Newbie and Dadant experience

**bbuddy** · 02-24-2011, 03:13 PM

Last year I got my first bee packages. Needed some supplies: a smoker, a brush, a hood, Italian hive tool - simple necessities.

Well, after a bit the smoker and a brush showed up. Waited and waited, nothing else came in. I called them, and the response was that it was all on back-order. When did they expect the stuff to come in? "Don't know."

So I waited and waited some more, and then called again. "Still all on back-order." Has it even been ordered? Do you have a date when it is due? "Don't know. yawn." Could not have cared less....

I said, you know I had a website and sold items on that website and it was REAL SIMPLE to post when something wasn't available. Why didn't they?

"Don't know". Asked them to refund my $.

Waited and waited. Called back again, went through it all again. Same lack of interest, same responses. This time I got mad and then found out some of it WAS NOT EVEN ORDERED, they weren't gonna get it in, not that year anyway!!!!

But it was all still available to order on the website. I told them in this day and age there was NO EXCUSE to operate on the web this way.

FINALLY got a refund about a month later (by this time it was end of summer)

I will never, ever, do business with them again.

**Solomon Parker** · 02-24-2011, 04:43 PM

Yep, that's been about the story lately.

I won't shop with them any more. The last several times, they've shipped my stuff to an address where I haven't lived for six years. Getting things straightened out took nearly a month.

I like Mann Lake. They are employee owned. They have quality products. They have good prices. They have free shipping on orders over $100 (not sure if this is always the case.) They respond to emails.

**giant pumpkin peep** · 02-24-2011, 05:44 PM

I called dadant in michigan to get some stuff brought to tri-county beekeepers workshop. If they bring it is still to be told.

**Hambone** · 02-24-2011, 06:12 PM

I buy 90% of my stuff from Dadant. They have always done good for me. One thing I have learned with all the suppliers is not to order online. I call the Paris, Tx. store and if they have it in stock I order it right then over the phone and always get my order with in 2 days. If they don't have it in stock I call somewhere else.

**RiodeLobo** · 02-24-2011, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by WiredForStereo

I like Mann Lake. They are employee owned. They have quality products. They have good prices. They have free shipping on orders over $100 (not sure if this is always the case.) They respond to emails.

I ordered my first bee supplies from them last summer. They did not include half of my side bar of medium frames. I called them and they offered to send it out that day. I was happy with their service, and even on a small order the gentleman that handled my call did seem genuinely interested in helping me. Unless they change a lot, that simple response to a problem got them a loyal customer.

Case in point, I am taking the time to tell you about it.

Dan

**bbuddy** · 02-24-2011, 09:47 PM

Obviously their customer service is spotty at best.
Plenty of other places to go, no sense in getting beat up by a business that doesn't care much.

You tell me that a business that puts product on their website but doesn't have it in stock and hasn't ordered it, doesn't PLAN on ordering it, but takes your money anyway and never tells you why you didn't get it, and that you are not GONNA get it, is worth doing business with?

FAIL

**pine_ridge_farms** · 02-24-2011, 09:54 PM

Suppliers just don't get that! How many places can we as consumers get our products from? This is not the old days when everything had to be ordered through the mail. I tried to buy queens off one particular guy last year. He has a website with e-mail and I could not get a hold of him. I was later told "well he dosen't check his e-mail much" well then he shouldn't be advertising with his website and e-mail then! Guess what, I bought queens from somewhere else. I still am waiting on a reply to my two e-mails...

**bennybee** · 02-24-2011, 10:06 PM

It's been my experience with Dadant that they could give a crap less if they sell you anything. I live in northern Il and ir's really aggravating. It varies from dealer to dealer. I've heard that Paris, Tex. is great. I would love to have a business where no matter how you treat your customers your business keeps growing. We deserve better. They are scatterbrained and screw up a lot of orders. They're not government owned are they?

**WPG** · 02-25-2011, 04:21 PM

I'm not sure just exactly how these branch stores are set up, they may be independent contractors almost like franchises instead of corporate owned.

I would pass your concerns and grievences on to the coporate office in Hamilton, IL if I were you.
They may need to find a different local beekeeper business person to handle their supplies in the area.
Might be an opportunity there.

I have always had good interactions with them.
They have bent over backwards to correct mistakes, inform me of backorders, and apologize for any inconviences.
Sometimes they have offered upgrades with no increase of cost.
Sometimes they substituted select when I ordered commercial, and I only paid for commercial.

I have ordered over the phone, gone to pickup in person, and had something be out-of-stock,

. They offered to ship free of charge when it came in or scratch it off the ticket. My choice. All with apologies. Office help and the shipping gals.

When I have experiences with a supposed business as you have I tend to 'vote with my feet' and try to leave some foot prints on their carcas as I go.

You're doing that by posting here.

If the problem is the particular business owner, I have assisted another individual to setup in competition and put the 1st out-of-business.

I hope your future endeavors are satisfactory.

**RABray** · 03-06-2011, 05:13 PM

I have visited the Waverly New York branch twice now, where I have purchased most of my items, and have nothing but compliments for the staff there.
I have had numerous questions each time, as I am brand new to this, and they have been very forth coming with answers to all my questions and often offer suggestions. The orders placed were quickly gathered and I have not had anything missing or of bad quality. I would suggest you contact the main headquarters and convey your story there and at least give them the opportunity to make corrections. Yes there are a number of places to buy our wares but if we just move on, we may find we run out of options sooner or later. Just my humble opinion.

**bbuddy** · 03-06-2011, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by RABray

I have visited the Waverly New York branch twice now, where I have purchased most of my items, and have nothing but compliments for the staff there.
I have had numerous questions each time, as I am brand new to this, and they have been very forth coming with answers to all my questions and often offer suggestions. The orders placed were quickly gathered and I have not had anything missing or of bad quality. I would suggest you contact the main headquarters and convey your story there and at least give them the opportunity to make corrections. Yes there are a number of places to buy our wares but if we just move on, we may find we run out of options sooner or later. Just my humble opinion.

Just to be CLEAR, I bought through their website. I called their number when I had further contact, twice.

So I WAS in contact with their "headquarters". They were MOST uninterested....they just didn't CARE that I purchased something that was on their website but not in stock, nor even ordered to BE in stock.
They. didn't. CARE.

I lodged a complaint twice. Doubt if it went anywhere, the people I talked to.... didn't.... care. If they can't hire better phone contact people, they shouldn't HAVE a phone contact. THEY are at fault.

Once again, when your contact with any company is THAT ATROCIOUS, there is no need to go back and get beat up again, unless you are a masochist....

**ArkansasBK** · 03-08-2011, 06:48 AM

I buy from Dadant, but I buy from their Paris. Tex branch. You are right, they aren't very enthusiastic about selling to you like they were years ago. My biggest complaint is with my back orders. I have a means to have my merchandise picked up and delivered for free by a friend that lives there, but they will ship the back orders to me and charge me shipping when the items come in instead of notifying me of their arrival. I hope I have that thing stopped. Talked to them pretty strongly about it. They are cheaper on most stuff than Kelly. Sometimes we have to deal with the devil whether we want to or not. Just as long as he doesn't win in the end!!