Kiltstore.net kilts

[arrogcow]

I have never dealt with them because of what just looks like shady dealing (not saying they are, just that things look hinky), and their prices are not good.

What I mean my shady is that their prices don't always line up. Click on 8 yard kilts, and you get a list of different 8 yard options. The one listed as their "featured" value says kilts from 327.17 (with the X-marks discount). Click that link and now it ways that the kilts start at 328.72 (with the x-marks discount). Now try and find a kilt that costs 328. It turns out that only kilts made with 13 oz fabric woven at Batli are that price, everything else in considerably higher.

What I mean by their prices are not good is just that. I bought a 5 yard machine made kilt from another online retailer just over a year ago. The price on kiltstore this morning $299.84. From the retailer I bought it from this morning $212.64 (on sale, regular price $236.27). $60 cheaper for the same kilt from another retailer (20% at the everyday prices). On the other hand I have heard their customer service is good (and in all honesty the company I bought from doens't respond to e-mails).

Adam

[davedove]

I have ordered a kilt, two jackets, and a bunch of accessories from them and have had no problems at all. The items are of good quality.

The only instance of a problem came from a vest I ordered with one of the jackets. They originally sent me the wrong size. After contacting them, they asked me to send back the wrong vest and they would send the correct size. I know that they had to send the correct vest BEFORE they received the incorrect one from me because of the timing.

My complaint comes not from them, but from FEDEX. When bringing items into the States through FEDEX, they act as an customs agent and charge some hefty fees. For that reason, I try to get items from stateside unless they are not available, or I can get enough price discount to compensate for the fees.

[porrick]

Welcome to the forum and addiction!

I am a repeat customer with kiltstore, and have nothing but positive experience. Customer services has in my experience been top notch - as has the quality of delevered goods.

Ah, the question of import and customs... I get the impression that a number of US customers tend to get worked up over having to pay duty upon import from Europe. This issue has been discussed earlier, as has FedEx charging for the clearing through customs (still cheaper than travelling to port of entry and doing it oneself) and the postage/shipping rates. I do not wish to revive that discussion here, but simply point out that for your own peace of mind that you should calculate the import duties before you shop, in order to avoid disappointment when the charges are presented at the other end.

But, again, I have nothing but positive experience with kiltstore, and pay my 25% import duty with a smile. Oh yes, living in the US you do not pay the 17% VAT.

[McClef]

17.5 % VAT Porrick

[McClef]

I am pleased to report that I received an apologetic phone call from their customer services manager this afternoon, agreeing that the mistake had been made at their end on the postage and the money is being refunded to my card.

This has also been confirmed in an email.

Persistance works, however it shouldn't require persistance to resolve what was a simple issue. I told him on the phone that I was an XMarks member (this would have been included in another email had it been necessary) and he really appreciates the business from Xmarks so a mention if you have to email for any reason might go a long way to quicker resolution of any problems.

Now it's sorted I will definitely put another kilt order their way!

[porrick]

17.5 % VAT Porrick

Thanks, McClef - saving another .5% there... Ooopps, wait a minute, we have a 25% sales tax/import duty

[arrogcow]

By shady I meant several things first the prices do sometimes change from page to page (yes it's only $1.50, but still weird). I admit that it is not doing it today (I just checked), but it has done it most times I have been to your site. It probably is a cache thing, but like much on you site, it probably needs to be looked at. The other thing is that if your cache system is speeding up your site, then you have other problems, because your's is one of the slowest sites I ever look at (I tried going through the kilt order process this morning and some pages took over 30 sec to load). It drives me nuts waiting for pages on your (and your sister sites) shop.

But regardless of that, with your system, you don't know what you're paying for a kilt until you pick a tartan. All other kilt shops on line have different catagories (all kilts on this page are $X.xx, all on this page are $Y.yy), your advance search idea would never occur to anyone. Clicking on a link for $328 kilts says to me that the kilts should cost $328, and then when I find they cost $387 (the cost of the sample I deciced to click on randomly this morning), I get a little discouraged (it's called bait and switch in the US).

As for your prices, I did not accuse you of artifically raising them. I pointed out that they were high. I will grant you that you use an outside kilt firm, and the company I compared you to uses inhouse kilt makers so that is probably why they are cheaper (still made in Scotland, not imported slave labor kilts, as you implied).

However you insist that you are fairly priced on other items. As an example you mention your leather kilts. Yes the $715.88 (X-marks price) you sell for is much lower than the $2450 of a TFCK. But in all fairness TFCK is a high end fashion hours with their own grossly inflated prices. Now Utilikilt sells a leather for $625.85, RKilts go for $638.03 (US) and Union Kilts leathers are only $514.74 (these prices are for Black, Rkilts go up to $701.83 for the more exotic colors, but then yours go up to $804.42). Maybe your kilts are better, others will have to judge.

So maybe your prices are comparable in accessories. Just last week, I bought a belt and some hose from the same kilt vendor I mentioned in my first post. I have found the exact same products on your web site (not Bazaar merchant look alike), let's see how they stack up (all prices were found as I was writing this post).

Your Price (X-Marks Discount) Their Price (Sale Price)
Belt $41.82 37.38 32.52 29.27
Hose $18.44 16.50 15.08 13.57
Just for fun I found sporrans and OTR tweed jackets (again same product on the sporrans and comparable jackets)
Sporran $125.74 112.02 97.72 87.95
tweed jacket $335.12 299.60 268.87 241.98

Do I need to keep going on. Their every day prices are significantly lower than your discount prices

Now as Ron has said many times you can have any 2 of (Price, Quality and Service). Your company has quality and service (be proud of that, stop defending your prices), the company I'm comparing you to has quality and price (everyone that has dealt with them will tell you their service sucks - though it only took a week to get the hose and belt). I personally will go for the second option every time, but there are those here that want to be in constant communication with whom ever they are dealing with, expicially when a kilt is on order. You serve them.

Finally Fed Ex ALWAYS charges the duty AND a fee. Royal mail/USPS sometimes misses the duty and NEVER adds a fee (so even when you do get hit, it is less).

Adam

[porrick]

By shady I meant several things first the prices do sometimes change from page to page (yes it's only $1.50, but still weird). I admit that it is not doing it today (I just checked), but it has done it most times I have been to your site. It probably is a cache thing, but like much on you site, it probably needs to be looked at. The other thing is that if your cache system is speeding up your site, then you have other problems, because your's is one of the slowest sites I ever look at (I tried going through the kilt order process this morning and some pages took over 30 sec to load). It drives me nuts waiting for pages on your (and your sister sites) shop.

But regardless of that, with your system, you don't know what you're paying for a kilt until you pick a tartan. All other kilt shops on line have different catagories (all kilts on this page are $X.xx, all on this page are $Y.yy), your advance search idea would never occur to anyone. Clicking on a link for $328 kilts says to me that the kilts should cost $328, and then when I find they cost $387 (the cost of the sample I deciced to click on randomly this morning), I get a little discouraged (it's called bait and switch in the US).

As for your prices, I did not accuse you of artifically raising them. I pointed out that they were high. I will grant you that you use an outside kilt firm, and the company I compared you to uses inhouse kilt makers so that is probably why they are cheaper (still made in Scotland, not imported slave labor kilts, as you implied).

However you insist that you are fairly priced on other items. As an example you mention your leather kilts. Yes the $715.88 (X-marks price) you sell for is much lower than the $2450 of a TFCK. But in all fairness TFCK is a high end fashion hours with their own grossly inflated prices. Now Utilikilt sells a leather for $625.85, RKilts go for $638.03 (US) and Union Kilts leathers are only $514.74 (these prices are for Black, Rkilts go up to $701.83 for the more exotic colors, but then yours go up to $804.42). Maybe your kilts are better, others will have to judge.

So maybe your prices are comparable in accessories. Just last week, I bought a belt and some hose from the same kilt vendor I mentioned in my first post. I have found the exact same products on your web site (not Bazaar merchant look alike), let's see how they stack up (all prices were found as I was writing this post).

Your Price (X-Marks Discount) Their Price (Sale Price)
Belt $41.82 37.38 32.52 29.27
Hose $18.44 16.50 15.08 13.57
Just for fun I found sporrans and OTR tweed jackets (again same product on the sporrans and comparable jackets)
Sporran $125.74 112.02 97.72 87.95
tweed jacket $335.12 299.60 268.87 241.98

Do I need to keep going on. Their every day prices are significantly lower than your discount prices

Now as Ron has said many times you can have any 2 of (Price, Quality and Service). Your company has quality and service (be proud of that, stop defending your prices), the company I'm comparing you to has quality and price (everyone that has dealt with them will tell you their service sucks - though it only took a week to get the hose and belt). I personally will go for the second option every time, but there are those here that want to be in constant communication with whom ever they are dealing with, expicially when a kilt is on order. You serve them.

Finally Fed Ex ALWAYS charges the duty AND a fee. Royal mail/USPS sometimes misses the duty and NEVER adds a fee (so even when you do get hit, it is less).

Adam

Hmm, I have been following this post (ok, I have posted too), and I had intended to merely follow. But, I can't alwayd manage to keep my trap shut.

If ones main interest is always buying things at the lowest possible price I may see the relevance of your post, but in most cases of buying merchandise - be it clothes, automobiles or what have you - there are price differences in the market. There is a simple way to approach this:

1) you settle for the non-cheapest product for numerous reasons as convenience, selection, quality, customer service etc

or

2) you do not wish to pay anything more than the most reasonable alternative. If so, just walk away. Does it really matter that some have higher prices than others? Nobody is forcing you to buy

There are plenty of us who for our reasons appreciate alternative 1) above.

I guess it all has to do with priorities.

No offence intended - just my humble 2 cents worth.

Happy shopping

rgds from
patrick, a happy kiltstore shopper

[Colin]

Maybe we can hear from more people that have actually dealt with Kiltstore.

The service reputation of kiltstore.net, not to mention the very gratious 10% discount offered to Xmarks members, may have me ordering from them in the future as I have not yet. The pricing may fluctuate, but given the exchange rates these days and the conversions I am not suprised. True Kiltstore does not have a set price per kilt, but look at the massive selection these guys have available! I don't know if I would have used the word shady, just because of the implications that that brings up.

I am not a fan of FedEx (well run company, but they like to play by their rules), but after spending 10 years as a shipper/receiver I can tell you every business and courier has some shipping issues from time to time.

I think Adam is right in that Kiltstore has a great reputation for quality and service. In the past 3 or so years that I have been here, I have not heard any complaints about their product or service that did no include the statement "resolved" soon after. Keep up the great work Nick and thanks for always adding a personal touch to questions and comments in the kiltstore section of the forum.

[Nick Fiddes]

I've been catching up on this thread, and would just like to add a few words in our defence. :-) It really hurts to read that we come across as "shady". In fact we do our utmost to be upfront about pricing. But it's an incredibly complicated business, and I guess people will always suspect the worst.

I can't replicate the 1.5 dollar difference from one page to the next you mention. But I have to ask, do you really think we'd be playing games for such a trivial difference? My guess is that it's because a lot of our pages are 'cached' to deliver faster page load times and renewed only every few days. And the non-UK prices are calculated as helpful advice based on the day's exchange rates. So one page is probably a couple of days older than the definitive product page where click a 'buy' button - that will be accurate. Of course we could stop caching pages, but then our service would be poorer in other ways (i.e. slower pages, or not putting prices on 'range' pages). We have to take our best shot at a balance of considerations in our efforts to deliver the best possible service. Sorry if this ends up backfiring and making us look shady!

The "Price From" is also entirely truthful. Of course this means prices for many fabrics are higher. And the range of budget fabrics available in a high enough quality for us to offer is limited. We refuse to sell the badly dyed or rough and scratchy fabrics some other vendors will give you. But if you only want to see our budget range, it's easy. Click the Advanced Search button, then the link to budget fabrics. You'll then see only those. So how should we do it better? Please tell us if you can see a way that is more helpful overall, given the wide range of customers looking with lots of different reasons in mind. We are forever looking for ways to improve this service, and value all such ideas and feedback.

As for our "high" prices, and the suspicion that we artificially inflate them in order to reduce them later. Well, just no! We do offer regular 'deals' to registered members as well as discounts to a few valued groups like X-Marks. Is that so bad?? But overall our margins are pretty slim, and we do have to cover our overheads if we're to stay in business! Of course you'll sometimes find individual items cheaper elsewhere for one reason or another. But more often than not you'll find our prices are lower than most, sometimes hugely so. Compare our leather kilt against TFCK for example, and you'll find an astronomic saving when the quality is just as good, and better than tacky leather kilts found elsewhere (often still costing more).

Other comparisons I cannot comment on. But I did notice another thread on X Marks recently about the 'bazaar' merchants. I've made my feelings on them clear in my wee e-book. But we certainly won't price-match them, even if their product LOOKS identical. But where the product is like-for-like I'd be amazed if we're much more expensive for many individual items, just because our policy is to keep our margins as slim as is economically possible. And since we're a very efficient company, I find it hard to see how anyone else will be selling for less for long.

Okay, rant over! :-) Sorry if this sounded a little defensive. As I say, it hurts to be accused of malpractice, as we do take great pride in trying to do everything as well as we can. If we don't reply to emails, it's because we never got them, not because we couldn't be bothered. If we make mistakes, we try to put them right. (But customers sometimes make mistakes or communicate their wishes in confusing ways too you know, and often they prefer to blame someone else than admit it.) And we use Fedex because we still believe they give our customers a better service overall than the alternatives, whatever the mythology here about their being worse than other shippers for import duties. As I've said elsewhere, the hard evidence as opposed to anecdotal evidence says otherwise. US Customs are haphazard in how they apply the law. Period. Okay, rant over!! :-)

Nick

I have never dealt with them because of what just looks like shady dealing (not saying they are, just that things look hinky), and their prices are not good.

What I mean my shady is that their prices don't always line up. Click on 8 yard kilts, and you get a list of different 8 yard options. The one listed as their "featured" value says kilts from 327.17 (with the X-marks discount). Click that link and now it ways that the kilts start at 328.72 (with the x-marks discount). Now try and find a kilt that costs 328. It turns out that only kilts made with 13 oz fabric woven at Batli are that price, everything else in considerably higher.

What I mean by their prices are not good is just that. I bought a 5 yard machine made kilt from another online retailer just over a year ago. The price on kiltstore this morning $299.84. From the retailer I bought it from this morning $212.64 (on sale, regular price $236.27). $60 cheaper for the same kilt from another retailer (20% at the everyday prices). On the other hand I have heard their customer service is good (and in all honesty the company I bought from doens't respond to e-mails).

Adam