basspartsresource.com, awful customer service...

Mr M · #1 02-19-2007, 05:03 AM

I hesitated to write such thing and I don't know if it will mean something to you. This is my experience with basspartsresource.com (= guitarpartsresource.com) and don't know if you'd pay attention.

Living at the other side of the world, I don't have many things to buy locally, related to bass guitar and parts.

So thanks to internet, I can order online and with the extra shipping cost (sometimes more than the items!!) and some taxes, I can buy many things I want.

So far I ordered from many sources: warmoth, bestbassgear, stewmac, juststrings, lmii, music123, etc.. and also from Guitar parts resource

I was happy with the selection and prices from guitar parts resource (even some parts were slightly higher compared to warmoth, e.g. Gotoh bridge). They have a flat shipping rate for overseas customers for US$5.95
Taken directly from their website (http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/middle_bass.htm):
WORLDWIDE FLAT RATE SHIPPING $5.95
Excludes international orders over 100.00 and international orders that include necks,
bodies and guitars. Insurance will be required on the above orders

I ordered many times from them and always I was happy with the products, the shipping time and the total price.
A while ago, I ordered few things (a pickguard, a bridge, etc.) which were costing less than one hundred dollars. As always I instantly paid via Paypal. One or two days later I had an e-mail saying that the money was refunded by GPR, and there was no explication in this e-mail (whereas Paypal gives a space to write an explication). So I've sent an e-mail and asked what was going on. Their fantastic customer service(!?) didn't bother to write me an answer. I ordered the same thing few days later. And the same happened again, they refunded my money back but this time with an explication "won't ship to Istanbul if Global Express Shipping (read extra $25.00) is not selected" as I needed those parts urgently, I paid the extra without questioning and assuming that the bridge could be heavy and the pickguard could be very big for a standard shipping, the total shipping was 5.95 + 25.00 = $30.95(more than 1/3 of the cost of the items) and had the parts. Again I was happy with the items I had.

Than after reading some positive reviews about EMG select PU's here in Talkbass, I decided to try a jazz bass PU set to put on my cheapo SX bass(well cheapo to cheapo). I ordered from GPR and paid again with paypal. Again one day later I had my money refunded by GPR saying that "won't ship to Istanbul if Global Express Shipping is not selected". Well this time I was out of any reason to pay this extra shipping. First the item was costing $54.79, so it is less than $100.00. It is not heavy nor very big, so my previous assumption ran out of logic too. So instead of paying this extra, I've sent an e-mail, a very polite e-mail, asking the reason why I have to pay this extra and if there was a change in their shipping policy where I can find this shipping policy update on their web page. Well, no answer after 3 days. I've sent again the same e-mail. No reply. I've sent for the third time the same e-mail asking the reason why I have to pay $30.95 for shipping whereas they state on their webpage it is a flat $5.95. Still no reply.

So now I think I showed enough goodwill for GPR. The first thing that comes to my mind that they don't want my business. Probably they don't care about an overseas customer. All I asked was a reasonable explication. I am (read was) a returning and happy customer. I'm sure, even your old confiserie shop has got the records for their customers let alone a company making hundred of transaction through e-bay and their webpage. So they could know that I always instantly paid and had never any problem. They should know that I am( was ) a returning customer who is regularly ordering some parts (even it is not in big amounts, it is my hard earned money) and I deserve respect not less than any other customer.

I know it's long story but I'm really pissed off with their reputation. And I wonder if they could do the same thing if I was a customer from the states? My senses tell me no, so I wanted to spread word.
Thanks for reading so far and good luck with the fantastic customer service of guitar parts resource if you'd order from them.

needmoney · #2 02-19-2007, 05:16 AM

Sorry to hear that. No problems here and I've ordered from these guys many, many times.

Mr M · #3 02-19-2007, 05:35 AM

Me too. And I was always happy. But you can not know for sure where things go to opposite direction

LAG · #4 02-19-2007, 05:11 PM

Ive ordered from Guitarpartsresource many times over the last few years, with great service.

But the last order I placed with them this past fall is the last time I will ever do business with them. I placed an order for four items off their ebay store and immediately sent them instant payment. Days and days went by with no response from them. I then sent 3 e-mails to them over the course of the next two-1/2 weeks, with still no response. So I opened a dispute with Paypal & then received an refund without any explanation or condolences. About a week after the refund, I got an e-mail from them asking if I still wanted the four items!?

I did not leave them any feedback. I did not want them to turn around and ruin my 100% positive feedback rating I have, even though I had no wrong doing.

Caveat Emptor!