Bad experience with AP Bands

[b00tyme]

For people wanting to order straps from AP bands please take note.

To cut the story short, I had ordered a strap from aP bands for my AP ROO black themes last month.

The strap was not a direct fit as claimed on their website. Even after spending hours enlarging the lug holes i couldn't get the strap to fit.

In the end I sent the strap back according to their instructions and AP Bands said they couldn't give me a replacement or refund due to the fact that I had altered the composite ends of the strap. They even asked me if i had fitted the strap on a replica watch. I told them that if the strap was a direct fit as claimed on their website I wouldn't have to alter the strap in the 1st place.

So much so for the good reviews worldwide about them. Will not be ordering anymore straps be it for my AP or my IWC.

[feilong108]

wow....that sound really bad.....and kinda of insulting to hearing the replica remark...i dun tink any1 will fit a USD$300 bucks strap on a $50 replica....

[b00tyme]

Yeah, talk about rubbing salt on the wounds. They even told me that they have many customers online who have experienced their great products and service and are not afraid of me bashing them online after i told them i would be definitely sharing my experiences.

To think I had specifically told them that i had already altered the lug holes to try to make it fit during the first few email exchanges. Now that I have took the trouble to send the strap back , they tell me that they cannot send a replacement strap due to the fact that i had altered and damaged the lug holes.

[feilong108]

what a downer...i will avoid them at all costs....thanks for sharing your experience.....

if u r based locally,u can try JnS straps...very nice and frenly guy Jason is....i bought a few straps from him and his services are superb....

[APBands]

Of course he is leaving A LOT of this story out

Hello SG Roc. We would like to take this opportunity to tell our side of the story.

Yes this customer received one of our leather bands and stated it didn't fit. Okay, no problem. As a business we stand behind our products and always take great care with our customers.

We tell the customer to please send the strap back.

1. We will replace the strap and even gave him other options as maybe he wanted something different.
2. We will pay all shipping costs back to us in the United States as well as shipping back to him.
3. We will send a free set of case screws as well as a bar and cap set as he stated he neeeded them.
4. We will do everything possible to make him a satisifed customers because we as a company greatly appreciate every single customer that chooses to shop with us.

Today we received the strap back. The strap was altered and damaged to the point where it can't be used. This customer decided to enlarge the holes where the bar and caps go. He widened it about another 2mm. In doing this he also damaged the composite and caused it to crack.

These watches have very little tollerance and with him widening it so much now the strap is loose on one of our rubberclads here. If at this point he couldn't get it to fit on his watch then none of our bands will fit. This is why we ASKED AND NOT ACCUSED him of trying to fit this on a replica. We have no problems with replicas but because these watches are so specific some people might have trouble using our bands on them.

The easiest thing he could have done was to see the first time that it didn't fit and send it back. We could have avoided this entire situation and he would have been happy with a proper fitting strap.

Instead he took it upon himself to alter and damage the strap. I don't know of any company in the world that would take back a product once it was altered or damaged due to the customer.

Again, we stand behind all of our products and have many customers around the world who are happy with our services and products. We do not see ourselves at fault and appreciate every SG ROC member who has shopped with us.

If you are a prospective customer and are reading this with doubt we ask you not to go by Mr. b00tyme post. Try us out for yourself to determine how we run our business.

Thank you so much members for taking the time to read this.

Best,
Jennifer

[APBands]

Please write the truth...

Yeah, talk about rubbing salt on the wounds. They even told me that they have many customers online who have experienced their great products and service and are not afraid of me bashing them online after i told them i would be definitely sharing my experiences.

To think I had specifically told them that i had already altered the lug holes to try to make it fit during the first few email exchanges. Now that I have took the trouble to send the strap back , they tell me that they cannot send a replacement strap due to the fact that i had altered and damaged the lug holes.

We didn't say we were not afraid so tell the truth. We both have the e-mails to prove this.

We said, " No problem about letting people know as we will respond to each and every post with our side and pictures".

Sure, enlarging the holes just a bit to see if it fits we can understand. But you enlarged it so much that you broke the composite in 2 places.

Again, if it didn't fit then all you had to do was send it back without altering the strap.

What more would you want a company to do?

We were paying all shipping charges back and forth, giving you free screws as well as a bar and cap set and even offered another strap option. I think we did all we could to make you a happy customer. We try the best we can.

[b00tyme]

Yeah feilong108, i have bought straps from jason before. In fact 3 pieces already. Nice worksmanship and very friendly guy.

[feilong108]

erm..i like to ask how come in the 1st place the strap cannot fit the watch?i bought a few straps from different vendors and all fit my watches beautifully...just a question...no ill intention de

[APBands]

At this point there is not way to know

since the strap is completely damaged. I have to say with hand made products sometimes things happen. Look at our customer images section, look at watch forums worldwide. You will see our products mounted on various AP's.

Does every single hand made good come out perfect every time? Not to our knowlege, this is why there are some defects with all luxury good makers. Even watches themselves sometimes have problems.

The bigger point here is how it is handled. We had ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM taking this back, however it is damaged due to this customer so that completely voids any type of warranty or return policy.

This is how every company we know works.

If you had a watch that came and the date wheel didn't work properly, would you dismantle it and try to fix it? or would you just return it and get a new one? Lets say you did try on your own, do you think the AD or manufacture would take it back? This is our situation HERE.

We offered every option and still believe we were trying to be helpful.

[b00tyme]

In the first place, I had told you I had enlarged the holes on the strap even before i had sent the strap bak to you. Why are you saying this now? I have the email exchanges too.

The reason i enlarged the lug holes was because i wanted to try to see if the strap would fit as the lug holes on the strap obviously wasn't in line with the lugs on my watch. And secondly I wanted to save the trouble of sending it back to you and waiting for 3 weeks for you to receive the strap. If the strap did fit after some modding to the holes i would have gladly accepted it.

I had also sent you a picture of my watch upon your request, and you had the cheek to ask me if i had fitted your strap on a replica. To me this is the biggest insult.

In the 1st few email exchanges you said that your straps have fit all your customers with no issues. However in the last few emails, you said that you have seen this type of situation where the lug holes on the strap have been enlarged before. So which is real?

[APBands]

Yes please post the email and not your version of the email

because it clearly states we have seen this before on a REPLICA. So please do not continue twist this to your benefit.

We run a great operation and our TOP PRIORITY is customer service. You are asking for a replacement for something YOU damaged.

Again and again we can say this but this will be the last time. If you sent back the strap before you altered and damaged it this would have all been resolved.

However you chose to take matters into your own hands and we can't be held responsible.

Sure you said you enlarged the holes but like these posts of yours you leave out information that is important. You didn't say you damaged the strap by breaking the composite where it can't be used anymore

To all forum members who are customers of ours you know how we treat our customers. To prospective clients we ask that you form your own opinion and give us a try. We will NOT dissapoint.

Thank you.

[b00tyme]

So much for this conversation. I just want people to be wary that not all the reviews on the web are that great. Enough said.

[sirowhite]

erm..i like to ask how come in the 1st place the strap cannot fit the watch?i bought a few straps from different vendors and all fit my watches beautifully...just a question...no ill intention de

agreed with feilong said , why in the 1st place , the strap cannot fit the watch?? Why..?????????....

[APBands]

Take it easy Sirowhite

agreed with feilong said , why in the 1st place , the strap cannot fit the watch?? Why..?????????....

It does fit. Here is his strap on a F series Royal Oak Offshore Themes.

Perfect fit, even though the internals are destroyed.

[triton]

Like to know what you mean by internals are destroyed

also like to know if the picture that shows fitted nicely is with conversion kit or not?

if perfect fit, why need conversion kits as advertised here

pardon me for my ignorance.

Perfect fit, even though the internals are destroyed.