Mat Laf Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I just want to share my experience with Catek compagny while purchasing LongPlates for my OS2. On february 10th, I bought the plates over their Internet site, it has been charge on my visa the very same day... pretty fast I tought. I sent them mail and try to contact them by phone to have feedback , no answers, Niet, Zero, Nada... Five days later they send me a purchase order and a email to tell me that the plates will be ship on february 17th... Oups, that is freaking long, seven days to ship something that is already paid!!! This time, I try to contact them because I want to cancel the transaction before they send me the plates mainly because I don't like the way they do business. As you probably guessed it, no answers to my mail and phone calls, the plates were send. I received the plates today, 15 days later (only 600 kilometers from Catek) and ship them back to them. I really enjoy my Catek OS2 , I'm just pissed off that their Customer Service did'nt match the quality of their product. I dont know what will happen next, I'm hoping and asking for a refund, less the shipping of course... By any chance if you know someone from Catek that might care about customer service, I would appreciate to contact that person and maybe work this out. I might have to carve this on the slopes tomorow morning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 so you are expecting a refund because you didn't receive any communication but you actually received your product through customs 7 days after shipping? Damn the Fullbag I ordered from Mig took 11 days in customs alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrutton Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 so you are expecting a refund because you didn't receive any communication but you actually received your product through customs 7 days after shipping? Damn the Fullbag I ordered from Mig took 11 days in customs alone Ya sounds like someone's being a bit picky...you're getting Catek's. Where's the problem in that - it doesn't matter how long they take to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Good luck with the refund! I bought a pair of OS2s and never used them. I requested a return/refund the next year when I knew I wasn't going to use them. I was told no way, they were too old (even though they we're still the current model being sold) Nobody here wanted them either so I sold them on eBay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 14 days to get a parts shipped to you. From one of the best binding manufacturers in the world. Through customs, ups whatever...... wow. That's horrible. How do you ever wait for your toast to pop up in the morning? About the babysitting, at least you have a fall back job prospect if bashing eurocarving as a profession, doesn't work out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ESPI Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vapor Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I can't quite understand how some people actually function in society. Time to try on the big boy pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I love when threads work themselves out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiomoto Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Good luck with the refund!I bought a pair of OS2s and never used them. I requested a return/refund the next year when I knew I wasn't going to use them. I was told no way, they were too old (even though they we're still the current model being sold) Nobody here wanted them either so I sold them on eBay Did I read that right? A YEAR?! I have never heard of anyone taking a product back for after a year. It never hurts to ask, but how could you be disappointed with the results?I can understand the OP being a little disappointed. I buy a lot of cycling parts and the stuff aways ships really fast. Usually the parts are on the way the next day, so I guess I've gotten use to that level of service. I'd be a little bummed if the parts didn't ship that fast unless I knew it up front, but I would bash a company over it. As far a the actual time for shipping and customs is out of their hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullwings Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Eh, i don't want to bash them (Catek), but you guys are giving him (OP) way too hard of a time. Don't get me wrong, i like Catek's product (FR2s in my case) - it's the best softboot binding for me. however, my experience hasn't exactly been the greatest either. I tried contacting them about a replacement set of Power plates, and never got any sort of response. Thanks all to myself, though, i kept checking the site everyday until they had them in stock, so i ordered them, YAY. Not quite the end of the story, though. I paid an extra $10 for the D3 elastomer upgrade. What came in the mail? A set of power plates without any sort of elastomer at all (no D2 or D3).... wooohooo . I didn't even bother trying to contact them or get a refund or anything - not worth it at this point. I just used the elastomer pieces from my last set of power plates (I wasn't using it as a second board kit, thankfully. it was to replace my last set, which i damaged). Anyway, I've seen more than a few complaints posted with Catek CS, especially with not being able to contact them. I still stand behind their product and will go back to them in the future - no one else makes a softboot binding quite like theirs. But, CS isn't exactly a strong selling point of theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donek Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I think there is a general misconception about this industry. Carving is supported by people who are very passionate about it, not people who make 6 figure incomes at it. Up until recently Bruce had another job. He has found a way to support himself with snowboarding, but as I understand it, it came with a lifestyle change. I am only able to maintain the large shop I have because I puchased a big piece of land with a double wide prefab in the middle of nowhere. Jeff Caron has another job. Lets face it, we're in an economic $#@!hole. If Jeff has to pay a bit more attention to that other job to continue feeding his and your passion, I'd say give him a bit of slack. We all do the best we can, but this is a true cottage industry supported by really hard work. While most of us attempt to provide customer service on par with companies much larger than ours, sometimes other aspects of our world make that difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiomoto Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I'm not the OP, but thanks for pointing that out. I wouldn't have know this otherwise and I would just assume that I would get the same kind of customer service I'm used to from the big companies that mail order bicycle parts. So I need to look at you guys like a I would an independent frame builder. Those guys are usually a one man operation. CS is really all about customer expectations. If you meet them, they are happy. Sometime we simply have the wrong expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimo Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 ...and your efforts are appreciated by most of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrutton Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I am now on my 3rd pair of Cateks. I have Cateks on all of my Alpine boards. I've never had to order a spare part. All are still functioning and absolutely original. One set, actually my main stick is about in its tenth year of service. I've even pulled one of the bindings off of the board - after landing a jump, when attempting to ride boardercross. Screw length was inadequete for the board inserts - stripped the screws. I simply ordered longer screws, reinstalled the binding and kept on trucking. Comparing that to my experiences with Burton hard boot bindings or Rat Traps, well lets not go there. I'd wait 6 months for a set of Cateks..no joke. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Thank you Sean for providing a bit of perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Call me jack Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 wierd, i ordered D3s from them, and got them 6 days later, and i live in minnesota.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 If you select the "standard" shipping method from Catek (US) to you (Canada) it always takes two weeks. Want faster? Pay more. That's not Cateks' fault, it's the shipping method combined with Customs. Catek has always responded to my e mails, sometimes a day or two later, but always. Maybe it's the context - if you don't plainly ask a question, you may be left without an answer. As others said, they are busy people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Fin lives in an appartment over the machine shop. I am only able to maintain the large shop I have because I puchased a big piece of land with a double wide prefab in the middle of nowhere. Jeff Caron has another job. Lets face it, we're in an economic $#@!hole. If Jeff has to pay a bit more attention to that other job to continue feeding his and your passion, I'd say give him a bit of slack. Now, now Sean, I know Fin has a big house in Asspen with a hot tub. I seen the pix of it every year. And I think the only time he makes more TD3s is when he is out of hookers or blow. That is how they roll in CO. This Jeff cat is probably making a bee line for Atlantic City with all the money he is making from selling long plate kits, but I don't know that. We need to support these people, not tear them down in the forum here. + 1 on that. I really hope the OP did not send this back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Laf Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 If you select the "standard" shipping method from Catek (US) to you (Canada) it always takes two weeks. Want faster? Pay more. That's not Cateks' fault, it's the shipping method combined with Customs.Catek has always responded to my e mails, sometimes a day or two later, but always. Maybe it's the context - if you don't plainly ask a question, you may be left without an answer. As others said, they are busy people. This option was unavalaible, it was 25$ US fix rate.. And they got plenty of time to write or call me back... that did'not happen yet.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 So let me get this right... You joined an internet forum about a small niche sport solely to bitch about shipping time? Try contributing a little and then MAYBE someone here will give a rat's a$$ and skatha...love ya, dear, but please name ONE SINGLE COMPANY that will accept returns a year after sale date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 and skatha...love ya, dear, but please name ONE SINGLE COMPANY that will accept returns a year after sale date. LLBean. Burton. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 LLBean. Burton. ;) I wonder if I can get my case of beer back that I traded for my last burton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 You guys should try to deal with martial arts supply through Japan sometimes. Taking a month to ship is common. I know guys that have been waiting 8 months to receive some goods and face a 35% "restocking fee" if they cancel. It might be helpful if you stopped thinking of Catek as a "company". It's Jeff and what, one other guy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I am generally satisfied when I receive a package within two weeks.I do offer to pay more for faster service sometime.Often the seller states the shipping time in the listing.I figure that option into what the product is worth to me. It does seem however,that Catek has other issues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDY_2_Carve Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I see nothing wrong with this guy posting his opinion of his recent transaction. You guys are just too quick to defend and are really missing the point of his post. It's not about the 14 days it took to receive the item. It's lack of communication. If Mr. Catek would have just send this guy an email in a reasonable amount of time this post would not exist. PERIOD. Mr. Catek could have taken two months to ship the bindings and I'd bet money that the OP would have no issues if only there was communication going on between both parties. Don't give me this lame excuse about alpine dwindling and a crappy economy because it takes a whopping 30 seconds to reply to an email. If somebody is too busy to respond to emails then perhaps that person needs to re-evaulate his priorities for his business. A little hand holding goes a LONG way with an internet business. A quick one-liner reply via email and this issue isn't happening right now. I understand if he's got a real job and this is his side-job or whatever. Fine then perhaps a 24 hour window to reply to emails is reasonable. But two weeks w/o a response? That's just rediculous. I expect that from crappy Ebay sellers but not from folks in the alpine industry. How long does it take Bomber to reply to emails? Definately within 24 hours. Sometimes it's a matter of minutes. There is a reason why everybody agrees Bomber has arguably THE BEST customer service in the industry. So please stop bashing this guy who is allowed to his opinion. Sure his tact might be a bit off, and perhaps he should have taken it up with Mr. Catek himself, but there is that little issue of lack of communication. So perhaps it WAS time for him to take it to a public forum because he's NOT getting any replies back via email. Flame on. P.S. Bomber is able to do their thing with two people, so why can't Catek offer the same level of customer service? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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