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Author Topic: Columbia customer service is terrible  (Read 9437 times)

bdomina

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Columbia customer service is terrible
« on: October 26, 2006, 08:04:40 AM »
I bought a columbia 3 ball roller on line and it is completely defective. The stitching is coming out in places and the main zipper is broken. I had this damn thing for less than a year. That's what I get for buying a cheap columbia product. My budget wouldn't allow me to get a phatty bag though. I guess I have no chioce now. I sent emails over a month ago with no reply. I call them today and they blew me off. they said I need to return to the company. I understand this but I did buy it off line as I do most of my gear. It is a real pain to fork out shipping and wait for 3 other companies to do the same thing. Dynothane and storm and Morich's customer service is top rate and this crappy company could take a lesson from them. I'm sure chris barnes doesn't have to deal with this.
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230-n-up-or-bust

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2006, 04:17:43 PM »
#1-Do you have the original receipt when you purchased the bag?
#2-Have you contacted the retailer where you purchased the bag?
#3-Are you aware of the warranty for this particular product?
#4-Do any of these concerns appear to be the result of neglect or misuse?
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Malaysian Chest Implosion Torture Specialist.
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Mvpbowler

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2006, 04:18:42 PM »
Deadbait you crack me up... how is he trying to screw a pro shop!?! He was simply offered a better deal by buying it online. You can buy everything and anything online now a days! So why wouldn't you?

BD I am sorry to hear that you got the run a round by Columbia. I have never personally delt with them but have heard a few stories. Hope things get straightened out and you get a new bag.
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George Palumbo
Mvpbowler300@yahoo.com
Mvpbowler@aim.com
2002 True Amateur Challenge Champion


Edited on 10/26/2006 4:14 PM
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2006, 04:22:47 PM »
BD .. I'm not taking sides here .. but .. when you received the bag about a year ago it must have been OK other wise you would have screamed. Now you have the bag for a YEAR (or close to it) and you complain about POOR WORMENSHIP (I guess) .. exactly what are you expecting the company to do?
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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O
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Mvpbowler

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2006, 04:25:32 PM »
Falco... Most companies do have warranties on their bags. Usually it is up to a year. I actually think Columbia a few years back offered something like a 2 year warranty on all their bags. Don't quote me on that one.

I guess it all boils down to how loyal do bowling ball companies want their customers to be to them?! You take care of them, they will always come back to your product!!
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George Palumbo
Mvpbowler300@yahoo.com
Mvpbowler@aim.com
2002 True Amateur Challenge Champion
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Strapper_Squared

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2006, 04:36:39 PM »
Aren't the warranties something to the effect of defects in material and/or workmanship?  Meaning if under normal conditions, the material rips from the edges, the zippers blow apart, or the plastic base cracks?  The key being under normal use...  if you are throwing it into the back of the vehicle..or pulling it up and down steps, or let the airline handle it on the way to nationals (have had many bags damaged that way), then you are S.O.L.  If however, the bag has been stored at the bowling center and wheeled across the floor to your lane and back each week for league and you find that everything is coming un-done, then you probably have a legitimate complaint here...  

S^2
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J_L_B

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2006, 07:13:55 PM »
I've sent a few of my customer's Columbia bags back to my distributor with broken handles, bad stitching or broken zippers and received full credit or a replacement in every case.

In the above case, I hope this guy has learned a valuable lesson why dealing with online retailers when it comes to damaged products can and often is a pain in the a**......
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Jon Brandon
Columbia Regional Staff 04-06
2003 PBA West Region Rookie of the Year
"You don't score, until you score......"
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J_L_B

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2006, 07:15:07 PM »
quote:
I'm sure chris barnes doesn't have to deal with this.



Oh, and you're not Chris Barnes.....
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monstercrank

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2006, 07:28:42 PM »
quote:
I'm sure chris barnes doesn't have to deal with this.

Yea, I can promise you he dosent lol. But like someone said, you arent Chris Barnes, one of the top 5 bowlers on the planet....
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"I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'" - Bob Newhart

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If guns kill people then spoons made Rosie O'Donnell fat!
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Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2006, 10:08:47 PM »
quote:
The stitching is coming out in places and the main zipper is broken. I had this damn thing for less than a year.  


Let's say it's less then a year .. I don't know if zippers are included with Warranty .. then we have the case that MAYBE it's over a year .. would damage defined be considered NORMAL WEAR and TARE? From problem description you can't tell which ZIPPER is broken or WHAT broken defines! What does STITCHING IS COMING OUT mean .. is this normal after approximately a year?

I understand companies being asked to stand behind CRACKED BALLS .. but what sounds like normal wear on a BOWLING BAG is difficult for me to think REPLACEMENT!

Guess I'm WRONG!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O
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clintdaley

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2006, 10:21:19 PM »
This is what i preach to people all the time about buying online. Not taking sides, but the way its supposed to happen is for the person to return it to the place of purchase for a refund/replacement....and that goes for balls, bags, shoes, etc. The manufacturer does not know who bought their stuff, only distributors can buy from them. And only pro shops, whether online or not, can buy from distributors.

A little story...although not quite like yours, I had a person bring me a ball they bought online since they could get it $70 cheaper...well...after shipping, drilling, finger grips, and thumb slug, they saved a whopping $10. Within 4 weeks, the ball cracked from the pin to the finger holes...and the pin was at least 3 inches from the finger holes. He brought it to me and said what are you going to do..I said nothing, He was mad, but I explained it to him like this. I had not purchased this particular ball from my dist. My dist will ONLY return items I purchase from them. so, I could not return it....so he was forced to send it back to the online site he bought it from....had to pay $10 to ship it back, then, they shipped him another one AFTER WAITING for the to determine if he should get a new ball....3 weeks later....so, now he has $200 in this ball....and he brings it to me to drill again....and I tell him, well, I am charging you X amount to drill...he was livid....BUT, I had to use more grips, my time, and another slug, etc....if it was my fault, it would have been replaced NO QUESTIONS ASKED...but he wanted to save a few bucks...and it backfired. If he would have bought from me, he could have returned the ball, and I would have offered him ANYTHING in stock and redrilled FOR NO CHARGE.....but he chose to try to save a few bucks...

If the person you bought it from refuses to refund you/replace it for you...then you have a case and go to Columbia and tell them a dist will not honor a warranty. That is a odfferent situation and should be rectified.

Clint
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Clint Daley-Owner
Lets Go Bowling Daley
Inside Hunt Club Lanes
Salem, Ohio 44460

Track Pro Shop staff
www.trackbowling.com
www.letsgobowlingdaley.com

I NOW ACCEPT ALL CREDIT CARDS, NO MORE NEED FOR PAYPAL OR MONEY ORDERS IF WE DON'T HAVE TO....JUST PM ME TO GET MY SHOP NUMBER TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION!









Edited on 10/26/2006 10:21 PM
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Stan

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2006, 10:24:56 PM »
First off, Columbia is a top notch company.  I have had numerous problems with customer bags from ALL companies.  My distributor has never had a problem replacing the bag.  Most manufacturers do not even want the bag back, they take the word of their distributor that the bag was defective.

Your problem is not with Columbia but with the retailer you purchased the bag from. This should be a lesson learned.  Buy from only reputable Pro Shops, online or off.
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Hoselrockets

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2006, 09:54:38 AM »
Ok first off Columbia has a 5 YEAR WARRENTY on our bags,  this particular situation would be covered under our 5 YEAR WARRENTY. I'm sorry to hear about your sittuation but we will stand behind our product.  We require that our warrenty's be handled from the original place of purchase.  If you are having a hard time getting this handled you can contact me at joej@columbia300.com.
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Joe Jozwik
Midwest Account Manager
Columbia 300, Inc.
www.Columbia300.com
www.Trackbowling.com
1-800-531-5920
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newguy

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #13 on: October 27, 2006, 01:29:18 PM »
The process is very simple, we honor all defective merchandise provided it is returned through the channel through which it was purchased. Example if you purchased it through a pro shop, return it to that pro shop, he in turn would return it through the distributor that he purchased it from and we would give a credit to the distributor (our customer) the distributor would replace it to the pro shop and he would replace it to you. Since you purchased it on line simply replace internet site with pro shop and if your internet guy is reputable it flows the same way. Our customer service department is not the place to go since they did not sell the bag to either you or the internet site. Our customer is the distributor. I'm certain they explained this process to you when you called.
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bdomina

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Re: Columbia customer service is terrible
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2006, 07:46:47 PM »
No. I'm not hearing this crap, screw you haters. The same thing happened to my buddies EPX piece of junk ball. If you want to slob all over the biggest bowling company in the world then go ahead. I will not. I have gotten better results from companies not even half of the size as them. They can afford it, especially if they plan on my ever buying a columbia product again. I wouldn't make a bit of difference in their business if I didn't buy them but that really isn't the point.I have had bags last twice as long as this with 100 times more "abuse". This is point blank a crappy product. And it is their cheapest too. Why don't proshop owners pay 50% more than they have to? because they aren't stupid. So why should I. Oh wait. I don't. Thanks for the email columbia guy but after this flaming I throw the damn thing in the trash where it belongs. God forbid I post my experience and opinion on a forum where it belongs.
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