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  1. #11
    Join Date
    4th November 06
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    Vancouver BC
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    Dear Sir.

    Thank you for your email, and apologies that we have not reached a solution with you as of yet. I'll see if I can help.
    The kiltmakers have checked your kilt and have confirmed to us that it has been made to the requested sizing. This however does not help you, if the fit is not to your satisfaction.
    What my colleague was trying to suggest, is that if you have found it to be too big, we would bring in the waist a few inches for you. At the end of the day, we want this kilt to fit you, and for you to be happy. We'll also cover the return shipping, as you already had to pay out to get it to us.

    My apologies for any communication breakdowns, and thank you for your continued patience.

    Kind regards,

    Stewart Robertson
    Retail Manager

    Well, this is an improvement over previous communications, but it still leaves me paying for something I do not want.

    What I ordered was very specific, yet something that has never presented a problem for any other kilt maker that I have dealt with. It isn't as if my measurements were difficult to accommodate or unusual in any way. Why does Balmoral's measurement differ?

    Even if the requisite adjustments were made, I have still paid postage to return the item, and I have still paid the customs and handling charges which are not refundable. If I accepted the offer, in addition, I would be paying ANOTHER $150.00 if it were sent by FedEx, or $110.00 if sent by regular post, because the item is still new, still coming from the manufacturer. Customs sees it as another transaction, which it is.

    Regardless of these details, I do not feel comfortable dealing with Balmoral, whoever they be. Their insistence that their "professional" measurements are correct only goes to reinforce my vote of non-confidence. If I accepted, whatever they sent to me, I would be stuck with, and I am not willing to accept the article in question, and certainly not pay anything more for it.

    I have requested a full refund, and given the circumstances, some compensation would be fair and reasonable. This has cost me an unacceptable amount of money, time, and irritation, and I am unwilling to invest in any of these to a greater extent.
    EPITAPH: Decades from now, no one will know what my bank balance looked like, it won't matter to anyone what kind of car I drove, nor will anyone care what sort of house I lived in. But the world will be a different place, because I did something so mind bafflingly eccentric that my ruins have become a tourist attraction.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    2nd October 04
    Location
    Page/Lake Powell, Arizona USA
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    Us kilt junkies soon learn there is a huge difference between dealing directly with a kiltmaker - like Steve, Rocky, Matt, and Bonnie and dealing with a middleman, jobber, wholesaler...who is going to farm out the kilt to a hopefully good, but still faceless, kiltmaker. With the information being passed through additional people there's more room for error. As mentioned, this is a sad, and all too common story with middlemen. Dealing direct with a kiltmaker avoids this risk.
    Ol' Macdonald himself, a proud son of Skye and Cape Breton Island
    Lifetime Member STA. Two time winner of Utilikiltarian of the Month.
    "I'll have a kilt please, a nice hand sewn tartan, 16 ounce Strome. Oh, and a sporran on the side, with a strap please."

  3. #13
    Join Date
    8th December 09
    Location
    Southwestern Pennsylvania
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    Oh, so sorry to hear about your dilemma. I can certainly empathize with your situation, as I had a very similar circumstance a couple years ago, but with a non XMTS advertiser. It was mentally draining. As it unfolded, after many months of aggravation, the kilt maker (jobber, middleman) finally decided to refund my money. But, I still did not get what I wanted. I ended up going to Bonnie Heather Greene for that kilt. What a good choice that was. And, I did receive a nice kilt from another Scottish Vendor. As far as I'm concerned, in the future, if I want a kilt, I will be hesitant to look to Scottish companies. Now, they're not all bad, but once taken, then you become gun-shy. I'll be more willing, now, to deal with Rocky and most other US vendors. Just my two cents!

    Anyway, whatever happens, I hope you can get over the mental strain, and I hope they refund the money!!!.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    19th August 13
    Location
    Campbelltown NSW Australia
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    Gryphon noir, I hope that you get this matter resolved in a way that is to your satisfaction.
    On an extra note, others have commented that they would hesitate to use Scottish companies and I just wanted to add my story. I purchased a very nice Douglas Modern Blue from "Simply Scotland" it is a budget Kilt but I must say their product, service and delivery were excellent. I was worried about purchasing something from a company over 16000 kilometres away (10400 miles) but now I would recommend them to anyone. I know they are not an XMTS supplier but I just had to recommend them. Mick

  5. #15
    Join Date
    4th November 06
    Location
    Vancouver BC
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    All of the kilts I currently own are the products of dealing directly with the kilt maker.

    Unfortunately, Scotweb encourages the impression of being a small business, but clearly this company has grown beyond being able to provide any sort of genuine personal service. As Riverkilt pointed out, I'm most likely dealing with a jobber under Scotweb's umbrella.

    I seldom say "never" but I cannot imagine ever dealing with this company again. Even if I only get a refund, I've still been ripped off. While they have all but admitted that the buckles were not correctly positioned, I doubt that I will ever see any compensation for my expenses. I can forgive a lot of things, but apologies come far too late for Scotweb to be a company worthy of my business.
    EPITAPH: Decades from now, no one will know what my bank balance looked like, it won't matter to anyone what kind of car I drove, nor will anyone care what sort of house I lived in. But the world will be a different place, because I did something so mind bafflingly eccentric that my ruins have become a tourist attraction.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    3rd July 13
    Location
    Melbourne Victoria Australia
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scottweb
    Dear Sir.

    Thank you for your email, and apologies that we have not reached a solution with you as of yet. I'll see if I can help.
    The kiltmakers have checked your kilt and have confirmed to us that it has been made to the requested sizing. This however does not help you, if the fit is not to your satisfaction.
    What my colleague was trying to suggest, is that if you have found it to be too big, we would bring in the waist a few inches for you. At the end of the day, we want this kilt to fit you, and for you to be happy. We'll also cover the return shipping, as you already had to pay out to get it to us.

    My apologies for any communication breakdowns, and thank you for your continued patience.

    Kind regards,

    Stewart Robertson
    Retail Manager
    Quote Originally Posted by Gryphon noir View Post
    Well, this is an improvement over previous communications, but it still leaves me paying for something I do not want.

    What I ordered was very specific, yet something that has never presented a problem for any other kilt maker that I have dealt with. It isn't as if my measurements were difficult to accommodate or unusual in any way. Why does Balmoral's measurement differ?

    Even if the requisite adjustments were made, I have still paid postage to return the item, and I have still paid the customs and handling charges which are not refundable. If I accepted the offer, in addition, I would be paying ANOTHER $150.00 if it were sent by FedEx, or $110.00 if sent by regular post, because the item is still new, still coming from the manufacturer. Customs sees it as another transaction, which it is.

    Regardless of these details, I do not feel comfortable dealing with Balmoral, whoever they be. Their insistence that their "professional" measurements are correct only goes to reinforce my vote of non-confidence. If I accepted, whatever they sent to me, I would be stuck with, and I am not willing to accept the article in question, and certainly not pay anything more for it.

    I have requested a full refund, and given the circumstances, some compensation would be fair and reasonable. This has cost me an unacceptable amount of money, time, and irritation, and I am unwilling to invest in any of these to a greater extent.


    Just a couple of comments here,

    1) I have one of their Balmoral kilts and I like it a lot - though mine is in Dalglish tartan and may have been made by Dalglish

    2) With respect to the delay, one of the things that I discovered this year is that the tartan mills do not keep a huge stock and that they shut down for a period in Scottish Summer

    3) Point 2 having been made, they should have been aware of the difficulty in sourcing your tartan and let you know sooner

    4) And the fit of my kilt is exactly what I wanted/ordered

    5) I wonder a bit about sizing generally -- I have some cargo pants from Land's End that consistently run about 2" too big - I suspect that they're trying to compensate for people
    underestimating/"sucking their gut in" when measuring. Is the sizing difference in that range?

    6) CYA responses such as "Our professional measurement confirmed that the sizing was correct" is often what happens when customer service goes bad.

    On another note, they did say that they'd pay for the return postage. I suppose that I'm lucky in Australia, since we have a "duty-free threshold" that must be exceeded before we have to pay, but surely Canada isn't so "hard up" that they wouldn't listen to reason, i.e. you could present the documentation showing the initial shipment and the return shipment.
    Last edited by Aussie_Don; 7th November 13 at 09:08 PM.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    6th July 07
    Location
    The Highlands,Scotland.
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    I have no dog in this fight, but there are questions that I would need answering before I could even think of forming a view one way or the other. Whilst I do fully understand the need to inform members of good and bad service of a particular merchant, nevertheless we must be sailing very close to "trial by internet" here with reputations undoubtedly at stake. Not something I wish to be involved with.

    However, I do pose this question to both parties. If the measurements of X+Y+Z were given by the customer to the kiltmaker and the kiltmaker implies, at the very least, that the kilt in question was made to the X+Y+Z measurements, why is it that the kilt does not fit?

    A whole heap of obvious and pertinent questions follow on from this and perhaps both parties might like to consider them quietly and away from public view?
    Last edited by Jock Scot; 7th November 13 at 09:57 PM.
    " Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the adherence of idle minds and minor tyrants". Field Marshal Lord Slim.

  8. The Following 4 Users say 'Aye' to Jock Scot For This Useful Post:


  9. #18
    Join Date
    27th June 11
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    I'll be honest....for my own experiences in the past with companies....the biggest factor in if I'm going to return or not, is communication. I'm waiting a kilt from one of the better known xmarks companies myself....I'll leave his name alone at the moment, but.....I'll shoot said individual an e-mail....and I'm lucky if I get a single response within 3 weeks.....if at all. I know that this person has a very good reputation on this site, however...this will probably be my last purchase from them because of the lack of comunication alone. I'ts just very tiring when you are attempting to have questions answered and they seem to be going upon deaf ears.....or intentionally ignored.
    In short......I feel your pain.
    "REMEMBER!"

  10. #19
    Join Date
    8th February 04
    Location
    3389 Schuylkill Rd, Spring City, PA 19475
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    I am not defending nor "piling on" about any comments for / against Scotweb. I would only state 2 things:

    1. Different kiltmakers measure different ways. The company Scotweb is using may take the measurement on the TIGHTEST setting of the straps and pull the tape measure tight when they measure.

    2. Gryphon - To save any more aggravation, if the kilt is just 2" or 3" too loose, why not take it to a local tailor / dry cleaner with tailoring service and have them move the buckles on the right and the 1 strap on the left? That would cost roughly $20 and take 2 or 3 days. Done and dusted. No more shipping, no more customs, no more communications. Kilt would fit and you can close this chapter.

  11. The Following User Says 'Aye' to RockyR For This Useful Post:


  12. #20
    Join Date
    23rd September 09
    Location
    Vassalboro, Maine
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    I had an idea who it was reading the first page when he stated that he had to pay an unexpected and extra $151.40.
    I have heard this is common from Scotweb.
    Do they quote people the full price and then charge the customer less (them thinking they got a better deal) and then the rest is owed to FedEx or DHL?
    Or is it a tax that happens sometimes? and I know this might be what was a big thread long ago. I guess i am just asking if it always happens at scotweb?
    Humor, is chaos; remembered in tranquillity- James Thurber

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