This is a warning to all members looking to buy a snakeskin. After all the beautiful picts of skinned bows I recently ordered a skin to cover my bow limbs with. I ordered a Texas Rat Snake skin from Paul at The American Headhunter. He was helpful via emails. I sent the check and the skin never came. After several emails he sent me the tracking number. I tracked it and it had made it to the distribution center in Scarborough, and then disappeared. I have been trying to get the Post Office info to find it but no luck. Paul's stance is he did his job by putting it in the mail. He offered to let me buy another one in the spring for ten dollars off, plus shipping.
I feel ripped off and want to make sure that any other members of Trad Gang that might be looking for skins should be aware of The American Headhunters business policy. Now I also have a small business that relies on the postal service. I don't insure my packages because they are good. If they did lose a package I would make another knife for the client, with apologies for the inconvenience. I don't insure because over the long run it is still cheaper to replace a lost package than to pay to insure each one. However The American Headhunter just believes that if he gets the package to the post office he has earned his money. Good thing I didn't order the more expensive copperhead skins.
You never received you product so they still owe you one. The issue with USPS or whoever he used is his issue to take up with them. Unless they have a disclaimer posted you are entitled to a refund or replacement.
Disclaimer or not, they owe you. I sent you a PM about FTC regulations. Good luck.
I'm with bear heart on this one. His job is to get you a product, not put it in the mail and hope for the best. His job is not done until you receive the product period. It would be different if you were the one that lost the package.
For a dollor or so why not insure it.Exspect'ly a knife.Have them add it to the postage.By law all they have to do is put it in the mail.It's not good business but thats the way it is.
Well I won't deal with them for sure. I've had only one bowblank lost by the USPS and am rebuilding it for the customer now. It was insured and I will recoup my investment.
I insure everything over $50.
Mike
The guy should make it right with you and deal with the post office himself. You have not purchased a product until you've received it. He has not done his job. If you paid with a credit card or your check card, call your card service and cancel the order or stop payment through your bank. You have proof through the tracking you did not receive what you paid for. In fact, since you never saw the package, you don't even know if he actually sent anything in the box at all.
I would say he owes you one.However I'am with wingnut I insure everything over 50.00...bd
Did you pay by credit card? If so, cancel payment to him, write the required letter to visa/mc and stand firm.
Bear Heart is absolutely right; unless you instructed him to ship a particular way, he chose the shipping method and any loss should be his not yours.
Realistically there's not much you can do unless he decides to step up and be honorable, but you might consider notifying his local Better Business Bureau as an additional way to get the word out.
I also insure everything I send out. I have been using the US postal service for years and have had zero problems. I will keep insuring the bows I send out even tho there has been no problems. For the few $ it cost it is worth the peace of mind.
That is why I psoted. Not so much to get anything out of it, though I appreciate the PM and will contact the Federal Trade Commission, but because I feel that he gets a portion of his business from members of this board, and they should be aware of his commitment to his client, which is zero.
Tell you this.. If he doesn't make it right with you, he won't ever see a nickel of my business.... Thanks for letting all know...
I don't get it. It isn't his fault nor is it yours. Sometimes junk happens. Why don't you ask him to pay for new ones at 40/60 cost? You at 40 him at 60. That way you both are out the same amount of money for someone else's error? I am assuming he had a mark up on the first one so he should make up for any profit he made.
Should be fair all the way around. If he doesn't want to do this then he does have a problem.
The bottom line is: The SHIPPER is responsible to get the package to YOU. I get a kick out of ****ers who try to make the buyer pay for insurance. Who gets paid on insurance by the USPS if a claim is filed? The SHIPPER, that's who.
As a side note, do they EVER answer the phone at American Headhunter? I was looking for cottonmouth skins for a bow I'm having made, and made approximately 15 phone calls, at all different times of the day, different days of the week, and NEVER got anyone to answer the phone. I finally said the he!! with it and ordered western diamondback skins from Pine Hollow longbows. Anyone else have a source for some nice cottonmouth skins?
I disagree With ya Bill Tell. Bearheart hit the nail on the head. What if it had been a bow? Would you want to pay again for something you never recieved? I wouldn't
Thanks for the heads up, I won't be doing buisness with him, that's for sure.
took a look at the website and found this at the bottom of the pages
URL: http://www.americanheadhunters.com/mammals.html
Last Updated: Monday October 1, 2007
© 2000-2007, The American Headhunter.
StoneJungle Web Design
Seems he doesn't update his website very often. To me that's a big red flag
It just makes sense for a seller to make good on a sale. My customers are a lot more important to me than one package. If I have a big order, I insure it at my cost. As said above, if there is a claim, I would send out a new shippment. Then I look for the insurance to pay me.
Only had one package get lost so far in two years, but I shipped off a replacement as soon as I knew about it. Wasn't a big order or insured. Seemed like an obvious thing to do.
Jim
Thanks for the heads up...shame though, I am in the market for some copperheads or texas rats
It has been said that if you do a great job people will talk about it if asked...if you do a bad job they will bring it up any chance they get.
When I waited tables if something went wrong our managers bought the whole meal or parts depending on what happened.
Some figures out there say if you're wronged you tell around 5 people or more...with the Internet it is exponential.
If you're a business owner you should always remember this.
Josh
it is the shippers responsibility to make the claim...
First of all, I agree that the shipper owes you a refund or should ship new skins. I agree he is responsible until you get the merchandise.
But, there is always another side of the story.
I shipped a ton of stuff before I sold Sipsey River. We stood behind every shipment. We offered insurance, but most people preferred that we ship without it because it was cheaper.There were some items and some locations we would refuse to ship unless insurance was included, we required it. Some customers buying these items or living in locations where we required insurance sometimes complained that they were being "gouged" on the shipping. The cost of insurance is set by USPS or UPS, not the shipper. As suggested above, any item over $50 or so should be insured, but even with insurance there are sometimes other issues. UPS sometimes refuses to pay if there is damage during shipment, they say the packaging was poor.
Insurance does not solve all problems, but it sure helps.
This is especially true when shipping to other countries. The Customs Offices of some countries slow items by Months and loose a lot of stuff. Be careful shipping to Europe.
All that said, he owes you a set of skins.
I can see Bill Tell's point about fairness. But the simple fact is that everyone in our trad community goes out of their way to EXCEED "fair" and do what's right for their brother. That is, in fact, OUR "standard". This dealer has not lived up to our standards and now faces the consequence. This is exactly as it should be.
Thank you for posting this. If we don't uphold the integrity of this great brotherhood, we will dengenerate into a s**t-heap like the rest of society.
A man who has earned a very good reputation as a snake skin suplier is Mike Yancy at Pine Hollow Longbows.
Well we haven't heard form the shipper. I would be interesting to hear his side of the story at the very least before we build the gallows.
I hate to hear about this. I bought some skins from him last year and had a very good experience. He worked with me to find the skins I needed and I received them promptly. I have since recommended him to several other people looking for skins...I won't be doing that anymore without sharing your experience!
Wow , is me or does it feel like Monday around here... :help: :wavey:
I waited a long time before I posted this. I asked him several times to offer a replacement skin (which in the long run would be a lot cheaper than a refund). I explained my philosophy. I sent him a bank check (his site listed that as the check option) to increase his profit since there would be no charge from paypal, which I communicated to him. I can ship a knife anywhere in the country priority for under 5 bucks. I sent him seven extra to cover shipping,which should have been enough to insure if he desired. He used the USPS priority boxes which have no cost to him. It took three emails after he emailed me the tracking number, to get a description of what he shipped the package in so I could pass it on to the Post Office. I sent him the check on 1/10 and waited until Feb. 1st until I started to inquire. So I have given him and additional three weeks to decide.
I would like to attest to Jim's reply.
Looks like I'm the only order he has had
that went astray.....and he made
good on it with out my even having
a chance to do anything.....Guess
where I will go when I need a service such
as his ?......and I will
most certainly spread the word of
a good product and service because of his actions.....oh , by the way , he even added
to the order because of the inconvenience....
Thanks again Jim....