The Great Baron Hats Experiment

[jlee562]

Is that the same brown that they have for the Dillinger hat on their website, or did you order it in a different shade of brown?

 

[Lando]

I made no changes to the "Dillinger" model when I ordered it. So the brown you see is the brown you get I guess.

Image on their site

My Hat

Is that the photo or do they look that far off. Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't really gone back to their site to look at their "Dillinger" model images.

On their site its listed as a Chocolate Brown. The on I have looks like a chocolate brown. The one on their site doesn't so much.

 

[Lando]

Well it arrived. I'm surprised.

I have to say, I really like this hat. Been wearing it around the most of the three. I am impressed that Baron's delivered on the promise and in such swift time. It's a shame really, they make descent hats but they're customer service is such a mess. Me, I will not be doing business with Baron's Hats again. I am however happy with the results of my business with them, after some unhappy run around. I will not dissuade others from doing business with them, but I will advise them to be prepared. Any members here, just be very vocal about every step of your interaction with them and get everything in email so you have records. I wanted something specific that they carried and I got it, damn Yuma hat band. In the future I would hope that Baron's would provide people with more realistic shipping dates based on their abilities and would try to meet those dates. Honesty goes a very long way with me.

 

[Tone]

KUDOS to Baron's for their many attempts to resolve multiple issues for a single customer.

Call the new hat "The WHINER" maybe?

 

[Lando]

Well I'll give you kudos for the creative method of insult. Well played. The Whiner it is. lol

 

[Tone]

You should have seen the non-edited version before.

Just that it's kind of disturbing to see that your overall assessment is one of satisfaction with the product though you're happy to leave a negative spin on the company overall. It seems a "smidge" contrived and we already know how many people are eager to jump on the smear Baron's campaign simply out of blind allegiance.

From the sounds of it Baron's did well by you despite the timeframe (which, if you look at some hatters, it's nothing so different that the others haven't had issues with as well). It just seems odd to find an approval of the end product with a lingering, "Won't do business with them again" summation.


And nice looking hat, btw.

 

[frussell]

Nice hats

I've edited an otherwise inflammatory post, so as not to get dinged by bartenders. Lando, nice hats and I completely understand your frustration and unwillingness to do business with that vendor again. You have a right to expect someone to keep their word when it comes to timelines. It's called customer service. I didn't find anything "whiny" about it, although that remark did remind me of some similar nonsense when I posted the same kind of experience with Hornet Hats on a Christy's Adventurer. Apparently, anyone who expects people to honor their word after being paid is being unreasonable. Glad it all ended well for you, and I appreciate the glimpse into the service of a business I had considered ordering from. Frank

 

[Lando]

I already said that I would not dissuade others from doing business with them. I merely felt that they should be vocal on the interaction. There is nothing wrong with that. We all here want to know what individual experiences with hat vendors are like. I was happy with the ends of my situations but not so much with the means. For that reason I would not do business with them again. I wanted that Yuma hat band especially, they had it, I paid them money, the customer service was less than pleasing, deadline were not met, and in the end Baron's had to take a loss to correct the situation. I feel very bad for them for that. I was willing to pay them but because the situation became mucked up the way it did, they felt they had to give me a free hat. They should not have to do that. They should simply state their timeframes clearly to which they can meet and then meet them. Then no one needs to take a loss or a free hat. I apologize if you feel that I am whining and will end my discussion on the subject. I simply wanted others to be aware of my situation. I'm done. Sorry.

 

[Tone]

Oh, no. Of course, post the horrendous experience with Baron's. (Personally they do charge a bit much for their hats - if they dropped their price a bit, then...)

Pretty much the same as those who use the Christys Adventurer as an example, for example. It's the same sort of "bad experience" with one brand for the sake of name-dropping another.

So yeah, the jist of this post seems a bit like the Christys basher techniques. Frussell, as a matter of fact, if you search the posts by Frussell, often makes a point to mention a negative experience with Christy's very often on a wide spectrum of hat topics. Do a search. Not once do we ever actually see any proof of owning a Christys. (For all the problems experienced and how often it comes up you'd think there'd be some documented visual proof or something.) Not that he didn't ever actually own one in the first place.

To your credit, Lando, we do see picture proof here and - the hat looks fine, actually.

Bottom line, you like the hat, got a free one or two from Baron's out of it, but ultimately, you will never do business with them again as a result of their rectifying it correctly for you? That seems fair.

How's it look on your head?

 

[frussell]

Nice

Good doing business with you again Tone. You're reliable, I'll give you that. Do you by any chance work for Christy's or Baron's? I'll edit this to add responses to your clever insinuations. I sold my Christy's Adventurer to Mr. Lucky here on the lounge. Feel free to verify. Hard to provide "documented visual proof" of missed timelines and poor communication, they don't photograph well. Sorry to have hijacked an informative thread for such a petty exchange, especially about something I haven't mentioned in months and months. I apologize if I caused you any agitation by mentioning Christy's. Have a good evening. Frank.

 

[Tone]

Nope, as a matter of fact, I don't. I make no commission, am not affiliated with, nor receive any special favor from the brands I do like enough to mention. They all do have to have one thing in common, however, aside from being good hats for their price; and that is I don't want to see them on the boards libeling other brands for the sake of their own sales, whether directly or from "plants".

As mentioned before from others as well, Baron's is a bit too pricey for a fedora, and I agree. I just don't see how with all they've seem to have done (based on this thread) how they can get a "never again" review. That's all.

 

[John in Covina]

You should have seen the non-edited version before. Just that it's kind of disturbing to see that your overall assessment is one of satisfaction with the product though you're happy to leave a negative spin on the company overall. It seems a "smidge" contrived and we already know how many people are eager to jump on the smear Baron's campaign simply out of blind allegiance. From the sounds of it Baron's did well by you despite the timeframe (which, if you look at some hatters, it's nothing so different that the others haven't had issues with as well). It just seems odd to find an approval of the end product with a lingering, "Won't do business with them again" summation. And nice looking hat, btw.

When you deal with companies and they make a promise such as a delivery time that is a promise that needs to be kept. If it can't be kept then the duty to notify and explain is on the company.

The work done and accomodations made go far to make up for the delay but it can't totally erase the broken promise and lack of communication. The fix only came when he made a fuss. Lando's comments are fair.

What Baron's needs to do is double the promised delivery time and if they deliver early then they are heros. If they still are delayed they need to let the customer know prior to the promised date. The lack of communication tends to make for the greatest part of the problem as it exascerbates the first problem of not being on time.

If you dropped off your car to for the brakes to be done and they promised it by 5pm and you get there at 5 and the manager says we've had a delay and you're there to 8pm would you be happy? If they took off some of the costs to you to make up for the inconvenience it would help. But if the manager had called you before you left work to let you know there was a delay and appologized, it would have made it so you knew what to expect then, that makes a difference. When people know what's going on it's better than when they don't for comfort levels.

 

[John in Covina]

In other words the product is fine but the customer service level of satifaction remains low. It's like a restaurant, their food could be great but is the waitstaff is poor you may not go back.

 

[donnc]

Seems like it could be misleading to compare a high end custom hat maker to a restaurant or an auto mechanic.

Someone mashed my car up, and the body shop took a month or two longer than they predicted to graft on a new rear quarter panel, but the work was good, and the price was very reasonable. It's a classic Volvo, and I took it back there the next time I had a fender dent, because it's the best place to go - not because of their promptness or communication, because they do good work on steel auto bodies. I'm not the only one, and they're very busy.

Are these hats really good? That's what I wonder - comments so far are congratulatory, but it's pretty uncommon to see a discouraging word around here. They're not my kind of hat, one way or the other, but supposedly for those who appreciate such things they're the non plus ultra. If they actually are, then it's about how much you may have to put up with, to work with a top craftsman, and there really isn't any general rule about it.

 

[Pompidou]

Losing the draconian charge-back policy couldn't hurt. That's what turned me off. Once you read it, you just know customer service is going to be a bitch if anything goes wrong, and because they were inspired to draft such a policy in the first place, you imagine something is likely to go wrong. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I don't do business in overly mistrusting or threatening environments. A handful of eBay sellers lost money too, because of similar actions.

 

[OT1899]

It seems the tone of this thread has taken a negative turn, and I realize everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It seems to me the problem described in this thread was really a customer service issue. It's a well known fact that for every complaint you do hear about, there are numerous others who feel the same way, but have never said anything. I'm glad this situation was shared and that Baron's made an attempt to make things right. That said, I totally see why he would be reluctant to purchase from them again............

 

[RBH]

Lets remember Gentlemen.. and we are Gentlemen and Ladies here on the Lounge.

Keep your post civil. You do not have to agree, but you dont have to be rude either.

 

[Jeff M]

I made no changes to the "Dillinger" model when I ordered it. So the brown you see is the brown you get I guess.

Image on their site

My Hat

......

The Oxblood color is over half the charm of the "Dillinger" hat....and what they show on their web page. .
I'd be hella pissed if I ordered one of these from a vendor and it came in a different color. :rage:


Can't go wrong with the company that actually made Depp's "Dillinger" hats for the movie.
Optimo.

http://www.optimohats.com/felt/dillinger/

 

[jlee562]

The Oxblood color is over half the charm of the "Dillinger" hat....and what they show on their web page. .
I'd be hella pissed if I ordered one of these from a vendor and it came in a different color. :rage:


Can't go wrong with the company that actually made Depp's "Dillinger" hats for the movie.
Optimo.

http://www.optimohats.com/felt/dillinger/

You know, I've been looking at pictures of Depp's hat...the brim on his can't be much wider than 2", because the brim width roughly corresponds with the height of the ribbon.

The Baron "reproduction" has an interesting block shape, but looks very little like the actual film hat, even if it were in the right color (which clearly, it is not).

 

[Jeff M]

You know, I've been looking at pictures of Depp's hat...the brim on his can't be much wider than 2", because the brim width roughly corresponds with the height of the ribbon.
...
The Baron "reproduction" has an interesting block shape, but looks very little like the actual film hat, even if it were in the right color (which clearly, it is not).

Interesting.
The brim on Optimo's "Dillinger" hat also looks narrower than the Baron version....(the crease on the Optimo hat isn't screen accurate...but that is easily changed.)