Buyer beware - Malibu Kayaks

I believe the members of NWKA ought to show support for this issue by emailing the Astoria SCUBA management  to voice our individual and collective dismay at the treatment of one of our members.   1945 members represents a substantial potential loss of possible revenue if we threaten to boycott the business as a group.  Businesses in today's retail market cannot afford to piss off a large group of potential customers.     

Contact:  dive@astoriascuba.com    The email I sent to this address came back so evidently its no longer valid.  There is a telephone number listed on their website.  503-325-2502  I suggest giving them a call and telling them to make it right.

Without more details, I personally would stop short this.  However, I will happily forward this thread on to Floyd and let him tell his side of the story.

-Allen

I agree with Allen on this - I do appreciate constructive communication to either business on this issue...but I do still want a rudder.  I do not have enough information myself to determine if Astoria or Malibu is at fault here - for all I know Astoria has paid Malibu for the rudder - or they have not, I'm not their book keeper.  I do know I will not be a customer of either shop again as a result.

As requested, and thanks for the pointed discussion.

Allen,

Thank you for contact me and please pass on our side as I’m sure your members are now rallying against Astoria Scuba and Kayak, which was not our intention as a business member and in today’s business environment, undeserving.  As a past Sponsor of the NWKA, one who personally donated a Cobra Kayak to NWKA, I appreciate all of the Concerns and I want to surely tell my side of the story and resolve this, Personally,  I thought it was.

The customer is always right and this is an issue with Malibu and our store and not the Customer, he is a victim of horrible product support, from all parties.  HE deserves a Rudder!

We have communicated with the customer numerous times and I do understand his frustration, we share it.  We offered to purchase a 3rd vendor rudder, reimburse the customer after he finds it and after numerous calls, including with the customer service, including telling him we would join in on a suit to Malibu after he threatened to sue us!  Unfortunately and obviously there has been no resolution.  I can not understand why the Customer could not understand that the Rudder issue is beyond US as we did not want to “Just Buy Him a Rudder”, we think there is a design flaw from Malibu, and a retro fitted rudder is beyond our local engineering capacity, thus the dilemma….  What is the right Rudder for that boat and why will Malibu not honor their word and send them the Right Rudder Kit?  We don’t have an answer, but pure speculation.

The last call I received from the customer was that he had not received the rudder from Malibu that was promised to him from Amy and Samantha at Malibu.  (It was obvious Malibu was having the same design flaw issues and knew that if they opened this can of worms, warranty issues should fly – like we have warned them and have since been in near litigation ourselves with Malibu) Since we closed our account with Malibu, and I can tell you from Astoria to Virginia, the last 2 years as a Malibu Dealer has been fraught with issues, all complaining about the same reasons and thus we no longer carry or sell Malibu Kayaks.

Poor Customer Service
Poor delivery
Poor Warranty Support
Failure to Replace Damaged Products
Failure to provide Credit for Damaged Boats from Shipping
Failure to Return Dealers Calls.

This has surely fallen through cracks and this particular NWKA member is a victim of poor service by all parties.

We stand bye looking for a detailed solution.  Thanks for your attention and response to these issues.

In the meantime, our internal issues has nothing to do with the Customers issues and we will surely do what ever it takes to get him the right Rudder, unfortunately, we don't know what that is.

Feel free to contact me anytime.


Floyd E. Holcom
VP, General Manager
NAUI Instructor Trainer 48075
DAN Instructor 14024
Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC
100 39th Street
Pier 39-Astoria
Astoria, Oregon  97103
www.astoriascuba.com
www.pier39-astoria.com
503-325-2502 (Option 3)  Mobile: 503-338-9829

We Sell: Brew Gas, Co2, o2, Nitrox, Argon, and other gases - 24-7 - for your immediate needs!
Authorized Dealer for:  Aqualung, APEKS, Air Venturi and Airforce Air Guns, Oceanic, Hollis, Tusa, Atomic, Zeagle, USIA, OTS, DAN, Waterproof, Armor Bags, UK,Trident, Mcnett, OTB, Cobra Kayaks, XS Scuba, Sea Pearls, GoPro Cameras, Olympus UW Cameras, Sea & Sea,  Lawrence Factor Filter and Parts, NAUI, JBL, Airgas, Cramer Decker, SCI/Worthington Cylinders.
 DOT Hydrostatic Requalifier I066 and PSI/PCI 12149.

Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC and Astoria Fire & Safety is a Combat Disabled, Minority -Veteran, Small Business Enterprise
Please Support the Green Beret Foundation @ http://www.greenberetfoundation.org

I didn't read anywhere in the above response that Astoria SCUBA is willing to and will return the cost of the rudder kit which he admits was paid for by the customer.  The responsibility to satisfy the customer lands on the retailer whether they are at fault or not.  This is, in my opinion, a very shabby example of poor customer service by AS.  Regardless of their problems with Malibu AS has a duty to make this right for the customer immediately. 

I didn't read anywhere in the above response that Astoria SCUBA is willing to and will return the cost of the rudder kit which he admits was paid for by the customer.  The responsibility to satisfy the customer lands on the retailer whether they are at fault or not.  This is, in my opinion, a very shabby example of poor customer service by AS.  Regardless of their problems with Malibu AS has a duty to make this right for the customer immediately.

+1 he didn't get what he paid for as a result the retailer is the one that should return the purchase price they received for the product they or the manufacturer that the represent in sales never produced regardless of who is liable for not shipping it.

Let's all step back and let the OP and Astoria Scuba work this out. They have a public forum to communicate and AS has shown they are willing to talk and work with the OP.
Let's give him a chance to make things right before you jump on his back.

Let's all step back and let the OP and Astoria Scuba work this out. They have a public forum to communicate and AS has shown they are willing to talk and work with the OP.
Let's give him a chance to make things right before you jump on his back.

Thanks for the suggestions, As part of the solution we did offer a cash or credit for the price of the rudder at full retail to the Customer and we were told that he was working with Malibu in getting a Rudder, the offer - of course, still stands.

Last month we found a Malibu Rudder Kit in Virginia through a Sister Dealer in Virginia, (The Dealer there suggested to wait for the New One) this was offered to the Customer, and he choose to wait for the New Rudder Version from Malibu, which is where we are today.


Floyd E. Holcom
VP, General Manager
NAUI Instructor Trainer 48075
DAN Instructor 14024
Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC
100 39th Street
Pier 39-Astoria
Astoria, Oregon  97103
www.astoriascuba.com
www.pier39-astoria.com
503-325-2502 (Option 3)  Mobile: 503-338-9829

We Sell: Brew Gas, Co2, o2, Nitrox, Argon, and other gases - 24-7 - for your immediate needs!
Authorized Dealer for:  Aqualung, APEKS, Air Venturi and Airforce Air Guns, Oceanic, Hollis, Tusa, Atomic, Zeagle, USIA, OTS, DAN, Waterproof, Armor Bags, UK,Trident, Mcnett, OTB, Cobra Kayaks, XS Scuba, Sea Pearls, GoPro Cameras, Olympus UW Cameras, Sea & Sea,  Lawrence Factor Filter and Parts, NAUI, JBL, Airgas, Cramer Decker, SCI/Worthington Cylinders.
 DOT Hydrostatic Requalifier I066 and PSI/PCI 12149.

Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC and Astoria Fire & Safety is a Combat Disabled, Minority -Veteran, Small Business Enterprise
Please Support the Green Beret Foundation @ http://www.greenberetfoundation.org

Thanks for the suggestions, As part of the solution we did offer a cash or credit for the price of the rudder at full retail to the Customer and we were told that he was working with Malibu in getting a Rudder, the offer - of course, still stands.

Last month we found a Malibu Rudder Kit in Virginia through a Sister Dealer in Virginia, (The Dealer there suggested to wait for the New One) this was offered to the Customer, and he choose to wait for the New Rudder Version from Malibu, which is where we are today.

Almost correct - the cash credit refund that was offered, was for the price of the non-malibu rudder you mentioned above.  and nowere close to the cost i paid for the rudder on my purchase.  let me paste your exact responce in the e-mail sent to me reguarding the rudder refund:

"Spencer,

I have not found out my cost on the rudder kit, however I did find the cost of the one I wanted from another vender, but it has different bolt patterns….   My cost on that was $47.95.

Let me know what you would like to do.

Thanks,

Floyd E. Holcom

VP, General Manager"

so you right, i did not want the refund, or the other manufacturers rudder with a different bolt pattern.  and i started to work with Malibu directly to get the price that i should get for a refund.  Malibu could not tell me those numbers as they did not have any record of what you sold your kayaks for.  30 seconds of google searching "MSRP malibu stealth 14" gives me results for an MSRP of $1,550 with rudder, $1,299 without.  $1,550-$1,299= $251....$47.95 is close....almost, well, not really.

and at the end of the day, i still want a rudder installed on my kayak!  and i think it is totally unacceptable that i should be going through the lengths that i am to get that accomplished!

WOW, I as a business owner just writing a check to make this good would be great advertising. Look at the advertising you get for not taking care of the customer. OUCH..... hopefully this gets cleared up soon.....

Thanks DeluxHarley,

He didn't want a check then....  He wanted a Rudder and still does as his communication on this site indicates....  I would be happy to pay him in Gold if wants....  But He wants a Rudder, and by God, I hope he gets it!  I'll buy three of them if they were available.  I would give him anything he wants....  I really thought it was resolved until I got the E-mail from the Admin on this site...  As one of the old Sponsors 5 years ago, we gave away a $1100 Kayak to NWKA as a prize.

Malibu promised him one, according to one of our Managers, so I thought was a done deal until yesterday: 

"  Floyd
On March 17th, the customer called Malibu from the shop on his cell phone.  He put the customer service representative on speaker and Malibu agreed to ship the rudder to the customer with anticipated delivery within 7-10 business days.
RFE"

So, I too hope this gets resolved!  If he reads this, come hit the Till we'll give you cash.....  I still don't have a Rudder for a Malibu...  got 4 for a Cobra, though, which are rare now.

Floyd
Floyd E. Holcom
VP, General Manager
NAUI Instructor Trainer 48075
DAN Instructor 14024
Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC
100 39th Street
Pier 39-Astoria
Astoria, Oregon  97103
www.astoriascuba.com
www.pier39-astoria.com
503-325-2502 (Option 3)  Mobile: 503-338-9829

We Sell: Brew Gas, Co2, o2, Nitrox, Argon, and other gases - 24-7 - for your immediate needs!
Authorized Dealer for:  Aqualung, APEKS, Air Venturi and Airforce Air Guns, Oceanic, Hollis, Tusa, Atomic, Zeagle, USIA, OTS, DAN, Waterproof, Armor Bags, UK,Trident, Mcnett, OTB, Cobra Kayaks, XS Scuba, Sea Pearls, GoPro Cameras, Olympus UW Cameras, Sea & Sea,  Lawrence Factor Filter and Parts, NAUI, JBL, Airgas, Cramer Decker, SCI/Worthington Cylinders.
 DOT Hydrostatic Requalifier I066 and PSI/PCI 12149.

Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC and Astoria Fire & Safety is a Combat Disabled, Minority -Veteran, Small Business Enterprise
Please Support the Green Beret Foundation @ http://www.greenberetfoundation.org






I

Thanks DeluxHarley,

So, I too hope this gets resolved!  If he reads this, come hit the Till we'll give you cash.....  I still don't have a Rudder for a Malibu...  got 4 for a Cobra, though, which are rare now.

I've driven the 70 mile round trip too many times checking on the status of this rudder to make another trip just for this.  I've PM'd my address, and would like a refund of the difference between what I paid $1559 (receipt attached in PM) and the msrp of a Malibu stealth 14 without the rudder.  and we can finally put this one to rest.

Let's all step back and let the OP and Astoria Scuba work this out. They have a public forum to communicate and AS has shown they are willing to talk and work with the OP.
Let's give him a chance to make things right before you jump on his back.

I disagree, this forum is just the place to expose this kind of issue.  It should have been settled as soon as the customer complaint was first brought to AS's attention and not allowed to drag out.  AS should have bent over backwards to settle the issue, not argue about it.  If there was a problem with Malibu it should have been kept between AS and Malibu and not even involved the customer.     

sounds like to me that if Astoria Scuba mailed the customer a check for $251, this should get it as good as its going to get.  Given the timeline I see on this disagreement, a rudder with the correct bolt does not seem imminent.

Thanks Rick,

Like most of us, we all try to do the right thing.  No matter what your "Feeling" is, none of us here at Astoria Scuba was attempting to do anything more than do what the Customer wanted.

As we stated before, we awaited on the manufacture to supply the Right Rudder for the Kayak and awaited for the Customer to inform us what went wrong.  It was unfortunate that it got to the level of this Forum, but we reacted once we were notified.

Since we no longer support Malibu, we will assist the Customer as we have for the last 12 years we have been in business, now that we know what his final decision is.  It didn't work out well for him at all, but we are happy we can afford to provide him a refund for a Rudder.  As you know, Rick, there are a lot of businesses that are no longer around.  We are fortunate to be still here and we appreciate all the business our customers provide us.

As of today, we are fortunate to have very few complaints, as a matter of fact, this is the first that we handled so poorly that I know of.

We would appreciate it Rick, If you keep your Sand Shrimp in your bait box and keep fishing like we all like to do.

We'll try our best to keep supporting all of you at NWKA.

Thanks again for the ability to communicate.

Floyd E. Holcom
Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC
Owner -  Pier 39-Astoria

Sounds like if you just send him a check for the 251 you can put this to bed. Are you willing to do that?