Tablesaw Choices - I went Minimax SC3

[fredhargis]

I haven't read the rules but I'll bet most, if not all, others have the same type of wording.

[Phil Thien]

Wow that has to sting.

I'll bet Chase would be far more motivated to help, if they hadn't been paid in full.

Lesson learned by me will be not to pay my charge bill in full until I'm satisfied.

[jteneyck]

To me the lesson to be learned is do not take the crate off the truck if you see damage to the shipping crate.  If you only see the damage after the crate is on the ground, refuse to accept it and have it put back on the truck.  None of this would have happened had the OP done that.  I think MiniMax is as low as pond scum for how they have treated the OP, but if he had refused the shipment it would have been their problem and he would not have had a problem with Chase, either.  

John

[R Clark]

1) Did anyone here think that the OP was being unreasonable??? I think he's been the picture of patience.

2) It drives me nuts when people talk about the "system." The system is composed of PEOPLE. Disingenuous companies composed of greedy leaders will do anything to take advantage of their customers - this is a prime example. Were it me, I would've sent the machine back to them after the first conversation when they were non-responsive and balked at doing the right thing. It really has nothing to do with a system.

Just as an example, a company like Lee Valley or Grizzly (both CEO's roam these pages) would've taken care of a situation like this immediately IMO. They value their customers. The final response from Minimax warning the OP of the multiple charges they would stick him with should he choose to return the machine, was both chilling and telling.

Doug

Did you read the quote at the top of my post?  A previous poster did say that, yes.

Completely agree with your last statement.  I still believe that Minimax pursues a "wait 'em out...wear 'em down" approach to complaint "resolution".

[Tapper]

Did you read the quote at the top of my post?  A previous poster did say that, yes.

Completely agree with your last statement.  I still believe that Minimax pursues a "wait 'em out...wear 'em down" approach to complaint "resolution".

To Wxman: My apologies, looks like I did not read that as closely as I should have - my bad.

Doug

[TGW]

I am not surpriced.......

Minimax is a part of SCM of Rimini. The aftermarket "customer service" I got from them when I tried to get replacement spindle bearings for my l'Invincibile T160 spindle moulder was somewhere between ridiculous and insulting.
Not quite what you expect when you contact the aftermarket division of a maker of a high end industrial machines with a simple inqiuiery concerning some simple parts for a machine that would cost well over 10000 euros to replace.

[ePops-B3]

I wanted to follow up on this.  I was waiting for a definitive answer on the credit card dispute and I got it today.  Its a tough lesson.

I can't imagine having this happen, it's a good lesson to the rest of us in not trusting a process and expecting perfection when we receive an item.  "If it isn't perfect you shouldn't pay the perfect price", my dad would say.
Unfortunately i would have probably been in the same boat.  I have a tool and die shop and would try to fix everything or cobble up a decent substitute.
In the meantime, do you have a list of parts documented that need to be replaced or fixed?  From what i saw on the photo's there seem to have been tire tracks on some of the items
ePop

[Pondracer]

I just wanted to touch on a couple replies here.  First, I posted this up knowing some people might not agree with how I handled this situation.  Its totally ok, in fact its useful for me to see.  Down the road I hope its useful for someone else, not just in purchasing a saw from SCM Group, but from any manufacturer.

They promised "not later than 4/27/2018"--you responded you didn't want to wait FIVE months. Where did 5 months come from? They said you'd have the parts next month! Now you decide to take them to small claims court. I think you are being completely unreasonable at this point. What have I missed?

You are correct, I should have said 4 months, my mistake.  I meant from the time the saw arrived at my door which was around January 1st.  

In the internet age, where nothing ever goes away or dies, I would think they'd be a little more careful about how they respond to a customer, as whatever they (anyone) says can slowly get around, come up in web searches, etc.  Which may have something to do with how carefully Grizzly and Lee Valley tend their reputations, since they were brought up.

I found this comment a bit insulting, by the way, even though it wasn't aimed at me.

"We would rather you keep the machine, get the parts, have the machine working and making beautiful pieces for you to brag about to your friends."

I totally missed this part, it was kind of a bonehead statement.  I'm guessing he's not betting on me bragging about my saw to my friends.

I'll add Chase credit card to my list of businesses to boycott.  I thought they would have done a better job of protecting the consumer.  I wonder if the result would have been different if he contested the purchase the moment it arrived broken and before he paid that months bill.

Well from how things happened with Chase (they went from being on it every day to waiting two weeks to contact me), I am guessing that SCM's bank account is much more important to them.

To me the lesson to be learned is do not take the crate off the truck if you see damage to the shipping crate.  If you only see the damage after the crate is on the ground, refuse to accept it and have it put back on the truck.  None of this would have happened had the OP done that.  I think MiniMax is as low as pond scum for how they have treated the OP, but if he had refused the shipment it would have been their problem and he would not have had a problem with Chase, either.  

John

This is one of the more important replies.  Thanks John.  I was not allowed to refuse shipment.  But I want to be fair because I didn't know I wasn't allowed to refuse shipment.  In fact the driver stood around waiting to see if we would refuse shipment.  Only later I found out that the actual terms for the shipment were emailed to me on the same day the truck picked the saw up from the warehouse.  It was never brought up during the sales process.  The purchase docs prior to 12/29 said only that shipping and insurance would be provided.  I was never given the opportunity to question, disagree or refuse those terms.

The shipping advisory sent on 12/29 said "Refusing a shipment without authorization from SCM Group or our warehouse staff may create charge back expenses to the customer (including but not limited to return freight charges, re-shipping charges, repackaging costs, labor etc.) should inspection conclude that damages were minimal or cosmetic!" Their exclamation point.  We did try to call, but as has been typical throughout this process, nobody answers, you leave a voicemail and nobody calls back, or waits so long to contact you that its irrelevant.

[Derek Cohen]

I just wanted to touch on a couple replies here.  First, I posted this up knowing some people might not agree with how I handled this situation.  Its totally ok, in fact its useful for me to see.  Down the road I hope its useful for someone else, not just in purchasing a saw from SCM Group, but from any manufacturer.



You are correct, I should have said 4 months, my mistake.  I meant from the time the saw arrived at my door which was around January 1st.  



I totally missed this part, it was kind of a bonehead statement.  I'm guessing he's not betting on me bragging about my saw to my friends.


Well from how things happened with Chase (they went from being on it every day to waiting two weeks to contact me), I am guessing that SCM's bank account is much more important to them.


This is one of the more important replies.  Thanks John.  I was not allowed to refuse shipment.  But I want to be fair because I didn't know I wasn't allowed to refuse shipment.  In fact the driver stood around waiting to see if we would refuse shipment.  Only later I found out that the actual terms for the shipment were emailed to me on the same day the truck picked the saw up from the warehouse.  It was never brought up during the sales process.  The purchase docs prior to 12/29 said only that shipping and insurance would be provided.  I was never given the opportunity to question, disagree or refuse those terms.

The shipping advisory sent on 12/29 said "Refusing a shipment without authorization from SCM Group or our warehouse staff may create charge back expenses to the customer (including but not limited to return freight charges, re-shipping charges, repackaging costs, labor etc.) should inspection conclude that damages were minimal or cosmetic!" Their exclamation point.  We did try to call, but as has been typical throughout this process, nobody answers, you leave a voicemail and nobody calls back, or waits so long to contact you that its irrelevant.

This sounds like so much pseudo-legalese designed to intimidate. It effectively says "take what we send you. You'll be charged for refusing it". I'm not a lawyer but I cannot imagine it being upheld in a court. 

Anyone who can comment? For the next victim who needs to know that the threats are hollow (or not).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[camp10]

Wow, just found this thread.

This is the absolute worst customer support that I've ever heard! How many times did Pondracer get pushed off to another SCM employee, only to say "that was the last time that I heard from that person". That is just horrible customer service.