U.P. Detecting
Senior Member
I could buy 2 ground sharks for the price of one Raven. Small companies can't afford to piss people off. I always go out of my way to support the little guy but I'll never purchase from Predator tools.
Predator Raven Model 25...snapped(Latest Update...It's back!!! 22 days later!)
- Thread starter LittleJohn
- Start date
I'm not sure I want to jump in on this one, but here's my take on the situation.
1. Predator Tools are some of the best available for metal detecting. I have their hand trowels and the the Raven and both have performed flawlessly though several years of heavy use (Mostly in the glacier rubble of Southern Michigan).
2. Even the highest quality tools can fail. I've had $100 SnapOn ratchets break into pieces in my hands.
3.It's true that the squeaky wheel often gets the grease, but if it continues to squeak loud enough and often enough someone might find it annoying and just use their other car instead.
(I didn't count them all, but from your posts it appears you called them a dozen times or more in a pretty short span of time)
IMO 22 days from the time the shovel left your door and arrived back is completely reasonable for repair work. Keep in mind that there were likely 2-4 days each way of travel time (6-8 days). Add in the possibly of 2 weekends where that's another couple days. Then there's the issue that has hardly been mentioned that you may not have been the first in line for repairs. I agree that their communications could have been better, and my guess is they would have been if not for your constant inquiries.
1. Predator Tools are some of the best available for metal detecting. I have their hand trowels and the the Raven and both have performed flawlessly though several years of heavy use (Mostly in the glacier rubble of Southern Michigan).
2. Even the highest quality tools can fail. I've had $100 SnapOn ratchets break into pieces in my hands.
3.It's true that the squeaky wheel often gets the grease, but if it continues to squeak loud enough and often enough someone might find it annoying and just use their other car instead.
(I didn't count them all, but from your posts it appears you called them a dozen times or more in a pretty short span of time)IMO 22 days from the time the shovel left your door and arrived back is completely reasonable for repair work. Keep in mind that there were likely 2-4 days each way of travel time (6-8 days). Add in the possibly of 2 weekends where that's another couple days. Then there's the issue that has hardly been mentioned that you may not have been the first in line for repairs. I agree that their communications could have been better, and my guess is they would have been if not for your constant inquiries.
coin whisperer
Elite Member
I'm not sure I want to jump in on this one, but here's my take on the situation.
1. Predator Tools are some of the best available for metal detecting. I have their hand trowels and the the Raven and both have performed flawlessly though several years of heavy use (Mostly in the glacier rubble of Southern Michigan).
2. Even the highest quality tools can fail. I've had $100 SnapOn ratchets break into pieces in my hands.
3.It's true that the squeaky wheel often gets the grease, but if it continues to squeak loud enough and often enough someone might find it annoying and just use their other car instead.
IMO 22 days from the time the shovel left your door and arrived back is completely reasonable for repair work. Keep in mind that there were 2-4 days each way of travel time (6-8 days). Add in the possibly of 2 weekends where that's another couple days. Then there's the issue that has hardly been mentioned that you may not have been the first in line for repairs. I agree that their communications could have been better, and my guess is they would have been if not for your constant inquiries.
He seems like a jerk here cause he snaps at people and the other day I made a comment to someone and he threatened me with some bs. I bet he coped a attitude with them and bugged them to death! I blocked him so I don't have to deal with it
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LittleJohn
Elite Member
I called them three or four times. Each with no communication on their end. They didn't know, or they were gonna call back...All of which they never did.
Zofchak, I know that even the good tools break, and it's totally understandable. Many people have jumped on the band Wagon and called foul because they want to defend a certain shovel they have or say how great predator tools are...and they are great tools...I admit that. The whole topic had absolutely nothing to do with the quality of their tools. ..read it in its entirety and you will see that.
I am assuming that coin whisperer is referring to me saying I threatened him...and this is simply untrue. I don't know what emotional issues he has, but I have no reason to threaten anyone for any reason...nor is that my nature.
Fact is the customer service and communication were beyond poor and unacceptable. The personal attacks are uncalled for but I understand how people can get pumped up when they are sitting behind a keyboard and disagree with someone else's opinion. It happens to me as well.
3 weeks to weld on a new handle is not acceptable in my opinion, shipping time was a day...we are a state away.
I am considering a Sampson which isn't made by predator tools...and which I witnessed a guy on here get his replaced with a new one in a matter of days and he is happy and back in the fields now getting what he paid for...good customer service. I didn't get that kind of service with predator tools...and that is the reason for my disappointment. It would be great if more people actually understood that...Instead they prefer to take things out of context and take the discussion down a road it was never intended to go.
LittleJohn
rick-n-ns
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2010
- Messages
- 346
Sadly John most don't read all the facts before having a strong opinion.
John said 22 day "AFTER" thay had had it. That's three weeks for a 5 minute job. I would hope they weren't backed up that bad with repairs.
Someone mentions John calling so often, well he got NO answers when he did call, AND was told to call back., and never did get a satisfactory answer to any question.
When old George finally did get round to calling John it was just to be rude to him. I'm not for or against predator tools, they are over priced, but after hearing how a well paying customer gets treated, I would certainly never buy one.
Predator tools should have sent out a "NEW" replacement next day no questions asked. It would have been worth $100 in good free advertizing, but obviously that company is too short sighted to realize that. Obviously they care much more about gouging people, proved by his whinning about his shipping cost to return.
GreenHat
Junior Member
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2014
- Messages
- 51
Well... I was shopping and saw the Raven and was about to purchase one but jumped on here to read some reviews.. Not impressed. The shovel breaking, being a knife maker I understand unexpected anomalies in steel and during heat treat can occur and even the long wait time I can overlook being a small business myself but when you string a guy along and no straight answers are given... and then as the owner you get upset and have your husband call a guy back after NOT making it right. Well that's a NO GO! The type of people that spend 100 bucks on a shovel are not the type that are trying to get over and get a free one.
Guess I'll be going with the Sampson.
Guess I'll be going with the Sampson.
MosesOfTheSouth
New Member
on a positive note, maybe all of this will help them with customer service in the future. if you are selling something that has a high price and is seller labeled as one of the, or the best, there should be great pride in your product. that would include customer relations.
that repair work is shameful, and no pride in workmanship is apparent to me. almost purposeful lack of care/respect, noise snub in your direction. if this case of breakage is a rarity for them that is good, but should have been an opportunity for them to stand by the brand and shine in their response and replacement.
if i personally owned or was working in the company and saw this thread i would send you a gift package of a brand new shovel and other extras and apologize publicly on this forum.
a customer calling repeatedly with questions or concern should not be an irritation to someone who cares, only motivation to fix the problem quicker.
now that there are several members replying to this thread in a way to discredit you, only makes them less appealing because the attackers appear to have been directed here by them/ or are connected. at least to me.
if i see any threads on other forums pertaining to their products i frequent, i will direct them here via link. not to hate on the company, but to make buyers more aware of possibilities with this product.
sorry for your troubles little john.
that repair work is shameful, and no pride in workmanship is apparent to me. almost purposeful lack of care/respect, noise snub in your direction. if this case of breakage is a rarity for them that is good, but should have been an opportunity for them to stand by the brand and shine in their response and replacement.
if i personally owned or was working in the company and saw this thread i would send you a gift package of a brand new shovel and other extras and apologize publicly on this forum.
a customer calling repeatedly with questions or concern should not be an irritation to someone who cares, only motivation to fix the problem quicker.
now that there are several members replying to this thread in a way to discredit you, only makes them less appealing because the attackers appear to have been directed here by them/ or are connected. at least to me.
if i see any threads on other forums pertaining to their products i frequent, i will direct them here via link. not to hate on the company, but to make buyers more aware of possibilities with this product.
sorry for your troubles little john.
