Milspec Solutions - Communication questions

[MortalEngine]

So I just bought a GBBR from Milspec Solutions. Anyone used them before recently? All references online to them are from years back, and nowadays it seems like they don't have a Facebook or phone number. Just a sales email.

 

I picked collection by appointment as I live nearby to the store address but I have no clue when I can go pick up my item.

 

Little worried I made a mistake. Any advice or stories would be appreciated!

[Cr0-Magnon]

I can't help with your specific question I'm afraid. However I have bought from them a few times and can tell you that the vast majority of negative feedback they receive is because if you annoy them, they will literally tell you to fuck off. Usually nothing to do with the items they stock.

 

[johnnyj]

I use to work for them,  weekend he will be busy but I'm sure you will hear monday at some point , if you have any problems let me know and I will try and chase it up for you. 

[MortalEngine]

6 minutes ago, johnnyj said:

I use to work for them,  weekend he will be busy but I'm sure you will hear monday at some point , if you have any problems let me know and I will try and chase it up for you. 

 

Thanks so much Johnny! I'll definitely let you know come Monday.

 

I appreciate the help, hopefully it'll be smooth sailing.

[SBoardley]

I’ve never had a problem with milspec… used them for years n years. 

[concretesnail]

Another vote for milspec, I've used them lots over the years but it's been a little while since I last used them

[Guest]

Personally never had an issue with mil-spec, bought loads from them over the years

[Enid_Puceflange]

I too have ordered stuff from them

No real dramas other than waiting to hear when something I want is coming back into stock

Gave up after a month of waiting and asking and ordered from Red Wolf

Item arrived within 10 day

[hitmanNo2]

Best to e-mail them about 3am 😄

[Nick G]

I use them loads, for parts and RIFs. Never had an issue.

[TallGobblyWobbly]

So I am going to be brutally honest here, I recently purchased a large order of valves from them (160 quids worth) but they cancelled the order because I questioned their return policy.

In an email they sent me, and in their T&Cs they have a section about returning falty goods. This section explains that their policy to only allow 24hours for your to inspect your items for faults, any faults reported after that will be assumed as user faults or items damaged. This CLEARLY goes against the rights of any consumer and the distance of sales act. "You have 30 days from taking ownership of a product (this could be the date of purchase or the date it was delivered to you - whichever is later) to claim a refund if it is faulty".

 

So I sent them an email, to have it made clear to me if this was still respected or if they really did only allow for 24 hours (I was not going to be home when It was expected to arrive), in their response they insinuated that I would only ask that if "I expect them to arrive faulty" as if I had intent to commit fruad. I (what I thoguht was) politely explained that I didn't understand their question and took offence to that insinuation, though I did so as candidly as I could. They didn't like that resonse clearly and suggested that: "They are only a small company, they are not a big cooporation.... and that (I) seek a different supplier".

 

I tried to apologise(?) to ease the seemingly odd tension but it seems they blocked my email and didn't want to respond.

[Davegolf]

…joined 28mins a ago 👀

[Cr0-Magnon]

BTW, I've since changed my mind about them and will avoid at all costs going forward.

[Dan Robinson]

Strikes me that much of the Airsoft selling machine has a very odd take on Distance Selling regulations and Consumer Rights. 

[hitmanNo2]

1 hour ago, Dan Robinson said:

Strikes me that much of the Airsoft selling machine has a very odd take on Distance Selling regulations and Consumer Rights. 

"What, you're not honored we allow you to buy from us?" - Lots of UK airsoft retailers

[SBoardley]

3 hours ago, TallGobblyWobbly said:

So I am going to be brutally honest here, I recently purchased a large order of valves from them (160 quids worth) but they cancelled the order because I questioned their return policy.

In an email they sent me, and in their T&Cs they have a section about returning falty goods. This section explains that their policy to only allow 24hours for your to inspect your items for faults, any faults reported after that will be assumed as user faults or items damaged. This CLEARLY goes against the rights of any consumer and the distance of sales act. "You have 30 days from taking ownership of a product (this could be the date of purchase or the date it was delivered to you - whichever is later) to claim a refund if it is faulty".

 

So I sent them an email, to have it made clear to me if this was still respected or if they really did only allow for 24 hours (I was not going to be home when It was expected to arrive), in their response they insinuated that I would only ask that if "I expect them to arrive faulty" as if I had intent to commit fruad. I (what I thoguht was) politely explained that I didn't understand their question and took offence to that insinuation, though I did so as candidly as I could. They didn't like that resonse clearly and suggested that: "They are only a small company, they are not a big cooporation.... and that (I) seek a different supplier".

 

I tried to apologise(?) to ease the seemingly odd tension but it seems they blocked my email and didn't want to respond.

Tbh it’s probably more of a reflection of the qc issues at ghk, and airsoft products in general. It’s not exactly like buying a hoover or a washing machine where British standards are applied. We are talking about toy parts at the end of the day, and if I ever snapped the hand off my action man cus I was being to tough with it, it is not exactly the toy sellers problem. 
you wanna push your toy to the absolute limit, you pay your money? You take your chance, why should a seller have to take all the risk?

Edited July 20, 2022 by SBoardley

[Rogerborg]

4 hours ago, TallGobblyWobbly said:

So I am going to be brutally honest here

 

That'll be a nice change, given that most times when someone signs up just to trash a business there turns out to be an entirely different side to the story.

 

While their terms aren't enforceable, and you would ultimately end up getting your money back via your payment processor or a court claim, I actually appreciate their honesty regarding the fragility of airsoft toys, particularly gas blowbacks, and especially upgraded / "upgraded" ones.  It would be nice if this wasn't true, but it is, and buyers should be made aware of it so that we have realistic expectations.

 

https://www.milspecsolutions.co.uk/terms-and-conditions.html

[Druid799]

In the end retailer reputation means nothing , back beginning of the yr I had real problems with Bespoke over a warranty return and they started getting really arsey with me when I had the temerity to dare ask for updates after wks of no comm’s from them .😱

[Cannonfodder]

7 hours ago, TallGobblyWobbly said:

Words

First post is sagging off a shop, so I'm going to take it with more than a pinch of salt 

[1st commando]

Experiences with Milspec can vary wildly and it seems to depend on nothing more than the owners mood / stage of drinking as to whether he will be amazing or an outright arsehole.

As they barely stock anything now it's probably far less relevant anyway.

I've had times where he has gone well out of his way to help post an item and times where he has replied "f**k off" to a simple product question . Both of those experiences were some years ago when he stocked more 

[Paul H]

On 22/01/2022 at 13:13, SBoardley said:

I’ve never had a problem with milspec… used them for years n years. 

Yup, same.

[TallGobblyWobbly]

Coming back a few months later with updates.

I want to make it clear, even though there are some that would suggest otherwise, I do actually have reciepts for the poor way Milspec handled basic consumer regulation. They were so agregious that at one point I even had to raise a GDPR complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office. It got to the point where I had to have meetings with my bank to resolve the issue... luckily they (milspec) decided to act before it got that far and with all due credit, they did refund the partial ammount.

Some people made it clear that the fault with the valve probably came from GHK, this is most likely true. However others thought that just because it was a gas gun product I was not some how covered by the same protections as a dishwasher for example. I wish to imlpore everyone here to educate themselves on their consumer rights - regardless of whether it's a valve or a new mobile phone. Milspec tried to imply that I went out of my way to cause harm to their business rather than simply handle the issue at hand with professionalism and the courtesy it deserved. If I could chose to support a British company over another I would, but they make that seem like a challenge rather than the pleasure it is supposed to be.

After having my dealings with them, I reached out to others with their own experience, I was shocked by what I heard and how I have seen that some other members of the airsoft community were treated by store owners. Someone told me the story of how they recieved blatant abuse from the owner over Facebook Messanger when they had the audacity to use the sites links to chat function in the middle of the night. Quite hilarously it seems someone here has had a very similar experience and if push comes to shove the fact of the matter is that everything I did was right by the eyes of the law.

Again, I wish this could be some kind of wake-up call for the team over at Milspec, but my heart tells me that these kinds of business owners aren't the types to change and eventually that will be the end of that.

Edit - some spelling errors

Edited November 29, 2022 by TallGobblyWobbly

[Enid_Puceflange]

I think your issue was pretty well covered on your Facebook rant

I think you started off in the wrong foot with the retailer by asking about returning faulty valves before they arrived?

That would have had my spidey senses tingling from the offset, trying to figure out your intentions and if they were possibly  fraudulent (however innocent it would appear to you)
They cancelled your order, quite possibly to save them hassle

Reserved the right to refuse service

 

As shite as it seems to you, you aroused suspicions, and they just blew you out!

 

Ill be honest

I haven’t had an issue with them, if parts are in stock I get them pretty quickly

And was refunded when THEY noticed (not me) that I had ordered the wrong part for my rif. That shows a decent level of attention to detail on their part

 

Just don’t message them at Dark O’clock and you’ll be ok

[Rogerborg]

2 hours ago, TallGobblyWobbly said:

even though there are some that would suggest otherwise

 

Steady on there, tiger.  We're agreeing that you're right in principle, and in practice we know what airsoft retailers can be like.  I have a track record of advising buyers to just fire in with a chargeback ASAP, the moment goods are late or otherwise than as described and they don't get a complete and instant resolution.

 

However, I'm also getting the impression that you've taken this personally, and have turned a minor business transaction into a casus belli for a protracted spat.

 

Is it really worth it over some toy parts?

[SBoardley]

@TallGobblyWobbly
Again you pulled the dick move by re ordering through yer mate after they chinned you off. Most people just buy stuff then deal with it if there are issues, You were pre empting trouble and they picked up on it. 
if you don’t like how people operate, don’t deal with them; don’t try and make trouble for them. We need these retailers. 
and Again I’ve never had a problem with milspec, and when I phone them they are always helpful.