Dodgy service from Bennetts

Dear Mr Bennett,
As my records show I put an order in for a Brotel in mid May. This I unfortunately I had to return as we were not to clear if there was a fault. The process of you sending labels, my return reaching you and a replacement being sent out took 3-4 weeks. After talking to your team I was informed the return Brotel would be inspected before dispatch. It wasn't, it had a 2" hole in the zip material. I phoned up & found out I had been charged for 2 Brotels. As your replacement system is not exactly speedy we used this to send out another, eventually received 3rd time lucky.
I asked at this point for a statement as things were becoming complicated, told no problem. I've since asked for a statement twice more but still don't have one.
At the end of May or beginning of June, with the 1st return, I put some other items on order including at your staff's recommendation adjustable storm caps & a Gardner 29" Brolly Pole. I subsequently didn't receive these 2 items as they were not in stock, it would have been nice to have been told this when ordering.
I am aware the storm caps are being delivered to Waterline this Friday & this is not your fault, but the brolly pole?
I received something else, 'pole planter' or something which has 1 figure different in the code. When I phoned told brolly pole had been dispatched. No brolley pole after 10 working days - phoned told ok no problem will put another in the post. Still no brolley pole after a week - phoned 2 weeks ago, was told one hadn't been sent but would definitely put one in the post that day on a 48 hour ticket. Still not received, left a message on your answer phone, no reply.
Today I phoned & was told that no brolley pole had been ordered & never has been. When I questioned this & said I had several conversations about it & was actually recommended it, I was told 'there's nothing here'. When I asked about getting one I was told there were none in stock. There was no apology, no explanation. When I asked how I had conversations with people about this pole I felt I was disbelieved. I work in psychiatry & know what a delusion is, & to be sure I didn't hear 'voices' telling me I was getting a brolley pole.
I feel totally disenchanted, some of your staff are really helpful but others could really do with some customer relations. I haven't mentioned that I was sent Terry Eustace storm caps for the Brotel by some joker (still to be returned).
So as we stand today, 2 months later, I'm going on holiday Friday, I've got no brolly pole, you've got one less customer.

I also purchased a couple of items from Bennetts of Sheffield. This is going back a while, but after I was told both items WERE in stock, I expected them to arrive at the appointed time - no they did'nt. The first item arived a week later than promised, the second - after another couple of phone calls - arrived another three weeks after that.

I wish such stores would only advertise items they have in stock, though I suppose, logistically that would be asking too much.

During the last phone call they were able to check stock. Other stores outside fishing that I order from are able to give instant confirmation & reasonably accurate delivery dates.

Why do you use Bennetts?
If you are using mail order, then there are much cheaper places about.

e.g. Emblem EMS5500T
Bennetts ?99.99
The rest of the fishing world ?60 to ?65

If you want service and are not bothered about the price, then shop locally.

In the 60s Bennetts used to be one of the best tackle businesses around. I spent a great deal of money there then. They had proper sales staff, some of which were first class anglers.

What do you get now?

A bunch of surely mouthed kids!!

I too think they seem very expensive compared to the others... Look around, there are some top bargains to be had, both mail order and over the web.

Minus points :Very expensive , ages for gear to arrive,once sent me reels with the wrong spools and when I complained they told me to contact the manufacturer!
Plus point:12 months to pay.
How they became the tackle dealer of the century is odd. Perhaps it should have been most frequent advertiser of the last century .

David,
Come on now be fair.....why next someone will suggest it was the angling press where Bennetts place all their adds that voted them tackle dealer of the century.......why it couldn't be could it?
Pesonally i can recommend the Tackle Box in Kent and Fosters in Brum......weeeelllll Richard is a Wolves fan!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL blimey I never thought of that!.
Yes Tackle Box in Kent is my favourite , no discounts but very prompt so I tend to use them for bits and bobs that are never discounted anyway.Recently I ruined a prop on a MinnKota.Various so called Specialist Predator shops were useless but one call to The Tackle Box and they not only knew what I was asking but had a spare in stock.
Chapmans and Brundall A.C. are good too.
Wolves were a good team once were they not.Derek Dougan was a particular favourite of my Grandfather

I can't reply to the bit about Wolves....Graham will extradite me!!!
Tackle box are indeed prompt and they appear to care about their customers and the range they keep in stock is superb......i called in when i was passing.

Hi David, any joy on the stormcaps yet ? :-}~

I've not used Bennetts for a few years now but when I did everything arrived ok. Things have obviously taken a turn for the worse. Try a direct letter to the Sales Manager, as long as it's polite I'm sure you'll see some action on this. Mention that you post is likely to be read by anything up to 5,000 fellow anglers - I believe that's how many come on this site - and they may sit up and take notice. My funniest thing from Bennetts was when I received a Nash 6 rod holdall - one of the first available. I opened up the bankstick pocket to find about 20 Nash embroidered badges. Had I been dishonest I could have made a tidy sum at one of the markets. I could have been sure to find somebody willing to make counterfeit gear who would have bought the badges off me. I returned them straight away....never did get a thank you either.

Kevan

Mail order sometimes pays. Many moons ago I ordered a DAM baitrunner reel which was on offer from an outlet who's name, unfortunately, escapes me now. They sent me two.

Good value and prompt. Only wish I could remember who they were!

I'll add that I've just received 2 half pint baitdroppers and a Gardner camera adapter for a bank stick from the Tackle Box. Ordered Friday mid-morning, delivered Saturday first post!!!!!

Now that is good service.

ps: the droppers look excellent. Suppied with 4 interchangable weights.

my friend used to have an account with bennetts & we used to order quiet a lot of stuff, as was stated before they were pretty reliable, but then a lot of the aforementioned problems started happening with us.we stopped using them.
i have'nt got an account with the tackle box in kent, but shop there when i need replenishing my terminal tackle, they stock nigh on everything you need & never seem to be out of stock of anything, if their mail order sevice is anything as good as their shop service, then i would use them for reliability when mail ordering.

I've been away not catching Salmon but a couple of sea fish & trout in Ireland. This is the first time & last I went to Bennetts. One of our kind fellow 'magic men' put me onto their Brotel offer & this was to do with that order.
They have sent me a short message saying sorry with the manager asking me what my requirements are.
Interestingly despite cancelling the storm caps 2 1/2 weeks ago they arrived today. Of course they don't fit the Brotel - that would have been too easy. But despite this I have found a solution & will be posting it on a thread as soon as I've had my tea!

I saw some Relum Brotel Storm caps today.
They look like straight alloy about 3" long with a male thread on one end.

I dont know how they work/attach....

That's typical if they end up bringing some out now, after all the hassle I've had! Can you remember where, not that I don't have confidence in my own system?????

I can post you some if you want.
Mail me with your address and I'll try and post them tomorrow.
carp.angler@talk21.com

Last week after some more phone calls I eventually got back the ?100+ that Bennetts had overcharged me. I haven't got the energy to go in to it but despite promises I had to do the chasing.
Considering that I have had to pay the credit card company about 3 months interest on the ?100 (technically) & after the hassle I have been through, I asked if Bennetts would consider offering me a goodwill gesture. I got a compliment on my conduct & a promise of free next day delivery when I place my next order??????????
Maybe I was being a bit optimistic?