Reliability/Customer services for high price electronic kit

Cyres

Well-Known Member
With the increasing use of thermal and digital optics by many stalkers and prices of such kit being in the thousands of £ I was wondering what sort of customer service SD members have recieved when things go wrong especially under warranty?

Of late I have been hearing of some worrying issues relating to poor customer service relating to retailers of both Pulsar and Drone Pro optics.

There are stories of repairs taking months and the retailer being either unable or unwilling to offer replacement units whilst defective equipement is awaiting repair.

I have heard of a Pulsar thermal being returned up to 3x for repair and the supplier not making a loan replacement available. Also there appear to be issues in getting refunds on clearly defective devices.

As I am about to commit to buying a new Pulsar 38 XQ it would be nice to know who to buy it from. With a price of approx £2.6k and with virtually no price competion in UK as advertised prices are within 1-2% it may well come down to customer service.

Just a pity a well known Austrian optics company doesn't sell such kit and there would be no issues.

Comments please

D
 
I would suggest you ask to trial the item you are thinking of buying, I have shelled out £3.800 recently on a thermal unit, only to find that my current scopes are not suitable/have the required low mag for the unit to work. I have had this system for 6 weeks, trying to get answers to my questions took time for the retailor to get back to me, then trying to react to the "imfo" required on nights when the weather was suitable. I don't want to hijack your thread, but don't buy anything unless you can trial it via the supplier/importer. deerwarden
 
With the increasing use of thermal and digital optics by many stalkers and prices of such kit being in the thousands of £ I was wondering what sort of customer service SD members have recieved when things go wrong especially under warranty?

Of late I have been hearing of some worrying issues relating to poor customer service relating to retailers of both Pulsar and Drone Pro optics.

There are stories of repairs taking months and the retailer being either unable or unwilling to offer replacement units whilst defective equipement is awaiting repair.

I have heard of a Pulsar thermal being returned up to 3x for repair and the supplier not making a loan replacement available. Also there appear to be issues in getting refunds on clearly defective devices.

As I am about to commit to buying a new Pulsar 38 XQ it would be nice to know who to buy it from. With a price of approx £2.6k and with virtually no price competion in UK as advertised prices are within 1-2% it may well come down to customer service.

Just a pity a well known Austrian optics company doesn't sell such kit and there would be no issues.

Comments please

D

Purchase it on a credit card. If it is not any good or defective then you have some big muscle behind you to get your money back, the consumer credit act doesn't mess around and if anything purchased on credit is not as advertised / defective / etc then if the retailer won't remedy this, then you get your credit card company involved, trust me, when a retailer isn't interested, the moment you tell them you purchased it on a credit card and you are seeking a full refund they soon change their tune, because if they don't, the credit card company takes the money from the retailer.
 
Purchase it on a credit card. If it is not any good or defective then you have some big muscle behind you to get your money back, the consumer credit act doesn't mess around and if anything purchased on credit is not as advertised / defective / etc then if the retailer won't remedy this, then you get your credit card company involved, trust me, when a retailer isn't interested, the moment you tell them you purchased it on a credit card and you are seeking a full refund they soon change their tune, because if they don't, the credit card company takes the money from the retailer.

Great advice!
 
Certainly there is a constant stream of complaints about customer service Pulsar and Yukon products on most of the forums where NV or thermal is discussed.
However, these products are the largest sellers in the NV and thermal market and there will be very many of these which are working perfectly well with their owners either not members of relevant forums or who simply don't bother telling everyone that their kit is working as it should - remember: No News is Good News.
As for the Drone, of which I have personal experience - I don't think you'll find anyone with a genuine complaint about the customer service they have received from the UK distributor Night Vision Gear and specifically Carl Moore

Cheers

Bruce
 
I can only comment on my experience with a Pulsar XD50, that I had issues with, after about 4 months.

One day I noticed that the rubberized coating was going "crinkly" in several areas, and had started peeling. I emailed pictures to Thomas Jacks, the importer, and copied the dealer in. I appreciate first port of call is the dealer, but the dealer had previously arranged for me to go to Thomas Jacks, to compare units, so I already had a contact there.

I had a fast response from Thomas jacks, saying that they had forwarded the pictures to Pulsar for their opinion. Pulsar replied within a day, saying that in their opinion, the crinkling had been caused by contact with an insect repellent, and it would be covered under warranty.

I returned the unit to Thomas Jacks, and received a new replacement within a week ! Can't ask for more.

Personally, I would rather pay a little more, and have peace of mind, with the backing of a uk dealer, and not having to rely on the good will of the importer, to service the warranty on a product he didn't sell. Now, I'm sure the importer will address the warranty, but he has little incentive to go out of his way to do it quickly.

I would also suggest that people actually pick up the phone, and ask the dealer what is the best price he'll do. Some will refuse, but some will play ball.


Regardless, I'd pull your fingers out, because based on the current exchange rate, prices will have to go up !!!
 
I've purchased a couple of NV units and Thomas Jacks are the main UK importer and so cover the warranty and repairs of these. The first unit I purchased via one of there authorised dealers, I was a guinea pig as the unit was totally untried and tested- until I got my hands on it. I had a few issues but nothing I couldn't work around, the owners of the other 2 units had a few more problems so Thomas Jacks changed them with out quibble for an updated version. Since this time I've had the need to return the unit on two separate occasions and both times they've sent me a new unit, which obviously comes with a fresh new warranty, so in the long run providing I keep the unit I will never have to buy a new one as I will always get the latest version as a replacement should anything go wrong in the future. Result.
And like wise I retuned my NV monocle because of an issue and they sent me a new by return.
I would just add that if you are thinking of buying a second-hand unit make sure you get the original bill of sale so you can get full UK warranty. No receipt - no repair.
I was offered a Pulsar Core if I would be a guinea pig again but this time I declined. (a) because I didn't want to tie up a shed load of money and (b) because front mounted thermal devices are so new I'm sure they will soon be updated.
The only down side I've found with the returns is the £22 in postage every time I return a unit. As for the backup , its been spot on.
 
I haven't had a Drone Pro replaced under warranty, but I have had 2 repaired and returned fully working again.
In one of those cases, Carl Moore had it on test for 10 days before he found the intermittent fault.
I don't think you'll find anyone who has a Drone and has had a problem with it, that wasn't fully satisfied with the service they've received from Night Vision Gear.

Cheers

Bruce
 
I had a drone replaced , 1st one gave " blue screen of death"
Spoke to Carl Moore , sent it back duly replaced & couple of times I've phoned regarding couple small things & the time taken & back up service from Carl & the guys is 2nd to none , I wouldn't hesitate using g then again or recommending them

Paul
 
I purchased a Pulsar Quantum HD50S online from a Dutch company https://www.jvs-outdoor.com/ in February 2015 and paid some 25% less than UK Prices. (However the current Euro/Pound exchange rate will not give you that same advantage now the Pound has dropped)

I have had the battery cartridges promptly replaced under warranty, and when earlier this Summer the Viewer developed an electronic fault I returned it to The Netherlands by Courier (without bothering to get an export license). I was told repairs would be 6-8 weeks, however after three weeks I was sent a brand new replacement.

The fault was that the viewing picture was upside down and inverted. An online search shows more users have had the same fault on the Pulsar Quantums. Only time will tell how many satisfied users are left after the three years warranty has expired.

To Pulsar's credit they have now improved the engineering of the battery cartridge, it is more heavy duty and solidly built.
 
Guys,

thanks for the input. Firstly I will buy on a Credit card esp as there are good 24 month interest free deals on some at present.

The 38s we use has been faultless but is getting tired as its 3 years old the hand strap has fallen off and it is at the extreme end of the focus range so needs to be returned for an overhall.

I have been fortunate to use the latest 38 xq and its miles better than the original 38.

In my case I am personally aware of ongoing issues with Pulsars and Drones which were sourced from UK retailers.

Also I have spent some time getting prices for UK retailers and it does appear very fishy that they are all almost identical, so much for price competiton in UK. The Eurpean price is lower even with the current euro excange rate.

I do think it might come down to customer service and ease of return/contact.

Thanks

D
 
Also I have spent some time getting prices for UK retailers and it does appear very fishy that they are all almost identical, so much for price competiton in UK. The Eurpean price is lower even with the current euro exchange rate.

I do think it might come down to customer service and ease of return/contact.

Thanks

D

Current UK retail on a XQ30 is £2620.00. The cheapest Grey import price I have seen is the group buy Brewsher500 has been running, @ €2695.00, which at the current exchange rate is roughly £2450.00. When the exchange rate was better, it was a cracking deal, and whilst still good, it's more marginal now.

The main reason the dealers are holding the prices up, is because there's a shortage of stock, with lead times running into several weeks, so it's pointless discounting the stock you have, when you can't replace stock for weeks.

However, BETTER pricing is out there, IF you ask around !
 
I have had terrible customer service from Carl Moore at NVG, my drone pro has been faulty and un-useable since june this year, when it was 10 months old (it had worked faultlessly before that). Carl had it for nearly a month and was unable to diagnose the fault (constant poi shift). he has accused me of damaging the mount by overtightening (there are no tightening criteria in the manual). Before it was sent to Carl I had eliminated any mounting problem by replacing the qd mounts with alternative fixings but carl still insists that the damaged mount was the problem.It has since its return been tested on numerous rifles and with different mounting systems, the absolute test was when it was devcon'd to a picatinny rail and still exhibited poi shifts of up to 8" when moving the rifle in a normal way. Barclaycard are proceeding with the dispute procedure for me and I am currently building a very detailed dossier of all evidence (photos of groups, poi shift, fixing methods etc). He has now refused to repair or replace the unit himself, he is insisting it goes to America which he has told me will take 6 months to 1 year which is completely unacceptable. Before it goes, for my own protection as I don't trust him at all, I am sending it to be independently assessed by some top UK professionals with unquestionable pedigree. I would strongly suggest that anyone with similar issues contacts Carl immediately, obtains a returns number and gets the unit in for repair/checking, looking online there are many people with similar problems. the worst thing about it for me is that there is nothing out there for the money that has the optical performance of the Drone for the money, its just a shame that Carl has acted in this way when there was absolutely no need to. the inability to use the drone for its intended purpose has caused me considerable loss (stalking permission on the back of fox control) and has caused the death of many chickens, not to mention the ethical and safety issues associated with declaring there are no issues with a centrefire optic when there obviously are, it has only been my diligence in testing that has bought this issue to the head that its at. if anyone wants further details contact me by PM, or email gj@betterdeerservices.co.uk I'm happy to share my findings if it helps anyone else who's having problems.
 
I've purchased a couple of NV units and Thomas Jacks are the main UK importer and so cover the warranty and repairs of these. The first unit I purchased via one of there authorised dealers, I was a guinea pig as the unit was totally untried and tested- until I got my hands on it. I had a few issues but nothing I couldn't work around, the owners of the other 2 units had a few more problems so Thomas Jacks changed them with out quibble for an updated version. Since this time I've had the need to return the unit on two separate occasions and both times they've sent me a new unit, which obviously comes with a fresh new warranty, so in the long run providing I keep the unit I will never have to buy a new one as I will always get the latest version as a replacement should anything go wrong in the future. Result.
And like wise I retuned my NV monocle because of an issue and they sent me a new by return.
I would just add that if you are thinking of buying a second-hand unit make sure you get the original bill of sale so you can get full UK warranty. No receipt - no repair.
I was offered a Pulsar Core if I would be a guinea pig again but this time I declined. (a) because I didn't want to tie up a shed load of money and (b) because front mounted thermal devices are so new I'm sure they will soon be updated.
The only down side I've found with the returns is the £22 in postage every time I return a unit. As for the backup , its been spot on.

Hmmmm...... have you got that in writing from TJ's?
I asked Jamie at TJ's the question a couple of months ago thinking I might upgrade from my HD38S to a new XQ. This was my third 38S with the first 2 being replaced under warranty... on the first unit the shutter starting lagging on AutoCalibrate after 18months and on the second unit the shutter stopped working on Auto within a couple of months so I was getting a second, fixed, negative ghost image.

So, my current unit is around a year old and I wanted to know what warranty I could pass onto any prospective buyer. Jamie came back and said the Warranty only runs for 3 years from the purchase date of the original unit.... which means it's up from November/December. Downer :confused: (With any luck... it might fail before then and I'll get another replacement.. but I won't be trying to get it to fail).

cheers

fizz
:cool:
 
I don't have it in writing regards the warranty, but a retailer cannot give you a brand new item and say that the warranty with that unit is now only valid for 2 months and 10 days. I would like them to try and contest it in court.

Come on Jamie @ Thomas Jacks... your turn.


Regards


John
 
I don't have it in writing regards the warranty, but a retailer cannot give you a brand new item and say that the warranty with that unit is now only valid for 2 months and 10 days. I would like them to try and contest it in court.

Come on Jamie @ Thomas Jacks... your turn.


Regards


John


I agree with Fizz. My understanding, is that warranties run from the purchase date, because you are no worse off than had it not failed. They offer to replace at their discretion, rather than repairing, that depending on the time scale, they could equally do.

My quantum was 4 months old when it was replaced, and they agreed that the warranty could be transferred, for the remaining 2 years 8 months, which is more than reasonable.
 
I have had terrible customer service from Carl Moore at NVG, my drone pro has been faulty and un-useable since june this year, when it was 10 months old (it had worked faultlessly before that). Carl had it for nearly a month and was unable to diagnose the fault (constant poi shift). he has accused me of damaging the mount by overtightening (there are no tightening criteria in the manual). Before it was sent to Carl I had eliminated any mounting problem by replacing the qd mounts with alternative fixings but carl still insists that the damaged mount was the problem.It has since its return been tested on numerous rifles and with different mounting systems, the absolute test was when it was devcon'd to a picatinny rail and still exhibited poi shifts of up to 8" when moving the rifle in a normal way. Barclaycard are proceeding with the dispute procedure for me and I am currently building a very detailed dossier of all evidence (photos of groups, poi shift, fixing methods etc). He has now refused to repair or replace the unit himself, he is insisting it goes to America which he has told me will take 6 months to 1 year which is completely unacceptable. Before it goes, for my own protection as I don't trust him at all, I am sending it to be independently assessed by some top UK professionals with unquestionable pedigree. I would strongly suggest that anyone with similar issues contacts Carl immediately, obtains a returns number and gets the unit in for repair/checking, looking online there are many people with similar problems. the worst thing about it for me is that there is nothing out there for the money that has the optical performance of the Drone for the money, its just a shame that Carl has acted in this way when there was absolutely no need to. the inability to use the drone for its intended purpose has caused me considerable loss (stalking permission on the back of fox control) and has caused the death of many chickens, not to mention the ethical and safety issues associated with declaring there are no issues with a centrefire optic when there obviously are, it has only been my diligence in testing that has bought this issue to the head that its at. if anyone wants further details contact me by PM, or email gj@betterdeerservices.co.uk I'm happy to share my findings if it helps anyone else who's having problems.

Night Vision Gear UK have now agreed to resolve this matter for me, an amicable & satisfactory outcome for all parties with no bad feeling on either side.
 
Night Vision Gear UK have now agreed to resolve this matter for me, an amicable & satisfactory outcome for all parties with no bad feeling on either side.

It says something about importers back up when you have to raise issues on a forum before they are prepared to do any thing about it.!!!
Its not that any of it is cheap kit.
 
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