72 replies to this topic

[greenstars3]

I have a few Tak pieces on order and know that when the credit card is charged that the products have arrived at the vendor that I ordered them from, good vendors do not charge until the product can be shipped. That said my experience with OPT was OK, (it was not this year) it just took a long time for the stuff to be sent. All my orders this year for astro gear have been slow.

 

Robert    

[P_Nut]

I have the worst experience dealing with ZWO support. I got a defective ASI-1600MM camera and after two months of asking and waiting and ignorance they haven't even looked at the camera. So I demanded a new camera from my local dealer which I got because I have that option in Europe.

Do not buy from ZWO, if you get a malfunctioning unit, you are on your own.

[psugrue]

The final OPT chapter:

 

After emailing Dustin the CEO of OPT yesterday to explain my 2 month and soon to be 3 month + plight. I requested that the payment that OPT made against my credit card, 9 weeks ago, be refunded until such time as the product ships in its entirety. Justin said that OPTs website would not allow them to do that. I then helped Dustin and OPT out by working with my bank to reverse the charge and informed Dustin of that much needed help that I was able to provide to OPT. Dustin then sent me a return shipping label for the OTA. I did tell Dustin that I thought it would be better all round if he just shipped me the CGX mount and charged me the money but Dustin said I should send back the OTA, cancel the order, and then, go to the back of the line and he would let me know when the full item was in stock so I could reorder at that time. I feel good in that even though I did spend over $1000 with OPT on various items that did arrive on my doorstep, over the last 2 months. I now understand that the OPTs philosophy when it comes to customer service is not compatible with my expectations. After an hour spent packing the OTA and accessories back in their original inner and outer boxes, the OTA is now at my local UPS store per OPTs instructions. 

 

So Astronomics, how do you like that $3299 order I just made on your website? Don't worry there is plenty more where that came from. I am also thinking about a refractor and another camera for DSO but I think I am going to go mono and filter wheel and maybe OAG at that point.

 

Regards,

 

Patrick Sugrue   

Edited by psugrue, 10 December 2020 - 05:59 PM.

[John Fitzgerald]

Why didn't you keep the OTA and just charge back the rest of the cost, less OTA?

[psugrue]

Why didn't you keep the OTA and just charge back the rest of the cost, less OTA?

Because OPT did not give me that option, and it was not clear to me, and certainly not obvious to the bank what that cost would be, as it was part of a bundle.

[Delta608]

Why didn't you keep the OTA and just charge back the rest of the cost, less OTA?

 Perhaps thou (OP) protested too much..!  

[SonnyE]

 Perhaps thou (OP) protested too much..!

Wants some Popcorn? 

 

Glad I got mine before the dog-doo went through the breeze maker.

Edited by SonnyE, 10 December 2020 - 09:51 PM.

[psugrue]

 Perhaps thou (OP) protested too much..!

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous OPT,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles?

[jgraham]

I am glad that you at least arrived at some form of closure.

Crazy times.

Stay well!

[John Fitzgerald]

Because OPT did not give me that option, and it was not clear to me, and certainly not obvious to the bank what that cost would be, as it was part of a bundle.

Patrick,

Thank you for informing us of your experience.  I'm fairly certain some of us will use that to make future purchase decisions.

I'm glad it worked out in the end.  Better for Astronomics and CN!

[psugrue]

OK so here is another hot tip. Which you prob all know because I am late to the party and I am an idiot. So nothing to do with OPT or Astronmics. I ordered a little $40 astro-gizmo from a vendor. It was Dead on Arrival. So I let them know and they emailed me a return shipping label and a RMA (return merch auth). On the RMA I checked the box "I would like to have the items(s) exchanged with the same item" (silly me) Now it took 7 days for FedEx to ship the item back and it took the vendor 7 days to process the return. In fact 7 days and counting. So, I asked the vendor? Why would anyone check that box? Just ask for a refund and reorder on day one, and save 14 days.  The vendor said yes that would be the fastest way. So I switched the RMA from "Replace" to "Refund" and gave up on the vendor and ordered it on Amazon Prime. Is it just me? I must be missing something. It has to be me right?

Edited by psugrue, 13 December 2020 - 11:52 PM.

[Oyaji]

My Mewlon 180C arrived today.  As detailed in posts 33, 39, 42, 44 and 45, I ordered my Mewlon on 11/27; despite their OPT's promise of 2 day shipping, the scope arrived 12/14, and only after numerous e-mails and a credit card dispute, and without the reducer, which I told them to forget about.

 

The scope arrived via UPS ground--when Tak requires that vendors send their scopes by air to protect the factory collimation.  I'll be checking the collimation tonight.

 

Let's just say my experience was less than optimal--pun intended.  I will get on a waiting list with some other vendors re the reducer.  

Edited by Oyaji, 14 December 2020 - 07:54 PM.

[Delta608]

 

The scope arrived via UPS ground--when Tak requires that vendors send their scopes by air to protect the factory collimation.  I'll be checking the collimation tonight.

 

 

    You live at an airport community...?

[Oyaji]

Yes, my town has a regional airport. 

 

The outer box was slightly crushed on one end and the collimation off a tad (nothing too serious--famous last words) so I'll have to correct it before the Great Conjunction of 2020--it's simply too cold tonight and the neighbors have their Christmas lights illuminating my back yard.  

 

I must say, however, that the finderscope was dialed in just fine.  

 

And after all this...curse the luck....somebody just put a Mewlon 180 up for sale on Astromart today!  

[John Fitzgerald]

I have found it best to refrain from ordering anything fragile or the least bit expensive from about November 15 until about January 5.  If everyone did that, there would be a crunch in January.

[Borodog]

Funny, I ordered a 3X Barlow from Astronomics two weeks ago and haven’t heard a peep out of them. Still no shipment notice. 

[John Fitzgerald]

Funny, I ordered a 3X Barlow from Astronomics two weeks ago and haven’t heard a peep out of them. Still no shipment notice. 

It's probably out of stock or you would have it by now.  But, if you didn't get an order acknowledgement right after you ordered online,  the order never went through.

If it was a phone order, maybe there's no email address for you.  You should give them a call.

[Borodog]

It's probably out of stock or you would have it by now.  But, if you didn't get an order acknowledgement right after you ordered online,  the order never went through.

If it was a phone order, maybe there's no email address for you.  You should give them a call.

I sent them an email last night and they said it's been back-ordered for 3 months. Um, that would have been useful information to know *before* I placed the order, not two weeks later.

[Jethro7]

Hello CNers,

I have a list of Companies that I buy from regularly. 

Each of these companies has given me the service as if I am their best customer.

1 Astronomics

2 Highpoint Scientific

3 Alpine Astronomical

4 Skies Unlimited

5 Land Sea and Sky

6 Today I just added Woodland Hills Camera and Telescope to this list. Their customer service was amazing. I made the order at 12:00 Am CST that would be 9:00 AM PSTand a few hours later I received their Email with the tracking number. About three hours ago I recieved the Quantum View notice that UPS has received the package and is on the way.

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

Edited by Jethro7, 15 December 2020 - 11:09 PM.

[John Fitzgerald]

Hello CNers,

I have a list of Companies that I buy from regularly. 

Each of these companies has given me the service as if I am their best customer.

1 Astronomics

2 Highpoint Scientific

3 Alpine Astronomical

4 Skies Unlimited

5 Land Sea and Sky

6 Today I just added Woodland Hills Camera and Telescope to this list. Their customer service was amazing.

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

Agena Astro is extremely good also.

[Jethro7]

Agena Astro is extremely good also.

Hello John,

I Agree, I messed up and forgot about Agena Astro, in my post, I have only used them a few of times usually on EBay.

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

[jgraham]

+1 for Agena.

[Oyaji]

In post no. 64,  said my Mewlon was out of collimation when I checked it upon receipt.  Well, I was looking through a diagonal and the star I was looking at wasn't centered.

 

Tonight, intending to fix the collimation, I hooked up my ASI294MC Pro to the visual back with NO diagonal, and put a little artificial star (a 99 cent flashlight covered with foil with a single pinprick) about 100 feet away in my back yard.  Here is the result, a pic I took using NINA with the "star" defocused and centered.  (The "star" is seen through a plate glass patio window--it's cold out there, and when I open the window, the currents resulting from  the cold air meeting the warm are severe.)  I think the collimation is better than I could ever "improve" it by fiddling with the collimation screws.  I will check it against a real star later--but there aren't any to be seen tonight.  

 

 

 

 

I take back what I said about the collimation having been adversely affected by shipping.  Three cheers for Tak's double box packing!  I must say, however, that this scope is famous for coma, and when my artificial star is not centered, the view isn't as close to perfect as this one.  That isn't OPT's fault.  And that's why I have a flattener/reducer on order.  

Edited by Oyaji, 16 December 2020 - 10:50 PM.