Whats wrong with SWFA

I ordered a scope mount on Monday 8/4 it was an Aadland ar mount from sample list. I needed it for a weekend shoot and thought that it would easily ship and i should receive it by weekend since I live here locally. I have called SWFA twice and was told it would ship out that day. now Friday is almost here and it has not even been shipped out at all. I have ordered from SWFA for well over a decade and have always had a great experience and quick shipping
Whats up?
Bill

I have ordered from them for years and never had any issue. What do they say when you call? Are you not local enough that you can drive to them in Red Oak?

So we're suppose to know the answer to the What's Up? They are good people to deal with.

Really not concerned with your answer "d", just letting good folks spending there hard earned cash know what has happened to me. Like I said I have never had a problem in the past but taking a week to ship while telling me its shipping that same day twice on the separate days is not the way to keep customers. As a moderator, one would think that you and the forum encourage us to share these stories so that we can make decisions based on the seller and their history. To answer your question ED, They are now in Midloathian and further than I care to drive but that may have to be the next course of action.

You sir are the new and unknown here. Not SWFA. They do much to support this sites members and have for quiet some time. Your bad experience is the first I've heard but I'm sure it will be noted.

That is the truth and I am not trying to be disrespectful to anyone. Just stating the facts nothing more and nothing less.

They will not get anymore of my money. Hope this thread does not get deleted or I get banned for my statement.

Sounds like some people don't know how to pick up a telephone and call. Skylar at SWFA has always done me right. Online ordering will never be as painless as they make it out to be, I always order from SWFA over the phone.

Like I said Chuck, I "picked up the phone and called" twice!

Did you also have a bad experience? Or is you response based on this thread or my statement?

I do agree that no mater how this thread goes I hope it does not get deleted. It happens too often that threads get deleted when they are against someone's personal views.

Let me start off by apologizing to the OP.

Honestly, we had some issues this week. We had two of our warehouse workers come down with a bug and two of our sales staff come down with that same bug this week and our Customer service manager has been out all week.

Needless to say we have been limping this week and diligently working staying late packing order and preparing for them to be picked up by the local carriers.

Again, I apologize for the experience that you have had most recently. However we are working as fast as we can possibly manage to insure accuracy in having these orders shipped out promptly.

I will make myself available to you as well as this entire forum in assisting with making decision and placing orders. I'm not in the CS department but have always worked with them for THFer's in order to expedite customer's necessities.

Feel free to email me directly or give me a call with any concerns.

Never had an issue with SWFA my orders always came in on time. My last two purchases I actually drove down myself to get them because I needed the parts ASAP its a trip but worth it to me and the store/warehouse is top notch including there "customer service". Skylar you and the staff keep up the good work, you guys will prob be seeing me again next week.

Ive only used them twice, but no complaints here and it is nice to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone! I hate that you cant get a person on the phone most other places and if you do they are worse lost than you are.

I knew something out of the ordinary was going on at SWFA. It's not like them to mess things up. Can't help that staff gets sick and everyone else has to do their job for them.

OP, don't give up on SWFA, they are an outstanding company.

This threads not getting deleted and nobody getting banned, they are not even a sponser, just good people to do business with. If someone has a unexpected experience with a company they feel they have get on a media site and rant. I'm sure bill will not be concerned with this answer either.

.... but if they were a sponsor would things be going different?? are site sponsors off limits?

Your answer is in the rules of the forum.

they sent me the wrong scope rings twice. When i sent there first mixup back they told me it could be az couple of weeks for them to send me the new rings.

SWFA is good to deal with. I've ordered from them many times and I've used their trade in program. They've always taken good care of me. I'm sure if you'll give Skylar the chance, he'll do what he can to make it right.

Waaaaaat? That's no good!

I believe you, I've just always had nothing but good to say about them based on my experiences. I look at the site, I write down item numbers and I call Skylar with my list. He inputs the item numbers and then reads out the description, I confirm and wait for the brown truck.

You can call it "rant" if you like. I call it letting people know about this experience with SWFA (FEEDBACK). I commend Skylar for his apology and his offer to help. From now on I will call and ask for him personally. I know what its like to loose employees due to illness and I am very sympathetic in this regard. I have spent quite a bit of money with them since they were a small mail order optics dealer that know one had ever heard of to just recently and for the most part I have been very happy with them. I'm beginning to think that that my mistake was thinking that this forum and moderators encourage members to share information about positive dealings with retailers as well as negative for forum members benefit. This was obviously an oversight on my part.

Bill, here's the deal.. SWFA & Skylar are good people.. You had a bad experience and Skylar explained why & apologized.. In your first post you asked 'what's up' with them & several guys gave you an answer..

You're welcome to come on here & share a bad experience w/ SWFA, but that isn't going to change how we feel about those guys, & that apparently has you upset.. Also, maybe mix in a little more conversation.. 13 posts in over 2 years? Get active in the THF Bill, we don't bite..

Payne bites......

He doesn't bite he just grips a little bit.

im not too concerned with it. Id still buy from em if they have the best price

Show them an ad from someone else and they'll beat it. Course the THF discount almost always puts them at a better price anyway.

I have dealt with SWFA a few times and they are on the only two forums that I get on. It always seems they have great cs and products, which I know because I have dealt with the when I ordered the wrong rings and they sent me a new pair that day with a return label so I could send mine back. It wasn't how they normally do things but I needed them fast and they made it work. But every once in a while someone will get on the forum with a bad experience because something didn't go exactly right, Every company I have dealt with has screwed orders up in one way or another that is inevitable, it is how the company deals with it that makes them good. SWFA does a lot for the shooting community and they try their best to please everyone they can, although we know that is impossible. I am not talking about the op here I am talking in general terms.

Walter

Most of the people that complain about a company over some minor error usually don't own a business.

Everyone is human and can make a mistake. How they rectify the mistake is the measure of good customer service.

Same here, not talking about the OP, just talking in general.

Swfa is the best hands down... trying dealing with a scope company in new York!! super rude!

Nothing was ever done to rectify the problem other than an apology and that's fine. I called their cs on two separate occasions and was told it would ship that afternoon. That never happened. I don't own a business but I do run a business with multiple locations and over 50 employees. Every single one of them is vital in servicing our customers. We rely on word of mouth more than advertising. So making sure the customer is happy with their purchase is everything. The old saying deliver what you promise, when you promise is printed and posted above a door in my office and I strive to meet that commitment. However, We have had times due to many reasons including employee illness when we could not meet our customers expectations so I do understand. Once again I'm too old and too tired to get upset over life's small obstacles and was simply posting about this particular purchase. I assure you I have also posted many positive remarks about them as well as others in the past and feel that if I am going to post about the positive experiences I should also post about the negative to be fair. I would like to stress that I mean no disrespect to anyone or SWFA. Good luck to all!

If we all quit doing business with anyone that messed up would not be doing business with anyone!!!

I operate a mexican food chain gotta love when people complain looking for free stuff! Apology should be just fine!!

I have had nothing but good dealings with SWFA

Most people do not own a business. You may think it was minor but it sucks when you order something anticipating having it by a date and don't.

If you need something by a certain date don't wait til the last minute to order it. Shipping time is largely out of the shippers hands. Weather, logistics and many things can add a delay. If time is that critical buy it over the counter somewhere (which you can do at swfa).

Yes. I got banned a few years ago for a comment about sponsors. Nothing specific but not necessary as well. But regardless there are at least a hundred more guys on here who would defend SWFA than berate them and pming Skylar is what should have been done before bashing them.

"d" has over 16,000 posts and you have 14. It will take a while for you to earn the trust and respect a lot of the members enjoy here with an attitude and comments like the ones exhibited in this thread.

Guess since a apology is not good enough.. swfa should have handed out stock options

Agreed. We have become accustomed to things happening in rhythm. When I used to work shipping I would say with ground for example, it should take x days but ups reserves the right to take up to x days. If you want guaranteed you have to get either next day 2day

Exactly. If you absolutely have to have it its best to try to go in person or pony up for overnight service.

I've never had any problems with any order I've place with SWFA. Communication and execution was flawless.

Stock dogs and bird dogs will grip with their mouth. My Border Collie would hold on to my ankle but not bite down. Clear that up?

Only if your Border Collie is named Payne.

I've had excellent service from SWFA. I only have two problems with them: 1) I spend too much money and still want to spend more, and 2) they are too far from me to go in person to the store...

Great CS company overall. I have had some slow shipping before for being somewhat close but that's the case with any company and shipping. Crap happens

The simple fact is that I ordered the scope on Monday and thought that would leave enough time to ship and be here before the weekend so that I could mount the scope. Like I said I have ordered from them many times over the years and it had always shipped out the next day.I then decided to call them on Wednesday and was told it would ship out that afternoon. After still not receiving an email with tracking info I called back on Thursday and once again was told it would ship out on that afternoon and as of Friday it had still not shipped. This has nothing to do with how many posts I have vs "D" or my trustworthiness. Their Apology was enough for me I will deal with Skylar in the future and continue doing business with them. I am human and have made my fare share of mistakes and will probably continue to do so. But as far as customer service goes I set the standard and am held accountable when our customers do not receive what they were promised in a timely manner. And that can sometimes be delivery on the same day. Obviously, my expectations are not the same as most of you and that is just fine. I have tremendous respect for everyone that participated in this post and I commend y'all for sharing your views. I simply don't agree.

I own my own company and I can tell you no matter how much attention to detail me and my son pay to trying to be the best supplier my customers will ever have, sometimes things just go wrong. And I for one need to know and hear about it when it does so we can try to correct it from happening again.
However, once its been said then you need to respect everybody involved and sort of let it go. Input is appreciated until it becomes redundant.
I can tell you I just bought a new Swarovski Spotting Scope from SWFA and received it in two days. I couldn't ask for better service. Skylar was great to deal with!

It's always a red flag when someone opens up a new thread to gripe about a bad customer experience when that person is new to a forum. It's not that they are telling a lie, it's just that they are new and somewhat untrusted/untested on that forum. Trust usually is earned or along the lines of Reagan's "trust but verify" quote.

There's always two sides to every story.

I personally don't think forums are the best place to vent this kind of issue with a first shot out of the gate. It's not like you didn't have other options. There are retail stores you could have visited to purchase the item in advance of your shoot.

Personally I have only bought direct from the SWFA store, not mail order or online. No issues whatsoever, but YMMV.

There's some expression about making a mountain out of a mole hill that seems relevant here...

Most forums I have been on will delete threads like this when folks open a thread just to bash a vendor.

Always have had great service from Skylar and SWFA.
Mistakes are sometimes made, as long as they are rectified, I will continue to do business with them.
Skylar explained the issue and apologized, it's rectified in my eyes.

I blame the gov for shipping being slow and non shipping of gun parts!! its a conspiracy! lol

I own 50% of a healthcare practice, and I can tell you that even when things go 100% correct there are some people who just can not be satisfied. We have all sorts of crazy come through and demand this or that, and some are worth arguing and some are just worth oiling the squeaky wheel, even when they are 100% wrong and we are 100% in the right.

I too have ordered from Skylar in the past, through PM and phone, and have had nothing but good results and stellar service. It sounds like in this situation there were issues beyond normal circumstances that caused an unsatisfactory result, but as mentioned above, there were avenues around this and the OP chose to go the route he went. Not saying he is looking for anything other than a vent session, but in my medical practice these types of people are many times looking for free care or some reduction in cost.

In my situations when I need something in short order, I either order it next day and pay the increased shipping cost, or drive somewhere to get it. No matter how much trust I have in anyone, when I need something by weeks end, I trust myself and that's it, so if it isn't there the next day, I go get it. Even if everything went perfect with the transaction at SWFA, who's to say the mail/fedex/ups wouldn't have screwed up and sent it to the wrong location?

Bill,
Welcome to the THF.

As far as SWFA I live close by and shop there. They are a good crew and you may want to consider giving them another chance. They are growing and there will be pains.


As far as the direction your post went. Opinions are welcome as long as they don't go against the flow. If a negative comment is posted against a "prominent" outfitter it is the hunters fault, post a negative comment about a sponsor or "well liked" seller and it is the buyers fault, post a negative comment about a "respected" forum member and your a newb, and you if you post anything negative someone will no doubt say you have never owned a business.

Sorry about your experience, but before I read 1 response to your post I knew what was coming. Don't know what I would have posted like you did simply because I know this website.

I bought a sweet Remington 700 Classic in 6.5x55 from them last week. I am glad I didn't catch the bug going around.

Both sides stated their case and has been settled. Probably would have been best handled by pm, has run it's course and turning into a dead horse.