AirsoftGI - Order Processing Extremely Slow for July 2011

[Ming_the_Merciless]

Just releasing some steam, but the processing at AirsoftGI is incredibly slow. I ordered a number of parts and items from multiple retailers in California to Hong Kong, and ironically the first place I ordered from, for my MK18 build, AirsoftGI, is the last order that has yet to issue a tracking number, coupled with the ground shipping, that's nearly two weeks since the original order date that I can expect my products to arrive, assuming there aren't any back orders - at the time I placed the order everything was in stock, but having my PO sit in processing for 5 days, means that with their shared inventory system with the store front, someone could have walked in and purchased the last item that I had ordered. To rub further salt into the wound, ironically my parts arrived clear across the Pacific faster than from west coast! That includes the journey, and clearing US Customs. If I had known that the processing time can now take upwards to 5+ days, I would have ordered elsewhere, coupled now that the items I ordered may be back ordered, has me irritated to say the least. This isn't my first time ordering from AirsoftGI, I used them frequently a few years back, and they typically shipped the same day - so they fell short of my expectations now. Perhaps I've been spoiled from using other major retailers, electronics to firearm retailers like Newegg or MidwayUSA, but irregardless I am disappointed. So FYI, if you're in any rush, or have expectations of same day shipping with AirsoftGI - scratch that. Processing time, turn around till shipping can now take upwards to 5 working days.

[Kokanee]

AirsoftGI only ships UPS, so 99% of played in Canada will never order from them fyi. Crappy deal for you though, good luck with that.

[mmmken]

I'm still peeved with their service after an attempted order from them a few days ago. Basically, I had everything shipped to my address in the USA (to benefit from their free shipping promotion) and paid with Paypal. Now, both addresses (my shipping and actual billing one in Canada) were verified and confirmed on my Paypal account.

A day after payment, they try and contact me telling me that I need to call them to verify the order. Since calling them from Canada is prohibitively expensive, I told them that they could ask me whatever they needed by email and explained why I didn't think phone verification was necessary since everything was already verified in my Paypal account. Anthony (one of their employees) later insisted that they needed to reach me by phone for some reason that they could not explain by email or else my order would be cancelled.

I could understand if I was trying to get them to ship to an unconfirmed address, but I was not. I had them cancel the order since they were insistent on speaking to me over the phone. Not necessarily bad service since the refund was issued immediately, but I just find the entire ordeal absolutely stupid and that their processes are incredibly counter-productive.

[Ming_the_Merciless]

As an update, I'll try calling later today to see why the processing has still been delayed, and if I can upgrade the delivery method to overnight. I wasn't in any particular rush, but I was hoping to have all the parts in so I could finish the MK18 build through the weekend. I'm one of those characters that once I start something I have to finish it right then and there. It's incredibly frustrating to have all the parts laid out ready to go, minus the DD rail, and inner barrel, so close to completion.

Originally Posted by Kokanee

AirsoftGI only ships UPS, so 99% of played in Canada will never order from them fyi. Crappy deal for you though, good luck with that.

Thanks! Interesting, so what major retailers are there in Canada?

Originally Posted by mmmken

I'm still peeved with their service after an attempted order from them a few days ago. Basically, I had everything shipped to my address in the USA (to benefit from their free shipping promotion) and paid with Paypal. Now, both addresses (my shipping and actual billing one in Canada) were verified and confirmed on my Paypal account.

A day after payment, they try and contact me telling me that I need to call them to verify the order. Since calling them from Canada is prohibitively expensive, I told them that they could ask me whatever they needed by email and explained why I didn't think phone verification was necessary since everything was already verified in my Paypal account. Anthony (one of their employees) later insisted that they needed to reach me by phone for some reason that they could not explain by email or else my order would be cancelled.

I could understand if I was trying to get them to ship to an unconfirmed address, but I was not. I had them cancel the order since they were insistent on speaking to me over the phone. Not necessarily bad service since the refund was issued immediately, but I just find the entire ordeal absolutely stupid and that their processes are incredibly counter-productive.

I've ran into the similar situation before, when a billing address doesn't coincide with the shipping address, and the business calls to confirm, not a bid deal, actually nice effort to curb possible fraudulent use. However, having you call them so that you incur long distance charges, isn't right, they should have schedule a time for when they could reach you, if they were persistent on speaking to you voice to voice.

The more I think about it, the more I realize, if I have an option, I'll typically go online to find it first, as it can be cheaper even with shipping, rather than dealing with the mark up locally, that's with airsoft or other items. But now, more and more, I realize that even with the mark up locally, returns and warranties can quickly be addressed on the spot, without having to deal with the ordeal of return shipping, ordeal of back orders, and the back and forth through email or time spent on the phone with dealing with different customer service representatives or automated system - that is assuming you can what your looking for locally.

[SuperHog]

mmmken,

You have a PM.

[mmmken]

Originally Posted by Ming_the_Merciless

I've ran into the similar situation before, when a billing address doesn't coincide with the shipping address, and the business calls to confirm, not a bid deal, actually nice effort to curb possible fraudulent use. However, having you call them so that you incur long distance charges, isn't right, they should have schedule a time for when they could reach you, if they were persistent on speaking to you voice to voice.

The more I think about it, the more I realize, if I have an option, I'll typically go online to find it first, as it can be cheaper even with shipping, rather than dealing with the mark up locally, that's with airsoft or other items. But now, more and more, I realize that even with the mark up locally, returns and warranties can quickly be addressed on the spot, without having to deal with the ordeal of return shipping, ordeal of back orders, and the back and forth through email or time spent on the phone with dealing with different customer service representatives or automated system - that is assuming you can what your looking for locally.

Well, when both addresses used for the order are both confirmed and verified on my PayPal account - I don't see the purpose of making an expensive international phone call in my case.

What would the difference be between asking me the verification questions by phone and email? The only purpose in doing so is to verify if I was actually a person and not just a robot - and I can assure you that I am not the former, lol.