Customer experiences with Aero Leather

[westinghouse]

Has it ever occurred to you that cancelled orders are a blessing in disgiuse for Aero as they are so busy?

 

[Navin323i]

I was told in February that we were on schedule for mid-February delivery. Then in March the word was that it was "in the cutting pile" and would ship at the end of the month. Then at the end of March it was supposed be shipped right after they got back from Easter break. I remain jacketless.

Things I don't like:

Paying 100% up-front when others didn't (transaction not conducted on ebay).

Watching people who ordered after me receive their jackets.

Original completion estimate was a complete fabrication.

Estimate @ allegedly 2 weeks out (when things should be predictable to within a day, barring national disasters) was laughably off the mark.

No explanation as to why dates are missed. In fact, no word whatsoever when dates go by, unless I bug Mark. Come on, it takes one minute, and it's just common courtesy to drop an e-mail to a customer telling them you aren't going to do what you said you would do when you said you would do it. And in any business I've ever been in it's really preferable that this happen before the promised day, somewhat acceptable if it happens on the day, and totally unacceptable to let weeks go by and say NOTHING - REPEATEDLY.

In my case, because my particular Aero jacket wasn't listed on eBay i contacted Mark... also I would never shell out that much money without talking to the seller first which is what I did and was then told I had the option of putting down a deposit which I did.

I understand your point about how vendors should drop emails to the customer when promised dates aren't met but the reality is that this is something rarely done (I'm talking about in general with various types of vendors). I always take it upon myself to follow up with all vendors versus waiting for them to contact me.

 

[Navin323i]

Since I sent my jacket back in December, while I have been waiting for the replacement, Mark has NEVER contacted me. I emailed him at the end of March just to inquire, and he told me "not until after Easter", but was not more specific. I don't want to bug him, it's not going to get my jacket here any faster. I'd hate for him to get irritated and cancel my order, I've waited much too long for this jacket. Plus they make such a great jacket I'm willing to wait longer. I don't want to order from any other company.

Don't think of it as you bugging him... you're not bugging anyone... you're a paying customer and you're entitled to follow up with the vendor for status updates. As far as I'm concerned he's a nice guy and I've contacted him frequently over the last few months... he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to get irritated, especially in your case where you're simply asking for a status update.

 

[pipvh]

I'm chiming in on this one a bit late but my own experiences with Aero - which were a few years ago - couldn't have been more positive. I bought an old Irvin jacket from them which didn't fit and so they took it back without a quibble. And then they copied the old one for me. I had a few long chats with Ken and we worked out all the details together. I had the impression of a small, well-run business staffed by people who really had a passion for what they were doing.

 

[univibe88]

Sean, we get that you are annoyed with the wait. Did you join here just to complain about Mark?

 

[GHQ1]

Sean, we get that you are annoyed with the wait. Did you join here just to complain about Mark?

THis thread is about Aero experiences . . .good, bad or indifferent . ..

Who cares why he joined / / / and if he joined to fill us in on his Aero experience . . .then aren't we all better off for knowing what's up?

I ordered a jacket thru Mark . . .and nine months later had nothing . . .so called Aero directly . . . .and two weeks later . . .I had a jacket . . .Not the one I ordered mind you . . .but a sorry substitute and a wholly different model . . . . If you've been "Leno'ed" by Aero then you know it's annoying . . .and if you got what you wanted . . .then you're good to go . . with no need to gripe . . .

If this were my first post . . . then yes . . .I joined to complain about Aero and their total lack of ability to get me a jacket I wanted . . .

Isn't there a common denominator here? Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.

 

[Deckburner]

'30's Half Belt...vintage brown
Ordered back in November.
Arrived Feb.
Sleeves too short, body too short.
New Jacket came this week....bbeeaaaaauuuutiful.
No doubt...if you're on the fence, just get one.
I get compliments everyday.
Well worth the wait.

 

[jimmer_5]

SwimCap, who did you place your order through?

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

And may I ask why the sleeves and body were too short?

I also wonder how it happened to 1911 Man and Ace rimmer.

How did you 3 guys come to the conclusion about the length
of the body and sleeves with Aero?

 

[SeanH]

Sean, we get that you are annoyed with the wait. Did you join here just to complain about Mark?

I joined quite awhile ago and never felt the need to post. I'm just sharing my customer experiences with Aero in the "Customer experiences with Aero" thread. That okay?

 

[SeanH]

Has it ever occurred to you that cancelled orders are a blessing in disgiuse for Aero as they are so busy?

No, that never occurred to me. I assume they do what's in their best interest, like all companies. They are continuing to take orders and deposits, are they not? If they would prefer to be less busy it's certainly within their power to make that happen.

 

[Creeping Past]

Isn't there a common denominator here? Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.

The common denominator with mistakes is that they're mistakes. It's how mistakes by manufacturers/retailers are put right that's important, not the fact that they've happened - unfortunately and for whatever reason.

What about a sense of proportion here?

I was in the habit of reading this thread because it was interesting seeing what could go wrong in the process and how I might avoid and deal with problems. But I certainly shan't bother coming here again because in my view it's degenerated into a register of complaints that would be better directed at those who can do something about it.

 

[Paden]

The common denominator with mistakes is that they're mistakes. It's how mistakes by manufacturers/retailers are put right that's important, not the fact that they've happened - unfortunately and for whatever reason.

What about a sense of proportion here?

I was in the habit of reading this thread because it was interesting seeing what could go wrong in the process and how I might avoid and deal with problems. But I certainly shan't bother coming here again because in my view it's degenerated into a register of complaints that would be better directed at those who can do something about it.

Good answer.
What about a thread" "Dealer experiences with customer"?
I am missing also the balance in that tread.

 

[SeanH]

SwimCap, who did you place your order through?

The answer to this question has a lot to do with the customer experience one will have with Aero, in my opinion. Compare SwimCap's jacket correction resolution to 1911 Man's current wait, just for example. I can think of no reasonable explanation for how differently those two situations have been handled.

 

[ukali1066]

I'm very unhappy with Aeroleather....I'm still waiting for a jacket relining that I sent them in January 2009 !!! I was told it would take 3 months...here I am more than a year later....

I've emailed and phoned a few times in that period to enquire...not excessively so to become a nuisance...but just enough...each time I was told by Amanda that a guy would call me and discuss the job....which has NEVER happened...

When I finally do get my jacket back....I will NEVER use them again....

 

[Deckburner]

SwimCap, who did you place your order through?

I emailed Amanda directly. She was awesome. I knew I had to be patient for this jacket. But it was totally worth it in my humble opinion. I LOVE THIS JACKET!!!

Why was it too short? I dont know. I gave them measurements from tailors...you can find those measurements somewhere on this forum. Amanda was awesome in fixing the problem.

I will order from them again when I get a few bucks saved up. Love their jackets...unreal.

 

[1911 Man]

Reading and commenting over the last year on this very thread, I have noticed a general pattern. If you order through Aero Scotland direct, wait times are much shorter. Again, it is a general pattern, but those who order through Aero USA are the ones that have been subject to much longer wait times.

 

[westinghouse]

All I know is that I ordered through Aero USA and was promised to have my jacket by the middle of May. If the jacket is not here by the end of May I am demanding a refund.

 

[ukali1066]

I'm in the UK and ordered from the UK....still waiting 16 months later....

I could have had two kids in that time !!

 

[Kid Mac]

1911Man,

I also noticed that pattern of longer wait times for Aero Leather USA. As Mark's website notes, "Aero Leather USA is today a separate, self sustaining entity." Does Aero USA bundle orders/shipments for economies of scale or to minimize dealings with customs -- hence longer wait times?

For the record, I order my A-2 directly from Aero Scotland last Spring when the Pound was weaker than the Dollar. Amanda estimated twelve weeks delivery time, and my jacket arrived at twelve weeks almost to the day.

Mac