Optics Planet

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Furiouspilgrim

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Apologies if this is in the wrong place, I did look, but on my phone It's kinda hard to navigate.

Optics Planet, why did I bother using them!?

I wanted some Magpul goodies, and some new optics. Had a look around trying to find a seller that didn't charge the earth to post to a UK address. Optics planet looked good, or so I thought!

Origninal order placed November 26. I heard about stock issue problems, so double checked that everything was in stock, and it was. Had to jump through a few hoops, having to validate my card etc. Probably should have taken that as a sign to get out!
Was given the run around as to why my order hadn't shipped, always someone promises it will ship in the next 24-48hrs. It never did. Finally, someone aknowledged there was an 'Inventory Issue', and my order had to be created again...

New order created December 12, I was suspicious, but suprised when I got notification that it had shipped on December 13. Everything was looking good, until the tracking stopped on December 17.
Last update was that it had apparently reached the UK, but hadn't moved any futher. Not showing that it was in customs or anything.

Emailed Optics planet and they expect me to wait 45 days for it to turn up. Not going to happen! Whether this latest problem is the fault of Optics Planet or not, their customer service is shocking!

Please tell me they treat US customers they same way!

To keep me from going insane, can anyone recommend a decent company who stocks Magpul items and scopes etc, who post to the UK?
 
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I thought gun parts over a certain dollar amount couldn't be shipped out of the country? I forget where I read that, and I wasn't sure if it was that company's policy or if it was a US law. Anyways, the only thing I ever ordered from optics planet was a blackhawk serpa holster to try out (back then they had them for $30). I had no problems with them.
 
If you know where your order is in the UK why not contact that facility and see what you can do from your end.

I had a package sit in a USPS facility for three weeks and then disappear from the tracking system. That can be very frustrating.
 
I checked and there are no restrictions on the items I ordered, so no issues there.

As amazing as it is, there is no facility to contact the place the item is. I have to contact the carrier, which I've done about 12 times, who contact the place on my behalf, and it appears they don't want to confirm whether its there or not. Fact is, no one actually knows where it is.
 
A mixed bag with them..

My last order was perfect!
Before that has been a mixed bag.
I am a CAREFUL comparison shopper and they seldom have the best prices, but when they do....
I wish you a speedy resolution to your problem.
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My experience with them wasn't all that bad, eventually. I ordered a set of binoc's and selected the 2nd day air option. About a week later I was pretty upset. When I called the nice lady said the express shipping only covered when it got shipped, but that it could take a week to leave the warehouse. So yes, that's what happened. I paid a bundle to get it 2 days after they decided to ship it, not 2 days from when I ordered.

I know this is contrary to everything you've been taught, but here's what you need to do. Print the pages from the tracking number. Every time it changes. If it vanishes out of their system, you have no proof they ever got it.
 
Next time try amazon uk might be better for you. I've bought one or two items from optics planet, that was astronomy items don't remember having a problem with them. Good luck on your items.
 
I know there are various restrictions on what parts and gun related items can be shipped out of the country and may depend on the company having an export license.
 
I used Optics Planet to repair some Ray Ban sunglasses. It cost 2/3 of what a new pair would have cost, and now I'm kicking myself for not doing just that.

One of my favorite sayings is "the extra you spend on quality will be forgotten long before the PITA of buying something cheap". I guess I still have to be reminded of that now and then!
 
I ordered six items from them and it took four days to get an email informing me four of the six were not in stock. Most sellers show items in stock or not at the time of the order. I cancelled and never used them again.
 
they are famous for pathetic "customer service."
 
I'll give them till next week to see if anything happens, and then I'll be on to the credit card people for a chargeback. Live and learn...
 
I've always been leery of OP because of reputation of not having advertised available items in stock and overall bad customer service. They do make for a nice catalog for viewing and comparing items online though. I did do an order from DVOR (believe OP's liquidator) that saved me a bunch of money. That went pretty smooth and no complaints other than they use the same slow garbage shipping method Midway is using now. Of course even OP is 5 star compared to the likes of Botach Tactical.
 
Just today, I spoke to a customer rep who assured me that the scope I wanted was in stock so I ordered it and got an order confirmation by E-mail. I checked my mail later in the day and optics planet sent me one saying that the item I wanted was out of stock and the order would be processed in three to four weeks. I called them to see what was up. The girl on the line sounded nervous and then said she saw some listed in another warehouse and put me on hold to check it out. After a very long time listening to really bad music, she came back on to say she was mistaken. She asked if I would want to wait the month for the item or cancel the order. I told her I'd wait. After hanging up, I went to Amazon and got the scope I wanted. I called optics planet back to cancel the order I had placed and the service rep said his computer showed that they had fifteen of them in stock. I cancelled it. I'm not sure if I was getting the run around or if the left hand truly did not know what the right hand was doing. I'll never order another thing from them.
 
I've had good phone experience with Christopher's in Norman, OK. They were knowledeable and when my son was going through Norman, he stopped and bought a Zeiss 10X56 binocular that was all as it shoud be. No missing eyecaps, etc., and for a very good price. I think their telescopes and some binoculars may be sold by their Astronomics division.

I understand that they almost always have most items in stock.

Check the ads for binoculars in the astronomy and birding magazines and stay away from any firms in NYC or nearby. They have a bad rep for what's been described here and for selling gray market merchandise.

To the OP: if this merchandise supposedly was shipped via the US Postal system, contact the Postal Inspection Service and ask them to investigate any possibility of fraud. The postal cops will probably jar them into some action. Once, a custom knifemaker was stalling on my order and not answering his mail. A letter to the postal inspectors got me my knife and an apology in about a week!
 
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Speaking from this side of the pond, I've had nothing but great experience with Optics Planet over the last 5-6 years of doing business.
 
That really sucks. I live in the US. I just made my second purchase from them last week. Shipping is taking about a week, but here if the purchase is above a certain amount there is a free shipping option. I can't really complain it takes a week if it's free :D I hope you get things settled soon
 
That last time I expressed my opinion on Optics Planet it was not well received by the powers that be. My fault and it will not happen again.

I will say that they have a habit of selling stuff that that they do not have. Odd, however, is that the website shows several in stock but they seem to run out right after I enter a credit card number.

I'm curious--are you tracking you order on OP's website or through the shipper's system? Another outfit, previously mentioned, had a problem with the order "stalling" somewhere other than their own premises and the shipment was lost for the ages. In actuality, the shipment had never left as the company never had the items to ship.

If they want you to wait for 45 days to see if the package turns up then you have made the correct decision, I think. Credits cards come in handy sometimes and this is one of them.
 
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