What should I do? I ordered from Clansmen Knitwaer

[Dale Seago]

At this point, Id say if they don't get it to you in time (and the prospects do look dim), THEN cancel the order even if they tell you it just shipped. And then re-place the order with a reputable kiltmaker, not a middleman.

[Mikilt]

I know that you feel that you have so much time invested in waiting for this kilt and you are loathe to "start over" with another person. If you'll forgive a literary reference, this conversation is reminiscent of Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot".

Better to start over with a known kiltmaker.

[donlp1]

This may be a little late, but like so many here I have been stung. What you may want to consider is to call your credit card company and stop payment. The vendor will be notified of the action. This will hopefully get their attention and communication going. Then if you get your kilt call your credit card again and reauthorize payment. It is a hard ball tatic but it worked for me and I got my stuff.

Good luck to you!

[Jerry]

Ralph will flat out lie to you. I was told my kilt had shipped 3 separate times, and did not actually receive it until 6 or 7 weeks later. And only then after I had filed a complaint with the better business bureau. Of course he sent me the following email after I filed a complaint. Bear in mind that this was over 6 months after I ordered a kilt which was promised in 6 to 8 weeks.

Re: order#35313222
TO: You
CC: 1 recipient
Show Details
Dear Mr McNeil

There was never a doubt that you were going to receive your order , it is on its way over right now with a lot of other kilts for other orders .

We constantly tour and unfortunatly do not pick up or are able to access every e.mail as soon as sent , therefore your e.mail , new e.mail and BBB letter have all been received last night . .

I am very dissappointed that you have decided to take this method , we offer an outstanding product at the best price in the country and have many , many thousands of satisfied customers .
However we have nothing to hide and will be more than happy to explain ourselves to whoever .

We turn over many hundreds of orders constantly with all expecting unfortunatly immediate attention and quite frankly we do as many as we can as quickly as we can . I apologise for our lack of getting back to you ,we are overwhelmed with orders this year and either we are getting on with them or spending all day on the phone , we are a small company and cannot do both but do as much as we can to suffice both , on this occassion we did not .

My direct line is (707) 853 1527 and point of contact in the east Coast is (252) 771 5422 and I will have one of staff contact you and we can get you sorted out . We will deal with your BBB request and the new one , well I do not know what to say , never had it in 7 years but that is your perogative . Not getting an immediate return on your e.mail does not constitute us being a fraudulant company . I didn't bring in the best deals in the country to have an operation such as that .

Yours Sincerely
Ralph Neilson
Owner-Clansman

It still took almost 4 weeks to get my kilt.

[RockyR]

"We will deal with your BBB request and the new one , well I do not know what to say , never had it in 7 years but that is your perogative .

Pittsburgh BBB:

http://www.bbb.org/pittsburgh/busine...h-pa-48000806/

California BBB (where he was until 2 years ago):

http://www.bbb.org/greater-san-franc...burgh-pa-40261

2 other "Opinion / Rating" sites:

http://www.epinions.com/msg/show_~th.../forum_id_~145

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Clansman_Knitwear


To say he's never had an issue with the BBB in 7 years is amusing. There used to be a VERY long list on Golden Gate BBB's site, but it appears to have been purged (all but the last 3 years).

[flyingshamrock]

A long with everyone else, I too have had my issues with Ralph. The man is a ghost! If you can get out with your money in hand, I strongly suggest you do. He still owes me a couple hundred dollar credit from my wedding 4 years ago!!

[Thomas H]

wOW , That is crazy , I wounder how he is still in Bueness ,
I was told I would have an email this morning and nothing.

Thank you for the web sites ,I will follow up on them as soon as i hear something or if I do not hear anything.
TX

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I am very dissappointed that you have decided to take this method , we offer an outstanding product at the best price in the country and have many , many thousands of satisfied customers .
However we have nothing to hide and will be more than happy to explain ourselves to whoever .

We turn over many hundreds of orders constantly with all expecting unfortunatly immediate attention and quite frankly we do as many as we can as quickly as we can . I apologise for our lack of getting back to you ,we are overwhelmed with orders this year and either we are getting on with them or spending all day on the phone , we are a small company and cannot do both but do as much as we can to suffice both , on this occassion we did not .

My direct line is (707) 853 1527 and point of contact in the east Coast is (252) 771 5422 and I will have one of staff contact you and we can get you sorted out . We will deal with your BBB request and the new one , well I do not know what to say , never had it in 7 years but that is your perogative . Not getting an immediate return on your e.mail does not constitute us being a fraudulant company . I didn't bring in the best deals in the country to have an operation such as that .

Yours Sincerely
Ralph Neilson
Owner-Clansman

I am always a bit leery of anyone who sings their own praises too highly and readily. He's bringing in "the best deals in the country." He has "an outstanding product at the best price in the country." He "turns over hundreds of orders constantly."

I deal with, or have dealt with, more Highland dress importers and retailers than I can recall, and the ones who tell me up front that they are "the largest supplier of kilts in the country" or "the largest pipe band supplier" or that they are otherwise the "best" or "most" of anything are generally the ones I wish I had avoided....

[Jerry]

Matt, my post was from my dealings with Ralph back in 2004, when I ordered a "kilt package" from one of his highland games booths. I eventually got just about everything that was supposed to be included, after the BBB complaint. I'll replace the batteries in my camera and post a picture of the sigian dubh that he sent. You'll get a good laugh. Perhaps I should post it in the "Craig's Corner" topic.

The best thing about my order from Clansman Knitwear is that it led to me joining the rabble here at Xmarks on September 29 of 2004. I just celebrated my 7th anniversary as a member with a nice glass of Tullamore Dew.

[Brock63]

I have a few primitive and traditional bows that I enjoy to hunt and shoot around....some only get shot once or twice a year and others become my GO TO bow for that particular season (deer, hog, turkey, bear).... they can sometimes be very pricey and take some time to build...depending on skill, complexity, woods used and how many other orders the bowyer has taken before you. The good ones stop accepting orders when the wait becomes more than 2-6 months....the others keep taking orders and months or years may pass before they get to it. If they tell you this up front that is one thing...you can decide to find another bowyer or wait it out for his highly demanded skills...or make your own.

Otherwise it is just wrong to give you a delivery period of weeks and now months later it has not been started. They always seem to have excuses, reasons why it is running late, yada yada yada.....canceling the payment through credit card after sending a formal letter stating that it was promised in this time period and you have allowed for unforeseen circumstances but cannot wait longer. Then go to a well respected and fine vendor of your choice to make things right....I have only been here a short time but have already seen a couple overseas kilt makers and a few American kilt makers that look like they could fill your bill in 2-4 months and make you very happy.

at a certain point the frustration is not worth it...you missed your events you originally ordered the kilt to fill...and whether the product is worth it or not...he has no respect for his clients with continuing the 6-8 weeks story and then dragging it out for months on months. Especially from one that is not a kilt maker but rather a middle man.... If I was you I would cancel and then go straight to one of the respected vendors here or one of the talented part time kilt makers like Matt...and never look back.

Good luck.