Not glad that you went through this but I am glad I’m not the only one, I emailed multiple times and messaged the sight multiple times and the only time they responded is when I said the cancel or and that I did a charge back! Terrible terrible experience, no idea why people spend their money with this outfit! Literally 4 days of emails and I get a response 10 minutes after I request to cancel, clearly he is getting the emails he just don’t care, to many places to buy part to deal with this type service!!!
At Witt's End with Witt's End (1 Viewer)
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FACTS! I even told him if a “one man show” proves so challenging it’s best to throw in the towel than to continue to make it difficult for customers and pissing people off! So unacceptable!
I have not done business with Wits' End, but I have been self employed for a long time and can identify with both sides of this deal.
My experience is that the customer needs to feel they are right even though they sometimes are not. At the same time, everyone makes mistakes from time to time and business has ups and downs. When you're starting a biz you have what I would call the "honeymoon period" where you can put in 20 hour days and work weekends to prove yourself. All those shiny parts lined up to ship or inventory are like little trophies that say you're winning it. You would rather pay someone lots of money than have a single unhappy customer out there. After awhile, say 5 years or so, you probably have experienced some of the uglier sides of human beings and being in business. A little bit of that eternal optimism that got you here has died away and you're a little less sure that what doesn't kill you always makes you stronger. There's a point that you're in business because that's just what you do. You've created a living, breathing monster, you have to feed it and keep it all on the rails.
I think it's human to make mistakes and especially during a stressful time which sounds like is the case here.
500+ products is a fairly high number of unique offerings for a one man show. I am truly impressed. That is a lot to balance and, at this time in my life, I do not envy one guy doing all that.
The advice to just hire a secretary is naive. That's not how this works, Taking $40k+ out of his pocket annually and giving it to a secretary he must also train and manage is not as simple as it sounds.
This guy has a ton invested into all these little things on the shelf. Not just the time to develop it all, but MONEY. He has hard cash tied up in the parts on his shelf. Think about that, about what that takes. He has to plan all this out months in advance. Speculate what demand is going to be and accept when he misses the mark occasionally.
Something else that may be relevant, may not, who am I to say really. But I have many friends that are engineers, machinists, even farmers and mechanics. The people that really make stuff, that do the real neat innovative kinds of things that the other 99% wish they could do ARE NOT GREAT PEOPLE PEOPLE.
Give people that make really cool stuff a little bit of slack in the communication department because they may not be wired for it like you are.
My recommendation would be to send a thoughtful, considerate email to Wits' End requesting a refund (or the tool) once every 2-3 weeks for however long it takes. Give the guy some slack and don't hit him with a chargeback.
It sounds like he could use some support, not a kick in the nuts.
You have no idea how detrimental a chargeback can be for a small ecommerce business.
My experience is that the customer needs to feel they are right even though they sometimes are not. At the same time, everyone makes mistakes from time to time and business has ups and downs. When you're starting a biz you have what I would call the "honeymoon period" where you can put in 20 hour days and work weekends to prove yourself. All those shiny parts lined up to ship or inventory are like little trophies that say you're winning it. You would rather pay someone lots of money than have a single unhappy customer out there. After awhile, say 5 years or so, you probably have experienced some of the uglier sides of human beings and being in business. A little bit of that eternal optimism that got you here has died away and you're a little less sure that what doesn't kill you always makes you stronger. There's a point that you're in business because that's just what you do. You've created a living, breathing monster, you have to feed it and keep it all on the rails.
I think it's human to make mistakes and especially during a stressful time which sounds like is the case here.
500+ products is a fairly high number of unique offerings for a one man show. I am truly impressed. That is a lot to balance and, at this time in my life, I do not envy one guy doing all that.
The advice to just hire a secretary is naive. That's not how this works, Taking $40k+ out of his pocket annually and giving it to a secretary he must also train and manage is not as simple as it sounds.
This guy has a ton invested into all these little things on the shelf. Not just the time to develop it all, but MONEY. He has hard cash tied up in the parts on his shelf. Think about that, about what that takes. He has to plan all this out months in advance. Speculate what demand is going to be and accept when he misses the mark occasionally.
Something else that may be relevant, may not, who am I to say really. But I have many friends that are engineers, machinists, even farmers and mechanics. The people that really make stuff, that do the real neat innovative kinds of things that the other 99% wish they could do ARE NOT GREAT PEOPLE PEOPLE.
Give people that make really cool stuff a little bit of slack in the communication department because they may not be wired for it like you are.
My recommendation would be to send a thoughtful, considerate email to Wits' End requesting a refund (or the tool) once every 2-3 weeks for however long it takes. Give the guy some slack and don't hit him with a chargeback.
It sounds like he could use some support, not a kick in the nuts.
You have no idea how detrimental a chargeback can be for a small ecommerce business.
100%
I’ve managed small runs of group buys custom parts for other forums and the amount of work involved just as the middle man is phenomenal. Herding everyone interested into committing to an order, getting enough deposits collected to cover the machine run or just fronting the capital yourself and hoping everyone makes good on their promise. Arranging all the B and C hardware, packaging and boxing, shipping etc. and that was one product we designed and maybe 10 or 15 orders. It’s a real tough game to do the small business route and provide enough communication and meet all your demands.
I respect small business, I have done it and I know other that still do.
If he could respond 10 minutes after my cancellation why not when I was inquiring about tracking?
If your that busy than hire help! There comes a time when it’s not manageable by yourself, it’s more important to get help than to provide poor service for more profit.
This business sources goods and either drop ships them from a wholesaler or pulls out of his inventory. It is not hard to fulfill this type order or at least communicate with a customer once an inquiry is made!
The worst part is after the response 10 minutes after I requested to cancel I didn’t even get a “I’m sorry” or any of the regular excuses made for poor customer service.
End of the day if you open a business that provides merchandise you will need to provide a level of customer service, if you don’t do that it’s inevitable that you will get post of unhappy customers!
These last few years have not only proven challenging on small business they have proved challenging for most middle class Americans, spending our “not so disposable income” is not as easy as it used to be!
Good customer service is a huge part of the experience not sure why people defend poor customer service, if you want to spend your money with outfits that don’t respond that’s up to you but to jump in here and make excuses for these guys that don’t even make excuses for themselves is wild!
No one made this guy open a business it was his decision, if he can’t handle it and does not offer good service that’s our right to make mention of it!!!!
Stop making excuses an outfit that don’t care to makes excuses for themselves and for the lack accountability that’s a huge problem in today’s society!
Sure sounds like Wits End has you on payroll to provide sob stories for his lack of customer service!
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NLXTACY
Wits' End
Sob stories huh? Jesus ****
29000+ orders and a couple of dudes pissed. I’m fine with that ratio. I’ve professed everywhere that my customer service sucks. That likely won’t change.
For folks reading this in the future, I will always prioritize creating stuff and packaging orders and interacting when and where I choose to because I need to control my stress. 9 out of 10 times I have to stare at an email asking where their part is when I could be actually working on that part.
I make the decision of when to respond to emails because I’m the only one doing it. If my stress level is low, I read emails. If it’s high, then I’m making stuff.
s***TY SERVICE! Jesus f***Sob stories huh? Jesus f***
29000+ orders and a couple of dudes pissed. I’m fine with that ratio. I’ve professed everywhere that my customer service sucks. That likely won’t change.
For folks reading this in the future, I will always prioritize creating stuff and packaging orders and interacting when and where I choose to because I need to control my stress. 9 out of 10 times I have to stare at an email asking where their part is when I could be actually working on that part.
I make the decision of when to respond to emails because I’m the only one doing it. If my stress level is low, I read emails. If it’s high, then I’m making stuff.
Sounds like you should reach into your pocket and start paying someone that has the ability to handle their stress for your businesses sake.
Or you can continue to admit you have s***ty service for reasons within your control. All it takes is a couple “pissed dudes” to turn into a lot of “pissed dudes”.
Would never do business with an outfit being ran by someone with this outlook! Clearly you do not care and that is fine, I will also advise everyone I know not to order from you (so is it just the few pissed off people you are loosing?)
Good luck man, hope for your sake there are more people in the world that don’t need updates on parts delivery due to traveling and that we soon end up a world of people that will spend money and wait endlessly for the order with ZERO communication/updates.
PS - A large “part” of the part is the service received!
Advise - get someone that has control of their emotions to handle your emails so that you don’t have to admit your s*** service, stop be greedy with peoples money that you refuse to respond too!
There are therapist nationwide to help you with you problem, it could be beneficial to your business one day! Growing business most of the time means getting help not resorting to admitting their s***ty service!
Sorry to people that have orders in, this may stress him out and you may never get your questions answered!
Good luck.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
s***TY SERVICE! Jesus f***
Sounds like you should reach into your pocket and start paying someone that has the ability to handle their stress for your businesses sake.
Or you can continue to admit you have s***ty service for reasons within your control. All it takes is a couple “pissed dudes” to turn into a lot of “pissed dudes”.
Would never do business with an outfit being ran by someone with this outlook! Clearly you do not care and that is fine, I will also advise everyone I know not to order from you (so is it just the few pissed off people you are loosing?)
Good luck man, hope for your sake there are more people in the world that don’t need updates on parts delivery due to traveling and that we soon end up a world of people that will spend money and wait endlessly for the order with ZERO communication/updates.
PS - A large “part” of the part is the service received!
Advise - get someone that has control of their emotions to handle your emails so that you don’t have to admit your s*** service, stop be greedy with peoples money that you refuse to respond too!
There are therapist nationwide to help you with you problem, it could be beneficial to your business one day! Growing business most of the time means getting help not resorting to admitting their s***ty service!
Sorry to people that have orders in, this may stress him out and you may never get your questions answered!
Good luck.
You are a super tiny percentage. Sometimes there are businesses you choose not to deal with totally cool. Sometimes there are customers not worry dealing with because they don’t have a clue what running a business by yourself in this current mess is like. Please continue to buy from Amazon for your widgets.
Dave 2000
Not all Land Rovers are useless!
PayPal has thousands of personnel and their customer service is absolute crap! Give them a call to sort something out, then you can spend time on your computer/phone trying to contact them and get a reply, this might amuse you more than getting at the small guy?
Further, I have never purchased anything from NLXTACY but have read and heard from many a happy customer.
Just do what you do Joey.
Regards
Dave
Further, I have never purchased anything from NLXTACY but have read and heard from many a happy customer.
Just do what you do Joey.
Regards
Dave
Oddly enough, the "stress" appears to stem from the poor, unsupportable business model.s***TY SERVICE! Jesus f***
Sounds like you should reach into your pocket and start paying someone that has the ability to handle their stress for your businesses sake.
Or you can continue to admit you have s***ty service for reasons within your control. All it takes is a couple “pissed dudes” to turn into a lot of “pissed dudes”.
Would never do business with an outfit being ran by someone with this outlook! Clearly you do not care and that is fine, I will also advise everyone I know not to order from you (so is it just the few pissed off people you are loosing?)
Good luck man, hope for your sake there are more people in the world that don’t need updates on parts delivery due to traveling and that we soon end up a world of people that will spend money and wait endlessly for the order with ZERO communication/updates.
PS - A large “part” of the part is the service received!
Advise - get someone that has control of their emotions to handle your emails so that you don’t have to admit your s*** service, stop be greedy with peoples money that you refuse to respond too!
There are therapist nationwide to help you with you problem, it could be beneficial to your business one day! Growing business most of the time means getting help not resorting to admitting their s***ty service!
Sorry to people that have orders in, this may stress him out and you may never get your questions answered!
Good luck.
Sounds like he'd be happier if someone else ran the actual business part. Because I've never seen a one butt show work long term.
Unless his model is an internet version of Ed Dibevic's
Dave 2000
Not all Land Rovers are useless!
Or unless your like me, I have tried employing various 'mechanics' in the past, but when they want to refit a used split pin, and then kick up a fuss because 'that's' what they have always done' and as I am now not used to that kind of thinking they find themselves 'down the road'! So yeh this mechanic has spent a mere 25 years working on his own, and then moved to Spain 15 years ago (continuing to work on my own) where there was five that is FIVE 'mechanics' in the area, apart from one who knew his stuff but died of old age complications, the rest have packed up and returned to the UK, in small towns reputation works. And what is happening now as I am unable to work? Customers come to me with a mechanically minded friend if they are not themselves and have me show them or their friend what to do to get their car sorted. So yes a one butt show for around 40+ years.
It can be done but it is hard work.
Regards
Dave
It can be done but it is hard work.
Regards
Dave
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One butt shows work in some situations. Mainly when the product is simple and you can focus on one customer at a time.
But I've never seen it work long term in an internet business where you have a logistics chain in action.
Or if you have to make thing yourselves, while running a multi-modal business.
If you have people ordering things, paying you money, having to produce it and then deliver it, and then managing other lines that may be drop shipped or sub-contracted, you are one serious illness/car accident/heart attack away from screwing over your customers.
I considered doing something like that for awhile, and then declined, because it wouldn't be ethical by my own standards.
Someone has to do customer service, btw. I don't know any legitimate small or non-monopoly business that simply ignores customer communication and stays in business.
100% agree! Most that have this practice may get the first sale but likely few return customers! Business longevity relays on repeat business, repeat business is dependent on customer service!
Ha. This is hilarious.
10 minutes on the website to add a few notes expalining the occasional slow shipping and other issues surrounding the 'one man band' aspect of the store would solve most issues. "Due to issues out of my control, items are taking 4 weeks to ship"--------that took 5 seconds. Communication is 99% of the battle.
And who says 'none of my products say in stock' on my website?! What is that? Items are assumed in stock on every other storefront unless they say 'not in stock'
So odd to fight against such easy things to fix, just beacuse you've shipped 'thousands of items' in the past. 'Mud has a wide reach that is viewed by many of your customers.
This guy sounds like he has $ already and doesn't really care.
10 minutes on the website to add a few notes expalining the occasional slow shipping and other issues surrounding the 'one man band' aspect of the store would solve most issues. "Due to issues out of my control, items are taking 4 weeks to ship"--------that took 5 seconds. Communication is 99% of the battle.
And who says 'none of my products say in stock' on my website?! What is that? Items are assumed in stock on every other storefront unless they say 'not in stock'
So odd to fight against such easy things to fix, just beacuse you've shipped 'thousands of items' in the past. 'Mud has a wide reach that is viewed by many of your customers.
This guy sounds like he has $ already and doesn't really care.
If indeed people that have an expectation of quite frankly very SIMPLE customer service such as an email response is a very “tiny percentage” than your admitted s***ty customer service should be very prosperous!
Sorry, I chose to spend my money at a place like Amazon that will actually respond which is likely the reason they got to the level they have!
Again good luck in the future and to the all the spineless individuals that chose to spend their money at an outfit that admits they have s***ty customer service!
It’s an unfortunate world we live in when people defend outfits that admit they suck as a business owner admits it could be better if he would use some of the profits to get help.
People defending someone who is essentially telling them “my service sucks” by choice because I want to maximize my profits and careless about responding to you post sale or getting your goods out in a timely manner blows my mind. Clearly people defending this have created low expectations for themselves and speak volumes of their character.
I must admit WITT’Z END “WOW’ed” me, clearly not with his service but with the amount of people that support this business practice!
Dave 2000
Not all Land Rovers are useless!
And having said all that have you made purchases from NLXTACY? If yes and you were not happy then an email with reference to this this thread, and see if he is going to help? If you have not then you are following a minority, it's called hanging onto someone's shirt tail, it gives you something beef about. I mentioned I have never purchased anything from him and if general opinions expressed on this forum are 98 for and 2 against then I am going to follow the majority. Have you not noticed how voting for a president works, same thing the majority right or wrong wins?
Also take on board that if NLXTACY has made good money and now allows the business to fail then he is still a winner, what have you got at the end of the day, spare time to be jealous of his success?
It matters not what I or others say, good or bad, he is a winner at the end of the day, I'm done.
Regards
Dave
Also take on board that if NLXTACY has made good money and now allows the business to fail then he is still a winner, what have you got at the end of the day, spare time to be jealous of his success?
It matters not what I or others say, good or bad, he is a winner at the end of the day, I'm done.
Regards
Dave
I attempted to make a purchase, never actually received the goods!
I’m very glad you are done, making comments if you’ve not experienced the s***ty service admitted by the seller only continues to make you look foolish!
MrMikeyG
SILVER Star
I'm not going to jump in here and rally to the defense, or rail at the shortcomings of a small vendor. I will say that over the last 2 years I have basically released any pre-conceived notions regarding timely "customer service." I quit expecting timely responses so that when I did get them, I was surprised and happy, and when I did not, I chalked it up to one of myriad issues running around.
It sounds easy as hell to say "just hire someone." I've been bugging my boss about getting me/us another laborer/carpenter/whatever for 5 years. I think we finally get a dude on the 22nd because he basically fell into our lap. We'll see how it goes. I recently ate at a local burger driveup we have in our area. Sign outside said "hiring at $21/hour" For a burger car hop!!! My cousin manages a resort community down in Arizona. Just to get a dishwasher to show up for the first shift, he has to start them at $20/hour. For a damned dishwasher. I did that job for $3.35 in 91-92. This just one hindrance to hiring these days.
I know zero about website development. Zero. I have no idea what it takes to add functional "real-time" tracking of inventory through having linked ordering and inventory systems. I will say the the Wit's-End site could use something that did that.
I recently ordered a custom piece that no one else provides. There was a thread regarding status of that particular part. The thread said that units were in hand again, so I ordered. A major holiday happened within 4 days of my order so I figured I would allow an extra week at least. I held my tongue for a full 4 weeks. I then sent a note through here which was replied to. I then offered 3 options which would equally satisfy me as a customer. I got a reply to that with an update regarding the specific item in question.
So, I did ultimately receive adequate albeit late customer service, and I didn't get nasty about it. Bear in mind again that what I ordered wasn't keeping my truck sidelined and is simply a thing needed down the road. Were I waiting on a rig functionality part, I would have been more active in seeking info.
for those that have never ordered from Wit's-End, scan through the threads in here regarding his products, see if you can get his recent "newsletters" and check whether what you want is in stock and in hand.
There is another small vendor on here to which I asked a specific question regarding parts that only he (in the US anyway) stocks and I have yet to receive a reply. I've even ordered something else from them in the meantime. I guess my main point is to manage expectations.
It sounds easy as hell to say "just hire someone." I've been bugging my boss about getting me/us another laborer/carpenter/whatever for 5 years. I think we finally get a dude on the 22nd because he basically fell into our lap. We'll see how it goes. I recently ate at a local burger driveup we have in our area. Sign outside said "hiring at $21/hour" For a burger car hop!!! My cousin manages a resort community down in Arizona. Just to get a dishwasher to show up for the first shift, he has to start them at $20/hour. For a damned dishwasher. I did that job for $3.35 in 91-92. This just one hindrance to hiring these days.
I know zero about website development. Zero. I have no idea what it takes to add functional "real-time" tracking of inventory through having linked ordering and inventory systems. I will say the the Wit's-End site could use something that did that.
I recently ordered a custom piece that no one else provides. There was a thread regarding status of that particular part. The thread said that units were in hand again, so I ordered. A major holiday happened within 4 days of my order so I figured I would allow an extra week at least. I held my tongue for a full 4 weeks. I then sent a note through here which was replied to. I then offered 3 options which would equally satisfy me as a customer. I got a reply to that with an update regarding the specific item in question.
So, I did ultimately receive adequate albeit late customer service, and I didn't get nasty about it. Bear in mind again that what I ordered wasn't keeping my truck sidelined and is simply a thing needed down the road. Were I waiting on a rig functionality part, I would have been more active in seeking info.
for those that have never ordered from Wit's-End, scan through the threads in here regarding his products, see if you can get his recent "newsletters" and check whether what you want is in stock and in hand.
There is another small vendor on here to which I asked a specific question regarding parts that only he (in the US anyway) stocks and I have yet to receive a reply. I've even ordered something else from them in the meantime. I guess my main point is to manage expectations.
I agree with you, but I want to add one thing- From a small business perspective the only impact Covid has had on my business is giving up my office so my kids could go to school in it for a year and a few weeks total where I actually had covid (a couple times now). Other than that I've had record years and gained a bunch of customers. I have many friends that are also in business for themselves and some of them, especially the older, closer to retirement age ones, have used the Pandemic as an excuse to slow things way down and take it easy.
If you want to make a mark on the industry your business serves the past year has been the time to do it. People's expectations have been wrecked by so many businesses that a business that can pull stuff off gets to center stage real quick.
Dave 2000
Not all Land Rovers are useless!
@98100series Yep....you got me. Hands up I was not going to have anything more to do with this thread however, you called me foolish, name calling is always a sign of someone struggling and grasping at straws to make their argument, now let me see if I can reply to your comment....careful the following may have content you cannot handle, run to mummy if you need.
Is that right you DID pay to purchase something without doing research on a seller??
And then you did NOT get what you ordered, is that true?
And then did NOTHING about it....well apart from cry and let out your frustrations on MUD.......really?
Now who is FOOLISH?
Now what is this IGNORE button for....oh I see, I 'press' it and no longer see your posts, I had forgotten what it was for as I have only used it once in 11+ years and it was because the amount of immature jerks on MUD are very few and far between, you have become number 2, this is my version of taking my ball home.
Regards
Dave
EDIT: Oops nearly forgot........bip...your gone.
Is that right you DID pay to purchase something without doing research on a seller??
And then you did NOT get what you ordered, is that true?
And then did NOTHING about it....well apart from cry and let out your frustrations on MUD.......really?
Now who is FOOLISH?
Now what is this IGNORE button for....oh I see, I 'press' it and no longer see your posts, I had forgotten what it was for as I have only used it once in 11+ years and it was because the amount of immature jerks on MUD are very few and far between, you have become number 2, this is my version of taking my ball home.
Regards
Dave
EDIT: Oops nearly forgot........bip...your gone.
