Look what happens when customers buy from Elemental Designs

[A7450broken]

You can't understand my frustration

I think this is just part of the risk you take when you buy from a realtively small company, even more so when it's an international purchase.

I can understand your frustration but I'm sure ED is not in the business to make their customers unhappy, like Halon said it's probably not within ED finacial resources to send you another sub without closure on the first one. Hopefully they will be able to do so down the line.

I'd also like to point out that from the price you quoted shipped is $1000 more than the sub is worth. I don't really know if any company would front that kind of money for a $700 product on the customers word.

Finally, I'm not a big fan of folks that pop out of nowhere with a username such as yours with your only intention to discredit a company whether right or wrong.


Edit: Don't type after downing a Monster (Energy drink that is).

1.You can't understand my frustration because you are not in my shoes.
2.$700? The A7-450 costs $1,300+$400 = $1,700...you are very lost.
3. My post experience is to help you...Even if you dont understand!

 

[A7450broken]

It had internal damage

When you say the amp was "broken"...do you mean it was physically mangled or it just wouldn't turn on?
This is important.
Sorry to hear of your situation....eD has been nothing but stellar to me.

The amp had the transfomer damaged (like a giant donut transformer ripped apart,screw broke) from its base!(After seeing the damage and that it wasnt turning on I decided to open it to see the internal damages) Had one blue cable loose and one blank (like data)cable broken...

 

[mike c]

pictures please.

so you are saying there's no external damage? but the amp is messed up inside?

 

[A7450broken]

AS you wish!

how about posting the pictures. you said you had some.

www.photobucket.com

mine aren't exactly working perfectly, i sent my drivers in for rebuilding.

Yeah there was internal and external damage!
http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll242/A7450broken/

 

[mike c]

it looks like it fell off the pallete.

yours

mine

see that the cardboard is wrapped around the entire package, especially the corners. it could have possibly been opened somewhere along the line, therefore not re-packaged properly and that is what happens when the item is moved without being strapped down properly.

if i had to guess, it was the secondary shipper's fault. why? the secondary shipper shouldn't have accepted a package that looks messed up from AGS. so it would seem that they messed it up.

fortunately, mine only had to travel within the US like that. then my US friend put them into a container himself.

 

[A7450broken]

Is it worth it?

pictures please.

so you are saying there's no external damage? but the amp is messed up inside?

Mike, I must know... Is it worth it? When you compared the ED to the PB-13 Ultra ...1 on 1 what can be said?

 

[stratman]

Not being judgmental, but...........just looking at that package, I would have refused it at the pick-up point.

 

[Matt34]

The title should read, "Look what happens when customers accept heavily damaged shipping containers."

I could care less about it being from ED, never bought anything from them and probably never will. Point is you took responsiblity once you picked up the product and I'd say after looking at the picture that Mike posted any damage to the sub is most certianly contrubited to the way it was mishandled during the shipping process.

 

[A7450broken]

You made me laugh

The title should read, "Look what happens when customers accept heavily damaged shipping containers."

I could care less about it being from ED, never bought anything from them and probably never will. Point is you took responsiblity once you picked up the product and I'd say after looking at the picture that Mike posted any damage to the sub is most certianly contrubited to the way it was mishandled during the shipping process.

Yep that is true. But it is also true that it has WARRANTY and INSURANCE.
That is what i am claiming and guess with whom I made the original contract and whom I paid?
Owners RIGHTS ring any bell?

 

[Halon451]

Not being judgmental, but...........just looking at that package, I would have refused it at the pick-up point.

Yup.......

 

[j_garcia]

Not being judgmental, but...........just looking at that package, I would have refused it at the pick-up point.

I agree, but I also agree that eD could at the very least start building another one for the OP in anticipation of resolution with the shipper. It doesn't sound like they are doing all that they could to help out their customer in a bad spot that is neither their fault nor the OPs; at least not the kind of support that can make or break a small, word-of-mouth type company.

 

[A7450broken]

Update

I agree, but I also agree that eD could at the very least start building another one for the OP in anticipation of resolution with the shipper. It doesn't sound like they are doing all that they could to help out their customer in a bad spot that is neither their fault nor the OPs; at least not the kind of support that can make or break a small, word-of-mouth type company.

AS an update this happened on Monday 21, and as of today Elemental hasnt even sent the papers filled for AGS to start the claim process!!!!

I will write the updates here from now on!

 

[majorloser]

fortunately, mine only had to travel within the US like that. then my US friend put them into a container himself.

Isn't PR part of the USA???

Seems like there should be some sort of liability with the original shipping company. If they paid a sub-contractor and that sub-contractor failed to perform, the liability will still ultimately fall on the main contractor (shipper). I can understand you would like ED to back their product, but in reality, they are not the ones who are liable for shipping damages. They would only be liable if the packing materials were found to be insufficient.

You may have to involve an attorney to rectify this problem. Shipping companies are notorious for not paying damage claims. This will not be an easy fight.

 

[majorloser]

AS an update this happened on Monday 21, and as of today Elemental hasnt even sent the papers filled for AGS to start the claim process!!!!

I will write the updates here from now on!

I hear an attorney out there begging you to call him right now.

 

[stratman]

I agree, but I also agree that eD could at the very least start building another one for the OP in anticipation of resolution with the shipper. It doesn't sound like they are doing all that they could to help out their customer in a bad spot that is neither their fault nor the OPs; at least not the kind of support that can make or break a small, word-of-mouth type company.

I understand, I'm not on eD's side (I'm not on anyone's side), it's clearly the shipping company's fault, yes it's to eD's benefit to help out a customer in need ASAP. How big is eD? There was a very simple solution, now that the damage has been done, the OP has to persevere and be diligent with follow up calls and e-mails to eD, yes it's very frustrating, but how much info does eD have on their side? Do they know if the OP dropped it or the shipping company (they have to investigate), they have merchandise on the opposite side, how do they know the OP isn't scamming them? Listen, I'm playing devil's advocate on this, but small companies tend to be more cautious with accidents of this nature, they're not multi-conglomerates with inventory in warehouses all over the place, for them to replace merchandise is more laborious and costly so it takes longer to replace a claim. I just hope the OP will be more cautious receiving merchandise, specially when it's being shipped from overseas. Sometimes folk in the the heat of the moment and desire for their gear over-look the obvious and hence you've got these situations, I'm not faulting the OP, what I am saying is, now that the damage has been done, bite your lip and finish the race.

 

[j_garcia]

We went through this earlier this year when we shipped a heavy piece of gear out and took note that they did not properly strap it into the truck when it left our place. It arrived badly damaged and they claimed it was our fault because it wasn't in the original packaging (which it wasn't). This was a $24K piece of equipment that our customer did not have and we did not have a replacement for. It took 5 months before it was resolved, and the shipping company ended up paying for the machine. In the meantime, we got the OEM company to deliver a brand new machine to our customer.

I realize that eD is still small and this isn't exactly an off the shelf item, and that it will take them some time to build.

 

[stratman]

We went through this earlier this year when we shipped a heavy piece of gear out and took note that they did not properly strap it into the truck when it left our place. It arrived badly damaged and they claimed it was our fault because it wasn't in the original packaging (which it wasn't). This was a $24K piece of equipment that our customer did not have and we did not have a replacement for. It took 5 months before it was resolved, and the shipping company ended up paying for the machine. In the meantime, we got the OEM company to deliver a brand new machine to our customer.

I realize that eD is still small and this isn't exactly an off the shelf item, and that it will take them some time to build.

In my line of work, I deal with stuff like this all the time. The UPS and Fed Ex guys that frequent my office already know the drill, when they see a damaged package they already come prepped knowing I'm refusing. Then what I do automatically, I take photos and call the shipper and let them know I refused, then out of courtesy (and for expediting reasons) I e-mail photos, this saves me at least one week (depending on source) of going back and forth.

 

[mike c]

Mike, I must know... Is it worth it? When you compared the ED to the PB-13 Ultra ...1 on 1 what can be said?

output wise, the eD trumps the PB13, SQ wise indistinguishable (pretty good for something cheaper). the enclosure is built pretty good. (my option 2 is actually buying soundsplinter drivers to drop in the enclosure)

but honestly, if i knew there was gonna be driver problems, and an insensitive input on the amps ... i would have bought 4 of the PB13's.

i'm glad eD is fixing my drivers, but it's not exactly "svs" quality customer service. they said it was shipping damage ... but as you can see in the pics ... it seems quite unlikely that both drivers would have been damaged and that only the two eD's were affected. right now, i'd like to know what really happened so it can be avoided in the future and if the driver's are really at fault, it means i have no other problems when the driver's come back.

 

[mike c]

major, i didn't know puerto rico was super close to the US.

but i did mean that my shipment was only in the continental US. then it was stuffed in a container to protect it from the dangers of shipping loose cargo internationally.

 

[cbraver]

There are so many good subwoofer companies with proper dealer networks, support and distribution. I don't believe these small companies are worth the hassle, especially internationally. These little companies are just DIY subwoofer builders, that probably don't build anything nicer than the guys do in the DIY forum here. Their electronics fail too, and no one can get support when they do, I've seen numerous threads about this before.

If people are going to recommend these little internet direct brands that are so popular on here, I think it is safe to say you should at least warn against the possible downsides. This stuff happens too often with these companies.