Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
ANBD
- Thread starter bassopotamus102
- Start date
Depending on the Webshop Integration to the ERP you may not see the new order on the web.
BTW did you take picture of the packaging before you opened it?
Last edited:
D
I guess this is about insurance. When the outer box is damaged, it is likely that someone messed something up during delivery so they can be blamed.
I received an email from Thomann this morning saying they are making a claim with the carrier and asking for my "Help" in repackaging the bass. If I don't hear from UPS in 7-10 days, I have to contact them to arrange an inspection.
Still no mention of a replacement. So, until I see a replacement, or evidence one has been shipped, I am not inclined to "help." Further, if I have to arrange an inspection and take the bass to that location, I bill at $75/hr. I will invoice Thomann for whatever time and expenses I incur.
Call me a jerk or what have you, but I NEVER let someone else make THEIR problem MY problem.
Still no mention of a replacement. So, until I see a replacement, or evidence one has been shipped, I am not inclined to "help." Further, if I have to arrange an inspection and take the bass to that location, I bill at $75/hr. I will invoice Thomann for whatever time and expenses I incur.
Call me a jerk or what have you, but I NEVER let someone else make THEIR problem MY problem.
Well, now I AM upset.
Thomann won't ship a replacement until they have proof UPS has picked up the box and sent confirmation of my address. If I don't hear from UPS for 7-10 days, I need to arrange the pickup myself.
My next step is to dispute the purchase with PayPal.
Done with Thomann.
Thomann won't ship a replacement until they have proof UPS has picked up the box and sent confirmation of my address. If I don't hear from UPS for 7-10 days, I need to arrange the pickup myself.
My next step is to dispute the purchase with PayPal.
Done with Thomann.
Last edited:
While I can feel your pain, a little, I wouldn't shut the door on Thomann. We in the US are spoiled by the customer service from US based vendors.
Are they going to require you to pay return shipping? Are they going to require you to pay shipping for the replacement? What do you think the profit margin is on that bass?
Now that you have answered all of those questions, if YOU had a business how would you treat this return situation to someone overseas?
I'm not trying to tell you it's not OK to feel what you feel, but, as the owner of 10 Harley Benton basses, I AM trying to stop you from cutting yourself off from a good source of value-priced instruments.
I own two other HB's. But no matter if the bass is$200 or $20000, good customer service is good customer service. And my HB purchases are based on quality instruments AND their reputation for excellent customer service.So as long as the purchase and receipt of the instrument goes well, their service is stellar?? Well, this process has been a struggle from the start. No clear communication or expectation once I sent the pictures. If I hadn't pushed, I still wouldn't know what needed to happen in order to receive a replacement. But I DID have to push. And that is unacceptable.
I don't care what country they are from. I expected a quick, painless resolution based on their reputation. I did NOT expect to have to force the information out of them to get a clear path to resolution.
Maybe I AM spoiled by Sweetwater and their ACTUAL stellar customer service. The best service I have received from them was for two Ibanez Talman 5 strings($249 each). Because it falls below the line for their inspection, I received TWO faulty instruments. Upon reporting both of those, I had a new tracking number and the return label instantly. The issue was resolved, all told, in seven days total. And that was with free shipping.
The box wasn't damaged when it arrived. There was a dent where the strap button is, but that's it. It is all boxed up just waiting for UPS to pick it up.
That is your problem. to have a damge like this requires quite a bit of force. Having an undamaged box makes an impact highly unlikely. Not saying it cannot or didn't happen but it's unlikely.
UPS US will deny the claim and you are at the mercy of Thomann and their German relationship with UPS Germany.
If Thomann has an umbrella insurance and they are willing to file a claim with them you are good. Threatening them and being unpleasant to deal with will lower your chances to get Thomann on your site.
This may not what you want to hear but I have been in Thomann's shoes before (or whoever will decide at Thomann) and have decided against refunding or replacement if the customer tried to bully me/us. You have to sell your case to them. Just my advice.
The neck support in the box is right under the scarf joint at the first fret. All that needed to happen was the box to fall flat on its back to cause that to break. I have witnesses to the opening of the boxes. They were opened within minutes of delivery.
All they needed tell me was this: in order to replace the bass, we need you to repackage it for UPS to pick up. Once we have confirmation of the bass being picked up, we will ship out the new bass.
But that didn't happen. They didn't give me a clear or ANY path to resolution until I pushed for it.
Their customer service does NOT live up to it's "stellar" reputation. Again, all that needed to happen was what I wrote above. I didn't get that information until yesterday morning, after four emails asking about a replacement.
People here keep talking about how efficient and concise Thomann is. I am finding this not to be true.
So. As I said. It is repackaged, per Thomann's instructions, as closely to how I received it as I could. I will wait for it to be picked up and the we'll see.
And I have also said this: I am more than willing to take a replacement neck. I have enough skills to swap the hardware. While I can't be sure because I never got far enough in the unpacking to ascertain what shape the body is in. It seemed fine. A new neck would be a compromise I'd be willing to make.
UPDATE:
well, despite Thomann's instructions to take the bass to a UPS terminal myself, get a receipt of drop off, and provide that and an address confirmation, i have run into a problem: UPS will NOT let me drop the bass off at a terminal. i have not choice but to wait unti they get around to picking it up. could be today, could be next week, could be a month from now. the damage report exists under the tracking number, but there is no indication of when it might be picked up.
well, despite Thomann's instructions to take the bass to a UPS terminal myself, get a receipt of drop off, and provide that and an address confirmation, i have run into a problem: UPS will NOT let me drop the bass off at a terminal. i have not choice but to wait unti they get around to picking it up. could be today, could be next week, could be a month from now. the damage report exists under the tracking number, but there is no indication of when it might be picked up.
Update No. 2: UPS picked up the bass, gave me a physical receipt (which they said they wouldn't/couldn't. AND it was a requirement of Thomann.) i sent Thomann a picture of the receipt and confirmed my address. my new bass will ship out sometime(?) and i should receive it sometime(?)
fingers crossed this one makes it through the journey.
fingers crossed this one makes it through the journey.
