Poor experience with Devardi
Just thought I'd post this here in case anyone was wondering what shopping with this vendor is like.
I placed an order recently with Devardi b/c I wanted to try some of their colors that looked interesting. Received rods that are obviously handpulled (not that this is a problem but just so you know the diameters vary greatly). The glass was loosely wrapped in paper and placed in a Priority Mail padded mailer. Needless to say not much made it to me intact. I emailed the vendor directly and am not surprised to say I have not received any sort of response to my complaint. I had not purchased from this company before and will not be purchasing from them again. Buyer beware! |
I too had a recent bad experience with their Customer Service, think his name is Daniel. I'm guessing they're not basing the business on repeat customers.
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I've never had anything but great service and never a broken piece. It's always been super fast, and every time I've contacted them they are very helpful and fast response.
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I've had really great service with them as well. Although, I no longer buy the glass, just to shocky for my taste and I don't have the patience to wait for it to melt on a hothead. But I have ordered from them, tools and other Items and always received great service. When I first started Natasha answered my questions over email, she was/is great.
I am sorry your experience was not up to par. |
I've had great service as well.
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I've always had terrific service from them, and a quick response to a complaint. I've never dealt with Daniel, though.
I realize this doesn't help but it is a change from what most have experienced and these are both recent. Hope they get things worked out for you! |
I'm one of the odd ones, I guess. I really like their glass! Yes, it's shocky, but if you preheat it, it behaves fairly well until it cools off again. And their customer service has always been top notch for me, too!
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Have you tried calling them? Perhaps they have a problem and aren't aware of it. Good service and questions answered whenever I had one.
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Great service and I love their colors. I'm getting ready to order more.
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I order from them as well and I have never had a problem. I love their black/rose metallic rods. I can use them as a lovely solid black or reduce it to a lovely rose metallic color. The customer service is wonderful.
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Yee,
Email or call someone else there. Their packing has always been good for me, as has their customer service. Over the last 9 or 10 years, I've occasionally had questionable service from almost every vendor (Howaco excepted!!!) from whom I've purchased glass once, but never twice after contacting them. Glass vendors provide exceptional service 99.9% of the time, including Devardi. |
Isn't Daniel one of the owners?
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Natasha's always handled all the emails I've received, and she's been more than helpful. Never had a broken rod in a package, either. Hopefully it's just a fluke and their service isn't going downhill.
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beyond poor service, and it is all MY fault--what a jerk!
I ordered a butterfly press to try making butterflies for BOC.
1. The two halves of the press were installed upside-down from what they should have been and wouldn't make a butterfly, so the press was completely un-useable. 2. I was charged $8 for a flat rate Priority ENVELOPE without any additional packaging to protect the item, and it arrived postage due so I had to make a special trip to the post office to get it (I work 8-4:30 M-F) and pay the extra due. 3. The $8 supposedly included insurance from a "third party insurer, not US mail"--there is not such thing as a third party insurer outside of the USPS. Here is his first reply: I'm not sure what you mean about the press. I have sold many, many of the butterflies. Everyone loves them. I looked over ours. They look great. Each half is the same, and are facing each other, just like in the picture. But if you'd like to return it, that is fine. If we find it defective, I will pay the return shipping. Flat rate padded envelopes do not have to be 1/2 inch thick or less. They already are about 1/2 inch when you receive them from the post office empty. Below I have listed the requirements for this envelope. They misinformed you at the post office. They do that from time to time. In all flat rate packages from the post office "if it fits, it ships." It is first class envelopes that must not have 1/4 variation or exceed 3/4 inches thick, or they must go package rate. As far as the $8, you forgot about insurance. If the parcel is lost or damaged, we need to be covered. So we add $2. That is explained clearly on our shipping page with links all over our website to the that page. You sound angry at us in your letter, at least short. Really Karen, there is no need for that tone. Daniel Here is the second email from him: Wouldn't you become irritated if you received an angry letter because a product is defective, and over a $2.80 dispute? There is real person on this end, not just a computer or a company. I don't treat people that way, or companies. Defective products happen everywhere. But is sure tells you a lot about the customer who behaves this way when it happens. Most people just inform us kindly when this happens, and we fix it promptly and courteously. You chose to be angry and short. I just assume people like that take their business elsewhere. We are much too busy, and have way too many kind, caring customers to put up with that from a select few. We insure with a third party insurer, not US mail. If you read our shipping page, you'd know this. We always cover defective items 100%, as is also stated on our website. Just return anything defective and we'll refund you, including shipping. We refund shipping only on defective items, as is stated on our shipping page, not on returns for products that are not defective. There is not a maximum thickness for any padded flat rate envelopes. We ship hundreds of them each week, many times up to 4 inches thick. It is first class that has this restriction only. Anything first class thicker than 3/4 inches can be mailed, but it has to go package rate rather than first class. That is all. This does not apply to flat rate envelopes. Call the national post office if you'd like. You just don't know what you are talking about, which is usually the case with angry, meanspirited people. They normally get their arguments wrong. Daniel I may get crap for posting this, but his responses, insults, and accusations are just plain beyond reason. He sent a defective product and instead of apologizing and offering to fix the situation, he doubts that the press is defective and IF it is after I return it, he will make the determination. The USPS doesn't know their own rules of shipping? And as a dissatisfied customer, I have a tone . . . :wtf: There were a few more emails and it only got worse. My entire order was returned and refunded, and I will never buy from them again. I still have a few things I purchased previously, but have been meaning to sell them--I don't want any reminders of that jerk and his junk. Oops, there's that tone again!!!:lol: |
What an unmitigated ass, he obviously doesn't give a crap about customer service.
I have some extra money to spend this year and was making a list of Devardi glass/tools to try out, but I've just tossed it and will send all the extra $$$ to Double Helix instead... they know how to treat their customers. I'm very sorry you've had to put up with this. Even the angriest customer input (and I'm speaking generally, not to anything in your interaction) demands a calm polite rational response from a vendor, and an attempt to make them happy. "You just don't know what you are talking about, which is usually the case with angry, meanspirited people. They normally get their arguments wrong." Good Lord Almighty. |
Lotus bunny, yeah that's the guy. He went postal (no offense USPS peeps) on me too. I ordered two booklets of gold foil, received two sheets. Let them know in a brief email of the mistake and signed it 'Very disappointed', because I was. That's when his insulting emails started. Realized to not waste my energy anymore with him. Done. I deleted all of my communication with him, because it was so negative and CRAZY. My history with Devardi had always been positive, since they started, even through all the rod warmer problems, Nastasha was Customer Service. A bend-over backwards to please the customer attitude from her.
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Yikes! Nothing worse than bad customer service! NOTHING! However, given the overwhelming positive experiencesnby other customers, it sounds like this person (Daniel) is the sole problem. If he IS one of the owners, I hope he sees this thread. Just sayinnnnnn
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No way will I ever purchase anything from Daniel... not since he went crazy on this forum a few years back. Sounds as nothing has changed since...
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That and the fact the glass is being made by kids with no eye protection or even shoes on a dirt floor. Good grief!
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I really like devardi(tools and such) and the customer service Natasha has provided, but I cannot support a company if this is true. I was just getting ready to order new tools too |
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Kalara had a thread where she researched this. It got so hot some very good lamp workers left here. She showed pictures. That's all I remember, but I'm old.
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I'm not a fan of Devardi - I have had some really bad interactions with Daniel. I recommend steering clear.
Just to be clear, the glass made in China (CiM) is not made in factories with terrible conditions, and the prices reflect that. The owner of that company is based in WA, and she has been very up front about the company and its manufacturing practices. So you can't compare it to the speculations made about Devardi. |
CiM isn't the only glass made in China, just like Devardi isn't the only glass in India and Lauscha isn't the only glass made in Germany.
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Well, it's the only glass that's popular with glass beadmakers that I know of. What other Chinese glass could they been talking about?
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On that note, not everyone who frequents this board is a beadmaker, nor do all LE members use soft glass. |
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The workers looked very young so the "child labor" part was "speculation." |
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I have tried some Devardi colors and didn't like the product, but I think it's a little hypocrite to get on high horses about their production conditions when nobody think twice about buying iphones or cheap t-shirts or whatever else is being marketed to us and produced in the same conditions (think of those fires in garment factories in Bangladesh where hundreds died).
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Sounds like the conditions are just icing on the cake. The owner's having such poor customer is what is driving some people away. I mean, really, read that email.
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One unhappy customer among dozens of satisfied customers is not going to scare me away. I read the email. I can understand why the customer was pissed off, and I can understand why Daniel was pissed off as well.
As far as the workers in India go, I wish the conditions were better. But just like you and I do, they have to make a living. We buy their glass, they get paid, and they can feed their families. |
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Unless numerous customers have been ripped off totaling hundreds of dollars like with what happened with Jo-Del and Spiral Dance, then openly trashing a vendor sucks. If customers have a problem with a broken tool, broken glass, or whatever else, they need to deal with the vendor and no one else needs to be involved. So they weren't happy, but they did get their money back. Enough said. |
Other customer reviews are helpful
If I buy a car, I may check Consumer Reports and customer reviews.
If I buy a camera on Amazon, I may read the customer reviews on the site. If I buy a lawn mower, I may ask my dad for his opinion from his many years of experience with small engines. I prefer to be an informed consumer. :wave: |
why isn't it as simple of taking a pic of the wrongly made press, and sending it with an email. if it's made wrong, a pic of the bad tool compared to a pic or the real thing/confirmed proper press.....easy peasy.
my take on devardi? decent cheap tools (the grabbers are great) and very poor glass for the most part. but i've never had an issue with any of it, so i can't opine on the customer service end of it. |
When I started lampworking I got some of their glass because of the neat colors and the very low prices. My oh my was it shocky, but with preheating and some practice on my part it was very usable. Some lampworkers do lovely work with it. I wouldn't say it was a glass for a beginner lampworker to use or someone who's work flow didn't include preheating the glass but I certainly feel I got good value for my money. The tools aren't finely finished but they have been serviceable and affordable. The stuff I had a problem with Natasha immediately corrected. Customer service seemed very good to me. Mark me as 11th satisfied customer.
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I was not aware that people may feel like by posting that I had good transactions with a company, they may feel invalidated in their issue, but can certainly see that could be the case. No way was I trying to do that. Just stating I've had good service with them and to show sympathy for their situation. I think every company has clients that vouch for them and like/love their service and also clients who have experience bad service, as every company must have good and bad clients. I don't think anyone should try to invalidate someone's opinion based on their experience. (not that am saying anyone has) I stand by the fact that I believe their service is great(I've only corresponded with Natasha, so that is what I base it on), but I do hope those who recently had issues with them get a resolution. |
I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad Jenny. I know I've probably done it myself many times too. Just trying to point out the other side of it. But honestly, I've had a couple of issues in the past that I didn't post about for that very reason. I knew I get a bunch of "well I've never had a problem" and I'd be annoyed. :lol:
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I didn't mean that you made me feel bad or anyone else for that matter(although that I do not know since I can't speak for everyone else) I just meant your post gave me a new perspective of how the OP on these types of threads may feel. In short, it opened my eyes lol |
I've not had a problem other than the way they ship things, I'm surprised more don't complain about broken things. I don't recall ever getting a padded envelope, just the regular priority ones with some bits of newspaper tossed in.
Oh wait, and the marble mold that smelled so strongly of gasoline it made the room smell so bad that I tossed it even after airing it out for a day. They told me to wash it :razz: But some things I will buy, the hot fingers and some other tools. I can see both sides. |
So sorry that everyone has had issues. I've never delt with anyone but Natasha. I would have never thought that anyone else in the company could act so differently! Wow... Guess I got lucky.
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Yee, I'm sorry you got broken glass from Devardi.
I use some of their colors because I like them enough to put up with the shockiness. The last time I ordered Devardi glass was spring 2014. At that time I noticed that their website said standard shipping was the way you (and I) received it: wrapped in one sheet of newspaper and in a non-padded envelope. Most of my glass was broken too. When I placed my order, I noticed that I could upgrade my shipping to a padded envelope for an additional fee; I chose to risk it and it was a dumb decision. Next time I order glass from Devardi, I will pay to upgrade my shipping. I am sad about the tone of the emails that LE peeps received from Daniel. I have always dealt with Natasha and she is great. I didn't know about Daniel's previous posts on LE. I'll have to do a search... --Helene |
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And really? one sheet of newspaper in a non-padded envelope is standard for GLASS?? That is ridiculous. |
Oh wow...I wasn't aware that he shipped without using boxes for glass! I always got mine in boxes, and one time I ordered and he sent it in a box with tools, and the glass was inside a hard cardboard tube for protection.
Glass should never be shipped in envelopes. Not ever, unless it's inside a strong cardboard tube or a piece of PVC pipe. |
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I've only gotten glass in tubes in a box too, but I usually order a few things. I'm amazed that a vendor would do that. I think that if any of this happened to me, I would want to cry.
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Something is becoming very clear in this thread. A little non-adversarial exchange of information can be a good thing. Unfortunately, a fight usually erupts first. Glad to see this going in a better direction.
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