Problems with Klingbeil order | Golden Skate

Problems with Klingbeil order

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Problems with Klingbeil order

I have had such a bad luck with Klingbeil firm, that I feel I need to share it, so that no one else gets caught in similar situation.


In May 2012 I ordered custom made dance boots.

In June 2012 I noticed that Lorraine overcharged me – she counted $1384, although according to Janice’s quote the price should be $1294. I queried it and they reimbursed me the difference.

In August 2012 I received freeskating boots. When I queried it, that I had ordered dance boots, at first they tried to persuade me that those are dance boots. The boots were exactly same height, shape and stiffness to my previous two pairs I had bought from Klingbeil in the past and those were freeskating boots, so unless Klingbeil’s dance boots are identical to freeskating boots, those were not dance boots. On the invoice they actually wrote freeskating boots, whereas in all email communications from me I was asking them to make dance boots. I returned the boots. Eventually Janice admitted that there was error on their part and promised to make me another pair – dance boots this time. I had to pay for postage for returning the boots, which cost me £97.30.

At the end of October 2012 I received second pair of boots. The ‘second attempt’ boots I received are still not according to my specifications. I ordered and paid $50 for dance backstay, which neither the first attempt boots nor the second attempt boots had. Considering that I made it clear in several emails that I need it and that the reason for ordering the boots is that my coach is complaining that I don’t point my toes, I really don’t know why Klingbeil found it so difficult to make it. If they can’t do it, they shouldn’t be offering it and charging for it. (In fact, if I had known that I will get boots in which I won’t be able to point my toes, I would have never ordered the boots!)

In addition, Klingbeil forgot to mark the parcel as ‘return’, so I had to pay custom duty/import tax again, which I have already paid on the ‘first attempt’ boots. (the custom duty/import tax is charged according to information that the sender- Klingbeil - provides). I shouldn’t have to pay custom duty twice, considering that I ordered and have only one pair of boots. The second custom duty/import tax was £97.17. When I asked Klingbeil for reimbursement of the second custom duty payment, Janice offered me 25% discount from my next boots that I will order with them. Now seriously, with this bad experience, would anyone order any next pair of boots with them?) I politely declined and asked for reimbursement. Janice and Richie Perna (the director) are ‘looking into it’. Well, they have been ‘looking into it’ since 21st November and I haven’t heard from them yet! (I did send them the receipts in November as requested.)

So if I summarise it, I have spent $859 for boots that are made not according to my specification ($1294 minus the price of the blades $435) and incurred additionally £194.47 in extra expenses (postage for returning boots that were freeskating boots while I ordered dance boots, and second time paying custom duty/import tax because Klingbeil forgot to mark the second parcel as return).

I have placed the order in May 2012. We are in January 2013. At the moment I have a pair of boots that are completely useless for me. Pointing my toes was the reason for ordering dance boots, otherwise I would continue skating in my freeskating boots.

Klingbeil made a lot of promises (such as giving me the account number so that I can return the boots number two to them without having to pay another postage) and fixing the boots number 2 for me, but unfortunately none of their promises actually materialised.

It is a lot of money for me, and I wasted 7.5 months waiting for my boots, which turned out to be complete disappointment. I will definitely not order from Klingbeil again.
 

Kunstrijdster

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
I thought they were out of business, anyway? Didn't they have that last orders campaign going one year ago and then it was supposed to be finish up the orders and close? Or did that campaign renew interest to such a degree that they decided to stay in business?
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
They are definitely not out of business. But if they are going to treat their customers as they treated me, they might be eventually... Something did change though. I never had so much problems when I ordered my previous two pairs of boots in the past. It is like if they stopped caring about the customer.
 

Kunstrijdster

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
It seems like they found a way to stay in business and keep the brand alive, they have a new address and apparently produce at a factory together with other brands of the Adoni Group, which acquired the Klingbeil brand and took over the staff. Their huge shop front was one of the major cost factors. I guess moveing and becoming part of the Adoni group made it possible to stay in business after all. Apparently they even branched out and are now making other boot series and even rental skates.

Good luck in resolving your issue :)
 

treesprite

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Wow, that's a skate order nightmare! I hope you don't have to wait much longer for the boots done correctly.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
I've heard of several issues since Klingbeil was acquired. Hopefully they will get things back together and you will get your skates (and correctly) soon!
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Wow, that's a skate order nightmare! I hope you don't have to wait much longer for the boots done correctly.

Well, I won't have them done properly. They promised to give me some account number to return the boots back free, but unfortunately I did not receive this account number. I keep chasing them but I am not very successful. I can't afford to pay the postage again (and possibly another customs fee if they again mark the parcel incorrectly) so I have to cut my losses. I am keeping boots that are completely useless for me, and they keep my money. :disapp: But I potentially saved another nearly £200 for posting it back, paying for postage, getting third attempt of useless boots and paying third time for customs duty (that's what happened when I sent it back and they did attempt number two). There is only so much money you can spend on one pair of boots. For the money I spent I could have had 2-3 pairs of off shelf dance boots! I hope writing here about my experience will help other people save their money.
 
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