Marine Depot has poor service and return policy!!

[Bergovoy]

I bought over five hundred dollars worth of stuff back in December of last year (2006). Of which one of hte items was a new DANNER MAg24 pump!

I just got around to installing the pump about 3+ weeks ago, and was surprised to hear how loud it was. I enquired online about the pump and the noise level, and was told that Danner Pumps especially the 24 is loud. So, I did not think much of it.

So, after a month goes by, I decide to take the pump offline, to my lfs and they plugged it in and within a milli-second said that the pump is broken / defective.

I called Marine Depot instantly, (it was after hours), and described the problem and left a message for them to return my call asap

I also sent an email, again describing the problem, the issue of how critical this component is to my tank, and again for them to call me. (and if possible, make arrangements for me to get a different pump from a different mfg if possible as I dont trust Danner anymore)

I did nto get a phone call, and thought I should wait a little bit , as I am sure that I may not be the most important case they have this AM, but after 2+hours, I was able to check my email to find a reply that they are deferring this case to the manufacturer, Danner Mag Pumps, and they gave me the telephone number to them

After I spoke with Danner and they agreed that the pump was defective, adn they will send me a new one, (but I missed the cut-off for shipping it out today), I will more then likely recieve the pump on Friday.

My comments regarding MarineDepot are going to focus on two things, first off, why they did not handle this return with the means available to them in a timely manner, (they did not return my phone call and give me directions to contact the mfg)

And then how they have a policy that overides any sense of urgency or any actualy urgency that may exist due to faulty and defective equipment that they sold.

Because they did not return my phone call, or my emailed directions to call me, I lost out on the opportunity to have the manufacturer send out the replacement pump in todays mailing and shippings. It will be sent out tomorrow. Losing a day, is not condusive to keeping my livestock alive when we are talking about a defective pump.

They have a policy of not dealing with or handling any issues that arrive after thirty days.

Certainly that seems straight forward enough, but realistically, this pump is actually less then thirty days old, (from the time I first used it). And due to confusion of my hearing that Danner Mag24 pumps having a history of being loud, I failed to act sooner.

I chose MarineDepot because of it's reputation of dealing with customer service issues in a timely manner, and that MD is local, and if need be, I could drive down there to either buy new stuff or deal with problems like I am having now.

Thier inability to understand the nature of this problem, or thier ability to have resolved this, (if they choose to), to mitigate any potential problems due to not having a sufficient pump operating my tank and not doing so, makes it hard for me to make any reccomendation to anyone thinking about using them or buying anything from them.

Thier customer service rep, used stock off the cuff replies such as "Marine Depot Goes out of thier way to resolve customer service issues". And when I requested that he explain or detail ONE thing that MD did in this case that was 'Out of thier way', he was at a loss of words for a bit.

If a company is going to have a namesake for marine life, and then choose to defer issues like this, where tank life is at risk, when it would have been stupid simple to just offer me an exchange, a replacement or store credit for another pump and be done with it. People should know that not everything at md.com is roses.

That marinedepot can pick and choose which items they will deal with and which ones the customer is on thier own lends itself to being unfair, and more importantly uncaring when they do choose to not help and to rest on policy.

Certainly, I can understand the resting on policy issues, but not if you are going to maintain the steller reputation that they seem to want, and what actually drove me to use them.

If other people know that MD is not all that, and that they are no better then other companies, and that there is really no advantage to use them, especially if many other companies have price match, the reasons to use them become non existant.

Marind Depot.com is off my favorite list, and hopefully if others learn that they too will experience the same poor service they will take it off thier favorite list too.

bill

 

[MarineDepot]

Thank you for your email and posts on RC, first of all.. I do want to apologize for the situation you are in and how you feel about it. We do our best to satisfy each and every customer.

As our policy states, we can only exchange items that are in with in the 30 days from the original purchase date. You made your purchase on December 9th as you stated in your email.
On your packing slip it also states to inspect your order when you receive it, we give 72 hours to do this from the time you receive your order. If and when an item becomes defective after the 30 day period the warranty is handled solely by the manufacturer, which you were directed to by one of our representatives since the pump was purchased over 2 months ago from today’s date. The last update I have is that one of our representatives contacted Danner and the manufacturer said it has been taken care of for you. Bill please keep in mind that this pump has a 2year manufacturers warranty that has been taken care for you by Danner. I do apologize that you did not receive call from us as you stated, I would also apologize that you feel that we have not met your customer service expectations

Walter F
Marine Depot Customer Services
714.385.0080 Phone
714.385.0180 Fax
www.MarineDepot.com

 

[Bergovoy]

Your policy does not state you can ONLY exchange items that are ....

You have the latitude to do whatever may be in your best interest.

I do not believe that your representative acted in your best interest.

As I stated in my last email, you (marinedepot) was in a situation that you could have corrected for zero cost. And your choice to not do so, leaves you with a customer relations situation that will cost you at least, my business in the future.

I certainly understand the reason for the policy in question, but those reasons do not apply nor are they representative of any potential abuse by me or other buyers.

This item failed from day one, yet it is my burden because I purchased this prior to the time I could set it up and test it.
Maybe I should wait until the day before I need something before I buy it next time.

I am also burdened by the issue that this product (the mag24) has a history of being loud). And to avoid the arbitrary nature that you reminded me of when I originally submitted this claim, I went online here at RC to find out if the noise was in fact due to the basic nature of the pump, or if in fact there was something wrong with it.

And with the overwhelming comments that I got back that confirmed that this equipment is notoriously loud, I left it in place, until I had the opportunity to take it offline, to clean and service it, and have it checked out by someone with some expertise in thse pumps, i.e. my lfs.

Immediatly upon confirming that the pump is in fact broken/defective, and with your ability to search for my name, and mag24 on these forums, you could confirm that I have had this problem from day one, ant that I did attemp to resolve this without putting the burden onto you unncessarily, and that this not a case of abuse, in that I did not misuse, or negligently do something to the pump while in the normal use of it, then try to get something for nothing from you.

Again, you had the opportunity to resolve this, and be able to say with ligitimacy that you, Marine Depot, has gone out the way to resolve this issue.

And by your not doing so, and not going out of your way, you burden me with the potential for livestock damage / death, as I have to wait for a manufacturer to send me a replacment.

And as I stated in my original communications to marinedepot, both in writing and via voice mail, I requested that someone from MD contact me via telephone, as this was a matter of urgency and that time was of the essence.

But yet, that was ignored, until I had to conact you several hours after you opened for business.

Along with off the cuff comments from your csr about how MD is mainly an online company that usually responds to issues via email and not telephone, and how MD goes out of its way to resolve customer service issues, only confirms that md is more concerned with sound bites, and marketing ploys, rather then actual resolutions.

So, again, your decision to not go out of your way, to replace a defective item that was sold by your company, and your decision to forward the information via a slow boat rather then handle it with the urgency it needed, shows me, that you are not worthy of holding a namesake relating your company to marine matters.

Obviously, Danner Mag pumps lost me as a customer from the get go, now you lost me as a customre from your decisions to not aid or assist in this resolution.

Good day.

Bill

 

[lat0403]

The only thing I can see wrong with anything they did is not call you instead of emailing you. But maybe instead of calling AND emailing, you should've just left it at a call. You can't seriously expect them to honor the date you opened it instead of the date you bought it. Who does that? It's not their fault you waited so long.

 

[Jeff]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9291993#post9291993 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lat0403
The only thing I can see wrong with anything they did is not call you instead of emailing you. But maybe instead of calling AND emailing, you should've just left it at a call. You can't seriously expect them to honor the date you opened it instead of the date you bought it. Who does that? It's not their fault you waited so long.

Well said.
I have used them in the past and will continue to regardless of your attempted bashing. Read and obey the rules. I tell this to my daughter all the time

 

[Bergovoy]

Oh i do read and obey the rules, the issue is really one of rule bending to preser4ve customer satisfaction. Unless you are going to tell me they NEVER bend the rules. And if that is the case, then absolutely, rules are rules, no exceptions ever never.

But with the situation as was, they were in a place where they knew they sold a defective product, they could at no cost get it returned to the mfg, or replced or howver they work it out at ZERO cost.

So, for no money and no cost, they could have not only maintained a customer satisfraction record above reproach, but avoided potential loss of sea life if I would not have been able to get a replacement pump.

Clearly, if your main pump or heater or other life support system failed, out of the box, on the thirty first day,one day after the rules expired for your easy replacement, and you were forced to either lose marine life, go out of pocket a couple hundred dollars for a tmproary fix, knowing that you would get a replacement and then have duplicate equipment, (for the next time you have the same failure), you may sing a different tune.

You have to also know, that I am less then a half hour drive to thier shop, and offered to come down and pick up a replacement pump and mitigate shipping costs.


I also offered to jsut have them keep the pump, and offer me store credit so i could get a different pump.


And as for reading rules, I read the rules for this board, and I believe that my posts here are within the guidlines and if you wish to consider my relating my experiences with MD in this forum specifically set aside for MD issues as BASHING then so be it.

Certainly the only one capable of preventing this type of reference from being published would be md, and thier actions, whether it is just thier failure to return my call or for the main issue of not taking back a defective product when they had the opportunity.

It should also be known, that I placed another order with them today, for a different pump, which they had to price match to Drsfostersmith.co for a quiet one 6000.

MD was selling thta pump for almost $150, while drsfostersmith.com was selling it for less then $90. I had no problem in giving the that business, especially if it costs them money.

How is that for reading the rules and following them. Thanks MD not only did you match the price, but no tax,, quicker delivery, and a whole $7 shipping charge. whoo hoo.

Gloat at someone elses expense, for the aggravation they caused (or rather that they could have prevented)

And if I was a real a hole, I would publish the links to the sites to make it easy for someone to do this.

Bill

 

[Jeff]

I am not sure why you feel that they should do you a special favor and break their rules. I am also not sure why you would order another item from them at a higher price then another online store.

If you think that a company like Marine Depot reads hastily typed, mispelled, long winded ravings and actually at that point would consider intervening with some above and beyond rule breaking interventions to please such a customer...then you have deeper personality problems then you presented in your very long winded messages.

 

[Bergovoy]

Personal attacks do not do you or me any good. I dont care what MD does or doesnt do now. Teh pump has been replced by Danner, they had the decency to recognize theurgency of the situation and sent out the replcement even prior to my sending them the defective pump.

And whether a company does or doesnt take care of me,or any customer for that matter is up to the company, and as would be expected, should they do so, not int eh customers favor, they take the risk recieving complants, comments, or bad references to whatver means the individual customer chooses to go.

And as you and others choose to keep this thread on top is up to you as well.

Bottom line, there is a reason there is a well known saying that I am positive you not only have heard, but used for when you believe you were not treated as you expected, (unless of course you live in the plastic surreal life where everyhing you want you get), and that saying is, (Are you ready now??? Long winded enough for your????)....



Teh customer is always right!

And when the customer is wrong,l the company can choose to take care of the customer or not, and if they dont, this is what they should expect.

AS for the last purchase to MD which yo dont seem to understand, MD matches the lowest advertised prices of thier competitors fo rthe same products, so in other words, MD would have liked to have gotten almost $150 for this new pump that I bought, but instead, they had to sell it to me for less then $90. I got the better deal, and maybe it cost md some money in the deal...

Compensation for services not recieved...

 

[Jeff]

"Teh customer is always right"

Not even close to the truth as you have shown. No one believes that.
You sure showed them.....by giving them more of your money.

 

[Bergovoy]

yup I gave them $90 for something they wanted $150, damn near 40% discount, and hoepfully less then what theypaid for it.

But, I think the humor hereis that I started this thread seven days ago, and thanks to lat0403, you have kept this on top all day.

Thanks


Bill

 

[lat0403]

Most people would take their business to the place with the cheapest prices. Even with them price matching, you still gave them your business. You can say they didn't make as much money as they would've, but it's not really true. They wouldn't have sold it at all. Selling a product below their marked price is better than having inventory sitting on the shelf. Nice job.

Also, the customer is NOT always right.

I once bought a printer and let it sit in the box for 3 months before finally getting around to hooking it up. When I opened it, it was broken. Their fault? No, it was mine. If I had opened it the day I bought it, I wouldn't have a broken printer today. I did rig it with a paper clip, so it works fine, but that's not the point.

 

[Jeff]

This thread is like a Jerry Springer Show.
I am quite sure that Walter at Marine Depot is having a good laugh. We are

 

[Bergovoy]

A printer does not support life. Whereas the pump I bought from a company with the word marine did support life.

And I did not let it sit for three months, I let it sit for one month, and I did ask about the noise level of this pump, and was told it is usually loud, otherwise I would have made issue of it immediately, but did not want to burden the retailer witha claim of something as insgnificant as an arbitrary issue of noise. (what is too loud?)

Should not have considered the retailer and stuck with the customer satisfaction issue of just not happy, that way they could hva gottentht used pump basck, they would have repackaged it, and sold it someone else, and created a ripple affect that would have cost them more money.

And a company like this does not have too much in inventory, and selling for less is far worse then not selling, otherwise when time comes for inventory, they would trash stuff to avoid having to count it.

But thanks again, you guys will make this thread on top for two days in a row. congrats, (cant let it die away, I am sure md loves it, having thier name on top with bad service next to it and all)...

 

[Jeff]

HAHA

This is getting fun following this thread and the rantings. None of that last message made sense. It is getting harder to understand him with all of the spelling errors, grammer errors and broken sentances. Fun none the less...

Here is another bump for you to the top of a sub-forum that no one reads.

 

[Bergovoy]

just noticed you are or claim to be a fireman? that isthe joke of the centruy my freind, for you singlehandedly are giving the great reputation and respect deserved to fireman a bad name.

Hows about you grow up, post somethng that relates or is conducive to a conversation, rather than trying to be antagonistic. for there is nothing you could say in this forum that would make a difference to me, or my opinion or position with this terrible company.

You are free to make opinions about me, about others,about businesses, just as I am.

Your incessant attempts to critique my spelling, typing or grammer, matter not to me, as I dont proclaim to be decent in any of those matters.

It is you that professes to be a fireman, that shows the mentalitiy of a grade school bully, which I might add, is a failed attempt.

So, gather up your humility, drop this thread, and go rescue something and try to gain the respect from those that surround you to pump up your ego.

Bill

 

[Bergovoy]

And so that the point fo this thread is not lost in the drabble of yourcontinued huarranging,

Any company , pro person for the matter, that can do something for someone, either thier customer, or thier neighbor, that does not cost them anything, should do so.

For in that effort, they lose nothing, but gain everything.

If they choose to not do something, or make matters right, they should expect feedback or complaints.

It is truley that simple.

What I asked for would not have cost this company a dime and would have generated mountains of reccomendations and refferrals, instead, they dropped the ball in communications, became defensive about that, and then rested thier case in support of a csr that could not read or understand what was asked of him.

They keep an employee that could not understand a simple voice mail message to return a phone call and lose at least one customer.

Simple issues simple resolutions, difficult personalities. (incl those that banter incessantly on this thread without adding anything to the discussion)

Bill

 

[BlueCorn]

This is done.

Bill - your last statement should include some personal reflection as well. It takes more than one person to have an argument.