PSI Rant

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OKLAHOMAN

OKLAHOMAN

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On the 12th (a Sunday) of this month I placed internet orders with Bear Tooth Woods, CSUSA and Pen State Industries. On the 16th I received my order from Ernie @ Bear Tooth and on the 17th from CSUSA and as of today's mail the 21st 9 days later no merchandise from PSI and found in my spam mail today that is was (or just the label made) labeled to ship out on the 17th. Just reminded me why I order so little from them.
 
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Maybe they have so much business they thought they would look a gift horse in the mouth!

Seriously, Ernie is tops and CSUSA can be hit or miss. Still not sure what I think about them using Fed Ex now instead of UPS.
 
Roy, thats funny you should mention this, I was just checkin' on my tracking on my PSI order and it says the same thing, actually it says it should have delivered on the 17th. WTH, I just saw the postman put a package in the box(thought it was mine), must have been for someone else :-(
 
I think Ernie doesn't sleep. He has to be the fastest turn around person I ever ordered from. I can place my order on Sunday and Sunday night I am getting a message it is being shipped on Monday and it is usually here in 2 to 3 days. I just got an order from PSI and the trick here is to call it in which I do. Was here in 4 days p[lus I got a better discount than what was offered on their site?? I have nothing bad to say about them either. I bet you will find fault at one time or other wih most companies. But you need to learn their tendencies if you want to keep dealing with them. If not and want to move on then so be it. The other company that was mentioned that carries PSI stuff does not carry their full line so that may be a deterent to some like me.
 
Roy, those delays are kind of normal for us, from overseas. From whoever we order we have to harass the Belgian postal service for the USPS is generally a Speedy Gonzalez one.
Well, I have to say that with all the stories I've read about PSI on this forum I never ordered from them. I bought my only Majestic kits from Rockler and Axminster in the UK...

I hope I comforted you somewhat. If not, at least I tried...
 
The last time I ordered from PSI it actually came faster than I expected. However, that the first time in a very long time. I only, unfortunately, only order from them when I absolutely need to. There are so many other vendors (and those associated with IAP) that actually care to put in that extra effort for quality customer service. In my experience, PSI has been far from that. For example, I asked them two different questions using their online customer service messaging system over two years ago, and I am still waiting for a response. Well, not really, I just gave up on them....

Just my experience. Sorry for the rant. They just aren't known for quality customer service.
 
I ordered my last order on the 11th and received it on the 20th which is what the tracking said. This time of the year is very busy for companies so shipping times and delays should be expected.
 
I received an order from PSI last Thursday. It was missing a piece, so I called and told them, and a very nice woman said she would expedite ship it.

I'm still waiting.
 
Terwin said:
I ordered my last order on the 11th and received it on the 20th which is what the tracking said. This time of the year is very busy for companies so shipping times and delays should be expected.
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That's the problem with PSI.. It's not just "this time of the year".. It's all the time.

I avoid them like the plague now.

As of this year, I pretty much dealt only with Ernie.. Recently (within the last month or two) I started going to Exotic and dealing with Ed and Dawn.. I love dealing with beartooth and exotic now. Their prices are top notch and they deliver a great product.
 
I have no problem in slight delays in this time of year but, 2 other companies not only shipped their orders out the next day but I received them before PSI decided to finally ship(actually notify the shipper). I just think it's very poor service to hold orders for 5 days before even notifying the carrier of a shipment.
Terwin said:
I ordered my last order on the 11th and received it on the 20th which is what the tracking said. This time of the year is very busy for companies so shipping times and delays should be expected.
Click to expand...
 
I know how everyone feels.I place an order for the razors,brushes and stands.the order finally came in and I had no razors.They left me a little note saying they were on back order and would ship when they came in.They never bothered to email me and let me know they were on backorder.so anyway a couple weeks went by and I checked their website last week and it says they are now in stock but they haven't notified me about that. I am finally done with them.I don't need the hassel.
JIM
 
Not really a knock at PSI, but just a heads up;

....if you have ordered razor kits in the past from AZ Silhouette, and think you can order razor kits from PSI and use the same bushing, you can't.

The PSI kit components are quite a bit smaller in diameter than the AS kit. Personally, I find the AS kit to look nicer and more expensive. I would not have ordered razor kits from PSI has I known the kit was different than the AS razor kit.
 
Always the oddball. Some time back I bought a mandrel saver from PSI, the kind with the o rings in the snout. It went bad so they sent me repair parts for it. Not caring for the way it still did not work, I bought one of the new style. It roared like a lion when pressure was applied. I found a thread about it here very recently. The president of PSI came on and said to call and a new version without the bad bearings would be shipped, no charge. Phone call to the 800 number, very nice lady had not heard about it yet checked and said the new was on the way. She noticed that I had also bought one of the early ones and offered to replace it also. I hanked her very much but declined. I only have one lathe.
do I order from PSI? Yes, when I need something that they only have and I am not in a hurry. About their email service, never in two years have I ever received a reply to a question sent via email. Not even once. Use phone only to communicate with them.
Charles
 
My last order.
Ordered on the 11th of December
Shipped on the 14th of December
Arrived today 21st of December

I expected a long shipping time from the east coast, but why 4 days to ship?
 
What is interesting to me, is that they take so long in delivery, but yesterday I got an email stating it wasn't too late to order in time for Christmas!
 
The only thing I really order from PSI anymore is black and Rosewood display boxes with the glass inserts. The ONLY reason we order those is because they have real glass inserts. We have the ability to make a custom "stencil" and etch as special message in the glass while the customer waits.

We ordered rosewood boxes on October 1, (when we OVERNIGHTED -UPS, freight $96 on all of the black ones they had in stock, I think, only 20 or so) The rosewood
showed in stock, but the very nice lady phoned me back to let me know the rosewood was really on backorder until Nov. 15. On the day AFTER my last big show had come and gone (sometime in December), they finally had stock. I ordered 5.

Sorry if this sounds like dumping on a vendor, BUT, I've got more than 10 vendors that want my business and will have product in my hand 2 days from order date, AT FLAT RATE PRICING!

Insult to injury, I made a PSI order and an out of country order on the same day. Both orders were "in stock" items. The Canadian order came in 1 WEEK before the PSI order. The difference in shipping(similar weights) was $10 more for Canadian shipping.

Not "ragging on" anybody. PSI, simply no longer fits my business model. AND that's Damned shame! Maria at PSI is one of the most pleasant people I have ever encountered. THIS IS NOW MY LIVELYHOOD.....I no longer have the luxury of "soon".

Respectfully submitted.
 
speed

Well PSI has a little different operation than I have. If you get an order to me by 11 am it will ship that day (by 1:30 might) any other order will ship the next day mail is picked up. The reason that can happen is that even small shippers can now have USPS pick up outgoing at our place of business free...we no longer have to carry everything to the post office ourselves

I have had PSI take an order by phone at 3:00 and ship at 5:00 but that isn't too usual.

But you know, I know that PSI doesn't ship fast so if I need it in a hurry I just order somewhere else. If I don't need it in a hurry why would I get agrivated that I don't get it in a hurry.

:party:We are spoiled. 15 years ago, we had to mail in the orders, that took a few days, they had to be processed that took a few days, and if we received the order in two weeks we considered it outstanding service. Now we want the item shipped two days before we order it so we can receive it within 15 minutes of placing our order...:party:
 
Smitty37 said:
:party:We are spoiled. <snip> Now we want the item shipped two days before we order it so we can receive it within 15 minutes of placing our order...:party:
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Now that's the way it should be. :biggrin:

Someday, we can drop it in the transporter and have it delivered in nano-seconds. :airplane::airplane::airplane:
 
MLKWoodWorking said:
Maybe they have so much business they thought they would look a gift horse in the mouth!

Seriously, Ernie is tops and CSUSA can be hit or miss. Still not sure what I think about them using Fed Ex now instead of UPS.
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I respectfully disagree. In 3 years of business, Ernie has never failed to have product in my hand in 3 or fewer business days. With CUSA, I have to pay about $3 or $4 more for USPS, simply because Utah to Atlanta (it has to go to Memphis first and then get re-router BACK south to Atlanta - in the rest of the world, even if your route is to HELL, you must process through Atlanta).

Arizona ( unfortunately, my business has changed and I don't use Bill as much as I would like) has NEVER faile to have product in my hand in 2 days. I mention AS because either you like Bill or you don't. He has NEVER failed me.
 
I'm spoiled with getting free shipping from Amazon. So, when I order from PSI, I tend to wait until they have a 'free shipping' special. Placed an order (week after T-day) on a Thursday online (didn't call); items shipped UPS on Monday. I don't have any problems with that.

If I actually had to pay for shipping, I'd expect faster service :laugh:
 
Well I placed a small order and hoping to get it quickly paid for expedited shipping not a good idea as they still took 4 days before filing the order then shipped on the 5th day not the fastest company to deal with
 
I don't usually hop on these types of threads, but my experience with Ernie and Ed have been nothing but enjoyable and I do try to get things from IAP folks as much as I can. Craft Supplies has been a good company to do buisness with as well. I can't say that for PSI, probably why I don't get items from them anymore.
 
I used PSI for my very first order and was very satisfied with everything. I have placed a couple more orders and in the last one a cigar kit was missing a part. I have emailed their customer service twice and have not even gotten a reply. I have tried a lot of the vendors on this forum and so far all have been great. PSI is losing a customer.
 
I agree with Andy on all counts and would not have placed the order with them if it wasn't that they were the only vendor that had the product I needed/wanted.
 
While I too have been irritated by PSI shipping speed, the title of this forum led me to share the following. I ordered two Classic Elite fountain pens, the first fountain pens I have made. Customer loved the look, and they did turn out nice. However, they would barely write. Did some research, tried some tweaking of the nibs, finally contacted PSI. They totally blew me off with "the preferred method is the refillable pump, not the cartridge." Funny that the cartridge is what the kit comes with. (sarcasm intended) They then decided to ignore three follow up emails. In the meantime I took a chance and ordered a couple of nibs from Meisternibs. They fit the kits exactly and worked flawlessly.

I am so disgusted with PSI's lack of response and poor customer service that I am going to likely box up my collection of bushings and start fresh with Woodturningz. I ordered a few things from them and had an email when I got home that day...shipped the SAME DAY.

PSI probably doesn't give a flying you-know-what, but I am done with them.
 
Sorry If I re-open this thread but we are in July, not mid of December and I fell that PSI have the same customer bad service approach. I placed an order last week end thru the web site. I get my shipping email confirmation today. Well, that is not bad in 3 days I understand but: They shipped my order on a bizarre name and at wrong zip code. At that time I told myself I will call the service dept before my package leave the warehouse, it was 5:15pm and their web site say's that they are open from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. They were closed and the message was saying that they were closing at 5:00. The answering machine invite the customer by leaving a message and someone will call you back ASAP. I am still waiting…

I went back to my accounting file and look at how much money I gave to them since October 2010 and I realize that $5,000 is really too much for a supplier who can't at least spell your company name right.

At my former order, I sent an email to their service department in order to have my company name and zip code fix but I did not get any answer. I made certain when I placed this last order thru the web site that all my information's was ok. Why I did that, I don't know, they do what they want.

From now on I will stop pushing PSI product, customer satisfaction is my device and my suppliers as to have the same device, if not, others suppliers will be happy to do business with
 
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I feel your pain, I placed two separate orders late last week and I have not heard squat on either one yet!! I guess receiving it by this weekend is out of question.
 
Everyting sold by PSi can be purchased from resellers and often for less. A phone call to your favorite PSI reseller may be necessry but I've never failed to get what I wanted from the two independent PSi resellers I use.

Ernie has a top notch business...he has never disappointed me...never.

Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
its_virgil said:
Everyting sold by PSi can be purchased from resellers and often for less. A phone call to your favorite PSI reseller may be necessry but I've never failed to get what I wanted from the two independent PSi resellers I use.

Ernie has a top notch business...he has never disappointed me...never.

Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...

Who is Ernie?
 
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Curious who Ernie is as well.

I order my PSI stuff through Woodturningz.com. I have yet to have any issues with the orders or the quick turn around time. They also provide great communication on the orders I've placed. I even placed two different orders say one in the evening and one the next morning as I forgot an item. Fritz sent me an email stating that they will combine the two orders to save me on shipping. Hey $5 is $5. There isn't anything that PSI sells that I haven't been able to get from woodturningz.

I'd like to try a few other suppliers. The CSUSA stuff, well let's say the kits I ordered looked nice, but if they don't stay together then why bother.

Just my opinion.
 
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