Any one with Order Delays at Kewl Metal

[Mad Matt]

I ordered some small stuff from them last Saturday. I got an email Tuesday saying the order was "Processing". I hope that doesn't mean that it will take weeks to get it.

I've had to deal with other companies that use stall tactics while they have your money with promises that your ordered product would be in soon. I try not to deal with companies like that. If they don't have the product, they should list it out of stock on the website with an estimated availability or at least tell the customer that the items are produced after the order is placed with an estimate on how long it takes to produce and ship. I think it is shady for a company to give the appearance that something is available for purchase when they don't even have one to sell.

You are never charged until your order actually ships.

I know you guys dont want to hear it but my suppliers lie to me about delivery times all the time. We only pass on the best info we have. Some of my suppliers answer there phones less that we do!!! I admit we can not keep up with the phone calls. Brandon and Hilda just had a baby and they are both out this week. This is a family operation and we take care of family. BUT we will take care of your every whim and issue and we stand behind our products 100% , it just may not happen instantly. We have 500 products, it would cost millions of $$ to stock it all, sorry! Anybody out there want to make us a 10 million $$ loan and I will stock up!! So that just the way it works in a small motorcycle accessory biz. We do the absolute best we can. Just order a few weeks ahead of when you really need it and please be patient. You are not going to get the quality stuff we make from the bigger made in China companies. ALL of our products are made in the USA now. We had a few things going in China but we are no longer doing that. Even Kury cant deliver the footpeg parts we get from them for weeks or longer sometimes.

You are all welcome to contact me directly. I will get your issue handled.

My direct email is [email protected]
cell is 928-308-8478.


Matt

 

[wyliec]

Bone Crusher,

I agree with you. The story of how they got that way is a long one but the design intent was for only 1 link to be used at a time.. The ones that are shipping now have been updated and have a 2 bolt locking link. and are stiffer and have less vibration.

Matt

I used an internal tooth washer between the highway bracket and the link and on either side of the link at the the peg end and never had a problem. I only received one link per side; so, I'm not sure what you mean.

 

[Mad Matt]

I used an internal tooth washer between the highway bracket and the link and on either side of the link at the the peg end and never had a problem. I only received one link per side; so, I'm not sure what you mean.

I was referring to the RT brackets. The RS brackets are single link and still are. The RS bracket link is 2 inches long, so even at only 100 ft-lbs of torque on the 1/2 inch bolt, it takes 600 lbs force on the peg to break it loose. If you use a star washer and loc-tite and torque it to 100 ft-lbs you will be fine.

Matt

 

[muonwhiz]

pegs

Bone Crusher,

I agree with you. The story of how they got that way is a long one but the design intent was for only 1 link to be used at a time.. The ones that are shipping now have been updated and have a 2 bolt locking link. and are stiffer and have less vibration.

Matt

Hope you are right! Am supposed to get them installed on my bike tomorrow!

 

[Arr MiHardies]

You are never charged until your order actually ships.

I know you guys dont want to hear it but my suppliers lie to me about delivery times all the time. We only pass on the best info we have. Some of my suppliers answer there phones less that we do!!! I admit we can not keep up with the phone calls. Brandon and Hilda just had a baby and they are both out this week. This is a family operation and we take care of family. BUT we will take care of your every whim and issue and we stand behind our products 100% , it just may not happen instantly. We have 500 products, it would cost millions of $$ to stock it all, sorry! Anybody out there want to make us a 10 million $$ loan and I will stock up!! So that just the way it works in a small motorcycle accessory biz. We do the absolute best we can. Just order a few weeks ahead of when you really need it and please be patient. You are not going to get the quality stuff we make from the bigger made in China companies. ALL of our products are made in the USA now. We had a few things going in China but we are no longer doing that. Even Kury cant deliver the footpeg parts we get from them for weeks or longer sometimes.

You are all welcome to contact me directly. I will get your issue handled.

My direct email is [email protected]
cell is 928-308-8478.


Matt

It's cool when companies own up and take responsibility. Not many do.

 

[bo9roadking]

You are never charged until your order actually ships.

I know you guys dont want to hear it but my suppliers lie to me about delivery times all the time. We only pass on the best info we have. Some of my suppliers answer there phones less that we do!!! I admit we can not keep up with the phone calls. Brandon and Hilda just had a baby and they are both out this week. This is a family operation and we take care of family. BUT we will take care of your every whim and issue and we stand behind our products 100% , it just may not happen instantly. We have 500 products, it would cost millions of $$ to stock it all, sorry! Anybody out there want to make us a 10 million $$ loan and I will stock up!! So that just the way it works in a small motorcycle accessory biz. We do the absolute best we can. Just order a few weeks ahead of when you really need it and please be patient. You are not going to get the quality stuff we make from the bigger made in China companies. ALL of our products are made in the USA now. We had a few things going in China but we are no longer doing that. Even Kury cant deliver the footpeg parts we get from them for weeks or longer sometimes.

You are all welcome to contact me directly. I will get your issue handled.

My direct email is [email protected]
cell is 928-308-8478.


Matt

Matt,

I wasn't trying to take my frustrations out on you or your company. My initial post that you responded too, was in response to companies in general that have bad customer service and/or bad business practices. I've never done business with you until recently. I placed an order with you last week and received an email update today that I should get delivery next week.

I understand family comes first. I didn't realize that you were a small business and I understand that you can't afford to keep everything in inventory. When I see something on a website that I want to order, I expect that it is in stock unless it specifically says that it is unavailable or backordered. I'm use to companies like Tricled that let me know when something isn't available or someone like Utopia that gives me a build date. At least I have an idea of when I can order something or when I'll get it.

In todays society everybody wants stuff now. It is just the way it is. If I order something and then find out that it isn't available after I get my hopes up, I get frustrated. I'm not one of the ones posting in this thread that have been waiting a long time for items that they purchased from you, but it sounds like others feel like they are getting the run-around or can't contact you. Now that you have posted and provided an explanation, maybe things will quiet down a bit.

Good luck with your business. I hope the family is doing ok and that the baby is healthy.

Jim

 

[bone crusher]

Bone Crusher,

I agree with you. The story of how they got that way is a long one but the design intent was for only 1 link to be used at a time.. The ones that are shipping now have been updated and have a 2 bolt locking link. and are stiffer and have less vibration.

Matt

drats...fooled again...wish I had that one!!! I think we finally locked it down enough and the red loctite seems to be holding, but updating that design definitely makes it a far better design...all those getting it now will be rewarded by this change!

 

[bone crusher]

You are never charged until your order actually ships.

I know you guys dont want to hear it but my suppliers lie to me about delivery times all the time. We only pass on the best info we have. Some of my suppliers answer there phones less that we do!!! I admit we can not keep up with the phone calls. Brandon and Hilda just had a baby and they are both out this week. This is a family operation and we take care of family. BUT we will take care of your every whim and issue and we stand behind our products 100% , it just may not happen instantly. We have 500 products, it would cost millions of $$ to stock it all, sorry! Anybody out there want to make us a 10 million $$ loan and I will stock up!! So that just the way it works in a small motorcycle accessory biz. We do the absolute best we can. Just order a few weeks ahead of when you really need it and please be patient. You are not going to get the quality stuff we make from the bigger made in China companies. ALL of our products are made in the USA now. We had a few things going in China but we are no longer doing that. Even Kury cant deliver the footpeg parts we get from them for weeks or longer sometimes.

You are all welcome to contact me directly. I will get your issue handled.

My direct email is [email protected]
cell is 928-308-8478.


Matt

Matt,

Awesome reply and I'm sure you just put everyone at ease here. As far as making everything in the USA, I think that's awesome and that alone makes me want to deal with your company again. We need to keep our country strong and the more industry and jobs we have here, the better off we all are!

Congrats to Brandon and Hilda...what a wonderful occasion...

Glad to see you're back!

BC

 

[Mad Matt]

Matt,

I wasn't trying to take my frustrations out on you or your company. My initial post that you responded too, was in response to companies in general that have bad customer service and/or bad business practices. I've never done business with you until recently. I placed an order with you last week and received an email update today that I should get delivery next week.

I understand family comes first. I didn't realize that you were a small business and I understand that you can't afford to keep everything in inventory. When I see something on a website that I want to order, I expect that it is in stock unless it specifically says that it is unavailable or backordered. I'm use to companies like Tricled that let me know when something isn't available or someone like Utopia that gives me a build date. At least I have an idea of when I can order something or when I'll get it.

In todays society everybody wants stuff now. It is just the way it is. If I order something and then find out that it isn't available after I get my hopes up, I get frustrated. I'm not one of the ones posting in this thread that have been waiting a long time for items that they purchased from you, but it sounds like others feel like they are getting the run-around or can't contact you. Now that you have posted and provided an explanation, maybe things will quiet down a bit.

Good luck with your business. I hope the family is doing ok and that the baby is healthy.

Jim

Thanks Jim. I really wish we could do a better job responding to everyone. My crew is awesome and I stand behind them 100%, but honestly, they can not keep up in spring time and especially with Hilda out. Brandon will be back next week so that will help. We have some new help on board so we are trying to make it better. I fully understand folks wanting stuff in 2 days, I know I do. But it just does not work that way for this biz and at the size my company is at. I would say 1/2 the time, its in stock and it can ship in a day or two. Right now we are backordered out the kazoo. please be patient and I have provided my email and number so I can be contacted directly if you just can't get through. Right now, the inquirey emails are backed up by the hundreds! I do apoligise, we will try to answer them all next week.

Matt

 

[wngrr]

Thanks Jim. I really wish we could do a better job responding to everyone. My crew is awesome and I stand behind them 100%, but honestly, they can not keep up in spring time and especially with Hilda out. Brandon will be back next week so that will help. We have some new help on board so we are trying to make it better. I fully understand folks wanting stuff in 2 days, I know I do. But it just does not work that way for this biz and at the size my company is at. I would say 1/2 the time, its in stock and it can ship in a day or two. Right now we are backordered out the kazoo. please be patient and I have provided my email and number so I can be contacted directly if you just can't get through. Right now, the inquirey emails are backed up by the hundreds! I do apoligise, we will try to answer them all next week.

Matt

Hello Matt, As a customer who has purchased way too many farkles over the years, I would like to comment on some of the comments in your post. I, like many others, understand you standing behind your emplyees as if they are family. I'm pretty sure no one will argue with that. But just to be clear, I haven't seen any comments about anyone expecting their parts to ship in a couple of days, much less receive them in that time frame. The problem is not your intentions. It's a business model that puts you in a position to continually have to tell people you can't supply their stuff after weeks of waiting. Anyone who has ridden anything, for anytime, has dealt with small suppliers who have no issues with shipping orders, answering phone calls and overall providing good customer service. You say you offer over 500 items... Maybe reducing that number to 250 and focusing on a small amount of high turn over inventory might be a solution. I as a customer have heard great things about your products, and will judge for myself when I receive my outstanding order. It would truly be a shame for the internet community to loose you as a supplier becasue of the negative impressions left there. Judging from your post you seem like a very nice guy with great intentions but business as usual doesn't appear to be a good plan and is keeping people from ordering what you have to offer..


I have worked in the Manufacturing business for 33 years most of that as a Manufacturing Technologist. The company I work for produces 1.5 billion worth of equipment and products a year. No matter how big or how small the company, we all face the same type of issues everyday. The thing to remember is they are all managable when we are open to new ideas. The best to you and your company.

Thanks wngrr

 

[Firefly]

I'm also waiting on some products... 3 weeks now. :banghead:

Simple solution to this problem. Don't advertise items you don't have IN STOCK. The minute your stock gets out---- simply have your web inventory software mark it as Currently Out of Stock. Pad the numbers a bit so you have some extra of everything even when the system says you're out.

Inventory control isn't rocket science, just good business.

The items I really don't get are the Spyder custom ones that I was under the impression that Kewlmetal actually made themselves.

I'll continue to wait for my items, but 3-4 weeks in this day and age is ridiculous.nojoke

 

[Kratos]

I will say in this is that I was in a bind for Tricrings and Reggy was out of town. I wanted them asap for my "Friday Night Lights" project I've been working very hard on. I called KewlMetal and told them my dilemma. They had some angel eyes at my doorstep the very next day. :thumbup:

P.S. This post was in response to the member who asked for positive shipping experiences....

 

[Kansas Spyder]

still waiting...

I placed my order at the beginning of June and am still waiting. Last week I got an e-mail from Hilda saying my GPS mount would be arriving at their shop. I hope to get it soon so I can show the mount to others and tell them where I got it. But I'll be honest with them when I say it took almost two months to get. I can understand some delays, especially when its a great product, but keeping customers informed helps us to understand the situation.

 

[billythekidd]

Wow, we are still here talking about shipping from Kewl Metal. It seems to me that Matt has explained this before and still it comes up. I have ordered from them KNOWING that shipping times vary and had to wait once and didn't another. The remark I made on another thread is completely true, ordered on a Monday had it on the bike on a Friday. (GPS and Gadget Mount for RT) I like that mount so much that when I bought the limited, I took off the mount that came with the bike and put the Kewl Metal mount on my limited. The gps mount fits on there and there is room below for my fob garage door opener.

I think this happens to all vendors. I recently ordered from a new vendor here and never received any thing from them, no receipt, no email nothing other than my CC cleared with I checked. I waited for over a week and then called only to be told hold on and I will get you a tracking number... It had shipped that day but had I not called I would never have known until the product shows up. Another vendor was out of stock of most of their inventory... Should we complain, or order and wait?

This board is really a great place for information, but has to me increasingly gotten more and more like the GL1800 board where information becomes the secondary and opinions become primary. (example General SPYDER board, carrying guns, shouldn't that be an off topic category) I hardly ever post here because of that reason. I actually at one point asked for my membership to be canceled, if that had happened you would not have been blessed with this opinionated rant.

Willy

 

[Firefly]

It's all about sharing experiences Willy... So others can learn and make educated decisions. Vendors can also learn from threads like this and make changes to alleviate future problems. Unfortunately this particular vendor has a long history of these problems. I ordered things from them 2 or 3 years ago and had the same issues with extreme delays and poor communication.

I gave them another shot 3 weeks ago, and have been patient...... But 3 to 4 weeks to get an order?

It would be different if these were isolated incidents.... But they are not.

There's nothing wrong with letting others know of our experiences with vendors--- good or bad.

 

[leenanj]

I understand delays, out of stock, whatever!

All I want and expect is to be informed if not before hand at least after I submit an order
what the status and expected delivery time and given the opportunity to cancel if I wish.

If I want the unknown I could buy from eBay. nojoke

 

[MRH]

First off, I've had no experience with Kewl Metal, so these thoughts aren't specific to them.

I am, however, a small business owner, and also often supplier dependent. Here is how I work:

The problem may not be my fault, but it is my responsibility.

I am careful to quote realistic delivery times that allow me some space if there is an issue (and still deliver on time).

Later deliveries come with phone calls to our clients and something extra for our clients to compensate them for our inability to keep our delivery times.

We return calls promptly and keep our clients updated.

 

[wngrr]

I would like to make an addition to my earlier post. I received my order from Kewlmetal and am very happy with the product and the ease of installation. The workmanship in the product I received is second to none. Receipt time from order to my hands was about 4 weeks. I have had much better delivery times but also had much much worse. Considering the product I would rate my transaction good with needing some improvement on the customer service side.

Hello Matt, As a customer who has purchased way too many farkles over the years, I would like to comment on some of the comments in your post. I, like many others, understand you standing behind your emplyees as if they are family. I'm pretty sure no one will argue with that. But just to be clear, I haven't seen any comments about anyone expecting their parts to ship in a couple of days, much less receive them in that time frame. The problem is not your intentions. It's a business model that puts you in a position to continually have to tell people you can't supply their stuff after weeks of waiting. Anyone who has ridden anything, for anytime, has dealt with small suppliers who have no issues with shipping orders, answering phone calls and overall providing good customer service. You say you offer over 500 items... Maybe reducing that number to 250 and focusing on a small amount of high turn over inventory might be a solution. I as a customer have heard great things about your products, and will judge for myself when I receive my outstanding order. It would truly be a shame for the internet community to loose you as a supplier becasue of the negative impressions left there. Judging from your post you seem like a very nice guy with great intentions but business as usual doesn't appear to be a good plan and is keeping people from ordering what you have to offer..


I have worked in the Manufacturing business for 33 years most of that as a Manufacturing Technologist. The company I work for produces 1.5 billion worth of equipment and products a year. No matter how big or how small the company, we all face the same type of issues everyday. The thing to remember is they are all managable when we are open to new ideas. The best to you and your company.

Thanks wngrr

 

[Sny]

I was referring to the RT brackets. The RS brackets are single link and still are. The RS bracket link is 2 inches long, so even at only 100 ft-lbs of torque on the 1/2 inch bolt, it takes 600 lbs force on the peg to break it loose. If you use a star washer and loc-tite and torque it to 100 ft-lbs you will be fine.

Matt

This is what I did for my RS bracket and I've never had them move... I'm a big guy and tend to abuse my highway pegs as well. (You'll often find me standing on one jumping up and down to show someone how strong they are.)

Anyhow, I can't say you guys are quick about anything but I love the products and when you say you stand behind them you mean it. (from experience.)

But to anyone who is excited about getting their new toys in a hurry, you're going to have to change your plans. Good things take time.

How's that phrase go? You can have it Good, you can have it Cheap and you can have it Fast. Pick 2.

Now... what you need is for everyone to have 4-5 more kids and teach them to respond to emails and answer the phone...:joke:

 

[Firefly]

Still waiting.......:gaah:

I've ordered custom made parts from the other side of the globe that didn't take this long....... nojoke