Shipping Back to Aero from the U.S.

[ForestForTheTrees]

problem is nobody i know of here makes this stuff, especially the way the UK manufactures do. Goodwear is the exception but the waits too long and now the cost is way too high. HB has a minimal choice range, the only place for us suckers is overseas. the best part is they are using US hides. go figure...

I would argue that Johnson Leathers is more than capable of making this stuff. But then that should come as no surprise given my past posts here.

 

[cloudylemonade]

I just got a custom vest from an outfitter here in the States that sent me the first version & misspelled my horse's name on the custom monogramming. They did not ask for the original until I received the replacement & the return shipping label was in the box with the corrected item. I took one out, placed fubar version in, taped on label. I was out a drive to the shipping counter.
Frank, I would never send back the mistake unless I had the replacement in my hand. They don't need the mistake to do the replacement. I say have them send you a return shipping label with the RIGHT version of what you have already paid for. IMHO

As I've emailed Frank, we will reimburse his shipping. I wasn't asked, and if I was of course I would have confirmed this.

However we cannot send out £600 jackets before receiving the original jacket. We're already massively out of pocket having to replace MANY MANY jackets in this whole mess, and as much as I'd love to believe every single customer is as honest as we are, we can't risk sending out jackets for free without receiving the exchange first - the scope to take advantage is way too high.

I'm sure everyone can understand that!

 

[Peter Mackin]

Yip that sounds fair...

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

Very good news. Frank's day just got a lot better!

 

[gtdean48]

As I've emailed Frank, we will reimburse his shipping. I wasn't asked, and if I was of course I would have confirmed this.

However we cannot send out £600 jackets before receiving the original jacket. We're already massively out of pocket having to replace MANY MANY jackets in this whole mess, and as much as I'd love to believe every single customer is as honest as we are, we can't risk sending out jackets for free without receiving the exchange first - the scope to take advantage is way too high.

I'm sure everyone can understand that!

Sorry but I can't since it is Aero who is righting a wrong. Aero is re-establishing credibility & reputation for having wrongfully shipped product regardless of who the agent in charge of company is or was.
You are saying you can't send out $930 jacket before receiving the original back but expect your customer to trust the company who needs to re-establish trust?
Taking Frank's position, he paid good money for a desired product, Aero sent the wrong product after a lengthy construction time, Frank now expects a replacement but has possession of the evidence. If I was in Frank's shoes, I'd be comparing the replacement to the original then sending it back. Aero already has sunk costs of both jackets & can resale the original to recoup that after the wronged customer is satisfied. Aero is rebuilding not Frank.

 

[wdw]

I suppose the point now is what reason or evidence you or anyone else has to doubt the current Aero management's word.

I have personal experience of them righting the previous wrongs (at their own expense), so would trust Holly with no hesitation.

I doubt very much if I am the only one.

 

[Sloan1874]

And let's be honest, there is also the fact that it is not the same Aero management that is righting a wrong.

 

[53Effie]

I agree with Mr. Dean for the most part. While I don't have any problem trusting Aero, I don't think Frank ought to incur any out of pocket expense at this point. Why not provide him a return shipping as was suggested? That is the procedure I have seen most often in dealing with mail order or internet purchases.

 

[gtdean48]

And let's be honest, there is also the fact that it is not the same Aero management that is righting a wrong.

Same company. Personnel issues are not a customer's concerns. Somebody made a business decision to put those former agents in a position of power & be the face of the company.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
I'm just protecting against getting fooled twice by being able to see the replacment with the original.
Ask for a credit card number & if you don't receive back the original in a reasonable time, charge it.
Realistically, how many returns are going to get sold at what price to recoup something from the mistake?
I'd risk that amount of cash flow for re-establishing the company's image & brand & customer satisfaction.

 

[wild_balls]

I suppose the point now is what reason or evidence you or anyone else has to doubt the current Aero management's word.

I have personal experience of them righting the previous wrongs (at their own expense), so would trust Holly with no hesitation.

I doubt very much if I am the only one.

You are not the only one!:wink:

 

[Sloan1874]

"Same company. Personnel issues are not a customer's concerns."

True, but those who have come in are the ones who a. made the problem public; b. offered to make good on it. To suggest that they would now decide to do the same stupid thing as the previous ones, stretches credulity - especially given the way Aero have been pretty much as open-handed as they can be about it. You may claim that this is 'just being careful', and I appreciate where you're coming from, but others might describe it as being given an inch and taking a mile.

 

[gtdean48]

"Same company. Personnel issues are not a customer's concerns."

True, but those who have come in are the ones who a. made the problem public; b. offered to make good on it. To suggest that they would now decide to do the same stupid thing as the previous ones, stretches credulity - especially given the way Aero have been pretty much as open-handed as they can be about it. You may claim that this is 'just being careful', and I appreciate where you're coming from, but others might describe it as being given an inch and taking a mile.

You had me until this "to do the same stupid thing as the previous ones". I ain't talking about substituting cow for horse but from the many posts, who can really tell unless you have them side-by-side? Everybody is on high alert & I credit Aero & Horween for coming forth. I'd hazard the impact if it had leaked out would be a great deal more damage & they are doing good damage control & mitigated risks very well.
These folks running Aero "again" are the ones that put the others in power, so I have evidence to be skeptical of their business decisions. As an officer of a company, you own the actions of every employee, past & present.
How you address their failings shows your character & heals the scars to the company's image.
This is slightly more than being careful. This is for most one of the highest clothing purchases they can make but is one of many transaction for Aero. All I'm expecting is that inch I paid for, not being asked to pay more for the inch in both time & effort as well as shipping cost just to get that inch that was sold to me. Aero should be going an extra mile to rectify these mistaken inches...

 

[wdw]

Maybe Aero made a mistake and now decide that Frank's jacket really is horse. Problem solved - no carriage fees, no waiting for another jacket and Aero can make a profit on the one they had earmarked as a replacement.

Who could tell otherwise if they change their mind? Presumably they're trusting Frank's description and/or photo, but it would make their lives very much easier if they just said that all overseas jackets were fine or simply offered the buyer the difference between the cost of steer and horse. The latter would have been by far the simplest solution.

Bet they wish they'd denied it all now and no-one would be any the wiser or have anything to moan about.

 

[Sloan1874]

Ultimately, some people will never be satisfied unless you're opening a vein for them, and that's something Aero's undoubtedly having to deal with on ongoing basis, but they have to draw the line somewhere. Wdw is absolutely right, though, they've taken the hardest route possible and there must be days when they quietly regret doing that.

 

[Boyo]

I, for one, can see both sides of the argument, Frank feels wronged, got an ill fitting jacket after waiting a long time, only for it to be made with either steer hide or a combination of. Aero and Holly, (bless her for dealing with me, but, that is another story) made up a new jacket and is willing to incur all costs for manufacturing and shipping. Tough business all around! Frank, send back the old jacket on Aero’s dime, get your new one and post up the pictures.. You deserve a great jacket and Aero deserves to get past this and to move on making great jackets.

 

[kojax]

i live in boston mass i just sent back a a-2 jacket back to japan. i used the post office cost be 60.00 dollars the jacket got back to japan in 4 days not bad

 

[Sloan1874]

+1

 

[Rudie]

Seeing how Aero handle all those crises I wouldn't have any reservations about sending the jacket back. If Holly says shipping will be reimbursed I would trust her on this. I think expecting them to dispatch a new jacket without getting hold of the allegedly fake horse jacket first is asking a bit much. Theirs is a small business and they can't afford to send out like fifty or so jackets without making sure that a) the claim for compensation is valid and b) they get hold of the other item so they can at least resell it with a loss. And who knows, maybe they even have to replace many more jackets. It's probably nearly breaking their back (read: business) the way it is. This is not Amazon or Apple who can take a hit like this as if it was nothing.

 

[frussell]

First off, the jacket was put in the mail yesterday, as requested. I received an email from Holly at 6:47 Pacific Time today in response to my query about further costs possibly forthcoming, VAT, delivery, etc.. Here's the first part: "Frank, I've never said you'll be out of pocket on this. You will get a jacket for free and if returning the jacket is too much for you to bear we'll refund your shipping costs. " Interpretation of this message seems to vary, especially the part about "too much to bear," and "free jacket." If it costs me a penny, is it free? Frank

 

[kyboots]

If you own a company it is your responsibility to maintain quality of your product or go out of business. I wear an Aero, love it; but hearing this PP customer service makes me want to go elsewhere next time. Is their quality control so bad that they do not know what batch of leather was used when the jacket was cut? I have totally missed how "experts" did not know what they were using. Someone please explain!