Done with OES!

[Bannerstone]

I own an OES Mac Cat and find it an excellent tarp, however, I bought it used from a forum member so... I have often wondered what it is about Brian's tarps that inspires such brand loyalty from past as well as first time customers that they are willing to take their chance the widely known service issues for one of these tarps. It just seems to me that the materials and construction methods are quite similar among the various vendors. Are Brian's tarps really better?

David

[dakotaross]

T...As long as people are experiencing bad service I think updating and adding threads will keep the issue on the surface... ...I have added to some of the other threads but wanted to include my full experience in a single consise area.

...I have personally started countless threads praising vendors... ...I will still create a new thread on how great the product is to show people that these vendors continue to provide great customer service and quality products... ...I would hate for a newb to stumble upon this site and say oohh, no one has complained about vendor X for a long time I guess they have steeped it up only to order from them and encounter the same problems everyone else has faced in the past.

...Maybe its time for him to close up shop and focus on his day job.

Just want to clarify that my point was not about discouraging posts like this, but discouraging new threads on basically the same subject. Especially on something with potential negative impact like this subject, I think its important to maintain posts in the same thread if you can, in order to keep it all on the level. There are many that weigh in on something like this and its important to not lose that perspective. Not like we really lose it due to the search function, but those perspectives do fade with each new thread unless, of course, you were to keep posting them again, and again, and again with each new thread. Its not that I don't welcome the OP's opinion on the poor service he received. But in terms of keeping info concise, I believe its better to keep it on the same thread. Frankly, I would say the same thing about threads offering praise for our vendors that do give exceptional service. Seems to me that it all comes up on the site the same way.

@LRR... I would hate for a noob to come up on a recent negative thread about a vendor where appropriate perspective had not yet had a chance to be expressed. There's no difference in the timing of a complaint between a new thread and a new post on an old thread - a recent complaint is still a recent complaint.

Just my opinion folks, PYOP. I do think that perhaps the time has come for OES to either be a real business, or just not be in business.

[Cranky Bear]

I personally welcome the OP's post and find it to be very valuable. I think it's important to share all negative as well as positive experiences with any and all vendors weather those experiences are reoccurring or not. I have personally started countless threads praising vendors on the quality and craftsmanship of their work each time I get a new item from them. Even if I've ordered from the vendor in the past and I order a similar item (i.e. a 40 rated TQ and a 20 rated TQ from the same vendor at two different times) I will still create a new thread on how great the product is to show people that these vendors continue to provide great customer service and quality products. And on the flip side its important for people to post their continued negative experiences with a vendor even if its the same vendor each time as long as they are expressed in a respectful way. I would hate for a newb to stumble upon this site and say oohh, no one has complained about vendor X for a long time I guess they have steeped it up only to order from them and encounter the same problems everyone else has faced in the past. By continually posting new experiences weather positive or negative its keeps the information up to date for new members to find as well as hopefully gets to the vendors themselves so they can relish in appreciation and praise or use the constructive criticism to improve on their business.

However yes the recurring theme of Brian from OES not providing quality service to his customers is getting old however I do believe that as long as any vendor is providing services to members of this forum them those experiences IMHO need to be continually reported.

I personally have only ordered from OES once and the tarp came within 7 days of ordering it however seeing the numerous post reporting on the lack of customer service OES provides should not IMHO reflect poorly on all the other amazing vendors we have here on this forum and I hope people continue to post all positive as well as negative experiences they have with ordering from any one of the vendors who are active within this community.

+1

Couldn't have put it better if I had some other "no named HF member" write it for me.

OP I think you did the right thing, and put it very well, without attitude, which is something that can't be said for most.

FWIW I am very saddened to hear this type of thing about any of our vendors. I feel that they should make slightly more of an effort to satisfy the members of this community as it is we that do more promoting for them rather than the "off the street" customer, just as LazyRiver said. My one dealing with Brian was positive, took a long time to get what was agreed upon, fault to not just him but his fabric supplier as well.

[mbiraman]

I personally welcome the OP's post and find it to be very valuable. I think it's important to share all negative as well as positive experiences with any and all vendors weather those experiences are reoccurring or not. I have personally started countless threads praising vendors on the quality and craftsmanship of their work each time I get a new item from them. Even if I've ordered from the vendor in the past and I order a similar item (i.e. a 40 rated TQ and a 20 rated TQ from the same vendor at two different times) I will still create a new thread on how great the product is to show people that these vendors continue to provide great customer service and quality products. And on the flip side its important for people to post their continued negative experiences with a vendor even if its the same vendor each time as long as they are expressed in a respectful way. I would hate for a newb to stumble upon this site and say oohh, no one has complained about vendor X for a long time I guess they have steeped it up only to order from them and encounter the same problems everyone else has faced in the past. By continually posting new experiences weather positive or negative its keeps the information up to date for new members to find as well as hopefully gets to the vendors themselves so they can relish in appreciation and praise or use the constructive criticism to improve on their business.

However yes the recurring theme of Brian from OES not providing quality service to his customers is getting old however I do believe that as long as any vendor is providing services to members of this forum them those experiences IMHO need to be continually reported.

I personally have only ordered from OES once and the tarp came within 7 days of ordering it however seeing the numerous post reporting on the lack of customer service OES provides should not IMHO reflect poorly on all the other amazing vendors we have here on this forum and I hope people continue to post all positive as well as negative experiences they have with ordering from any one of the vendors who are active within this community.

+1 on the above

And as to the quality of OES tarps being the best, i have two of them and while they are great tarps and its obvious that attention to detail has been made i also have a Superfly and the quality is good there as well and i would assume with HG and Wilderness Logics etc etc , as well.

[desmobob]

I guess I was lucky enough to order my OES MacCat Deluxe a few years back... I had no issues getting it in a timely manner. It is an outstanding product, but so are the tarps my girlfriend and I have from Arrowhead and Warbonnet.

We are blessed to have so many makers of very high quality gear for our market!

Take it easy,
desmobob

[Deadphans]

I'm just gonna say how awesome wilderness logics is.

Sorry to gear about your unfavorable experience. Wishing you luck in your next try!

[Roadrunnr72]

+3, very well put, and I would have to agree. If you can start a new thread to compliment, then you should also have the right to complain, as long as it is well stated, and not just blasting the vendor.

As for tarps, I have a WB SF, and a Wildernesslogics Tadpole, both very well made, no flaws. I don't know how an OES tarp could be better, but I have never seen one. M SF was a little slow getting here, but was ordered on a black Friday sale, and I expected it to be a wait. The Tadpole came with great customer service, and I would gladly order from them again....RR

I personally welcome the OP's post and find it to be very valuable. I think it's important to share all negative as well as positive experiences with any and all vendors weather those experiences are reoccurring or not. I have personally started countless threads praising vendors on the quality and craftsmanship of their work each time I get a new item from them. Even if I've ordered from the vendor in the past and I order a similar item (i.e. a 40 rated TQ and a 20 rated TQ from the same vendor at two different times) I will still create a new thread on how great the product is to show people that these vendors continue to provide great customer service and quality products. And on the flip side its important for people to post their continued negative experiences with a vendor even if its the same vendor each time as long as they are expressed in a respectful way. I would hate for a newb to stumble upon this site and say oohh, no one has complained about vendor X for a long time I guess they have steeped it up only to order from them and encounter the same problems everyone else has faced in the past. By continually posting new experiences weather positive or negative its keeps the information up to date for new members to find as well as hopefully gets to the vendors themselves so they can relish in appreciation and praise or use the constructive criticism to improve on their business.

However yes the recurring theme of Brian from OES not providing quality service to his customers is getting old however I do believe that as long as any vendor is providing services to members of this forum them those experiences IMHO need to be continually reported.

I personally have only ordered from OES once and the tarp came within 7 days of ordering it however seeing the numerous post reporting on the lack of customer service OES provides should not IMHO reflect poorly on all the other amazing vendors we have here on this forum and I hope people continue to post all positive as well as negative experiences they have with ordering from any one of the vendors who are active within this community.

[Acer]

In 2011, it took me 8 weeks to finally get my ordered 10' x 12' tarp from OES, It was a very nice tarp, but no more commenting from me

[Kia Kaha]

Acer, please continue to post your experiences it really does help those looking to purchase gear. A wait time for gear listed as in stock should be 3-5 business days, that's it. If you know it is being made custom you should expect to wait longer, but a reasonable wait time should be communicated by the manufacturer, that is a reasonable expectation. I have ordered custom gear from HammockGear several times and always get communication and the gear is to my door in a week or two max, Widerness Logics, gear is in the mail in a day or two, arrow head equipment a day or two, Warbonnet, I have ordered 4 or 5 hammocks and a couple tarps, everything is always listed as in stock and then it takes 4 weeks with no communication (one hammock did come in a week and a half when I requested it). WB site says: "Orders containing back-ordered items will ship as one order once the back-ordered item comes in (usually within 3 weeks). If you wish for in-stock items to ship sooner, you will need to place 2 seperate orders." So it should be shipped much quicker than 4 weeks, right?

Anyway, I think the experinces are very heplful to forum members, and even thogh I do not post a lot, I read the forums almost daily, and I take notice to these items.

I also find it odd how many apologists there are, people saying it is not to long to wait for quality gear, etc. That may true, but there is no excuse for bad customer service or bad communication, that is where the problem lies, let people know they are going to wait for 4-8 weks and let them decide if it is reasonable or not, don't advertise "in stock" and then ship in a month or longer.

[DivaB]

Your thread is appropriately placed, and we have the right to know the good, bad, and the ugly. Luckily there are many other great cottage vendors who value communication just as much as their product, and their paycheck.