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  1. #21
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    1st February 12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tartan Tess View Post
    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?
    Since no vendor gets any of the cash that a courier might have to collect for customs/import duty, I doubt there would be any such motivation to get "a piece of that action." That being said, I know that FedEx is relentless for seeing to it that any applicable customs fees are charged to the customer. DHL, on the other hand, has never slapped me for import duties. Yeah, I know... everyone will remind us that Royal Mail doesn't charge. But they are far more restrictive in the dimensions and weights that they will handle, they don't offer tracking numbers, and they cant give you three-day delivery to the U.S.

    I always advise buyers to budget for those expenses regardless of the courier service used. Then if you don't get hit, you can enjoy the saved cash... but if you do, you can remind yourself that you knew going in that you could get charged, and will have budgeted accordingly.

    And if a U.S. buyer of UK-made goods is thinking he's getting shafted when "the tax man cometh" at the border, remember that even with import duties, you are likely paying LESS than what a customer IN THE UK would pay, for that same product, from the same vendor. Companies like Scotweb do NOT charge US customers the UK VAT (Value Added Tax) that applies to all purchases in the UK. The VAT is 20%, in the UK. So a kilt sold to an American for $500/£312 will cost a UK customer $600/£375.
    KEN CORMACK
    Clan Buchanan
    U.S. Coast Guard, Retired
    Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, USA

  2. The Following User Says 'Aye' to unixken For This Useful Post:


  3. #22
    Join Date
    4th November 06
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    Vancouver BC
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    After all this hassle, I really don't want this kilt, but I realize that the only way I could mitigate the costs incurred in this fiasco would be to sell it if I still don't like it. I am not overly optimistic about this, but let's just see what the supplier will do.

    Hello Stewart:

    Rebuilding confidence in your company will take some time--and purchases of lesser value.

    A kilt represents a long term commitment, not something most people buy on a whim. It is not a costume, but a very personal garment which simply has to be right.

    I expect from any supplier a level of quality equal to any kilt I currently own, or I would never bother ordering it in the first place: if I don't think a company is able to deliver, I don't waste my time or theirs.

    I still feel that a full refund is the most appropriate response.
    However, after considering comments from others in the kilted community, I will reluctantly give you the chance to adjust the "professional" measurement.

    Make whatever adjustments you see fit, but NOT A PENNY MORE will I put toward this, not in any form whatsoever.
    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.

  4. #23
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    15th February 12
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    Gryphon noir ,

    Have you tried sending a PM to Nick , he is the owner of Scotweb ( and a member here ) and he often suggests that people PM him with such problems .

    I have ordered from them in the past and have been quite pleased including a Balmoral category kilt .

    This whole thing seems perplexing . It is quite obvious that you know kilts and that you are NOT a newbie to ordering kilts as you have at least five kilts from some of the best kiltmakers here with no problem .

    Therefore , you definitely know how to measure for your kilt !

    Also , given your location , I would guess that you didn't drive all over North America to get your previous kilts personally measured by the various kiltmakers , once again , you know what you are doing and you know how to measure for your kilt .

    I am not trying to defend Scotweb , they can defend themselves . My experience with them has been very good but your experience has not been good . I would offer that you PM Nick . I hope you get this resolved ... these situations are uncomfortable for everyone ... both kiltmaker and customer . I can also understand saying " just forget it ' I want my money back .

    Best to ya , Mike
    Mike Montgomery
    Clan Montgomery Society , International

  5. #24
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    4th November 06
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    I appreciate your comments, Mike.

    True, I am far from being a newbie, and I have a pretty good idea of what one should reasonably expect. My kilts come from Canada, U.S.A., Scotland and France--and though some kilt makers have methods peculiar to them, I have never had a problem with fitting.
    Yes, I have sent an email to Nick, but no reply has been forthcoming.

    Really, I don't want the kilt, but I acknowledge that some people here seem to think I am being too hard on Scotweb. Out of respect for members of this community, I will reluctantly give Scotweb the benefit of the doubt, but I still don't think they have earned it--especially with the repeated references to measuring the kilt and finding it to be correct--that is disrespectful and inappropriate.

    I would like to think that Scotweb will make good of this situation, and send me a kilt that comes closer to my expectations. I can only hope that this fiasco will serve as a wake-up call to Scotweb to seriously review their customer service standards.
    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. #25
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    15th February 12
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    Gryphon noir ,

    I don't think you are being too hard on Scotweb . You have a proven track record that you know how to order a kilt .

    Scotweb uses various kiltmakers as their sub-contractors and generally they are vey good ... but ... this can lead to an apprentice somewhere in the mix getting it wrong .

    Given your experience with ordering many other kilts from very reputable kiltmakers with no problems , I would think that Scotweb would wish to resolve this as painless as possible . I understand that they probably get many people who get their sizing wrong , but you are not one of those people .

    In my humble opinion , they should have quickly addressed this and avoided the issue being brought to the XMarks forum .

    At this stage in the game , they should just refund you ( given all you went thru , beginning , middle and end ... and costs ). I know that's hard to do for any small ,medium or large size company in the market of kiltmaking , but sometimes it's the best thing to do .
    Mike Montgomery
    Clan Montgomery Society , International

  7. #26
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    4th November 06
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    KILT BY BALMORAL?

    I received the kilt [again] today.

    There is a question mark after the heading for a good reason. Marketed by Scotweb under the name Balmoral, the tag attached reads "Glenisla Kilts." Who made it? Who knows? Whatever the answer to that mystery, the kilt now measures 38" at the waist, and it could go even a bit tighter.

    The kilt itself is well made as far as I can see. The steeking is smooth, the lining is well done, the fabric has a pleasant feel to it. This kilt would have been a good deal at (aprox.) $460.00, money well spent.

    My only negative criticism about the kilt itself is that given the weight of the material (13 oz.), a deeper reverse pleat would have improved the overall appearance. While the use of the fabric is perhaps not optimal, the finish of the garment is comparable to the kilts already in my closet.

    Will I wear it? Probably not. Fortunately it is not in a tartan fabric, so it doesn't have that sort of a hold on me; it is just that given the very negative purchasing experience, it is hard to be enthusiastic about this garment. Total cost for me was about $668.00 Cdn. That makes it a rather mediochre deal for me, and were I to sell it, I probably wouldn't get the $460.00 out of it.

    My conclusion?
    Scotweb has developed a good product line, but has grown enough as a company that it is not able to co-ordinate among their various suppliers. If things go well, an order with Scotweb can be a really good deal. If not, it can cost weeks of frustration, and can cost the customer a lot of money out of pocket. In my case, I think the minimum that Scotweb should have offered is remuneration of my cost to return the garment, which they have not done.

    I really hope that Scotweb can get its act together. A review of customer relations is in order: the sort of failure I experienced could be the death of any business.
    Scotweb is the sort of company many of us really want to like: the website is great, Nick is very personable, and I'm sure most of us are rooting for anyone who would keep a historic weaving mill [D.C. Dalgliesh] alive.

    But it isn't enough to have noble intentions. It isn't enough to have a good product. You have to be able to guarantee quality, consistency and excellent customer relations, if you want repeat business.

    Do I have high expectations? Yes, but these have been met and exceeded by all of the other X Marks Partners I have dealt with. Have they raised the bar? Yes, I think they have, but I don't think that is unreasonable.

    I'm throwing out a challenge to Scotweb. Convince me to do business with you. I will be watching.
    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.

  8. #27
    Join Date
    25th November 10
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    I think that that is where they go wrong. Customer service. In my own two shopping experiences with them it was like night and day.

    The first experience, no problems. Happy camper.

    Second experience, problems. Difficulty in communicating with them. It was hard even to get a reply to any emails. The problem was eventually resolved but no commercial gesture or apology was forthcoming and the whole affair left a bad taste.

    There will not be a third experience soley because there might be a problem and if there was a problem, then it would be a hassle to sort it out. I don't want or need hassle.

    It is a shame to say something like that about a company that, like you say, has made us want to like them (for all the reasons you stated), do the totality of their business over the internet and, unfortunately, fall way short in the customer relations departement.

  9. #28
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    3rd July 13
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    I also have a "Balmoral" kilt, though, given that it is Dalglish
    MacGregor Reproduction tartan, there is a fair chance that it
    may have been made by one of Dalglish's kiltmakers.

    It is probably my favourite kilt (out of 6) - the fit is spot on-
    well a little large - but I lost weight between the order and
    delivery, so my fault. But the construction and detail are
    great.

    Though a note to Scotweb: I might have thought twice had
    I been aware of the variation in customer experience.

    The main point for me was getting an affordable kilt in the
    MacGregor Reproduction colour palette since I really, really
    like the look of the tartan, and probably couldn't afford to
    splash out on a fully hand stitched kilt.

    YMMV, etc.

    -Don

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