Maratac AAA failure, Countycomm great service!

Countycomm stands behind the Maratac AAA; mine suffered an emitter failure after considerable usage. Didn't know the warranty period and wrote them a note, fully prepared to buy another one. They sent me a replacement with zero hassle, quick service, a quality company.

When I ordered my Maratac AAA from Countycomm last year, it was DOA. I called them and they told me to send it back, and a new one was on it's way immediately. That new Maratac AAA worked great, and has held up to a lot of use. I agree, it's a great light, and I had a good customer service experience, as well.

I just wish they would sell to international customers

Well, after reading what has happened to other vendors (4sevens posted relatively recently about an experience) with international shipping, it is quite understandable why they would not want to ship internationally. In fact, it is understandable why they charge so much for shipping since I believe it includes insurance in case if the package is lost as well as tracking. I think they have been burned in the past by many dishonest customers.

I'm sure only a small percentage of international buyers are dishonest, and I doubt that every single US buyer/seller is totally honest (look at the Jeers and Hall of Shame forums for plenty of examples). Some countries do have a deservedly bad reputation (IIRC Italy and Nigeria are two). The best solution is for the seller to ship with "addrees's signature required" so the seller has proof it WAS delivered. I don't mind paying the extra postage if it means I can get a light.

4sevens still sell to overseas customers because they make more money doing it (but are probaly a bit wary of customers who claim their lights keep on getting lost).

I think some sellers don't like interrnational postage because it means they have to physically go down to the PO to send a package (ie extra work and time).

The alkaline battery in my Maratac AAA leaked a little; just enough to interrupt the connection between the neg. pole of the battery and the case. Result: no workee! Twice I cured the problem by adding a dilute solution of muriatic acid (HCl), but the fix worked only for a few weeks each time. Finally I emailed CountyComm and asked if they could sell me the lower case alone, as I knew the head was good. They said to send it in and they would take care of it. And they did: they sent me a new flashlight, the Rev 2 model. No charge. I have to say I was mightily impressed with their support and service. I did mention CPF; I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but I do respect the fact that they backed up their product - even when it was not defective. I certainly would/will do business with CC again. And from now on, I'll use lithium batteries!

My Maratac AAA wouldn't turn off, so I contacted them and they were happy for me to send it in. Just before I did so, I found a thread on here that described my problem (metal flakes in the head) and how to fix it. I appreciated the fast response of their customer service, but I was glad that I ended up not needing it. :thumbsup: