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Kay optic a shop too avoid (1 Viewer)

Ian M

Well-known member
Ian's oh here ....Decided to order a telescope from Kay Optical on a Saturday, they agreed to waive delivery charge and was promised delivery the next Tuesday. It didn't arrive so it was promised for the Saturday. Bit surprised by that as Saturday delivery cost extra but was pleased about the "good service". Didn't arrive Saturday and was then told it might be " in stock" the next Tuesday or Thursday (so what happened to my free delivery?). At that point I cancelled. They agreed to provide a refund but tried to claim they hadn't promised delivery and " I wouldn't find anywhere with one in stock" - my response being maybe not but perhaps they'd be honest about delivery). I wasn't best pleased. Went to Ace Optics instead (where in fact they had one in stock and at the same price).

So - get the credit card bill and Kay Optical have processed the payment and not the refund. This is not a company anyone wants to risk ordering from.
 
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I've used Kay Optical on several occasions and been thoroughly satisfied with the service and, especially, the fact that he will always beat anyone elses prices. He has also let me buy items on the proviso that, if they're not suitable, i can take them back for a refund. I have indeed taken him up on this offer and he has been as good as his word when it came to refunding my money.

Its a shame that you didn't get your delivery and i'm sure the fact that your card has not been credited with a refund is just an oversight. He's not the sort of bloke to try and have you over, give him a ring and sort it out.

All the best

Graeme.
 
Ian M said:
Ian's oh here ....Decided to order a telescope from Kay Optical on a Saturday, they agreed to waive delivery charge and was promised delivery the next Tuesday. It didn't arrive so it was promised for the Saturday. Bit surprised by that as Saturday delivery cost extra but was pleased about the "good service". Didn't arrive Saturday and was then told it might be " in stock" the next Tuesday or Thursday (so what happened to my free delivery?). At that point I cancelled. They agreed to provide a refund but tried to claim they hadn't promised delivery and " I wouldn't find anywhere with one in stock" - my response being maybe not but perhaps they'd be honest about delivery). I wasn't best pleased. Went to Ace Optics instead (where in fact they had one in stock and at the same price).

So - get the credit card bill and Kay Optical have processed the payment and not the refund. This is not a company anyone wants to risk ordering from.

Out of interest, what was the scope that you ordered?
 
Ian M said:
So - get the credit card bill and Kay Optical have processed the payment and not the refund.

Refunds can take a week to process, so my credit card company tell me.
Probably allows them time to add on some more interest. ;)

dave..
 
Never had any problem with this company,on a visit to the shop couldn't have been more helpful.Gave excellent trade-in prices too.
I'm sure there's been no deliberate intention to muck you about.
Tom.
 
Charged, or tried to charge, me a £10 handling fee for sending a pair of Swarovskis back to the factory for servicing. As I'd just bought a scope from them I thought this was unforgiveable penny-pinching.
Their prices are good; though the trade-in price they gave me on my last deal with them was disappointing.
 
The only experience I have of Kay Optical was a couple of years ago when I was going to buy my first scope. I went to one of their field days at Pagham, & was disappointed at their lack of interest in helping me, semed more interested in chatting to each other in the visitor centre. Now if you want a real top notch Optics shop look no further than Cley Spy, superb customer service & good prices too.

John.
 
JohnnyH said:
Now if you want a real top notch Optics shop look no further than Cley Spy, superb customer service & good prices too.

John.

They're prices may be steep but for sheer approachability and customer service I think Infocus are right up there.

Jaff :bounce:
 
JohnnyH said:
The only experience I have of Kay Optical was a couple of years ago when I was going to buy my first scope. I went to one of their field days at Pagham, & was disappointed at their lack of interest in helping me, semed more interested in chatting to each other in the visitor centre. Now if you want a real top notch Optics shop look no further than Cley Spy, superb customer service & good prices too.

John.
By mail order, I bought some Leica Ultravids from them about a year ago and recently a s/h shoulder pod. On each occasion good and very friendly advice has been freely given and the goods arrived the next day or so. I would rate them very highly indeed. I've never visited them, but I imagine them to be a small retailer working hard to do their best in a competitive market.
 
Jaff said:
They're prices may be steep but for sheer approachability and customer service I think Infocus are right up there.

Jaff :bounce:

I'd agree with you about in-focus as I've used them too in the past, but I found Cley Spy to be even better with the added bonus of getting my first BF tick with Postcardcv, a bloody nice bloke!

John.
 
scampo said:
By mail order, I bought some Leica Ultravids from them about a year ago and recently a s/h shoulder pod. On each occasion good and very friendly advice has been freely given and the goods arrived the next day or so. I would rate them very highly indeed. I've never visited them, but I imagine them to be a small retailer working hard to do their best in a competitive market.

Glad they came up trumps for you Steve, I'm afraid retailers only get one chance with me & Kay blew it! Still they're loss was In-Focus's gain.

John.
 
infocus at London Colney & Barnes are very helpful. not pushy.

cley spy are excellent. always very helpful.
 
Also had bad experience with Kay Optical

I too have had poor service from this company. Some years ago I bought a new telescope from a different company which had very good reviews but which turned out to have a flaw.(I bought the scope unseen). The company refused to refund my money and suggested an independent review by amongst others Kay to try and resolve the issue. So Kay Optical had my scope for a over 2 weeks before they looked at it after 2 phone calls from me. They did produce a report which said there was no problem despite specific instructions from me regarding the flaw. Even the company I bought the scope from said they were very slow in repairing optics. I had naively thought that a company repairing optics would have no trouble spotting the flaw.

Anyway the upshot was I had to take the company I bought the scope from to the County Court to get a refund and to cut a long story short even the manufacturer eventually admitted there was a problem with the scope.

I was not best pleased with the additional hassle involved which could have been avoided had Kay seen what I could see.
 
Vectis Birder said:
I use Warehouse Express and have always been happy with them.
Likewise, twice. Not necessarily always the absolute cheapest, but, in my experience so far, ultra-reliable. I recently bought Nikon ED82, Manfrotto tripod, Fuji F30 and Nikon EII bins. Ordered over the phone, was told exactly what day the delivery would be, paid a modest premium for a pre-midday delivery, and enjoyed impeccable service. Package arrived around 10:30, on the correct day. What more can you ask?

Credit card currently in intensive care...........touch and go.
 
Gavin Haig said:
Likewise, twice. Not necessarily always the absolute cheapest, but, in my experience so far, ultra-reliable. I recently bought Nikon ED82, Manfrotto tripod, Fuji F30 and Nikon EII bins. Ordered over the phone, was told exactly what day the delivery would be, paid a modest premium for a pre-midday delivery, and enjoyed impeccable service. Package arrived around 10:30, on the correct day. What more can you ask?

Credit card currently in intensive care...........touch and go.

I used them too on one of their special deals . . . Zeiss 65 + Zoom + Stay-on all for £675, and prompt delivery to boot.

Credit card in excellent health!!!
 
BGuy said:
I used them too on one of their special deals . . . Zeiss 65 + Zoom + Stay-on all for £675, and prompt delivery to boot.

Credit card in excellent health!!!

On the other hand, it's as well to bear in mind that the staff at W/E know nowt about bins/scopes in my experience. I bought a Nikon eyepiece from them this year and was sent the old, rubber eyecup model despite clicking on the correct link for the new MC model on the site. The distinction was not understood by the guy I spoke to on the phone, tho to be fair I was sent the right model promptly after sending the wrong one back (at my expense, despite protestations).

There is a lot to be said for dealing with a specialist bins and scope retailer. I've always found South West Optics and Ace Optics of Bath reliable, and knowledgeable about their products.

Edit: Ace Optics aren't a specialist dealers... but they do know their stuff

Sean
 
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