Summit Shelters

[Mark Regalia]

I’m sorry but that is not a good response. If not outright evasive, it certainly lacks the kind detail those who you havew mistreated deserve, like how you can justify charging for product you don’t even have in stock and when they will actually be shipped. I thought I had found my tent. But it looks like I had better start looking elsewhere.

[Benjamin Smith]

“First, I would like to apologize for this delayed and incomplete response”

Let’s cut the guy a little slack – at least give him a chance for a full explanation. He’s aware that no one is happy with what he just posted…

Ben

[Anonymous]

How is he aware that no one is happy with what he just posted if not from the one negative response? He had the chance for a full explanation. It was a long post with little explanation and a lot of tap dancing.

Your post makes no sense.

[Jordan Hurder]

I think he was aware that what he was posting was going to be incomplete. And since he just cut-and-pasted an email he has been sending all Big Sky customers (rather than just the people in this thread), it actually was pretty short. I’m sure, as he said, that he’ll explain the larger issue in a couple days.

[Benjamin Smith]

Anon (are you the same person I responded to? Hard to say, given the abuse of the anonymous posting capabilities on this forum, originally intended so vendor reps could give honest feedback without risking biased reception by other members) – had you read Bob’s post more closely, it would be apparent to you that he was simply posting a message that had been sent to many of the jilted would-be customers already… hence my quotation of his intro sentence. I didn’t think that that, of all things, would be unclear.

His apologetic tone and promise for more info in the next couple of days tells me that he knows that the situation MUST be fixed. I’m not saying that he’s in the right – if I was waiting on a tent, I’d be capital-P Pissed – but I thought that the first response to his message was unhelpful at best.

Ben

[Benjamin Smith]

Jordan – you speedy typer, you.

Ben

[Anonymous]

Did read his post closely. Did notice his wording. Poor assumption on your part.

Same post he put on other Forums where the same complaints about his business practices have been made quite often. So your conclusion about addressing this Forum is incorrect also.

Didn’t really address people’s objections. He just gave excuses. He essentially plugged new products and revisions and basically implied everyone will just have to wait longer.
It would have been better if his first words were that he would have a refund with interest in the mail to everyone who wants one within two weeks time if he drives slow. Instead of driving east to drum up more business he should have addressed the issues raised here and on other Forums for some time now. Is that company more interested in getting money than promptly addressing customer related problems?

[EndoftheTrail]

Criticizing a person “anonymously” isn’t so great either…

[Anonymous]

(this is a different anonymous person.)

Umm… how could this business plan possibly be defended? If you cash a check, you better be ready to ship the product immediately. If you can’t, you inform the purchaser of the delay and you offer an immediate refund. If someone requests a refund at any point, you immediately make it happen.

Cashing checks and not delivering, making promises and/or excuses, and not even refunding someone’s money after they ask several times for it? C’mon now… that’s just inexcusable.

Support honest businesses that respect their consumers and treat them fairly (e.g. Henry).

[Ronald Davis]

Robert, Perhaps you could let me know when I might receive the refund I’ve ask for or at least respond to the e-mail I sent requesting the refund. I think I’ve waited long enough for a tent that still appears to be a long way from being delivered

[Benjamin Smith]

Anon #2 – we agree that the business plan is inexcusable, and reflects a lack of competence/planning, if not integrity. My comments applied exclusively to the posts in this thread. Like I said, were I in the shoes of the potential purchasers, I’d be furious. But I’d take Bob’s post as a positive step, not a negative one.

Ben

[Ken Helwig]

not too good to hide behind a post with no name. Sorry,

[Anonymous]

Elsewhere at least one person is referring to this company as “Big Lie”. Is this nickname accurate based upon other’s experiences?

[Glenn Roberts]

Those of you who point out (rightly) that taking someone’s money when you can’t fill the order promptly is poor practice might be interested to read BPL’s published policy on backorders (Policies and Terms under the Resources tab at the left.)

The big difference is that BPL is up front about their policy, and explains the business reason for it. This charge-now policy has deterred me from ordering from this site in the past, but at least I had the information to make that decision – I didn’t get blindsided by it.

[Anonymous]

i don’t understand the “hide behind a post with no name.” why do you have to know who it is? (open to conjecture.) respond to the content of the post (or not). peace.

[Benjamin Smith]

I don’t need to know who it is. That’s not the point. I agree with ken, however, that to level criticism of someone who has not masked his identity from an anonymous position is “bad.” Like I heard in kindergarten, if you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, don’t say it at all. I think that anonymous posting is as close to talking behind someone’s back as you can get in an online environment. It disrupts the “community” (cheesy, I know, but I really like this board) and robs the rest of us of the confidence that we know who were are talking to. I value knowing who I’m talking to for all the obvious reasons – I know if they have a shred of credibility that I should be concerned about, I know other things they’ve said, I know what they have claimed to believe in other posts, etc. Anonymous post rob the rest of us of that confidence. It’s obviously your call – it’s within the rules of the board. However, know that it rubs many of us the wrong way, and you shouldn’t expect your opinions to be valued.

Hopefully this was a reasonable response to the content of your post.

Ben

[Anonymous]

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

[Scott Toraason]

Last summer I purchased a Lunar Sole E from Ron Moak. I’m not advertising the merits of the tent, just the customer service. I received the tent within three days of my order and called Ron to tell him he sent the tent with the thin floor instead of the standard floor. I returned the tent to Ron and within days the correct tent was returned postage paid by Six Moons.

There are inventors, manufacturers, and businessmen, and Ron appears to have mastered all three as have other outdoor cottage industries. Unfortunately Big Sky appears to have great inventors who demonstrate manufacturing and business problems that really point to cash flow issues. I agree with everyone who has sent there money in and received no product, you deserve your choice of an immediate refund or a guaranteed delivery date.

I am also curious if BPL does or feels it has no obligation to do some minimal screening of the independent manufacturers like Big Sky who’s products it favorably reviews on its’ website?

Lastly, BPL knows who the anonymous posters are, and I agree not knowing who is writing can be confusing at times. Except for a few notable exceptions, how many of us have met face to face? Anonymous or actual names is just a way to clarify who is speaking, and I believe it’s more of a privacy issue for some folks as opposed to a way of hiding.

[John S.]

Big Sky is acting a little goofy I agree, but I think once they get production going things will change. A little benefit of the doubt is in order. But, they should also refund to anybody who wants a refund.

Anonymous #10
(not the same as anon from above)

[Anonymous]

Hmmm… I thought that freedom of speach (anonymous, or not) was an American gift. Maybe I’m wrong.

Anyways, I just checked out the BigSky website, and there is a new note there… “Note: we are currently going through a major upgrade of our web site so online ordering is not always available while we are going through this upgrade. Please check back in a few weeks or submit orders via mail. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

What is up with that? Is that a subtle way to curb any new orders? Or are we, the paying public, financing Bob’s endeavor here? I’m not a big fan of all the new and improved items he is advertising either. Are we financing his R&D also? I also noted that the “ship date” for the tents have slipped to July. March, April, May, June, now July. What’s going on here? Why not say “sorry, no more orders are being taken until July”? I tend to guess that many many others are experiencing the same issue here. Pretty sad.

The BA tents are looking more enticing to me as the months drag on. May have to treat the loss of my “investment” in Big Sky as a learning experience. That would be a very bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, that should read SPEECH, not SPEACH. My bad. Figured I would cut the flames off at the pass, so to speak.

[EndoftheTrail]

Another good learning experience for you is to sign your name when you publically question another person’s integrity. Cowardice isn’t any better than deception — which is what you are accusing of Big Sky.

Yes, there is freedom of speech. But a third lesson for you is that freedom comes with responsibility.

[Ronald Davis]

I received this message today from Big Sky.

Good luck to others who are waiting for their tents.

Ron

I just got back from Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia about midnight last night… I processed your refund and mailed your refund check today…

Sorry we were not able to make your required ship date, and for the delay in processing your refund due to my travels.

Bob

[Ken Helwig]

Sorry Anon., but I agree with Benjamin on this one.

[Benjamin Smith]

Don’t argue with the united Bens.

Ben

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