 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dan
Date: 2003-02-13 16:19
Last Friday, around 12:30pm, I ordered 3 mpcs on a test trial basis from Weiner's Music. I just called them a few minutes ago to find out why I have not received them yet. I was told: "Oh, we had a backlog in our shipping department and they were sent out yesterday (Wednesday)." I was a bit stunned that it took them 4 business days before they shipped my order and told the lady that if I had known it was going to take that long, I would have ordered it from another supplier. I've got the tracking number and my package is located somewhere in White Plains, NY. Because the system is all automated, there was no number to push for expected delivery date. So, I really don't know when it will arrive.
Weiner's has a 5 day trial period. I think my trial period time will be over by the time I get the items.
They purposely took down my email address. With such a long delay, as a professional courtesy, it would have been nice if they had notified me of the delay.
I could have asked them when I placed the order, as to when my items would be shipped, but a lot of times, generic answers are given because "that's in another department".
I'm just frustrated and venting my disappointment.
Has anyone else had problems with Weiner's?
Is there a supplier that "wins hands down" as to service, quick shipments, refunds, etc?
IMS, twice, took 3 full months to refund my money for mpcs trials... so they are off my llst.
I appreciate hearing from others with either good or bad experiences with suppliers concerning mpc trials.
Thanks for listening.
Dan
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Author: Mark Sloss
Date: 2003-02-13 16:33
Weiner will not hold you responsible for shipping delays. I've even gotten them to float me a couple extra days when I've been unsure about my choices (good customer courtesy?). Call them and find out when the trial clock starts. It probably starts with when the box left their shipping bay, and might even start with your receipt date.
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Author: Dan
Date: 2003-02-13 16:48
Thanks Mark...excellent advice. I'm calling them right now.
Dan
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Author: Dan
Date: 2003-02-13 16:57
Mark, according to Joe at Weiner's, the clock starts ticking from the moment that "the mpcs are actually in my hand".
I have mixed emotions...I feel better knowing about the actual trial period time, but, still feel a bit disappointed that I have to continue waiting for delivery with no way of finding out the actual delivery date.
Thanks for the advice.
Dan
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Author: Shawn
Date: 2003-02-13 17:42
I think the world of Phil and Pam Muncy. They are always prompt and polite with regards to their business. I order mouthpieces for my students all the time, and Phil will always send me an email via UPS stating exactly when my package will arrive. When ordering, you must use a credit card because sometimes it does take awhile for a refund.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2003-02-13 18:11
Unless specified, the general rule of thumb is parcel post and/or 1st class Air, however, a 5-day trial period including mail time is unrealistic to begin with. There's a couple online suppliers I've seen that provide up to 14-days on mpcs ... much more reasonable. Myself, and other than reeds and accessories I won't do business with ANY online music suppliers, especially purchasing new horns ... but that's just my own preference of doing business.
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2003-02-13 21:31
A good experience I had with Weiner's is that they took the charge off of my credit card until the items were shipped--unlike IMS, which left my card charged for over 2 months, and I had to pay credit card interest on items that were for trial only.
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Author: Karel
Date: 2003-02-14 02:51
As a P.S.: IMS is also good but slooooow, and contacting the apropriate person for info by email is hopeless and frustrating. The lady who deals with overseas orders either does not bother to read her email or thinks it below her dignity to reply to a query.
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Author: Bryan
Date: 2003-02-14 03:07
I'm still waiting for an order from IMS that they charged me for a month ago. Whereas the mouthpieces I ordered from Muncy's are already come and gone in the meanwhile. The email notification is a nice touch too.
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Author: MC
Date: 2003-02-14 13:05
I've also had great luck with Pam and Phil Muncy. In fact, I spent the past year or so trying to buy a set of clarinets -- had trials from Muncy Winds, IMS, and WW&BW. I ended up buying the set from Muncy -- they provided by far the best service of the three.
IMS was unacceptably slow with the credit after I returned the trial instruments. I had several discussions with them about the credit -- their defense was that nearly everyone buys at least one of the instruments sent on trial. As a result, the timeline for the credit didn't seem too important. Hmmmm....
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-02-14 16:09
I like dealing with Phil and Pam Muncy. But I've had mostly good dealings with WW/BW and IMS too. The only problems: an incorrectly filled order from WW/BW and a billing error from IMS, both easily fixed. I haven't dealt with any other mail-order firms.
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Author: Abby
Date: 2003-02-15 03:27
I e-mailed IMS with a question maybe a year ago, and in the reply, the woman there somehow forwarded me someone else's e-mail order including their credit card number. Hence, I have not ordered from them.
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Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-02-15 04:14
After reading Dan's opening message, I remembered that IMS had not credited my VISA on a mouthpiece trial from last year.
I shipped the mouthpieces UPS on 12-10-2002. I called yesterday and left a message on the credit departments answering machine and the message promised to call me within 24 hours. I didn't get a call after 24 hours so I called the sales department and had them hand deliver a message to the lady in accounting. She called late today and said they we sorry for the delay and my VISA would be credited today.
They sounded like they were short some people. Business must be good. If you don't get the credit when you expect it, call them.
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Author: brenda siewert
Date: 2003-02-15 15:01
I agree with the "call them" suggestion. I've had a few experiences with things that didn't get taken off my credit card and found that a phone call resulted in it getting taken off right away and a receipt mailed out to me. But, when you get several clarinets to look at and put them on your credit card, you need to know it is going to cost you the interest amount until you get the amount removed on the ones you don't want. So, if you're looking at a couple of high dollar instruments it won't be a free inspection. In my case it was worth the extra money because I got the one I wanted.
I, too, have experienced some of the confusion from sales people at IMS. I usually have the best results when I speak directly with Lisa (the owner). And, if I'm having a credit card problem I go directly to the credit dept. That usually works.
Bottom line is: Almost every company has slip ups and confusion sometimes. I can't think of a single musical supplier that hasn't made a mistake in the 42 years I've been purchasing musical instruments and supplies--including my local dealer who is a personal friend. You just have to be careful and communicate. If you don't like the service or product, don't buy from them again.
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Author: MC
Date: 2003-02-15 20:14
I agree that a phone call can sometimes work wonders. In my case, however, I think IMS dropped the ball both before and after the trial period. They charged my card a full week before the instruments shipped. In fact, I saw the charge on my online statement, and expected to receive the instruments a few days later (based on the timeline that was communicated when I placed the order). When I didn't receive the instruments, I made several phone calls to track them down -- turns out the shipment was delayed at IMS, but they didn't bother to tell me. I received the instruments the next day (IMS gets a big credit here -- they didn't charge me extra for overnight shipping). I kept them for two days, and then shipped them back. IMS then took another 6 weeks after they received the instruments to issue the credit. So, I had the instruments for two days, but the charge was on my credit card for over seven weeks. Something is definitely wrong with that picture. I made several phone calls during the entire process, but didn't get any results until I talked directly with Lisa. To her credit, Lisa is terrific about returning calls and solving problems. I still do business with IMS, but I'm not sure I would go through another instrument trial with them.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-02-15 22:05
I stick with the WW/BW. I've never had a problem with them or heard any horror stories. I've never had to call them because they forgot to issue a credit and I've generally been contacted by e-mail if my order has been delayed for whatever reason.
They are like clock-work for me. I feel about people like IMS the same way I feel about a certain ligature:
With the ligature, I refuse to take a brand new one out of the box and have to "repair" it before I can use it, however good it might be afterward.
The other one is why should I have to take up the slack of IMS' business ineptitude by having to keep after them to do something that another competing business will do just out of hand and on a timely basis?
I want my merchandise or my money on a timely basis and the WW/BW has always been able to do that for me.
I contacted IMS about three years ago, maybe a little longer than that, with a question. I did not like their reply in the least, so I've stayed away from them. They won't go out of business becasue they don't make any money off of me, but they have also gotten no part of the several thousands of dollars I spend on music-related items every year.
In all the years, I've only had one problem at WW/BW; it was recently, in communications with a sales person and it was straightened out to my satisfaction within two minutes of it happening.
With all due respect, word of mouth is an effective way to find out with whom you can do business comfortably, and if word of mouth means anything at all, I stay away from people like IMS.
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Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-02-15 22:30
MC,
It is common knowledge that companies that give trials use your money and my money to fund their operations. I don't have a problem with that. That is part of the cost of a trial.
So that people won't think we a picking on IMS, I think I will comment on the other two companies that you mentioned in your one of your previous messages.
Muncy Winds - I called Muncy to place a mouthpiece order with them. The lady who answered the phone told me to go somewhere else when I asked to get the price on three mouthpieces. At that point I had not mentioned mouthpiece order but she probably knew. I insisted on the prices anyway and must say that her prices were ten to twenty dollars higher than ww&bw or weiner. I had previously been ordering pads and supplies from these people.
WW&BW - I called them to place a mouthpiece order and got conflicting information with their web site. They were out of stock on all four mouthpieces that I tried to order.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-02-15 22:48
Peter wrote:
...
Peter,
The rules are and always have been - you can badmouth a company you've had a personal bad experience with. You cannot badmouth a company that you've not had a personal bad experience with. Your above post crosses the line. Please refrain from saying things such as you did without personal experience.
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2003-02-15 23:31
I think that mail order companies all have their problems. They are working on such a slim profit margin and rely on volume. Mistakes are bound to happen in any business. It is how the mistakes are handled that make the difference. I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with IMS, but that's not to say others have not.
jbutler
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-02-16 00:21
I did have personal experience with them, and they failed to make the mark. (No pun intended.)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-02-16 00:26
Peter wrote:
>
> I did have personal experience with them, and they failed
> to make the mark. (No pun intended.)
You had a problem with a <b>question</b> and didn't like their answer. That's fair.
Saying "The other one is why should I have to take up the slack of IMS' business ineptitude" and other aspersions is not.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-02-16 00:54
I had a problem with a question that they answered in a way that certainly did not promote good client relationships, but someone I recommended to them right about the same time was unhappy enough with the service he did not get to have caused me some personal embarrassment.
I pointed a very close friend and neighbor towards IMS and became very much involved in their failure to provide a simple and basic service for him on a timely basis. So it was partially my personal experience. I was there and I was involved.
When we made further inquiries concerning their delay, they responded in a testy manner, although it was them who were lacking at the time.
He cancelled the order and gave it to the WW/BW, who responded and had the items to him within two or three days (I don't really remember which,) including special shipping which he had to pay for, as his deadline for receiving the items had been all used up waiting for the other people to not deliver.
That's what I meant by their "business ineptitude."
That was more than enough for me.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-02-16 01:10
Peter wrote:
>
I have been very explict about <b>personal</b> experiences, not experiences of friends, neighbors, relatives, spouses, etc. If your friend comes online and wants to relate what happened, fine, since it's first person.
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Author: PJ
Date: 2003-02-16 05:57
I had a less than pleasant experience with WW/BW a few years back over backordered items on several different occations that I was never told were backordered and kept getting the runaround. So, I don't use them unless it happens to be for something minor like reeds that Muncy's happens to be out of at the time.
I started going through Phil and Pam Muncy after my last poor experience with WW/BW and have continued to do so for the past 10 years or so. I can't recall a time when I've called or emailed with a question that I've not gotten a timely response. I've ordered many many items from them with the utmost satisfaction in shipping times and credits for trials. Sure, they may be a couple of bucks higher on some items, but it is worth it to me after being treated so wonderfully by them.
For example, when I bought my last A clarinet, I went up there to try it in person and Phil Muncy came out on the showroom floor and personally put the horns in my hand AFTER he had checked them over for me to audition (four in total). After that he took his own time to sit with me and discuss any questions I had from preventative maintainence methods to working on reeds, a conversation which lasted for several hours. They even loaned me a double case until my Pouchette came in. Another time I was there, there was something minor wrong with my mouthpiece and Phil fixed it right there on the spot and didn't charge me a thing! In addition to this, Pam has ALWAYS been willing to go out of her way to get what I need and if she can't, she'll called other companies to check for availability and refer me. You can't ask for any better treatment than that. They are number one in my book and I wouldn't even think of using anyone else! Besides, they've got a cute dog that visits with you while you're there that my neice adores!! (check their catalogues for pictures...)
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