

Any use?

 

[SVB]

I’ve no knowledge of the RP situation but have been caught out buying tools that have proved impossible to get spares for in the past so now anything I want to use for longer than what comes in the box I make a point to look around for the availability of generic spares and consumables and only buy if I’m happy or at least understand this risk.

I know that doesn’t help your situation but I can empathise as it is a lesson I’ve learnt the hard way.

Hope you get it sorted and ScardyCat’s link is helpful,

Simon

 

[transatlantic]

I bought an 8" grinder that had an inbalanced wheel. I complained and they said they would send me out a new wheel. Took them about 3 months as apparently they were out of stock for that long.

I think Record are pretty bad to be honest. The three things I have bought from them have turned out to be rather poor quality and have had issues.

 

[sunnybob]

I have draper bobbin tubes. They do not fit the record bobbins.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

:? there were loads of Record ones on that linked site.

 

[sunnybob]

ah, but are they in stock? According to record's business partner they cant be had.

And now, for a different reason, SIP has just been added to my S*%t list.
I asked them for a new fan motor
yes sir, 46 quid.
brilliant, an instant reply from a real person. please send me a paypal invoice.
yes sir, by the way, its now 78 quid.

On a machine that barely costs a 100 brand new and complete.
Thats a steep one day price hike by anybodys standards.

So now I'm after another dust collector.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Easy way of finding out.

 

[sunnybob]

record already have my money.

 

[AES]

Agree 100% with sunnybob about Record's web site. Yet another "customer interface" designed by an IT freak who clearly doesn't live in the real world, OR understand the first thing about cutomer service, but simply "data mining".

All that hassle about creating an account, etc, etc, and for what? I only wanted to ask one simple question. I did get the answer (and bought the kit - but NOT from their recommended dealer local to me, MUCH too expensive) and the kit's been fine. Hopefully I'll never need to find out (I ordered the only consumable spares I thought I'd need at the same time as buying the kit).

Agree with SVB too - either buy enough consumables at the time, or check availability first - but clearly no help to you this time Bob.

As an "idle thought" P.S. I often wonder how many company managers/owners have ever tried actually using their own web sites (Yup, "grumpy old men rule"!!!!).

 

[sunnybob]

The only website I compliment is axminster. i have found a few errors and reported all of them, and they have all been corrected the next day.
A leading light that most other companies have no concept of.
The only way I can contact record is by phone, and I am not using my cyprus mobile to listen to english canned music.
15 years ago I found an error on Dunlop tyres site. I told them of it, and thus ensued a very pleasant series of conversational emails which eventually ended with me cheekily asking for a new tyre as a reward, and guess what? They sent me one! and it was a 90 quid heavy duty motorcycle tyre!
those were the days.

I really dont enjoy being grumpy, but its inevitable when dealing with almost all trades now.

 

[AES]

Quote: I really dont enjoy being grumpy UNQUOTE: OK Bob, fair enough, but when it comes to web sites, I DO enjoy being grumpy (AND being nasty about IT people too)!

(Sometimes anyway)

 

[sunnybob]

when I see an error, I always mention it to the people concerned. I had enough during my working life of people whinging amongst their workmates but never complaining to the bosses who could do something about it, and I'm not conceited enough to claim I never make a mistake (oh that I could :roll: :roll: ).

If its heeded, then i'm happy. If its ignored then i move my business somewhere else whenever possible. Record have deliberately set their web pages up so that they wont be bothered by "grumpy old men", so fair doos, i wont bother them again.

I'm off now to try to find a 4" dust extractor to replace the SIP. On this island thats going to be quite a challenge I think. (hammer) (hammer)