bad Business from Doc Nickel please look

[atm743]

i payed him though paypal but ya i guess i can wait cuse the 15* are hella nice soo but it would be nice to tell me whats going on ya know well thanks i will see if it comes befor i go into high (high school if you dont know what i ment)

[vf-xx]

I'm getting worried. Before I paypaled the money I asked if they had any of the ASA's in stock. Email came back the next say saying yes. So I paid and expected something within a week or two.

Now two weeks have passed and there's nothing in the mail. So I shot him an email (from a different account) asking what the availability and shipping time of the ASA's are. Now he says that they're out of stock but should be in within about 10 days and that shipping should take 3-4 days.

I'm quick to believe that doc doesn't actually handle the ordering himself. I suspect that some one else does. Otherwise why would the story change from one to another?

[bornl33t]

I'm getting worried. Before I paypaled the money I asked if they had any of the ASA's in stock. Email came back the next say saying yes. So I paid and expected something within a week or two.

Now two weeks have passed and there's nothing in the mail. So I shot him an email (from a different account) asking what the availability and shipping time of the ASA's are. Now he says that they're out of stock but should be in within about 10 days and that shipping should take 3-4 days.

I'm quick to believe that doc doesn't actually handle the ordering himself. I suspect that some one else does. Otherwise why would the story change from one to another?

well see this is the reason that mom & pop stores are disapearing. They don't have the over head to own a warehouse and keep everything needed on site. All things considering, if he didn't give you a specific date that the order would be shipped by I would give him at least 4 weeks. Doc and WW are very similar in the way they do buisness and I think WW sums it up well on his site.

You can pick two cheap, fast delivery, good quality. What two will you pick?

[Bulldog]

atm743,

I experienced almost the exact same situation a few weeks ago. Almost to the letter. You will get your part, he won't respond to the emails, but it'll show up eventually. May be tomorrow, maybe next month. That's just the way most custom shops do business right now.
Hang tight.

[Target Practice]

You know, it may not seem like the best way to do business to you, but you just have to remember that you are dealing with the best. It may take a while, and it may be frustrating for you, but just think how frustrating it must be for Doc to hear from all of these people wanting their parts RIGHT NOW! He is just trying to do the best job he can. I would rather wait to get a part that is perfect, than have a vendor rush it to me just to get me off their back ( *cough* Rogue's Vert Frame *cough*). Good things come to those who wait.

[vf-xx]

well see this is the reason that mom & pop stores are disapearing. They don't have the over head to own a warehouse and keep everything needed on site. All things considering, if he didn't give you a specific date that the order would be shipped by I would give him at least 4 weeks. Doc and WW are very similar in the way they do buisness and I think WW sums it up well on his site.

You can pick two cheap, fast delivery, good quality. What two will you pick?

I understand. I really don't mind waiting. What I do mind is being kept in the dark. At this point in time he's the only one I know of that produces 15* asa's for the mag (Yes I know Rogue is working on one, but it's not out yet).

What kills me is that I'm effectively getting lied to. I have no concerns over the quality of the product. It's just a matter of how the buisness is run.

I'll give another example: Locally there is a gaming store (RPG and Tabletop). I spend a good deal of time there just playing, so generally when I need something I ask them to order it for me. Most of the time I realize that it's going to take longer and be more expensive than just finding one online, but it's a matter of customer loyalty. I know that I can wonder in there whenever and ask them when my stuff is coming in and they'll tell me to the best of their ability (every now and again I'll pre-order something that isn't out yet, and the manufacturer or distributor has problems getting it). But at least they're up front with me.

Ok well you might argue that since I'm a known face in the store that I'm getting special treatment. I'm not. This is how they do buisness with EVERYBODY. And IMO that's how buisness need to be run.

Back on topic:
I realize that sifting through emails on a daily basis is a time consuming job, however I just tested that theory and it's been prooven bunk. All my emails (to date) have been returned within one buisness day. We'll see how he responds to my query about my order.

[bornl33t]

hey... it could be worse...

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=142420

[GrassNinja]

I hate to sound like Im junping on the bandwagon, but, man! I have dealt with Doc, and he IS the man. I paypal'd my funds, WHICH IS WHAT HE RECOMENDS!!!!! FOR FATER SERVICE and had my stuff in less than 2 weeks. The reply to the e-mail I recieved told me very clearly that they were VERY BUSY and might be a little slow on my order. ONLY becuase they had manny other orders AHEAD OF ME!!! DUDE! hes not WAl MART, he doesnt have the freakin wharehousing facilities, or the overhead to fill them. If you sent your money, he will get you your merchandise. Your just gonna have to wait your turn like everyone else did. If you flame him, I wouldnt blame him for sendin your money back and tellin you to take a flyin leap.

Sorry, I just dont like seeing GOOD independents getting blasted! Small businesses are what build our economy and make us what we are.

GrassNinja


EDIT>> sorry, I didnt even get to finish the first page before emotions took over and I posted. Looks like I just repeated what everyone else has been saying. Well, DITTO

[vf-xx]

I hate to sound like Im junping on the bandwagon, but, man! I have dealt with Doc, and he IS the man. I paypal'd my funds, WHICH IS WHAT HE RECOMENDS!!!!! FOR FATER SERVICE and had my stuff in less than 2 weeks. The reply to the e-mail I recieved told me very clearly that they were VERY BUSY and might be a little slow on my order. ONLY becuase they had manny other orders AHEAD OF ME!!! DUDE! hes not WAl MART, he doesnt have the freakin wharehousing facilities, or the overhead to fill them. If you sent your money, he will get you your merchandise. Your just gonna have to wait your turn like everyone else did. If you flame him, I wouldnt blame him for sendin your money back and tellin you to take a flyin leap.

Sorry, I just dont like seeing GOOD independents getting blasted! Small businesses are what build our economy and make us what we are.

GrassNinja


EDIT>> sorry, I didnt even get to finish the first page before emotions took over and I posted. Looks like I just repeated what everyone else has been saying. Well, DITTO

Since I seem to be the one getting blasted here, I would like to point out that I'm not upset YET. I'm just concerned. My concern would be gone if I had been told that there was going to be a delay. I was told nothing of the sort. Heck, you and I just finished doing buisness and you know how much I keep in contact.

*edit*Spelling*edit*

[GrassNinja]

Sorry about that. I wasnt trying to blast you. Like I said in my little edit at the bottom, I didnt even read the second page, only the thread starter and the first 3 replies. Sorry if you thought I was flaming you. I was not. again, sorry

Dave

Since I seem to be the one getting blasted here, I would like to point out that I'm not upset YET. I'm just concerned. My concern would be gone if I habe been told that there was going to be a delay. I was told nothing of the sort. Heck, you and I just finished doing buisness and you know how much I keep in contact.

[UltimatePaintballer]

i bet he already got it and thought it would come like right after he ordered it.

patience people patience

[RamboPreacher]

I have been doing business with Doc for years. AND will continue. However, caveat's:
1. I personaly recieve about 300 valid emails a day (not counting the many thousands of spamm and unsolicited emails, so I can see that 250 is a valid number)
2. No matter how much I suggest that he have a forum dedicated to status of projects (like Punisher does, as I have suggested to many airsmiths, adn custom work engineers), it hasn't happened yet.
3. the time it takes for an "order" whether in stock or custom, is "whenever it gets done", adn not any sooner. THE exception and the single and ONLY reason for complaint, is if there was an agreed upon timeframe and it was not met. I have NEVER had an order with DOC that had any kind of promised timelines.
4. If you ASSUMED there was a timeline - you assumed wrong.

DOC and I don't agree on many things, but I do have alot of respect for his 'smith-work. Unless you and he had prearanged some kind of timeline, you should sit back and wait. It will come. You could do what I do and send a request for a status about once a month and if you don't hear from him in about 6 months, then post a request for status on his forum (in a polite and non-confronting way). if after a year, and you still havent' recieved a status, then another post to his forum might be due. If after 2 years (assuming cusstom work), then - just wait longer. if after 3 years, email and wait som more. when you reach 4 years, you could start posting on his forum once a month asking for a status. at 5 years, you might think about a road trip to alaska - but that's assuming you haven't heard from him on a status in 5 full years.

[PsychoBaller]

Seriously.... For custom work, people should expect a custom time for the stuff, basically the second use of custom in this sentence means LONG WAIT, lol.

Nice stuff takes time and effort.... I mean... u want a paintball gun rushed like in Monster Garage or Junkyard wars? That stuff may be custom, but its crap. If people actually took the time and effort in those shows to build wutever they building, they would obviously have masterpieces.

But also take in mind there are not a lot of well known custom places that do ANY type of Paintball Gun work.... and being that Doc and Punisher are pretty much the best, they are Swamped with work.

Custom Stuff tends not be kept under timeframe constraints... rather, just sit back and relax till it comes. I banana dance to waste some time

-baller

[vf-xx]

On the topic of communication:

What bother's me is the inconsistancy. In all emails placed before an order I was getting a response the next day. All said a total of about 4 emails. Soon as he has my money I stop getting replies.

I feel I have a good reason to be conserned, because if this takes as long as everyone's suggesting I may very well have graduated and moved (beginning of August).

Note: I didn't order anything custom. I even asked before hand if he had the part in stock.

[Tron]

If it was in stock there should be no excuse you should have it in your hands two weeks at most. If he had to custom make it then I would of given it a month. Thing is Alaska is on fire so he might have other things to worry about and might not be even getting your mails.