Metric versus US : My Stew-Mac Experience

[alerich]

I ordered a set of Tonepros Locking Studs Metric Nickel from Stew-Mac for my MIJ Epiphone Les Paul Junior. The invoice said Metric but they did not fit. Thinking I had made the error and that these were not metric bushings in this guitar I placed another order for a US threaded set. They sent me the same item. Since their website doesn't not list the Tonepros part number on anywhere I had to go to the WD Music website to correlate the part numbers on the UPC labels on the packages. They sent me two of the same thing part number SNS1/NKL. Based on the WD Music site that is the part number for the US Nickel set. The metric nickel set should be SNM1/NKL. I pointed this out  to them.

They then sent me a replacement set and it was another set of US threads. I wrote back and then they told me that the metric set was out of stock. They couldn't tell me that when I originally ordered them or before they sent the replacement. I told them I would return all three sets for a refund plus shipping on the first two and would never shop there again. According to my invoices they sent me two metric and one US. They actually sent me three US. The only thing Jennifer from customer service had to say was "I respect your decision to shop elsewhere".

Before you line up to tell me what great experiences you have had with Stew-Mac understand that I have, too... until now. This is just sloppy customer service. At Stew-Mac's price point this should not happen.

[Willabe]

That's a drag. 

It seems to me that more and more where ever I go, on line or a real store who ever I'm dealing with doesn't know the answer to the question I'm asking them, like simple measurements of parts. "I don't know, I'll have to ask someone else. They don't know, I'll have to call the company."   

How can you not have ALL the related measurements of a replacement/upgrade part you sell? 

[alerich]

It is a drag. My guitar has been sitting idle for over two weeks waiting on these studs. If Stew-Mac hadn't dropped the ball and had sent me the right part the first time it would have been back together over two weeks ago. Stew-Mac can be kinda pricey but they ship fast. If I needed it right away I would order from them. Of course, if they send you the wrong part - twice - it doesn't matter how fast you get it. What bugged me the most was the customer service person's attitude. No motivation to make the situation right. "Fine. Go shop somehwere else. We don't care". If it weren't for their specialty luthier tools they couldn't compete. There's too much competition in the online parts business.

I rate online sellers by three criteria: price, how fast they ship and getting my order correct. Doug Hoffman passes that test with flying colors. So do Amazon and Musician's Friend. I have ordered from Sweetwater three times. They have gotten my order wrong twice. I don't do business with them anymore, either. I ordered the studs from WD Music. I've ordered from them before and they have done well by me. The parts should be here tomorrow. They will get my guitar parts business from now on. I'm done with Stewart MacDonald.

Do a search on YouTube for Dave's World Of Fun Stuff. I'm not the only person who has had issues with Stew-Mac.

[Willabe]

If it weren't for their specialty luthier tools they couldn't compete.

That might be a part of why, they have a certain portion of the market sewed up.