Cowbell Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 A few weeks ago on a Monday I placed an order for a 6 channel 200w PA system with 2 12" speakers from Carvin. I put the items into the online shopping cart, enetered my credit card number and other information, and was eagerly awaiting my new PA system. I decided to call Carvin Thursday, 3 days after I placed the order. I asked how my order was doing, and the sales rep says that they never got such an order from me. I was a little upset that it hadn't gone through, but I placed the order with the sales rep I was currently on the phone with. He said my PA system should arrive in 5 days. That would be a Wednesday because they do not travel on Sundays. So, the time goes by and I decide to call on Wednesday to see if my order is going to be delivered. I talk to a different sales rep, ask about my order, and he says its on backorder! So right about now I'm starting to get ticked off, because: 1)I wish he would have told me it was on back order instead of saying it would be there within a few days. 2) My band has to cancel a gig because we don't have a decent sound system to use. I tell the salesman thanks for his help, and hang up. So NOW my dad calls on Thursday,checks to see when Carvin is gonna be sending my PA, and finally they say that is was shipped just that day. They give us a tracking number, and tell us that it will be arriving on Tuesday, which is today. So I check Fed Ex for the tracking number, and it shows up! I get all excited because I'm finally getting the PA I had purchased. Somehow I made it through the past 5 days. Last night I got so excited, so I even cleaned out our practice rooms, set up the stands and mics we had got to use for the PA (which we haven't gotten to use yet), cleaned the guitars and stuff. I don't know, I'm weird like that . So I JUST called Carvin again, asking about my order. IT STILL HASN'T SHIPPED YET!!!!!! I asked what the hell my tracking order was for, and the guy said he didn't know. It's still on the damn backorder. He tells me it will be shipping tomorrow and that I'll get it next Tuesday, and I swear, if it doesnt ship tomorrow I'm gonna be more pissed than I am now. I've waited weeks for this damn PA system to arrive. This situation is driving me crazy, and I keep having to reschedule gigs and such. Thanks for listening to the rant. I know some of you have ordered from Carvin without trouble, but damn. When soeone says it's been send about 3 times now and then take it back, it makes you wanna rip your hair out!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel E. Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Never had a problem with them. But I've only ordered small stuff. It's always a good idea to get the customer service person's name when dealing with them. They tend to take more responsibility that way. If there's a big problem later on, you can ask to speak to them (and assign blame if necessary). "You never can vouch for your own consciousness." - Norman Mailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruupi Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I remember when I ordered my kit guitar it took awhile to get to me. But, other than that it was worth the wait. I would be upset if I was in your case and had to cancel gigs and I should think that Carvin should at least be able to give you an honest accurate answer as to when your PA should ship. I almost never hear anything bad about Carvin but I guess everyone makes mistakes. My soundclick site: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=397188 My YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/gruupi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Dude, Id ask for yer money back and buy a P.A. from a local shop instead. Yamaha makes some solid and cheap P.A.s for starters. Ive heard of problems with Carvins pro audio gear, FWIW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Strat Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Welcome to the world of dealing with major corporations over the phone. It can most certainly piss you off. Getting the name of the company representative you spoke to and also writing down your order number and keeping it handy for when you call is a good idea. Even then things don't always go smoothly. That's life. BlueStrat a.k.a. "El Guapo" ...Better fuzz through science... http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddyelmis Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I've never had a problem with Carvin from an equipment perspective. I'd call and ask for a supervisor or manager, explain the situation, and ask for a refund of the shipping cost. You shouldn't have to pay for that kind of FUBAR'd shipping. www.ruleradio.com "Fame is like death: We will never know what it looks like until we've reached the other side. Then it will be impossible to describe and no one will believe you if you try." - Sloane Crosley, Village Voice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Geezer Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 That does sound strange for Carvin, who supposedly has one of the best CS depts. Perhaps Boggs can chime in and help, I think he has some names and direct numbers with the Carvin folks. [bOGGS...You out there?] Lynn G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbach1 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Blue, your new avitar is offending my sensibility. I keep thinking my eyes have lost their ability to see color. Wait, mine looks b&w too. I have lost my ability to see color. bbach Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Strat Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Originally posted by cwfno: Blue, your new avitar is offending my sensibility. I keep thinking my eyes have lost their ability to see color. Wait, mine looks b&w too. I have lost my ability to see color.It offends me that you'd say that my avatar is offensive to you. And what's up with your avatar, you got something against dead people!? BlueStrat a.k.a. "El Guapo" ...Better fuzz through science... http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Call the 800 number and try and be calm and ask specifically for Marco. His job is to handle these situations. Tell him Boggs referred you and try and be as calm as you can. He will get to the bottom of it. He is pretty high up the chain... Boggs Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I've wanted to buy stuff from Carvin for years but because I live in Canada shipping is double rate. I'd be better off having it shipped to Syracuse or Rochester and driving over to get it. RIP OFF - These guys will nickel and dime you all the way to the bank. I still think guitars are like shoes, but louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiC Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Nothing chaps my butt more than crappy customer service! You just ask my wife. She'll tell you that I am not easy going with a company when they begin to crap out excuses upon excuses. I'll breath straight down their necks until I am satisfied with the services they are supposed to be providing. Crappy customer service is THE #1 pet peeve on my list! If I were you, I would cancel the order and take my business elsewhere. Seriously. They do not derserve your hard earned money! I feel your pain "Treat your wife with honor, respect, and understanding as you live together so that you can pray effectively as husband and wife." 1 Peter 3:7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Originally posted by Guitars are like shoes. But louder.: I've wanted to buy stuff from Carvin for years but because I live in Canada shipping is double rate. I'd be better off having it shipped to Syracuse or Rochester and driving over to get it. RIP OFF - These guys will nickel and dime you all the way to the bank.Whoa! Carvin can't help the cost of shipping across international borders! Good god man, they have to pay tariffs at customs just like everyone else. A more important question (and I don't know how Carvin handles this on international sales, as they only sell direct) is do you get the warranty if you buy it in Canada? Most companies use importers to resell their gear in foreign countries. Usually, the importer is the only agent that can offer you a warranty. (For example, I don't know how it's changed since 2001, but back then foreign buyers of Gibson guitars had no claim against the Limited Lifetime Warranty. The importer supplied any and all warranties on Gibson's shipped out of the U.S.) So be sure that you know your rights when you purchase gear through the mail or online and it must be shipped across political borders. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 This seems very uncharacteristic, and I hope you have it resolved with some satisfaction very soon. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiC Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Originally posted by Caevan O'Shite: This seems very uncharacteristic, and I hope you have it resolved with some satisfaction very soon.Well, if they have excellent customer service overall, it would be in the best interest of the company to know "names" of the reps involved OR they will simply taint their image in due time with their unprofessionalism. Peace "Treat your wife with honor, respect, and understanding as you live together so that you can pray effectively as husband and wife." 1 Peter 3:7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave da Dude Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Boggs, I hope Cowbell takes you up on your very generous contact information. That will prove the most useful in resolving the issue, instead of just venting anger. And, yes, ALWAYS keep a record of your conversations, names, times, what is promised, etc. I use the outlook, contact, journal entry feature. Dave Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMcGuitar Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Best of luck, cowbell. Dealing with corporate red-tape and screwups can be awfully frustrating. Hopefully Bogg's info will help (way to go, Boggs! ). In the meantime, could rent or borrow something? I know that's $$ and extra hassle, and you shouldn't have to go through it, but, it might save you a few headaches in the long run while you're waiting. May all your thoughts be random! - Neil www.McFaddenArts.com www.MikesGarageRocks.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Originally posted by fantasticsound: Originally posted by Guitars are like shoes. But louder.: I've wanted to buy stuff from Carvin for years but because I live in Canada shipping is double rate. I'd be better off having it shipped to Syracuse or Rochester and driving over to get it. RIP OFF - These guys will nickel and dime you all the way to the bank.Whoa! Carvin can't help the cost of shipping across international borders! Good god man, they have to pay tariffs at customs just like everyone else. No... this is not an international borders issue at all. It's completely gouging. This is Canada not Japan, these are not competitive export products there are no duties of tariffs in place and to make matter worse Americans in Alaska & Hawaii get the exact same treatment. I buy and sell lots of goods in the US and overseas and have a pretty good grasp on what is taxed, dutied, tariffed and banned. Carvin is just a screw-up of a company. Gibson distributorship in Canada is exclusively managed by Yorkville Sound who is what Traynor evolved into. I'm not far from them and have contacted them directly over a couple parts issues. No problem with warranties, parts or service... it's just like being an American customer. Fender operates as a North American company and relies on its' extensive dealer network to support customer care and honor warranty and service issues directly with Fender. Carvin is just a screw-up of a company. Oh... I already said that once. I still think guitars are like shoes, but louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 Great news guys! At 8:10pm last night a FedEx pulls up into my driveway with 4 boxes. As shocked as I am I open it up and inside is my PA system! I was so pleased that I got it, after having had quite a few downpoints in my day... I spent the rest of the night testing out the PA with my bro, and we love it! The thing is very quiet and pumps out sound LOUD. I have the thing on 2 right now and its going over the guitar and bass. I would also like to take this post in order to recomemmend a mic I found out about. I ordered a box of 5 new Superlux mics on eBay. There was a box,5 mics, 5 mic clips and 5 mic clips adaptors. These mics are SWEET! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Geezer Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Lynn G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Glad to hear it worked out well. Sometimes, signals just get crossed and information just doesn't get passed to everyone that needs to have it. Sorry to hear it happened to you. If ever you have a problem again, feel free to PM me. I'm just a customer of theirs, but I have developed a rapport with them over the years as I have met several of them at NAMM and we keep in contact. They really do try their best and sometimes glitches just happen. I have always found them to be diligent in resolving any problems. Thanks for giving my friends a chance. Best of luck with your new gear! Boggs Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiC Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Glad to hear you are no longer a victim of today's developing crappy customer service craze! May we never know it as Carvin's Crappy Customer Service Craze! Hopefully it was a minor error in communication, and not a developing trend. I'm glad you are happy with your gear. Peace "Treat your wife with honor, respect, and understanding as you live together so that you can pray effectively as husband and wife." 1 Peter 3:7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Glad to hear everything arrived for you and was just what you wanted it to be. That's critical! I still think guitars are like shoes, but louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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