Ripoff Merchant!

[El Pinguino]

Just ask em.... works for me.... Defender won't post over ( I think ) $500 in value with USPS cos of insurance issues... I had a big order once , told them in writing that I was happy self insuring , no probs.
For postage ripoffs try some UK and Continent vendors... that will really make your eys water.
What really gives me the irrits when stuff is sent to me with Fedex etc is they don't deliver it.
Casa Pinguino is 10 kilometres off the Hume Freeway, 9km bitumen, 1 km good formed road.... they drop it at the local PO and I have a 25 km round trip to go and sign for it.... prix..

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by bony

Thought I'd post an update to let you all know how things turned out.

Following advice given in this thread I lodged a transaction dispute with my credit card company a few weeks before xmas. I sent them all the necessary details of my problem with Discount Marine Supplies, and just after xmas I received a letter to inform me that the sum of AU$93.00 (the cost of the parts not delivered) had been refunded to my account.

I was very pleased to get that news, so all is good now, and my faith in humanity is restored somewhat.

I am grateful to everyone who posted to this thread with their comments and good advice, much appreciated.

Regards,
bony

Excellent outcome - CF rules OK

[bony]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

........fwiw, i would like to recommend a well run chandler in the states - defender industries. i've been buying from them since the 1970's and have never had a problem. true i'm in the states myself, but i know that they ship to other countries. it's a family business and i have actually spoken to the owner, stephan lance, who is very active in running the company, and who seems to really value having a good reputation. stephan occassionaly posts on this forum, especially when inflatable boats is the topic - inflatables seem to be his great love........

Hi onestepcsy37,

Thanks for the tip, I'll check Defender out next time I need to do some shopping.

I've had some fairly big orders shipped from the US in the past and normally get good to excellent service. Two companies I don't mind giving a plug for are Go2Marine and Genuinedealz.com. I bought most of my boat rewiring requirements from genuinedealz which arrived at my address together in two cartons within ten days. Even with shipping cost added I saved over $300 by importing my electrics from the US.

Go2Marine were very quick at processing my orders too, they're website calculator always exaggerates the shipping costs though so it's always best to email for a quote.

I might add that there are some excellent marine parts dealers here in Oz that I use and would recommend, (if your wallet can stand the shock!).

bony

[onestepcsy37]

And don't forget HopCar - Hopkins Carter in florida. They've been around for a long long time and always had a good local reputation when i lived and shopped in south florida years ago. As a regular poster on this forum i think he'd be an excellent source. and being smaller than west marine or defender, would probably be more flexible in arranging shipping to oz and many other out of the way places....

at the very least, you'll always know where to find him - right here on the forum.

[HopCar]

Thank you onestepcsy37!

[onestepcsy37]

hopcar, you kinow i have no personal or financial interest in this. i haven't been in miami in many years but well remember your store - think your father ran it back then. nice boating family run operation that either had what you needed or could get it pretty quick...

and to all the aussies on the board, i didn't mean to imply with a previous post that oz was an 'out of the way place'.

[Svdestiny]

+1 on Hopkins carter....and their prices are sometimes Better than Defender!

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

and to all the aussies on the board, i didn't mean to imply with a previous post that oz was an 'out of the way place'.

So where is the line between implication and plain, simple fact?

[HopCar]

Thanks for the kind words guys! Don't forget to signup for my Giveaway in the sponsors forum.

onestepcsy37, you probably do remember my father or if you're really really old, my grandfather. Thanks for your business.

[SimonV]

I just bought a Tri-metric 2025a battery monitor from a us supplier $ 142 + $60 post to Austrslia total $202. It arrives on Tuesday. The best price I could get it for from an Aus distributer was $387. A few years ago I bought the Pacific crossing guide fot $40 + $30 posted from the US here in Aus $140 rec retail. I wrote to the major book seller and was told I could not get it that cheap and to support the local suppliers.

[bony]

Originally Posted by SimonV

......... I wrote to the major book seller and was told I could not get it that cheap and to support the local suppliers.

I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing the exhorbitant price difference between here and o/seas. Aussie shoppers would be happy to support local suppliers if local local suppliers would stop shafting Aussie shoppers!

Cheers.

[lifeofreilly57]

How bout suggesting trusted, solid, square dealers to our friends in Australia? we're lucky here in the states with many trustworthy e-retailers and re-sale shops, most will ship internationally and carry all the major brands. Defender is one, I've spent more than I like to think with them but have never had a bad experience, Jamestown Distributors is another, they supply a large boat building industry in their local area as well as retail sales.
Just sayin.
Is there a way to vet inquiries from our overseas cousins? After all we are all castoffs of the damn British Empire and share some common attitudes.
I don't want to seem like I'm pushing certain vendors but I have spent large sums of money over the years and know the better and not so good vendors in the US. Doesn't need to be a bitch list, but rather list of those who have delivered good service and value, I don't need to listen to an endless gripe session, I've been burned enough myself.
Would a clearing house of information of this type be better served on another section of the site? Whats wrong with giving kudos to those more reputable suppliers to our pursuit? How bout those suppliers who ship internationally since you won't always be in a home port when that critical part breaks, UPS, DHL and Fedex ship anywhere on the surface of the planet. I've put in industrial projects all over the globe and have been able to get some odd things shipped to disparate locations, why not boat bits?

[onestepcsy37]

lifeoreilly57 - their is a subforum called 'product and service reviews' or some such thing. i guess we don't use it as much as we should or just kind of forget about it.

[bobconnie]

I use the Internet for prices on the Marine equipment I need and then I shop my local Marine stores, I find I can buy mostly for less when ya figure in the shipping costs to get lt to my boat! Folks need to use there local stores if they have them !! I mean stores like Hop Car will work with ya !!We are lucky down here in So, Louisiana, as we have a BUNCH of good marine stores and I don't include WM in these LOL

[HopCar]

Bob and Connie, thank you!
If you guys ever get to Miami, please stop in and say hello.