Fluxeon Annie Annealer Delivery Issues

[20PPC]

I'm sure I'm not the only one having to deal with this issue. Fluxeon Annie annealer is about as bad as it gets.
I ordered their annealer back in the 3rd week of Feb. I tried to pay for a annealer through the websight and it had multiple issues taking our card but after multiple phone calls and 2 days it finally was taken care of.
The estimated time for delivery was 6 weeks, after 10 weeks we contacted them and was told " because of Covid no help no employees Yada, Yada it would be a couple more weeks.
4 weeks later we receive an email stating your moving up on the list it will be 2 more weeks.
Finally on July 7th we receive an email it is ready to ship and here is your tracking number. " Great we will finally receive it".
Wed. the 21st still not shipped according the tracking number.
Contact them that day and are assured 100 % it will ship that day.
Just checked again and still not shipped, at what point is enough, enough !
Having waited this long I hate to cancel but am ready to go back to my Benchsource because of all the BS dealing with this company.
Rant over !

 

[Chiquita]

If you are relatively handy you can make your own induction heater/annealer. very easy and I can help you.

There is lack of raw material and I understand, but when a date is promised and not fulfilled, that is the frustrating part.

 

[miningshawn]

I can empathize. This last couple of years has been extremely frustrating, and it doesn't look like it is going to clear up anytime soon. I have had to switch vendors on more than one occasion and I also have big projects on hold.
I haven't gone so far as to call any of them out, but I wish somebody had before I ordered - it would have saved months of frustration.
There are so many core issues - low employee count, environmental (fire, flood, etc...), legal, shipping, the list goes on. The biggest problem; however, is vendors once-promising and under- delivering.
My order may be small in comparison to a contract but that doesn't mean I won't leave a bad review or a complaint with the BBB - Both of which I believe that you should.

 

[jelenko]

For me, a big consideration is whether there are alternatives. If no alternative and you want/need it, wait.

If there were an alternative, I would have cancelled a long time ago.

 

[Rick300]

I ordered on Feb. 5th and I am at the same stage - waiting on shipping. Supposedly there was a circuit board issue and they are fixing it. At this point I figured I would just wait it out.

 

[Knotwild]

These days I don't order anything without researching to find out where the vendor is located and assessing my chances of making payment and receiving the product in a timely fashion.

 

[PatMiles]

You might want to look a bit down the road and ask yourself, "what can I expect if I need after the sale service?"

 

[20PPC]

You might want to look a bit down the road and ask yourself, "what can I expect if I need after the sale service?"

@PatMiles exactly what I was thinking.
If this is the best I can expect before delivery I can only imagine what it would be like afterwards if there were any issues.

 

[Gun Smith]

Had the same experience with them. Delay, delay, then no communication. Gave up and put a stop on the CCard. Then miraculously I got an email saying it was ready to ship, and offering a discount if I'd reconsider and take it. No thanks.

 

[BlueWater]

It's a "new normal" I won't deal with, myself. On rare occasions, my caution and double-checks beforehand don't pan out, and a company does "the dance." Only once. Then they're off the list, for me.

Integrity is a valuable thing. If a company isn't going to do what they say, instead finding excuse after excuse, then that integrity's "burned" down. Can't imagine how they continue to do business, once setting fire to all of those bridges.

JMO

 

[DngBat7]

The new normal, Blame it on CV19. Heard that way too often. Just my two cents Tommy Mc.

I will say this completely neutral. My wife works for a electrical/mechanical product design company. They have some huge clients they do manufacturing for. Her company can’t get crap. Microchips, boards, now aluminum is in a shortage. Seems all components are in a shortage. They are having to pay 4 times as much from random vendors around the world just to fulfill their PO’s. I do say all this to say it’s still not an excuse for Annie They need to be honest if they cannot fill their orders or about the actual wait time. To bad, the Annie annealer is a good product. My state is also having hard time getting people to work, because lots of people are getting monthly checks now and don’t want to work. A lot Employers are giving 1000. Sign on bonuses just trying to find employees.

 

[BlueWater]

I will say this completely neutral. My wife is an operations manager for a electrical/mechanical product design company. They have some huge clients we all know the names. Her company can’t get crap. Microchips, boards, now aluminum is in a shortage. Seems all components are in a shortage. They are having to pay 4 times as much from random vendors around the world just to fulfill their PO’s. I do say all this to say it’s still not an excuse. They need to be honest if they cannot fill their orders or about the actual wait time. To bad, it’s a good product.

The distinction is, though, as you say: being honest about it.

It's the "dance" that gets done by far too many organizations ... that I can't abide. I don't mind placing a "backorder" for an item I'm looking for. So long as commitments don't get made that get perpetually broken.

For companies that are having troubles acquiring components for their products and processes, it puts them in a difficult position. Made much simpler, if they're honest, forthright and transparent. Made very simple, if they jerk folks around as they attempt to put "lipstick on a pig."

Tough time to be a business, for many.

 

[DngBat7]

The distinction is, though, as you say: being honest about it.

It's the "dance" that gets done by far too many organizations ... that I can't abide. I don't mind placing a "backorder" for an item I'm looking for. So long as commitments don't get made that get perpetually broken.

For companies that are having troubles acquiring components for their products and processes, it puts them in a difficult position. Made much simpler, if they're honest, forthright and transparent. Made very simple, if they jerk folks around as they attempt to put "lipstick on a pig."

Tough time to be a business, for many.

I agree 100%. It’s my second point. Honesty goes a long way along with my first point is that the shortages are real and employees are hard to find depending where you are

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

The new normal, Blame it on CV19. Heard that way too often. Just my two cents Tommy Mc.

Trust me, it's real, at least for me. I couldn't get vinyl to make flags for several months. Now, I can't say that my suppliers weren't lying but it was every one in the USA, saying the same thing! In fact, I plan to take advantage of a tax abatement based on a common ingredient between the vinyl and the vaccine!! For little pl' me, it won't be a lot but I had an accountant tell me about it and I plan to take advantage if still available for next year or a possible amended return on last year. It's pretty amazing, just how far reaching shortages have been, for different things and maybe different reasons.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

It's a "new normal" I won't deal with, myself. On rare occasions, my caution and double-checks beforehand don't pan out, and a company does "the dance." Only once. Then they're off the list, for me.

Integrity is a valuable thing. If a company isn't going to do what they say, instead finding excuse after excuse, then that integrity's "burned" down. Can't imagine how they continue to do business, once setting fire to all of those bridges.

JMO

Tolerance is a two way street in these times. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to not have felt it yet and I hope that's true...but food lines CAN happen. Not saying you'll go hungry but I'm thinking the tone might change, IF it comes to that. Lets just pray that doesn't happen in this country.

I fail to see much difference though...between what you eat and what buys my food. Get it yet?

 

[RICK SMITH]

I sent mine in to Fluxeon back in May. 2 or 3 weeks later got it back and it was still broke. And it had missing screws on both front and back panels. Emailed them right away about it still bring broke. He tried to give me the run around. Garret sent me a new unit. Took another 2 weeks to get it. Back when I bought it new in 2018 it took almost 6 or 7 months to get to me. If I could do it over I would just get an AMP and be done with it.

 

[20PPC]

I sent mine in to Fluxeon back in May. 2 or 3 weeks later got it back and it was still broke. And it had missing screws on both front and back panels. Emailed them right away about it still bring broke. He tried to give me the run around. Garret sent me a new unit. Took another 2 weeks to get it. Back when I bought it new in 2018 it took almost 6 or 7 months to get to me. If I could do it over I would just get an AMP and be done with it.

@RICK SMITH you mentioned you had delivery issues back in 2018 before CV19 so this clearly isn't new behavior on how Garret does business.
What was the reason for the return if the product back in May?
Gut feeling is it's time to cancel the order and ask for a refund and if he doesn't return the funds in a day turn it over to my bank.

 

[BlueWater]

Tolerance is a two way street in these times. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to not have felt it yet and I hope that's true...but food lines CAN happen. Not saying you'll go hungry but I'm thinking the tone might change, IF it comes to that. Lets just pray that doesn't happen in this country.

I fail to see much difference though...between what you eat and what buys my food. Get it yet?

Not sure what you're getting at.

The distinction I made is with integrity and "dancing" around situations, with people, versus simple truth and transparency. In the case of vendors, committing to a ship date, for example, but then delaying and delaying, each time committing to "by end of day" or whatever other hogwash ... that's just falsifying reality and refusing to be transparent to the customer.

Every supply chain can get disrupted.

Not every vendor takes it upon themselves to deceive the customer, as in the OP example of false statement after false statement.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Not sure what you're getting at.

The distinction I made is with integrity and "dancing" around situations, with people, versus simple truth and transparency. In the case of vendors, committing to a ship date, for example, but then delaying and delaying, each time committing to "by end of day" or whatever other hogwash ... that's just falsifying reality and refusing to be transparent to the customer.

Every supply chain can get disrupted.

Not every vendor takes it upon themselves to deceive the customer, as in the OP example of false statement after false statement.

I think that for the most part, people and vendors in our sport are of utmost integrity but we are a tiny market..one that can't support truly big vendors. Often, what some consider a pretty big fish in our game, does it as a second job and often alone or with limited help. I get your point but unless you put yourself, your livelihood and your families future on the line to do it better, maybe you should try WalMart for your needs.

Not that I dont appreciate any and all of my customers, but I do have a limit as to what I'll tolerate from anyone who hasn't tried to make a living supplying a very small market, relying on component availability while competing with much bigger industry for said product...Did I mention..during a global pandemic?

Frankly, while I appreciate your opinion, it seems to be one of a person that has no real world experience, but expectations of someone used to instant gratification from places like walmart and amazon. Tell them who the heck you are next time they fail to satisfy you. I'm sure they'll remember you and how much you spent with them.

 

[rickhirsch]

sorry but you are not alone. I payed for mine back in january got it in june i bugged him every other week
i left him lone he when he a couple weeks that turned into a month or so . but on a happy side of
things. it works great. i like garrett i wish he would just give up date once a month or so. rick