My ordering experience with Bear Basin (1 Viewer)

I have ordered many optical products online. Too many scopes and binos to list.

I have had good luck with swfa.com, the optic zone, cameralandny.com and eurooptic.com.

I tried Bear Basin because they were advertising 0% financing on Swarovski.

If i would have researched, I wouldve found other etailers that do this like eagle optics.

Anyway, My main gripe is I spent well over a thousand dollars and they guarantee "EXPRESS" shipping on all swarovski orders. Ok great i thought, someone spends over a grand with them and they throw in "express" shipping...

My order took place around 10 AM PST, plenty of time I figured to get the order out that day with "express" shipping.
I asked if it would leave that day. They looked and said they were backed up and it wouldnt go out that day. wow I thought, buy a super premium bino and they are too backed up to ship when they got the order in the beginning of the day.
SO I asked ok if its going express Im sure ill get it this week anyway right.
THey said no, it goes express saver which is 3-4 days. I then asked well you advertise "express" shipping that is misleading because to me and everyone I know express means 1-2 days. THey told me expect middle of next week.

I was then transferred to a guy when I asked why they wouldnt ship that day again. He told me "not to worry about it, let them handle it."

Iwas like wow, ok, i spend a large sum and you tell me "not to worry about it."

I do like customer service and appreciate luxury treatment if i buy a luxury product. If i go to ford, i expect to be treated a little differently than if I go to Rolls Royce...

I called today and asked for the tracking number. I tracked it and it hasnt shipped yet. It might ship today but I checked at 500 PM EST and all it said was billing information received. Scheduled delivery for Monday.

SO my "express" shipped luxury binos were ordered early tuesday AM and i will get them on Monday...maybe.

DOesnt sound like "express" to me and the manner in which they told me to basically "step off" was a little rude.

After researching, I found binoculars.com and eagle optics both offer finance programs of some sort. Also binoculars.com actually had them 10$ cheaper and offered free overnight shipping.

Maybe I am being a pain or maybe i am used to dealing with people who treat people with extra service when they spend alot of money with them.

express shipping in 2009

ORDER DATE AUG 25 10 AM


Ship date

Aug 26, 2009

Estimated delivery

Aug 31, 2009 by 7:00 PM

from bear basin website

SHIPPING POLICY

We ship all orders immediately!! Until otherwise noted, all orders of over $199 and in the lower 48 states will be shipped free of charge via UPS ground service. Express shipping promotions apply to the continental USA only. Delivery times on Express shipping range from 2 to 4 business days with a substantial portion of shipments being delivered within 2 days.

NOTE**** I bet UPS ground shipped today would arrive aug 31st as well!!! might as well call that EXPRESS!!


HANDLING CHARGE

All orders under $150 dollars will be assessed a handling charge of $1.95 to pull & pack your order. All orders over $150 dollars but under $500 dollars will be assessed $2.95. Orders between $500 dollars and $1000 dollars will be assessed a handling charge of $3.95. Orders in excess of $1000 dollars will be assessed a handling charge of $4.95

hmmmm it costs more to handle expensive binos???? why

Nothing is more irritating than slow shipping when they claim "express". Sorry for your experience with this company. Why not call them and cancel before it ships? Maybe order from EO since they offer the same financing?

i would but it shipped this afternoon. The thing that pisses me off is what i wrote above about all order ship immediately and most arrive in 2 days! neither is true in my case. lastly, UPS ground shipped today would get here monday the same as their quote "EXPRESS" shipping. im calling them tomorrow and telling them i might be returning them without openign them and order from someone else just because i am not happy to spend money with businesses who tell half truths like that

I guess it is the world we live in, poor service, poor quality control. People dont care anymore. Maybe its the poor wages, inflation & the stress ? Make that quick sale , thats all that matters. If that was me I would cancel the sale & send them back !!!!! ......Gwen

Ah, I missed that it had already shipped. I had a similar experience a couple weeks ago with a product. They said it would ship the same day. I placed the order late in the evening, which I assumed meant it would ship the next business day. Wrong. It shipped the following day and I had to wait over a weekend to get it. Bummed me out, but I'm happy with the product...and the shipping was free, so I won't get too upset.

Good luck with this and let us know how it turns out. I would call them and see what they'll do for you.

i will call. when you spend well over a grand on binos, i would equate that so spending well over 60000 on a car at least, maybe 100,000. I would expect the customer would be treated a little differently since they are spending a small fortune with that vendor... apparently not and hey "i need not worry about it. they will handle when it ships"

I tried them for the same reason (0%/1year) seeking Swaro binoculars, but they switched me over to several different agents and said they'd have them quickly but I smelled trouble and just hung up----not worth the hassle---

Yeah I won't order from them again& might cancel this order.

This is what is said on Bear Basin's site "It is necessary to get an authorization number before returning an item. It helps us keep track of your incoming package. Returns made after 15 days will be subject to a restocking fee. Special orders are subject to a 15% restocking fee. All return items must be in their original condition (i.e., scopes cannot be mounted) and include all original documentation. Sales on exchange items are final. No exchanges or returns after 30 days. "
I agree about the wording of their site about shipping and they still have the Docter Optics 15x60 B/GA porro listed on their site. Someone on here called about it and found out they don't have it. I think if it was me I would at least try this binocular and see if you get an excellent sample or even just like it, you never know.

I would like to know about the 1 year easy pay 0% I assume this would be a credit card and after a year it would be something like 20% interest rate or some such. I think most of their customers might be hunters and nothing wrong with that.

Regards,Steve