Bad service from Really Right Stuff... Normal?

I've been getting really bad service from Really Right Stuff. They keep lying to me about product availability, shipping dates, etc. I'm quite bothered by this, and I am at the point of canceling my order and switching to Kirk.

Is this normal for RRS, or are they just in a temporary bind?

Is Kirk any better?

How is the product qualtily/support/functionality between the two? I'm getting a camera L bracket for my D200, replacement foot for my 70-200 VR and replacement collar for my 80-400 VR. Actually, the Kirk L bracket looks better, but I don't like their 80-400 collar as much.

Anyone have thoughts concerning this?

--
Ken Elliott
Equipment in profile.

MasterOfGoingFaster said:

I've been getting really bad service from Really Right Stuff. They
keep lying to me about product availability, shipping dates, etc.
I'm quite bothered by this, and I am at the point of canceling my
order and switching to Kirk.

Is this normal for RRS, or are they just in a temporary bind?

Is Kirk any better?

How is the product qualtily/support/functionality between the two?
I'm getting a camera L bracket for my D200, replacement foot for
my 70-200 VR and replacement collar for my 80-400 VR. Actually,
the Kirk L bracket looks better, but I don't like their 80-400
collar as much.

Anyone have thoughts concerning this?

Click to expand...

The Kirk collar looks alot smarter to me. I never dealt with RRS but Kirks service, email response has been fantastic. Someone called me on a Sunday to respond to an email question, quite suprising

On their web site, they'll say that things are backordered and not immediately available for shipment. So I call them up and they look up my order history and see that I've bought thousands of dollars worth of stuff from them over the years, and immediately ship me what I want from items they keep under the table for servicing loyal customers.

What a crummy way to run a company. A smart company screws their loyal customers to maximize their income from the anonymous hoards. When is RRS going to get with the program of true American Capitalism?

MasterOfGoingFaster said:

I've been getting really bad service from Really Right Stuff. They
keep lying to me about product availability, shipping dates, etc.
I'm quite bothered by this, and I am at the point of canceling my
order and switching to Kirk.

Is this normal for RRS, or are they just in a temporary bind?

Is Kirk any better?

How is the product qualtily/support/functionality between the two?
I'm getting a camera L bracket for my D200, replacement foot for
my 70-200 VR and replacement collar for my 80-400 VR. Actually,
the Kirk L bracket looks better, but I don't like their 80-400
collar as much.

Anyone have thoughts concerning this?

--
Ken Elliott
Equipment in profile.

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/fjp
FJP, Software Developer

fjp said:

On their web site, they'll say that things are backordered and not
immediately available for shipment. So I call them up and they look
up my order history and see that I've bought thousands of dollars
worth of stuff from them over the years, and immediately ship me
what I want from items they keep under the table for servicing
loyal customers.

What a crummy way to run a company. A smart company screws their
loyal customers to maximize their income from the anonymous hoards.
When is RRS going to get with the program of true American
Capitalism?

Click to expand...

I assume your response is sarcasm. Assuming it is, you have failed to understand my point. It sounds like you are saying that it is ok for them to mislead me, as long as they have parts for you. Perhaps I am not understanding your point.

I have no problem with them keeping product in reserve for their loyal customers. That's good business practice. I've not done business with them before, so I don't expect any special treatment. If you have spent thousands, then they SHOULD do what they can to take care of you.

My issue is they promise to ship, but don't. And they don't say anything. When the package doesn't show up, I call again and get a new story and a new ship date. I keep waiting, the package doesn't show, so I call again. I get a new story, a new promise and the same stuff keeps repeating. Just because I have no history with them, doesn't mean they should mislead me. That's pretty stupid.

If they said "we won't have any parts for a month", I'd have the facts to make a reasonable decision. So far that facts that I currently have is they are either incompetent, confused or jerks. I posted this because I'm trying to understand how they treat others and if they are worth dealing with.
--
Ken Elliott
Equipment in profile.

I have had only great service form them and I am not a power buyer. I just think they do not update their web site as quick as they turn around product or get new product. Ask me how I know.

Small company tend to take care of customers rather than web site. I don't mean special customer but customer who want something and call to speak with a live person. Hope you have better service by calling them. For me web sites are great for product information but when ordering nothing beat speaking to someone in person.

always been good to me...owner of bh25,bh55 and various L brackets and camera and lens plates.
--
Johnny

I'm not a big buyer, but I do buy items from time to time. Service has always been good if not excellent.

Late this week I purchased a lens plate and expect to get it early this coming week.

Everything I've bought is of the highest quality.

Best in your decision.
--
ssjackson

MasterOfGoingFaster said:

I've been getting really bad service from Really Right Stuff. They
keep lying to me about product availability, shipping dates, etc.
I'm quite bothered by this, and I am at the point of canceling my
order and switching to Kirk.

Is this normal for RRS, or are they just in a temporary bind?

Is Kirk any better?

How is the product qualtily/support/functionality between the two?
I'm getting a camera L bracket for my D200, replacement foot for
my 70-200 VR and replacement collar for my 80-400 VR. Actually,
the Kirk L bracket looks better, but I don't like their 80-400
collar as much.

Anyone have thoughts concerning this?

--
Ken Elliott
Equipment in profile.

Click to expand...

No matter what kind of service others have had if they did that to me I would stop the order right away. They always say the first impression is the lasting impression. Stop order and move on, That is what I would do. If you are set on a RRS look at other online shops or eBay. But why give them any money?
jmo
--

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - ' Wow! What a ride!'

I have 2 L brackets and a ballhead from Kirk and a pano head from RRS. I've found service to be equal in my experience. When I did have occasion to call Kirk they went above and beyond. I have heard (second hand) that RRS was a bit cocky but that was two owners ago.
I will say that the RRS quality is outstanding.
Hope it works out for you.
-Kent

Actually I think your post is closer to the mark than mine, which makes them an even better customer. It is true that the squeeky wheel gets the oil. The OP should call them directly. If he has and he continues to be treated badly, then he has a good case against them.

Alchin said:

I have had only great service form them and I am not a power buyer.
I just think they do not update their web site as quick as they
turn around product or get new product. Ask me how I know.
Small company tend to take care of customers rather than web site.
I don't mean special customer but customer who want something and
call to speak with a live person. Hope you have better service by
calling them. For me web sites are great for product information
but when ordering nothing beat speaking to someone in person.

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/fjp
FJP, Software Developer

Alchin said:

Hope you have better service by
calling them. For me web sites are great for product information
but when ordering nothing beat speaking to someone in person.

Click to expand...

I did call them to ask when the collar would be in stock and they said it was. I placed a telephone order and that's when the problems started. The humans on the phone kept making promises but never shipped the product.
--
Ken Elliott
Equipment in profile.

I've also owed both RRS and now a Kirk BH-3.....

RSS treated me right as did Kirk. I bought a blemished ball heads from Kirk for a discount price (check ebay) and it took me a week to find the blemish! Seriously I had put more small marks on it the first day out than the original mark (a small crease on the knurling of the knob)

RRS seems to me to be a designer firm. They design and have manufactered an excellent product.

Kirk strikes me as Mom and Pop machine shop where they design and build under one roof. There's something to that for my money.

Bro.Luke

I had an order that was supposed to ship to my vacation home in NC.

The shipping dept. made a mistake and sent it to my home; which I had just left in Illinois. We figured out the mistake and they overnited me the correct parts without me asking me to at their own expense, and trust me it was not cheap to do that. First rate service and great products. Every Company has its problems. Talk to someone intelligent there and work it out. I have some kirk products, and they are first rate as well.

Vote with your wallet, it's the only thing that some companies understand.
--
Skip Teschendorf

Bad service indeed. But in a small company like this I believe you may have better luck trying to escalate this up the chain: you should only have to go a couple levels to get to the top! This is an especially good idea if you are set on getting the equipment because of the reputation.

In fact, I just ordered a D200 L bracket and 70-200 lens foot too (about two weeks ago), along with a BH-55LR. I picked it up only yesterday (I left it stting at the post office [I'm in Canada] for a couple days). They all seem to work beautifully in my limited testing to date!

--
Regards,
Colin

I sent an e-mail for a free catalog about 2 months ago, and never recieved a response or the catalog. In the end I bought the Markins Q3 and the Kirk plates from Nikonians.

That being said, your story leaves out too many details. How long have you been waiting? When did you call? How many times did this occur? I can't tell if you are actually being treated like dirt, or whether you have unrealistic expectations.

--
Doug

Bill you are some tough cookie. For one you can't get their stuff on Ebay.

Plus the Guy or Girl taking your order probably need the job. Everyone is not a 100% every day or a foul up may not be their fault. Taking orders from folks like you and me is quite a challenge. How would you like it if someone loose their job because you did not get your toy. Lets have fun and cut the other Guy some slack.

Bill Karadimos said:

MasterOfGoingFaster said:

I've been getting really bad service from Really Right Stuff. They
keep lying to me about product availability, shipping dates, etc.
I'm quite bothered by this, and I am at the point of canceling my
order and switching to Kirk.

Is this normal for RRS, or are they just in a temporary bind?

Is Kirk any better?

How is the product qualtily/support/functionality between the two?
I'm getting a camera L bracket for my D200, replacement foot for
my 70-200 VR and replacement collar for my 80-400 VR. Actually,
the Kirk L bracket looks better, but I don't like their 80-400
collar as much.

Anyone have thoughts concerning this?

--
Ken Elliott
Equipment in profile.

Click to expand...

No matter what kind of service others have had if they did that to
me I would stop the order right away. They always say the first
impression is the lasting impression. Stop order and move on, That
is what I would do. If you are set on a RRS look at other online
shops or eBay. But why give them any money?
jmo
--
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly
proclaiming - ' Wow! What a ride!'

Click to expand...

I have bought thousands of dollars worth of tripods, heads, L-brackets, Lens tripod collars, flash brackets, on-and-on .... and absolutely never have had any problem with customer service. As a matter of fact, they always beat my expectation by shipping the same day while they always tell me at the time of ordering that they would probably ship the following day.

--
Speed is significant and interesting but accuracy is downright fascinating
http://www.pbase.com/pradipta

MasterOfGoingFaster:

1. I have used Kirk for all the things, you mentioned and that are listed in my profile. I like the way they provide online feedback/tracking of my purchases, the quality of their products and just everything about Kirk; as, a result, I just haven't had the need to ever try anyone other than Kirk, as Kirk has met all the needs I have ever had in this area...

2. Yes, Kirk, comes highly recommended by me ..

--
BRJR....(My cameras & lenses are listed in my profile)

MasterOfGoingFaster said:

I did call them to ask when the collar would be in stock and they
said it was. I placed a telephone order and that's when the
problems started. The humans on the phone kept making promises but
never shipped the product.
--

Click to expand...

Ken, why you wracking your brains out over an over priced inferior collar ? You could have a much better thought out design for less money in two days via fedex. I would laugh if they already charged your card