Not so happy experience with Vanson repair

[whataboutalifetime]

I'm not trying to blame anyone but I feel really bad about Vanson now. I recently purchased a Vanson Dominator from a lounger here @regius , which is awesome. Met all my expectations. However, there is a kidney panel stiffener made in hard plastic between the lining and the leather surface that I don't really need. And it bothered me when I sit in my car.

So I asked Vanson repair service to give me a quote to remove the stiffener. The quote is clear and straightforward, $60 service fee plus $20 ship back to me as shown in the screenshot below. The time needed for this service should be 1-2 weeks. I then went ahead and sent the jacket to Vanson and it was delivered on 11/8. And I then never received any active updates.

I tried to email them and call them about my service, every time the answer is they are still working on my jacket. Until yesterday, I receive the call from Vanson, which is 5 weeks of delivery instead of 1-2 weeks. And what surprised me is I was charged $175 for the repair instead of $60+$20 as quoted.

I'm not a mean and picky customer, I can understand some delays due to the holiday season and some unforeseeable events. But seriously? The time and price are all more than doubled without any notification? As a customer, why I should swallow anything you throw at me? I mean it's not about the price difference (which is indeed huge), it's about why not communicate with me? If I know this earlier, I may not ask for this service.

I feel really bad about this Vanson repair service experience, I'm not sure if it's only me or not. But good luck if you are going to repair your jacket through Vanson.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Guppy]

If you have the quote in writing, they should honor it. If they determined once it arrived that they could not do the work at the quoted price, they should have communicated with you the options, proceed at the new price, or return unaltered.

 

[whataboutalifetime]

If you have the quote in writing, they should honor it. If they determined once it arrived that they could not do the work at the quoted price, they should have communicated with you the options, proceed at the new price, or return unaltered.

That's what I mean. But apparently, they refuse to honor the quote. I was finally charged $155 and they just waived the $20 shipping. And it was noted as "the most they can do", in a generous tone.

 

[regius]

Did you examine the stitch work if I may ask? Did Vanson at least try to aim at the same needle holes? Because if not, I’d hoped you’d sent it to Johnson or Dena (like I suggested). Any type of after market alteration is not the priority for this mass producers. So I do at least hope Vanson did a Vanson-quality job

 

[whataboutalifetime]

Did you examine the stitch work if I may ask? Did Vanson at least try to aim at the same needle holes? Because if not, I’d hoped you’d sent it to Johnson or Dena (like I suggested). Any type of after market alteration is not the priority for this mass producers. So I do at least hope Vanson did a Vanson-quality job

I haven't received it yet, they just called and charged me yesterday. I used Vanson repair because the quote seems pretty good, and I thought maybe Vanson knows their own jacket better. But looks like I was wrong.

 

[Monitor]

That's a very simple alteration and they have overcharged you at $60, let alone $175, as we're basically talking just a straightforward seam restitching operation.

 

[whataboutalifetime]

That's a very simple alteration and they have overcharged you at $60, let alone $175, as we're basically talking just a straightforward seam restitching operation.

Is it? I don't have a good leather worker nearby as a reference so I thought $60 they quoted is already a good price. And actually I have no options other than just paying them. Because they are holding my jacket.

 

[Monitor]

Is it? I don't have a good leather worker nearby as a reference so I thought $60 they quoted is already a good price. And actually I have no options other than just paying them. Because they are holding my jacket.

Actually, I was somewhat wrong.

I'm looking at the Dominator kidney panel now, it's relatively complex. I can see that the side buckle rivets go all the way through the stiffener which would slightly complicate things and I don't know of the three decorative seams also go all the way through it - But I doubt it.

In any case, even if the $60 sounds about right, $175 seems insane. That's roughly 25% of what the entire new jacket costs!

 

[Will Zach]

A shame that you got ripped off. You made a reasonable assumption that Vanson people know their jackets best. Yet they pulled a bait and switch on you (or what essentially amounts to a bait and switch). An honorable company would honor the initial quote even if it was erroneous. I know it is too late, but I want to give her a plug. Use Dena @iknowleather next time. Reliable, and honest.

 

[whataboutalifetime]

Actually, I was somewhat wrong.

I'm looking at the Dominator kidney panel now, it's relatively complex. I can see that the side buckle rivets go all the way through the stiffener which would slightly complicate things and I don't know of the three decorative seams also go all the way through it - But I doubt it.

In any case, even if the $60 sounds about right, $175 seems insane. That's roughly 25% of what the entire new jacket costs!

Yes, the original used purchase and the alternation costs even higher than a new one already.

 

[whataboutalifetime]

A shame that you got ripped off. You made a reasonable assumption that Vanson people know their jackets best. Yet they pulled a bait and switch on you (or what essentially amounts to a bait and switch). An honorable company would honor the initial quote even if it was erroneous. I know it is too late, but I want to give her a plug. Use Dena @iknowleather next time. Reliable, and honest.

I will definitely use Dena next time. At least Vanson is a big no no for me now.

 

[Monitor]

If they said $60, $60 it should be; 'cause, I'm pretty sure you would not have sent it so readily if they quoted you $175 right away. Tell them to send the jacket back at their charge and ask @iknowleather what the alteration would cost.

 

[whataboutalifetime]

If they said $60, $60 it should be; 'cause, I'm pretty sure you would not have sent it so readily if they quoted you $175 right away. Tell them to send the jacket back at their charge and ask @iknowleather what the alteration would cost.

Can I ask them to do that? I'm working on communicating with the guy who quoted me to see any possible solution such as a partial refund or something.

 

[Monitor]

Can I ask them to do that? I'm working on communicating with the guy who quoted me to see any possible solution such as a partial refund or something.

If I understood your OP correctly, alteration is finished & you have already paid for it, correct? I feel this is a terribly scammy thing they've done but since you already transferred the money, I don't suppose there's anything you can do at this point but I am seriously surprised they'd pull off something like that. . .

Wouldn't hurt to ask for a refund in light of all the facts and perhaps get someone higher up in the company involved or at least aware of this thread & the customer service email exchange. I honestly don't think the owners would appreciate this being handled the way it was.

 

[MrProper]

One more reason why I will probably never own a Vanson. Lack of communication and not keeping agreements is pretty unprofessional.

 

[morrison2951]

Sorry to hear this.

Vanson jackets themselves are top shelf.

 

[ton312]

This NEVER would've happened when Nicole Jarvis was running the repairs dept. Shame to hear this. Shitty.

 

[whataboutalifetime]

If I understood your OP correctly, alteration is finished & you have already paid for it, correct? I feel this is a terribly scammy thing they've done but since you already transferred the money, I don't suppose there's anything you can do at this point but I am seriously surprised they'd pull off something like that. . .

Wouldn't hurt to ask for a refund in light of all the facts and perhaps get someone higher up in the company involved or at least aware of this thread & the customer service email exchange. I honestly don't think the owners would appreciate this being handled the way it was.

Finally. I got connected with the guy that send me the email and he agreed to refund me the price difference. That is already the best result I can expect. I will wait for the refund to go through and update here. I was lucky that I got the quote by email so I have some sort of proof.

 

[f2002q]

This is a shame. Vanson does make a good product if you are on a bike. You feel like you have a suit of armor when riding. However, if the customer service is not there to back the product or provide for quality assurance, repairs, etc. then the product ultimately is not good.

 

[El Marro]

I’m so sorry to hear this story and I’m happy that it looks like it is getting cleaned up in the end. Next time listen to Regius and try Johnson Leathers or Dena at Great Leather.