What's up with Botach?

What\'s up with Botach?

Hello all! Am new here and offer apologies in advance if this is not the proper place for this post. Does anyone know what's up with Botach? I placed a $40 order and (1) it was sent ground instead of 3-day, (2) UPS doesn't know where the package is, (3) I spent and hour waiting in vain for an online operator to respond, (4) a phone call (not toll free) to the operator at Botach was cut off after about a minute - no human ever came on the line. I finally left a voice mail at the owner's extension - no human there either. Is this behavior standard with Botach? Many thanks to anyone with info!

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NAL:
Does anyone know what's up with Botach? I placed a $40 order and (1) it was sent ground instead of 3-day, (2) UPS doesn't know where the package is, (3) I spent and hour waiting in vain for an online operator to respond, (4) a phone call (not toll free) to the operator at Botach was cut off after about a minute - no human ever came on the line. I finally left a voice mail at the owner's extension - no human there either. Is this behavior standard with Botach? Many thanks to anyone with info!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Welcome to CPF-I wonder why your post has a faint ring of familiarity Use the "search" function on this BBS -for: "Botach"

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

NAL,

if you do a search on Botach on this forum you´ll find some reports about similar problems - this is why Botach is pretty much boycotted here among the forumites / flashaholics - dealers of choice are guys like Brightguy, William@TTS, AGR, Tim@NorEastKnifes and other such people fun to deal with - Botach seems not to be worth the troubles - I personally have no experience with them and don´t plan to ever have any

Check out the links here or the links from Brock´s site to find these guys

Or just do a search on any of these names - some of the guys hang out here too - maybe not these days as the SHOT show in Vegas is going on

Good luck with your issue with Botach - and if hell breaks lose make shure your CC doesn´t get charged for items you don´t receive - and better call your cc company yourself and have the charge disputed if things don´t show up as it seems Botach is always very fast charging but a pain where the sun doesn´t shine returning your money.

Klaus

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

I think about %50 of everyone here has had trouble with Botach.

Eric

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Many thanks to you all for your comments. Not 15 minutes ago I had a call from Masoud at Botach - he said the package had made an appearance on UPS tracking and was scheduled for delivery tomorrow (true - about an hour after I had checked and called), and that he would put through a credit for the difference between 3-day and ground shipping. So it appears that a possible delivery tangle has been averted, with the fallout being a delivery that's 3-5 days later than it should have been. Given the prices at Botach, it seems a shame that the service experienced by folks here has resulted in buyers going elsewhere. This was my first purchase with them, and though it has resolved itself well, I can't say I won't hesitate about making another. Many thanks all, and I will check out the other vendors you mentioned!

Cheers!

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

I almost hate to admit it but I bought my SureFire E2 from Botach.

I paid less than $60 for an E2 HA delivered, I couldn't pass it up. Got my E2 without a problem, but with all the things I have read I knew I was taking a risk.

Couldn't resist the temptation of a "cheap" SureFire!

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

I ordered 2 SF 6P from them and got one of them. When I told them this, they blamed it on UPS and I never heard back from them again. I worked for UPS for awhile and I really don't think UPS was the problem as the packaged was still sealed and I had no signs of having been resealed. Live and learn I guess.

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Blamed a missing item (that should have been in the same box) on UPS? Egad.

Having done 99.9% of all my purchases of everything over the web for the past 3-4 years, I've run into only a few glitches, but this is a "winner" - though I have had the reverse happen - not being credited for a returned item that was in the same box as others that I did receive credit for - a phone call fixed that one!

My sense is that employee quality/training/high employee turnover is the issue here, as no sane business would condone such a response. In any situation with a mail/web order company where results are not forthcoming or satisfactory, the only recourse one has is immediate and continual persistence and follow-up.

"The first person you talk to has the least power to help you" is very often true. Use every avenue of contact that is available (email, phone, sales links, etc.) asking for a supervisor/moving up the authority ladder until you get some results - being professional, very nice, and very persistent in all contacts (becoming angry with someone who personally may have had nothing to do with your order will often quickly convince them that they don't want to help you).

At some point - 3rd contact at the latest, someone in authority (preferably the owner) needs to be told the whole story (keep notes of the dates/times and people that you spoke to or were unable to contact, and what you were told) that you must regretfully take your business elsewhere, even though their offerings, pricing, etc. are very good.

I once received, afer half-a-dozen or more calls, emails, messages, etc., a refund check for over $100 from a company with (it turned out) a single contact person whose credibility waned with each call, along with a note telling me that the check was sent because I was so persistent (read I wasn't going to give up or go away).

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Always remember:

High Quality Products, Low Prices, Great Service: pick any two.

This is the rule of retail. Let the buyer beware.

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lightspeed:
I think about %50 of everyone here has had trouble with Botach.

Eric<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The other 50% haven't done any business with them.

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

LOL!

I now belong to the 50% who have done business with them - my Inova X5 did arrive today, and has generated another question -

With the head turned down tight, the light is off - turning it on requires one full turn, which results in 1/8" gap between the outer edge of the head and the edge of the body - the "O" ring is just a tad beyond that, and one more full turn removes the head - anyone know if is this normal for this light (that is supposed to be waterproof to 150')?

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

I got this from the folks at Shot 2002

With a pair of pliers, 'tug" on the brass pin inside the head. This will "reset" the spring length. 1/4 turn is all you should need to activate the light. This also solves the problem with flickering instead of using a washer inside the battery compartment

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Mr TB
Thanks for the info. I just got my X5 & it has the same problem. Wonder why they don't do this on the assembly line. TX

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Thanks for the info - yep, had flicker too - but how much "tug" is needed? The pin does not want to reset, and I am afraid to apply too much pressure...

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NAL:
LOL!

I now belong to the 50% who have done business with them - my Inova X5 did arrive today, and has generated another question -

With the head turned down tight, the light is off - turning it on requires one full turn, which results in 1/8" gap between the outer edge of the head and the edge of the body - the "O" ring is just a tad beyond that, and one more full turn removes the head - anyone know if is this normal for this light (that is supposed to be waterproof to 150')?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Mine turn on with a 1/2 turn. O-ring is still sealing well.

Had it flicker too (in off position).

Clean off the brass plunger of any excess o-ring lube. Then press the plunger in & out a bunch of times, then repeat. After doing this I have yet to have anymore problems. (with flicker)

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

PS - more info - the pin currently sticks out about 1/4" - the light comes on as soon as I put the head in place to begin screwing it in...

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

The "tug trick" didn't help mine either. Still takes a full turn to come on. TX

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

Nope, still requires a 270 degree turn, leaving a 0.07" gap.

lightlover

Re: What\'s up with Botach?

I sent an email to Inova earlier this evening - will post if I hear from them. Whew! And this is a fairly expensive light!