APBands~*very Disappointing & Rude Service*~

[mrnoppy]

Hi all,

I would like to share a very disappointing encounter I just had with APBands.

For the record, prior to this incident, I was a satisfied and loyal-returning APBands customer. I had purchased an AP Strap change Tool Kit from them back in Sep 2012 and I had just place an order for an Alligator strap on Sunday 20th January 2013 via their website.

during the check out process, I had indicated the promo code "sgroc" for sgroc members in order to get the 15% discount off. However, I saw in my order confirmation that I was still being charged full price for the strap. I had also selected the expedited shipping option of 3-5 working days (additional USD$38) as opposed to the standard delivery method which was 6-10 days (additional USD$27) as I was eager to get the strap as soon as possible.

So I proceeded to send an email on the day itself to remind that them I had indicated this promo code and so that they would make sure to credit back the 15% discount retrospectively.

I waited and checked on monday (21 Jan) and Tuesday (22 Jan) via my order status and it was still pending to be shipped out. I also did not receive any response from the customer service folks since sunday.

Hence, I sent a 2nd email to them on tuesday (22 Jan) which read:

"Hi ,

I have not heard anything from your team for more than 24 hours and I haven't received a tracking number for my order yet nor has my order been shipped out yet and my order was placed on 20th jan which was almost coming to 3 days ago. It seems like the service level is dropping from its usual high standards and I am afraid to say this but I am quite disappointed because I purposely selected priority mail delivery of 3 to 5 working days but If I knew this delay would occur I would just opted to stay with the standard shipping delivery option as I have already been waiting for 2-3 days for something to change on my order status.

You can be sure I will let my friends and fellow ap enthusiasts know of my experience, should it not change drastically for the better.

Expecting some form of response soon hopefully

Regards,
Nop
* a disappointed and unhappy customer
Sent from my iPad ,"


This lead to a quick chain of events which frankly have left me stunned :-
Firstly - my order was cancelled ; and money refunded to my credit card.

But HERE is the Kicker - I FINALLY received a response from APBands which read, "

Listen you ordered on sunday and we are closed. Monday was a holiday so it would have shipped today.

Service hasn't gone down, you are just a person that has no patience and thinks the world revolves around him.

You think a threat from you is going to do anything for you?

Who the hell do you think you are?

You were stupid enough not to enter a code on the website and you are upset with us?

Give me a break, your order is cancelled. Don't ever order from us.

Regards,
Adam
*you will never be a customer of ours "

I will NOT urge anyone who reads this to CEASE purchasing from them if they have been enjoy a pleasant customer experience thus far.

However, if this can happen to me, I would believe that it could very well happen to you at some point in the future should you DARE to question their service Standards.

I just want my fellow members to know about this situation and hopefully you don't "KANA" this as well. I quite frankly think i dodged a bullet because I would feel a whole lot worse if I had patronized this "gentlemen" for a longer period and let him make alot more money off me before springing this tirade of abuse sometime in the future perhaps.

No real loss to me at all - I got my money back and but I was taught a "Good Lesson" by MR. ADAM from APBANDS! *LOL*

Thanks for reading folks!

Cheers!
Nop

[kadios]

No offense bro but I think overseas, some shops are quite "Atas" and choose their customers. In this instance, I must agree they are snobbish but at least they return back your $ rather than earning your $ and giving you an equally rude comments. Like talented artists who have attitude and do things differently from others. It either happy buyer/seller or unhappy buyer/seller(which happen in your case). Look at the bright side, at least it not unhappy buyer/ happy and richer seller... Just my 2cents worth...

[Mr. B]

No offense to you, but it seems u did put up a threat, and not merely questioning their standard of service.
However, I'm sure there are other companies that have better CS-policy, and treat all customers like kings.

[mrnoppy]

Hey kadios - yea I am just happy I got my money back.

To mr. B , no offense taken . In my defense my intention was to sound stern and unhappy to emphasize my displeasure but I never insulted them - I clearly stated that I recall their standards to be higher. What I got in return was a personal insult for my troubles.

I also gave them an opportunity to make good on the delay when I said ,"...if things don't change drastically for the better " ie I hoped that would trigger them to say they would expedite the order for me or something to that affect - basically what any customer service person would do , or so I thought.

If you paid 400sgd for a strap and paid another 50sgd for express shipping , wouldn't u expect good service ? :-)

Oh well, it appears these guys are doing very well so much so that they can insult paying customers who merely asked them why there was a delay.lol

[Koonster]

i agree that their response was definitely uncalled for. A professional business should not get personal and much less insult a customer. being in Singapore, you would not have known that it was a holiday - wherever they are located.

They should have taken this into account before responding to you.

anyway glad you got your money back. i think its best to go orginal. haha

[amitabh]

Hi bro,

There is a learning for all of us here. We always need to consider what impact our words are going to have on others. Here it is a simple case of an angry reaction inviting another one. In my experience, there are issues with websites not being able to register promo codes, so it is honestly no ones fault. Becoming judgemental and then posting a threat to a person whom you have never met will always invite a reaction, though i do not condone the way the seller responded either. Thanks for sharing!

[LSL]

"It is not what we said !

It is how we said it !"

[pegasi]

Hi bro,

There is a learning for all of us here. We always need to consider what impact our words are going to have on others. Here it is a simple case of an angry reaction inviting another one. In my experience, there are issues with websites not being able to register promo codes, so it is honestly no ones fault. Becoming judgemental and then posting a threat to a person whom you have never met will always invite a reaction, though i do not condone the way the seller responded either. Thanks for sharing!

Exactly what I wanted to say.

Also I feel that the TS did not get the facts and numbers accuractely. TS email stated "...If I knew this delay would occur.." when infact it was only less than two working days from the day he placed orders (actually it was less than one day if Monday is indeed a holiday for the supplier but let's give TS the benefit of the doubt), when the committed lead time is 3-5 working days. So the Supplier had not failed in delivering the item. They were just not quick enough, according to TS expectation, in responding to TS email.

Sending an agreesive email with a threat just because the supplier did not respond within 1 or 2 working days could then be deemed by some as unreasonable.

Regardless, the way the supplier responded is definitely unprofessional - the person replied sounded like an offended individual rather than a customer oriented company.

So a lesson learnt for all and thanks for sharing, like bro amitabh said.

[leonmike]

One man's meat is another man's poison !!!

[Finclk]

in business, you never never never never never reply in a hostile way to customers. No matter what's the reason, one may be upset and pissed at getting such emails from retarded ungrateful customers but one must never show such displeasure and worse, have it written down on email like that which can be reproduced millions of times.

Trust me, i'm in business also and my customers sometimes are ****ing retards and ask me stupid qns or have no common sense to think properly but i nvr say anything unprofessional or even worse, put it down in writing or in electronic form.

Anyway this isn't the first time APBands has done this. My fren also tried to buy from them, waited more than 4 weeks for item to SHIP OUT also no response. Emailed nicely also nothing, emailed again in abit more forceful way then finally got response, replied in a sarcastic way saying he didn't have money to buy the real genuine stuff. I mean like come on?

You guys should have more pride, pple **** you with such service and you guys still want to continue to patronize. Can afford AP or other expensive watches, am sure would be willing to find other sources of straps with good service...

Let's do better...

[Alexlow]

replied in a sarcastic way saying he didn't have money to buy the real genuine stuff.

Seriously? I think they don't need or deserve any of our business.

[9phenomena]

Glad I came across this before ordering. After reading finclk comment about his friens's experience, i think this APBands had just made it to my APBanned list.

[taxico]

...If you paid 400sgd for a strap and paid another 50sgd for express shipping , wouldn't u expect good service ? :-)

i thought this was about ABP... realized it's a different company. if you're paying $450 singapore, why not pay a little more and get one from Camille Fournier or customize your own for a similar price from the amazing ABP? (the best custom strap makers IMO!)

i have no ties to ABP - i'm just a satisfied customer and strongly recommend them.

[GadgetGuy]

+1 on APBand poor attitude and quality. Had a really disappointing experience with them. Will never ever recommend their products to anyone.

[Koonster]

+1 on APBand poor attitude and quality. Had a really disappointing experience with them. Will never ever recommend their products to anyone.

Have to agree with you on the quality. i had a hard time trying to fit one of their straps to the watch. took over an hour to get it fitted in. had to use some force and i was so afraid i'd damage the watch head.