X5 that won't goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

leddite

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X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

i ordered one of those $25 black body blue light Inova X5s from Outpost.Com (they prefer to call Inova as Emissive Energy ;>) ...

open light, feed light, really bright blue! great. twist to turn off. it won't GO to sleep. i figured that it was a spacer issue, and quickly made one, and that was okay, but dammit, i want this thing to work properly (boo hiss!)

called Inova quick to check their policy, in case Outpost is cranky; they have a "ship us the light, with $3, and we'll make it right policy". okay, that's "okay" i guess if the light was "old and had issues" but not for new.

called Outpost, was told a number of shocking things.

first off, if you have your package shipped ground or anything under $500, the Airborne Express drop off person doesn't require signature, and can just drop the package at your door, porch, in the bushes, etc AND they are NOT responsible if you can't find it. if they claim it's delivered, that's your issue. this apparently is mentioned on outpost's site someplace in small print - great; i ordered via the phone! was not told anything about this. feh. if i hadn't been home, i can almost guarantee that the package wouldn't have been there when i looked for it.

second, the rma process requires you to ship the unit back at your cost. still, that's $3 cheaper than the Inova return policy. they'll immediately ship your "new" product to you, but ding your credit card again. nice. once they receive your package [if/when], determine it's "good enough", and other magic, after some period of time known only to them, they'll credit your card again. assuming everything passes the bar of course.

the lady i talked to was very clear on all their policies THIS time. hah. she very nicely is next-daying my return item (second P&H isn't charged ayway, but next day isn't usual?)...

well, off to the post office before THEY close. i don't want this thing one second longer than i have to have it.

growf!
 

Spudman

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Just the lower price for me.
G
 

leddite

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Could you please explain this?
it won't GO to sleep
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I am not sure what you mean.[/QB][/QUOTE]

yes. you install batteries. you put on LED head and screw it down. continue to do so all the way snug, which SHOULD turn it off. nope. still on.
this is the only X5 i've seen that does this.

there was at least 2mm of extra "turn in" required to turn it off. i stuck a cobbled together a spacer, and dropped that in the bottom of the tube, reinserted batteries, and tightened all the way down again, it goes off.

on other X5's i've played with, one requires less than one full turn from off to go on, and another requires more like around 1ish. given the size of the threads, that's a bit of travel.

again, i suppose, i just coulda lived with it, but i shouldn't have to.

i also shouldn't have to, imho, pay any extra (that's including my time and resources, postage, gas, envelope, tape, time on the phone, etc) to be "made whole for DOA (or in this case Too Alive On Arrival (TAOA).

outpost prides itself on supreme customer service. well, if that's the case, it might be because their other policies stink *cough*
smile.gif
 

Wingerr

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

i also shouldn't have to, imho, pay any extra (that's including my time and resources, postage, gas, envelope, tape, time on the phone, etc) to be "made whole for DOA (or in this case Too Alive On Arrival (TAOA).
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Nope, you shouldn't have needed to- what they should have done is send a return mailer label, postage paid, for you to send the light back, if they were really customer service oriented- Harbor Freight did that on a $15 item, of all things, which didn't work as advertised in the blurb, but wasn't really defective per se. There's a wide range in how customers are treated, but in your case, which I would hope is a rare case, they should have gone beyond their usual policy-
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Did you try other batteries?

A similar thing happened to me with my original X5, but only after I threw it down on the floor to test its ruggedness (goofy huh?). The light survived fine, but the fragile batteries compressed in size (it hit the floor on the end of the light) and the light would not turn off when fully closed. New batteries "fixed" it. The batteries were messed up, not the light.
 

leddite

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Nope, you shouldn't have needed to- what they should have done is send a return mailer label, postage paid, for you to send the light back, if they were really customer service oriented-
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">oh, i specifically brought that up, and was again referred to some url on their policy pages. i also again mentioned that this was entirely a phoned in order, and none of this was explained during that time.

i resorted to the phoned in order because after ordering via their web page, and it was accepted, no charges were posted to my card, nor any sign the order happened, nor could they verify it (that by itself was a bad sign; they can't even verify bogus/bad/failed orders? how many do they lose? what about security?). i was told "just order again"... yeah, like i need a double charge and two packages. waited a bit, nothing showed, show i did order again - via human to human protocol.

had i known about any of these major issues, that might have been a deal breaker, even with the "killer price". bah i say.

i noticed that the mailing labels/etc seem to indicate that outpost and airborne are intimately linked... i'm guess that airborne entirely warehouses for outpost for immediate drop shipping type stuff. outpost claims that they have no way to inspect or verify product before shipping; it shows up from vendor and is slapped out to the customer.

oh, and a variety of batteries had all the same effect. not comforting either.
 

Lantern Jack O.

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Thanks for the head's up, leddite. I was thinking of ordering from Outpost, but now ... I think I'll pass. Sorry to hear you got the runaround. I'll check w/TTS instead.
 

leddite

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

i'm sure they have thousands and thousands of happy customers with no problems.

it's just when there are problems... oiy. i can only guess some of them.

one of the reasons for all their runaround on a returned product, as that outpost doesn't actually see it per se, just like they never saw it when they shipped it. it's all blind warehouse direct shipping. that very same warehouse (aka airborne; regardless of return shipping method) also accepts the returns.

tricky to manage, yes? their policies make sense for them. it's just annoying when you run into them. one of the reasons i so prefer buying local.

so, i suppose one can order with confidence from them. hope for no failures.
 

sunspot

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Belive me, I feel your pain. It's the old runaround blues. At least we are now aware about Outpost.com and I thank you for that.

Could you please explain this?
it won't GO to sleep
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I am not sure what you mean.
 

Spudman

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

I ordered one from them (white light) and decided to buy a dvd at the same time. They didn't inform me until after shipping the dvd that the inova was on back order. I got charged the higher shipping with the dvd. What do you think the chances are of getting more old versions in stock? Man, I wish I had emailed Texas Tactical Supply.
 

sunspot

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Pardon me but whats the deal on the old style? If it's because of the lower price, I can understand that but I for one really like a tail switch, momentary or clickie on.
 

PocketLights.com

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

If you are having a problem with the Inova X5, send it back to Emissive Energy Corporation, the manufacturer of Inova X5's and MicroLights.

Emissive Energy Corporation
5 Division Street
Warwick, RI 02818-3800
Tel: 401.541.9001
Fax: 401.541.9004
Email: [email protected]
 

Spudman

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

I got an email from Outpost today stating my order had been cancelled at my request or because the item was no longer available from the manufacturer. No mention of refunding the higher shipping they charged me on my other item. I'll have to call today to get it straightened out. I can't say I'm surprised that they can't get more stock, but I don't think I'll give them anymore business.
 

sunspot

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Originally posted by PocketLights.com:
If you are having a problem with the Inova X5, send it back to Emissive Energy Corporation, the manufacturer of Inova X5's and MicroLights.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The point is that it is DOA from the vendor. One should not have to deal with the manufacturer on a problem like this.IMHO.
 

leddite

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Originally posted by sunspot:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by PocketLights.com:
If you are having a problem with the Inova X5, send it back to Emissive Energy Corporation, the manufacturer of Inova X5's and MicroLights.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The point is that it is DOA from the vendor. One should not have to deal with the manufacturer on a problem like this.IMHO.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">**and** it shouldn't cost the end consumer any additional $$$money$$$ (perhaps a little time, like having to go back to your local store instead... imho.

sending it back to emissive energy, which the instruction card says to do for warranty claims, costs postage (plus time again) *and* they want $3 US MORE to handle your claim. nobody should have to fork over $6-9 additional for a DOA item. might as well run out and buy a brand new X5T (which isn't what i wanted anyway).

just about 15 minutes ago, the very nice, and entirely too perky for 9am Airborne Express delivery agent dropped off the new blue X5. seems to work fine. yay. when they said next day, they weren't kidding. 20 hours total from the phone call of doom, almost exactly.

it'll be several days before they receive the package i RmA'ed to them (snail mail). we'll see how they handle my credit return.

back to testing my inner eyelids for a couple :>

bright the day
 

Bob Snow

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

I ordered two and only one was shipped. I too got the letter telling me the backorder was cancelled at my request. I am stuck wil the shipping cost for two. I am a shareholder in Outpost. Bought it for pennies a share after the dot.com shakeout. They used to be the best when they were Cyberian Outpost. Their service has gotten bad and they now rely on Fry's and Tweeter for much of their business. Oh well.
 

Bob Snow

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Got offered a $0.71 refund on $6 shipping charge for single light vs. two from Outpost customer service. Wonder what it cost them to issue this refund?
 

sotyakr

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Re: X5 that won\'t goto sleep and Outpost.Com "issue"

Originally posted by Bob Snow:
Their service has gotten bad and they now rely on Fry's and Tweeter for much of their business. Oh well.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Not surprising since 'customer service' are words not found in Fry's corporate vocabulary.
 
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