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SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

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  • SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

    I've just ordered a V.T.G. timed grenade from http://blankfiringgrenade.co.uk/

    Or rather I ordered two, because the first order died during the Worldpay (urgh) payment, and with no way to cancel or retry, I put a 2nd one through. After 48 hours of no response to several emails clarifying what had happened, or any acknowledgement of dispatch, I've just been on the phone to them to be told that grenades are currently being made to order and it'll likely be next week before it's put together.

    There's no indication of this prior to or after the order, and previous reviewers have noted how quickly they've received theirs, so I mention it to make buyers aware of the current situation in case you're in a hurry for yours. It's a slight dick move given that the black V.T.G.s are listed as "out of stock." but the other colours aren't, which is why I went for one that appeared to be in stock.

    Sad Roger is sad. No bang-bang this weekend.

  • #2
    Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

    Yes mate they're a nightmare at the moment, I tried ordering a couple of months ago. Waiting for confirmation email etc and nothing came through numerous phone calls where getting me nowhere so I told them to just cancel the order and refund me the money, she said she may have one sitting at her house in the colour I requested and would get it posted out. I think it took about 2 weeks all told?

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    • #3
      Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

      Urgh. It's understandable, I imagine they had a big bang of business and now it's tailing off as the market becomes satuated and it becomes more of a side gig.

      It's just a bit of honesty and open communication that I'm looking for, ideally before but at least after ordering. If I have to chase a company up, I'm very unlikely to use them again or to recommend them. And I'm now wondering if "next week" is code for "whenever".

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      • #4
        Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

        Right, I've just been on to SWAT again to ask if they have any V.T.Gs in any colour, and was told no.

        I asked for a firm date for availability and was told they couldn't give one.

        There was some story about their order system being wiped "weeks" back (not months?) which is sad, but it's their problem, not mine.

        So I instructed them to cancel the order and issue a refund.

        I was told that I'd "need to speak to Paul about it".

        Well, no. No, I don't. It's quite simple. Not advertised as made-to-order, no firm date for providing it = cancel, refund, no debate.

        It's now with my credit card issuer, and I've ordered a TRMR instead, after calling J.D. to confirm they had stock - they had the exact numbers of each colour ready to hand. They also do free delivery to a UPS pick up point which is very convenient for me. Much more like it.
        Last edited by Rogerborg; 28 September, 2017, 15:41.

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        • #5
          Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

          Forgot about that order system thing...they tried that on me too...sounds like a load of bollocks if you ask me!

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          • #6
            Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

            SWAT-phone-lady was very nice, but I didn't pay them for niceness, I paid for a BFG from stock.

            Amazingly, after completely ignoring my emails for 2 days, they instantly managed to reply to my final one confirming that the order is to be cancelled, that I've logged the dispute with my CC issuer, and they they can expect to hear from them shortly. I'll maybe even get around to reading their reply. Perhaps next week. You know, if I'm not too busy.

            Heh, JD sent me a dispatch note and a UPS tracking number within 20 minutes of ordering the TRMR. That's more like it.

            To be clear, I don't wish SWAT any ill, but they've given me no reason to wish them well either. I hope to be able to report a swift refund without a chargeback being necessary, and the apology that wasn't forthcoming in either phone call.

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            • #7
              Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

              Yet another company offering a great product but run in an utterly shambolic way. I have bought two grenades from them; both required considerable chasing due to their inability to manage their ordering process, as did one that I sent to be serviced.

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              • #8
                Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                Eh, it seems to be the British way. Alpha-Tec have clearly gone under but are still taking money, and OhShiBoom don't have any stock available, which deserves commendation for honesty at least.

                My TRMR will be at my local UPS pick up point by the end of tommorow, i.e. 24 hour free delivery.

                Oh, I read SWAT's email, and they've acknowledged my cancelled order but it will have "a handling charges levied", of some undisclosed amount. For stock that doesn't exist and that was mis-advertised.

                Well, they'll be getting a chargeback for every penny withheld, so they've created the worst possible result for themselves: a failed sale, a chargeback, and a hacked off lost customer.

                None of this was necessary, and it was entirely within their control.

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                • #9
                  Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                  A "handling charge" for a product that doesn't exist ?, total bs & sharp practice, trading standards would be very interested in this I think, worth a phone call at least.

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                  • #10
                    Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                    I'll get my refund ducks in a row first, then see where we go from there. There's really no need for this to escalate any further, if they'd just cheerfully refund and say "Our bad, we'll clarify the stock situation up front." I always hope for the best.

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                    • #11
                      Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                      I've just been scanning this and whilst I have no need or interest in a VTG, you mentioned that Alpha-tec may have 'gone under'? This is a shame if true as I was looking to buy one of their grenades. Can you elaborate any further?

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                      • #12
                        Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                        First, their website is sketchier than an artist's pad. They don't provide an address or phone number, and the domain information is also anonymised. They didn't respond to emails sent to [email protected] or [email protected], nor to a message to their Facebook page which has been inactive since 11th January 2016. Their Facebook Community page is now just people saying "Where's my stuff?" or "Why don't you respond?"

                        It's a damn shame since the device looks great and would come in significantly cheaper than a TRMR with a tri-shot base. If it existed. However like the SWATs it doesn't appear to any more.

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                        • #13
                          Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                          TRMR received exactly as ordered, within 18 hours. Not so hard.

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                          • #14
                            Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                            Wow, looking at alpha tec's Facebook page that's a really sorry state of affairs. Real shame as I wanted to buy one so it isn't a problem with the product.

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                            • #15
                              Re: SWAT BFGs currently being made to order

                              It is a shame, and somewhat of an unpleasant trip down memory lane to before the reliability and easy resolutions available through eBay / PalPal / amazon. Having to actually deal with cottage industry geezers directly is like the Before Times, in the Long-Long Ago.

                              At the moment, I'd recommend not paying for anything BFG shaped unless you can call the vendor and verify that they actually have stock to hand.

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