Bespoke Airsoft - Loudwater

[Dan Robinson]

Went to Bespoke today as I was working half an hour away and had underlings to do work whilst I looked important.  So I pulled rank and ducked out for a bit with my faulty from new AA G36 GBBR.  If you remember the other thread, it is firing a shot at 500 ish fps, then everything subsequent to that just rolls out of the barrel.  I bought it from them at the end of last summer, then had trouble getting in touch, and then work/travel commitments made getting to their then Slough based store tricky.  Talking to them today, I am willing to grant them the communication issues were down to them preparing for the move.

 

New shop is looking pretty damn impressive.  They have a fairly big unit on a small trading estate.  I assume a warehouse downstairs, then a large open office upstairs with a new shop area that is going to be quite big too.

 

They answered the buzzer and let me in unannounced.  An incredibly polite staff (I think the owner) took my pew, which is now well over 6 months from purchase, listened to the description of the fault and said he'd take it down to his tech whilst I had a look around.  I was then given a tour of the new office, shop, firing range, pistol showroom and Air gun showroom.  There was not much in stock at the moment as they're still bringing things up from the Slough premises.  But they had, amongst other things, the Walther WA2000 along with some very nice looking pistols that I had to fight very hard to resist.  I wish I had £780 to spend on a wall hanger.

 

Had a good 30 or so minutes left to my own devices whilst the nice lady behind the counter helped some dude pick out a pew for his daughter, then the guy came back to say that they could see the problem I was having, and would keep the pew for a few days to fix it as they didn't have another in stock, implying to me, that he would have been happy to give me a replacement - so top marks there.

 

They also confirmed that once they're finished setting up, they will be doing all kinds of repairs, upgrades, and customisations in house as well as sales.  This should take them another week or two, but i have two or three non essential pews that need attention that no one else seems to be interested in (or that I'd trust), so they'll be heading there once the G36 is proven.  

 

Sooo....  If one were to take everything at face value, and assuming they fix my RIF, then I am a happy bunny and they deserve all the success after what must be an eye wateringly expensive investment.  Can't blame the shop for a faulty RIF out of the box, but unlike Only Airsoft in Stevenage, where there seems to be an attitude of "warranty is up to them" once you leave the shop, Bespoke seem to just want to keep you happy.  Although to be fair to Only Airsoft, they have honoured the warranty when required - it's just the perception that they give off that is unnecessary.

 

Certainly can't fault Bespoke for care and attention so far!  Standby for updates.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13 by Dan Robinson

[Galvatron]

Thanks, Dan. I'm planning another visit soon as I went to the new premises for a collection before they did the soft opening.

 

I understand they'll be doing a cerakote service in the customisations they offer.

Edited April 19 by Galvatron

[Galvatron]

I went to the new shop this month and I'm definitely impressed with the soft launch. It's several times the floor space of the old shop floor.

 

They're due to complete the indoor 10m range but everything looks promising so far.

 

Like a lot of industrial estates, parking was a challenge at the old location but there's plenty at the new site.

 

I'm usually very happy with freebies and I got a complementary patch with my purchase.

 

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm still waiting for them to fix my pew.  I phoned them a few weeks ago and w a s told the tech is working through a backlog still.

 

2 weeks was suggested which happened to be the day I flew to Japan for a surprise family visit.... I'm not back for another week, or until I run out of Sake.

 

Pity my UKARA expired  otherwise.....well .....you guys know......

[Dan Robinson]

Minor update - They've had 48 days and still haven't started looking at my gun.  Sent them an email today and got a reply "being a private repair, we have not had the chance to get to it yet as we are still going through the backlog of warranty repairs from our move. We will have a look at it when we can but it may not be for a while"

 

Well Bespoke - it isn't a private repair - it's a warranty repair.

 

Let's hope it doesn't go any further south and is simply a mistake.

 

 

Makes you wonder how many warranty repairs they get as I can't see how the relocation could have had that much of a delay unless their tech was having to do the move all by himself.

[Tackle]

1 hour ago, Dan Robinson said:

Minor update - They've had 48 days and still haven't started looking at my gun.  Sent them an email today and got a reply "being a private repair, we have not had the chance to get to it yet as we are still going through the backlog of warranty repairs from our move. We will have a look at it when we can but it may not be for a while"

 

Well Bespoke - it isn't a private repair - it's a warranty repair.

 

Let's hope it doesn't go any further south and is simply a mistake.

 

 

Makes you wonder how many warranty repairs they get as I can't see how the relocation could have had that much of a delay unless their tech was having to do the move all by himself.

Sounds like a mob to avoid in the future🤔

[Cannonfodder]

Wow, it sounds like they're giving you every excuse under the sun. If it's a repair under warranty my next e mail would say they've got a week to either complete the repair work or issue a full refund or you'll be taking legal action

 

If they really do have a massive amount of warranty repairs to do then it makes me wonder how crap their stock is

[Dan Robinson]

Well it's not looking good now.....   Sooo timeline as it stands:

 

Pew bought last September - never worked properly.

Emailed in November requesting a repair.   Email not replied to.

Emailed again in January asking for a follow up.  Email not replied to.

Went in to store with pew in late February/Early March - was told they are closed for the relocation and to come back to the new place when open.

 

Went to the new place with pew, original paperwork and copies of emails.  Was told it would take a few weeks and shouldn't be a problem.

 

48 Days later.... and you have my post above.

 

 

 

Now I have just had an email saying - pew is older than 30 days, was older than 30 days when i first emailed in November and that I now have to pay for the repair which "will be done but as of yet we cannot give an accurate estimate of when."

 

 

hhhmmm....

 

I think we spoke about these warranties before with the shop in Stevenage, but I can't find anywhere in the Consumer RIghts Act that says retailers can place arbitrary limits of warranty - except batteries and perishables anyway.

 

 

Either way - certainly not impressed; and considering my response....    😈

Edited May 1 by Dan Robinson

[Tackle]

Personally, I'd tell them not to worry, your expected to pay for it due to their probably illegal approach to the consumer rights act, you'll collect it & pass it on to a reputable tech who'll sort it properly in a timely fashion & provide you with a report which you'll pass on to the manufacturer, along with a full timeline of the whole debacle.

& then point out that you'll then publish the whole shitfest on every airsoft page, forum, & review website, ensuring that EVERYONE knows what a shower of shit they are.

Then await their reply 🤔

[Cannonfodder]

I couldn't find it in the actual act but I did find this

https://www.gov.uk/accepting-returns-and-giving-refunds#:~:text=You can ask a customer,(5 years in Scotland).

 

As you had it for only 2 months before taking it for repair their claims of being out of warranty are simply bollocks

 

[Dan Robinson]

26 minutes ago, Cannonfodder said:

I couldn't find it in the actual act but I did find this

https://www.gov.uk/accepting-returns-and-giving-refunds#:~:text=You can ask a customer,(5 years in Scotland).

 

As you had it for only 2 months before taking it for repair their claims of being out of warranty are simply bollocks

 

 

 

I've pretty much covered that in my very brief initial reply...

 

"Hi there,

 

I would be interested to know which part of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows you to only offer a 30 day warranty?  From my understanding I have 30 days in which I am entitled to a full refund.  Up to 6 months you have a single opportunity to repair or replace it before I can request a refund.

 

I have been very patient with this process as I accepted the delay due to your relocation; but more than enough time has elapsed for this to be resolved.  At no time up to this point has the warranty been denied, nor was the repair deemed as chargeable when I left it at your premises – with the paperwork on the 12th March. 

 

Please repair the item and let me know when I can collect it."

 

 

Will see what this does....

[Dan Robinson]

😁

 

 

Well that had the desired effect:

 

Quote

Hi Dan,

Apologies for that, I had the wrong end of the stick and made a mistake with this. We will try to inspect it within the next 1-2 weeks to find out whether or not it is a manufacturing defect. If it is you are absolutely covered under warranty and we will repair it and return it to you free of charge.

 

Kind regards

Bespoke Airsoft

 

 

Don't know if they reading this thread; but I find it somewhat ironic that if you google "airsoft and consumer rights uk" their website comes top of the listings.

 

 

[Cannonfodder]

Good to hear. I get the feeling they were trying to fob you off with a load of bullshit in the hope you don't know consumer law. It makes me wonder how many other people have fallen for their lies and just paid up

[Dan Robinson]

1 minute ago, Cannonfodder said:

Good to hear. I get the feeling they were trying to fob you off with a load of bullshit in the hope you don't know consumer law. It makes me wonder how many other people have fallen for their lies and just paid up

 

That's what I was thinking.  I see they've positioned themselves carefully RE manufacturing defect, but seeing as the pew doesn't have a mark on it, they will be hard pushed to explain how it can be otherwise - which is also part of the CRA.

 

Up to 6 months they have to prove it wasn't a factory defect.

 

Thankfully over 20 years of running a business and having to deal with wankers in all walks of life, I have had to verse myself in several bits of law...  I still keep the court documents where I publicly called a company out for being Snake Oil Salesmen - told them to F Off (literally) in reply to their Cease and Desist letter - then got the case thrown out of court without even getting a hearing.

 

I can write a good passive aggressive missive when I need to. 😎  SWMBO wasn't so impressed at the time though.

 

 

 

Genuinely I do hope they get themselves sorted because as I said in the opening post - the place is looking promising in terms of shop, range, tech facilities.  

[Cannonfodder]

As I've posted before it never ceases to amaze me how so many airsofters are happy to be bent over and shafted by shops with terrible customer service

[Shamal]

I very much agree. Once bitten twice shy. I would rather drive 20 miles in a thunderstorm than buy from a shop that has pissed me off or ripped me off even if they were two minutes away.

[Cannonfodder]

1 hour ago, Shamal said:

I very much agree. Once bitten twice shy. I would rather drive 20 miles in a thunderstorm than buy from a shop that has pissed me off or ripped me off even if they were two minutes away.

The nearest airsoft shop to me is only 5 miles away but I won't shop there as the owner is a complete bellend 

[Tackle]

2 hours ago, Cannonfodder said:

As I've posted before it never ceases to amaze me how so many airsofters are happy to be bent over and shafted by shops with terrible customer service

Wolf armouries is a great example, not only did they have a shit eating attitude, I remember a young member on another forum contacting me for advice, long time ago pre vcra, explaining how he'd put a pistol in for repair & when he went to pick it up he was told "you've already collected it", his response was "no I haven't", & Wolf refused to accept they had given it to the wrong person, or alternatively one of the arsehole staff had lifted it  ?

[LMKipper]

I recently noticed that quite a few airsoft companies seem to have a questionable view of the law. I saw one advertising a 'boneyard' item as no returns, no refunds.

Fair enough, don't want people having a go at fixing it then sending it back but surely it goes against distance selling regs?

 

[Tackle]

A business near me (non airsoft, furniture), has a separate website for their returns or slightly damaged stuff, where the explicitly state items purchased there are non returnable & you should be prepared for possible small issues with items, but in fairness the price are reduced massively, maybe 25% of the original rrp or even less.

 

 

My granddaughter needed a bigger bed, & they were advertising fancy sleigh bed returns for about 10% of the rrp, I popped in to their warehouse to pick one up, the guy brought 3 big unopened boxes out, BRAND NEW, never touched perfect condition, for 25 quid, result😃

 

My work here is done🤪

[Cannonfodder]

4 hours ago, LMKipper said:

I recently noticed that quite a few airsoft companies seem to have a questionable view of the law. I saw one advertising a 'boneyard' item as no returns, no refunds.

Fair enough, don't want people having a go at fixing it then sending it back but surely it goes against distance selling regs?

 

I think that boneyard items are sold with the expectation the buyer knows they're potentially broken/faulty already and accepts this risk