Premier SE eye cups- FYI (1 Viewer)

Hi,

Just an FYI to all the Premier SE porro owners out there....
Nikon does indeed still have the replacement eye cups in stock and
they are considering a "courtesy item" by Nikon and they will ship
them at NO CHARGE!

I just confirmed this a few minutes ago with Nikon Sports Optics Customer
Service.

raptorbfl said:

Hi,

Just an FYI to all the Premier SE porro owners out there....
Nikon does indeed still have the replacement eye cups in stock and
they are considering a "courtesy item" by Nikon and they will ship
them at NO CHARGE!

I just confirmed this a few minutes ago with Nikon Sports Optics Customer
Service.

Click to expand...

Can you provide more details? Which number did you call?

I just called Nikon Sports Optics by dialing 800-645-6687 and selecting a couple choices that I can't remember to get to sports optics. The fellow I talked to engaged me for quite a while, acted as if he knew what was going on, checked into the availability of these eyecups, and told me that (1) that they are not available, (2) that if they were available that the bins would have to be sent to Nikon for service (allegedly because when, in years past, they sold the eyecups as replacement parts some users damaged their bins while trying to install the eyecups--sounds ridiculous to me), and (3) that any reports that these eyecups were available as described are surely erroneous.

One of the problems w/Nikon, especially the Sports Optics division and with anything dealing with parts and/or repairs is that there are multiple offices on opposite sides of the country. In the past, I've gotten different info from different people. So can you give the details of which number and which office you called?

--AP

Alexis,
You got incorrect information. Nikon actually just emailed me my order confirmation, with a reference number, for the eye cups. You called
the correct number!

800-645-6687, than option 1, than option 4, than option 3 for sport optics, I spoke to a "Timothy W."

raptorbfl said:

Alex,
You got incorrect information. Nikon actually just emailed me my order confirmation for the eye cups. You called
the correct number!

Click to expand...

Can you tell us which phone menu choices you selected after calling that number, and/or who you spoke to? In my case it was menu #1 for USA, #4 for all other technical support (did you select #5 for repairs?), and #3 for sports optics. I spoke to "David P."

--AP

You wrote (on a new thread http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=288555) that you received the SE eyecups:

raptorbfl said:

Hi,

Just a FYI to SE owners...

I am not sure who you guys have been talking to at Nikon that claim that Nikon
no longer provides replacement SE eye cups to customers and you have to send
your binoculars in for repair, but this morning I just received my replacement
SE 10 x 42 eye cups from Nikon from UPS, free of charge.

All I did was call the Nikon Sports Optics Customer Service number and it was
painless, no questions asked! Maybe you guys are calling the Nike Parts phone number?? You need to call the Customer Service phone number!

Click to expand...

Given your experience, I gave it another try. I called Nikon and this time spoke to Martin R. He told me that the bins would have to be sent in, but after I gave him the details of your experience with Timothy W (who he knows), he thought perhaps he and David P (who he also knows) might be mistaken and that the SE might be one of few exceptions to the current policy of having to return the bin for a simple eyecup replacement. So he went ahead and put in a request to the parts department. However, just a couple minutes after getting off the phone with him, I received an e-mail from another person, informing me that the order would not be fulfilled and that I would have to send the bins in for service.

So it seems you lucked out, your treatment was anomalous, and Nikon is not willing to bend on this, even after referencing your experience. Probably everyone in customer service is now aware of this event (I hope Timothy W hasn't been punished) and at the morning meeting the office supervisor makes the staff chant "no eyecups!" three times before they start work at the phone banks.

--AP

P.S. Here are the e-mails I received in reference to my phone-calls:

****************************************************************
Response Via Email (Steve M.) 08/08/2014 12:48 PM
Dear Mr. Powell,

The Sports Optics Department have informed me that your product would have to come in for service in order to for the eyecup to be replaced as these are not accessories that can be sent out to customers. Please see the below link on how to do so and keep in mind that all Sports Optics products should be sent to our Los Angeles, California office.

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/336

Regards,

Steve
Nikon Inc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Response Via Email (Martin R.) 08/08/2014 12:46 PM
Dear Mr. Powell:

Thank you for calling Nikon. Today I escalated your request for replacement eyecups to our Parts Department for fulfillment. If needed, they will contact you by email.

Sincerely,

Martin
Nikon Support
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Response Via Email (David P.) 07/31/2014 01:51 PM
Dear Mr. Powell,

Thank you for contacting Nikon Support.

I would be happy to help you with the eyecup problem that you are experiencing with your 8x32 Premier SE binoculars. As we discussed over the phone, the binoculars will need to be sent in for Service. Below, I have posted the necessary information to do such.

Answer Title: How do I get my Nikon product repaired?

To send it to Nikon for service, please fill out this form: http://form.nikonimagesvcapprove.com/. When you click the "Print & Submit" button at the bottom of the form, it will print our mailing address for service, along with two copies of the form itself. Include one copy with the product, and keep the other copy for your records. When you are selecting your product on this form you will find it listed under the "SRO" category, which stands for "Sports and Recreational Optics".

Remove all accessories unless they are part of the problems you are having. We suggest shipping with a method that provides a tracking number. Our average repair time once approved is 7-10 business days provided that all necessary parts are available.

Please send your unit to:

Nikon Inc.
Sport Optics Service
6420 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 100
Los Angeles, California 90048-5501

There is no need to call in advance for any approval or authorization; simply send the product in for evaluation with no accessories, unless they are part of the issue. Once your product is logged into the Service Center's system you will be sent confirmation of receipt both via USPS mail and email.

Please click the "Update my question" link on the email to respond.
For any other questions please contact us via email or at 1-800-645-6687.

Sincerely,

David P.
****************************************************************

Hello,

Raptorbfi lucked out. It seems to be that Nikon service would be smarter to sell them, at say $15 with shipping, rather than installing them and shipping them back. I think that something else is going on: they may have a policy of not selling parts to independent optical techs, keeping the business in house or they do not trust customers to "repair" their binoculars. Clearly, Nikon USA is not making it convenient for those who need the eyecups.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

Pretty poor CS on Nikon's part.

I like the SE's but I'm afraid it will be my only Nikon binocular.

Bryce...

stereotruckdriver said:

Pretty poor CS on Nikon's part.

I like the SE's but I'm afraid it will be my only Nikon binocular.

Bryce...

Click to expand...

I suspect they use it as a way to ration replacement parts for an unsupported binocular.

I bought new eyecups for my SE last year from a private seller. He bought them from Nikon two years earlier, but never used them, because he ended up selling his SE. The eyecups arrived sealed in plastic packaging.

Nikon apparently changed their policy about selling SE eyecups à la carte . I guess Timothy W. wasn't aware of this.

If you need new eyecups and have to send the bins back, you might as well get them to clean the bin internally and check the collimation while it's there since it's a flat fee no matter what they do - $10 + return shipping - last I checked.

Brock

In September 2008 and later in November 2008 I got replacement eye cups for both my EIIs and for the 2 SEs I owned. Nikon was in El Segundo, CA then. I ordered them by phone without any problems. I can't remember if I was charged anything for them. They may have let me pay for them by credit card but I can't remember. If I did pay something it wasn't much. I still have both of their shipment papers but there is no billing information on them.

They are the simplest things in the world to put on the binoculars! It's absurd that a technician is required to do it!

I believe I posted a report here in 2008 about getting them.

Now that the SE is discontinued I can understand why they are becoming be hard to get. Nikon probably got a lot of requests for them.

Bob

So once all the eye cups are gone, the SE will become useless if someone needs new eyecups??

raptorbfl said:

So once all the eye cups are gone, the SE will become useless if someone needs new eyecups??

Click to expand...

Probably not useless, but damn sure hard to find replacement parts for. Welcome to business the way wall street wants it.

Years from now you send it in for warranty, they just send you back a current chinese flavor of the month for replacement. Like trying to get an old Leupold or Bushnell elite covered.

Peterra,
Its probably just a matter of time before Ziess and Swarovski moved all production to China. Its gonna be harder
and harder for them to justify European salaries when they can move to China and pay a fraction.

raptorbfl said:

Peterra,
Its probably just a matter of time before Ziess and Swarovski moved all production to China. Its gonna be harder
and harder for them to justify European salaries when they can move to China and pay a fraction.

Click to expand...

Nah, they havent built their business on making stock holders happy. The consumer optics biz is small change for them, it's a case of pride. If they ever go public, then yep, they will be where ever they can get it cheapest. Share holders will sell their sisters virginity in a heart beat if they can make a buck.

Truthfully, in a world of throw it away and buy another consumers, why would they wish to keep parts for more than a few years.

How many people stocked up on Nikon Part 7636 (SE eyecups) when they were available?

PS
SE eyecups will last for many years if you...
remove them from the binocular, completely coat with Armorall, let them sit overnight, wipe dry and replace.

perterra said:

Nah, they havent built their business on making stock holders happy. The consumer optics biz is small change for them, it's a case of pride. If they ever go public, then yep, they will be where ever they can get it cheapest. Share holders will sell their sisters virginity in a heart beat if they can make a buck.

Truthfully, in a world of throw it away and buy another consumers, why would they wish to keep parts for more than a few years.

Click to expand...

Carl Zeiss actually doesn't have share-holders! Its a foundation and while it has to have a commercial approach to business to survive, it has a more open-minded and wider vision, for example towards employees, than companies solely driven by the need to build 'shareholder value'.

Lee

Troubador said:

Carl Zeiss actually doesn't have share-holders! Its a foundation and while it has to have a commercial approach to business to survive, it has a more open-minded and wider vision, for example towards employees, than companies solely driven by the need to build 'shareholder value'.

Lee

Click to expand...

I had read that, arent Leica and Swaro privately held also?

Troubador said:

Carl Zeiss actually doesn't have share-holders! Its a foundation and while it has to have a commercial approach to business to survive, it has a more open-minded and wider vision, for example towards employees, than companies solely driven by the need to build 'shareholder value'.

Lee

Click to expand...

The Zeiss foundation is the sole shareholder and their first mission is corporate profitability so they can pursue (i.e. finance) other activities.

How fragile are SE eye cups ? If stored away from sunlight will they last 20 years or more, or do the dry out and crack sooner than that. If kept either up or down and not folded between the two positions I would assume that they would last many years. I would still like to try the 8X model, but I can't believe Nikon didn't equip them with a modern eye cup. The idea of having your treasured, no longer available Porro replaced with a far inferior roof model just because they ran out of a 10 cent piece of rubber, that is infuriating.

bh46118 said:

How fragile are SE eye cups ? If stored away from sunlight will they last 20 years or more, or do the dry out and crack sooner than that. If kept either up or down and not folded between the two positions I would assume that they would last many years. I would still like to try the 8X model, but I can't believe Nikon didn't equip them with a modern eye cup. The idea of having your treasured, no longer available Porro replaced with a far inferior roof model just because they ran out of a 10 cent piece of rubber, that is infuriating.

Click to expand...

Nikon introduced the SE in 1995 with the 10x42. The other models came out shortly after that. In 1998 or so Nikon brought out the EII series. All Porro prisms had rubber eye cups at that time. Swarovski also made alpha Porros then with rubber eye cups. They still make them on special order and they still have rubber eye cups.

The eye cups aren't fragile. Just don't store them in the folded down position. The eye cups on my SEs are still original and in good shape. Same goes for the ones on my 8x30 EII and it is 13 years old. On my 10x35 EII they are 10 years old and still good. My replacement eye cups are 6 years old and still good. I will touch them up with Armour All one of these days to extend their life.

Bob