Meade Instruments now owns the Weaver, Redfield and Simmons riflescope lines. This is my experience with dealing with their customer service group.

When I got home from a hunting trip in October of 2006 I noticed that the rubber eye ring on my Weaver V24 Classic riflescope was missing. I looked up “Weaver riflescopes†on the internet and they have a 1-800 number listed for Meade Instruments Customer Service. I called the number and got an answering machine where it asks you to leave a message with your contact information and they would return the call.

I waited a month but received no call-back so in the first week of November I called the Meade Instruments Customer Service 1-800 number and got the same answering machine. So, I left a message that I needed to buy a replacement rubber eye ring for the Weaver V24 scope and left my cell phone number again.

Christmas came and went and in the first week of January I called the Meade Instruments Customer Service number again, going through the same routine, explaining to the answering machine what I needed, left my contact information again and waited for a call back.

Then on February 1st, I skipped the Customer Service answering machine and got a hold of their receptionist. I explained to her how long I had been calling and asked her if she could help me. She said "sure" and connected me to the Customer Service answering machine where I left another message.

On February 8th, I still had not received a call-back so I called the Meade Instruments receptionist again and told her what had happened and asked if she could help me. She took my name and number and said that she would take it directly back to Customer Service and get them to call me right back.

On February 15th, I called the Meade Instruments receptionist again and I explained that I would probably start calling her everyday because she was the only person in the company that I could get on the phone. She said that she would put me on 'hold', walk back to Customer Service and get them to pick up the line. I waited about 30 seconds and the phone was picked up by their answering machine again. I left them a very long and detailed message with the scopes model numbers, etc. and my contact information again.

On February 16th I called the receptionist again and told her why I was calling. I told her that Customer Service would not answer the phone or return my calls and that I still needed to order a part for my scope. She told me to hold on and went off the line. When the line went live, I finally had a Customer Service representative on the line. I told him what part that I needed and he told me he could sell it to me and the cost would be $5 plus $6.50 S&H, so I gave him my credit card information and waited for delivery.

I waited one month and my credit card was never charged nor was the part delivered.

On March 19th, I called the receptionist at Meade Instruments again, explained to her what had happened and she took my name and said that they would call me back. At 3:22 PM that afternoon I was called back by a Customer Service representative and she asked what year my scope was made, if it was made in the US or Japan and what part I needed. I answered the questions and she asked for the model number of the scope which I gave her and then she told me:

"We are not sending out any replacement parts because we're trying to build our inventory up"

I was stunned at this and then asked her: "Is there anyplace else that I can buy this part?" She said "No, there are no parts available" and then asked me if there was anything else she could help me with. I told her “No†and she hung up the phone.

I immediately called the Meade Instruments receptionist again and asked to speak to a Customer Service supervisor and was passed to an answering machine for Ext. 6223. I have left another message telling the whole story of what I have done for the last few months.

I then looked at Meade Instrument's website and used their online Customer Service email link to leave a message about the trouble I had been having purchasing the part that I needed. The next day I received an email from Meade Instruments Customer Service acknowledging receipt of the message that was signed by Mr. Scott W. Roberts, Vice-President-Consumer Solutions. I then copied my original message into a reply to that message and addressed it to Mr. Roberts along with my cell phone number.

Less than 10 minutes later I received a call from Eddy at Meade Tech Support telling me that they had received my email and wanted to straighten this out. I explained that all I needed was to buy the small rubber eye ring for my riflescope (and gave him the model name and number). My phone beeped at me that there was someone on the other line, which I ignored. Eddy started typing on his computer and asked if he could put me on hold while he looked and I said sure, he came back on after about a minute and said that he was having a hard time locating the part and asked if it would OK if he called me back in an hour and I said sure.

When I got home, I checked my phone messages and I had a call from Wayne at Meade Customer Service saying that they had got the phone message that I had left for the Customer Service Supervisor and that they couldn't sell me the part but they would give me a return authorization number and if I mailed the scope in with a $10 check for return shipping they would repair it in their shop, bill me for it and mail it back, and then he left me his extension number.

While I'm listening to that phone message, someone else beeps in on the other line and I let them leave a message also. After I’m done with the first message I go back and get my new message and it's Eddy from the Meade Tech Service saying that he is leaving for the day but he can sell me the part that I need for $15 which includes S&H. He left me his extension number with the message that if I call in the morning he will get it shipped to me.

I called Eddy’s extension anyway but it went to a phone message saying that they were closed for the day. Then I call Wayne at the Customer Service 1 800 number and got his answering machine. I left him the information about how I was going to purchase the part from Eddy at Meade Tech Support the next morning so I didn't think that I would need his return authorization number.

On March 21st at 9:00 AM I called Eddy at Meade Tech Service and left a message on his answering machine that yes, I wanted to order the part and left my phone number for him to call me back. At 4:00 PM I received a call from him and he took my personal and credit card information and said that he would send me the part that I needed. Half an hour later I received another call from Customer Service telling me that they had received some of the parts that I had ordered last year and were ready to ship my order if I still wanted it.

On March 26th my credit card was charged $15.00 by Meade Instruments.

On 3 April 2007, the part was delivered.

I also figured out the direct email address of the Vice President of Consumer Solutions for Meade Instruments and sent him a copy of this write up.

What a Freakin' joke!

I will not be buying anymore of their products for sure.

Reloader

Thank you for the heads up!
Pete

A real nightmare!!! Thanks, I will never buy one of their products for sure.

Frank, you put up with a whole lot more shit than I would have! Service after the sale apparently means nothing to Meade. I own 1 old Redfield and 1 Simmons scope. I now know better than to invest in anything else from them.

Although, things could have been worse; the 'receptionist' could have been in India or Pakistan and had no command of the English language. I've dealt with those before.

I couldn't resist adding a reply as I have been curious about their riflescopes... I use Meade telescopes and they have been outstanding in both function and service... It appears they don't give the same effort on their riflescopes... Thanks for the heads up... I'll be staying with Leupolds and Nikons...

Ken....

I am glad I resisted the temptation to pick up a Weaver Grand Slam on sale. Ponied up the extra $150 for a Leupold VX-3 instead. Sounds like it was the right choice. I had also thought about trying one of the new Simmons Aetec Masters in 4-14X, but it sounds like the extra $50 for a Nikon Buckmasters is a better deal. I thought Meade taking over Weaver/Simmons/Redfield was supposed to improve their products and service....

Since someone asked: They mailed the part in a padded envelope for $0.39

I can't believe what I just read. I've heard of poor customer service but this takes the cake. I own a Meade telescope but have never had to deal with their service dept, and I thought Steiner sevice was bad.

Thanks for the heads up,I have a 36#weaver and was going to get a 24 # but now I have changed my mind.
They sound a little like Beratta,I sent them and e-mail about buying a rifle and still haven't gotten an answer,but I did get an e-mail wanting to know what I thought of their service.I told them

sounds like a perfect defination of a clusterfuck

About 4:00 today the VP of Consumer Solutions for Meade called me to check to see if I had received the rubber eye cup today that I ordered. I told him that I had received it on April 3rd and he sounded puzzled about that. He explained that they had just combined all the company's customer service groups and were trying to get everything working right. He asked if I was satisfied with the part and I told him I was but I was not pleased with all the hoops that I had to jummp through to get it. And we ended the conversation.

At 6:00 PM my daughter found a Priority Overnight FedEx envelope on my porch with another rubber eye ring from Meade Instruments.

Sounds about the same treatment I got from Meade. In my case I was buying a new Redfield. Never did get much more than a machine auto response. I did wonder if they had contracted out their customer service to Afganistan. I did buy the scope, questions unanswered, and it arrived with dust and oil inside it and had to go back for a factory service. The factory service left scratches on the scope but at least the dust and oil drops were gone. I've bought a couple of Weavers since then - now you have me worried about Meade generic service system failure if I lose a part or damage the scope.

quote:

At 6:00 PM my daughter found a Priority Overnight FedEx envelope on my porch with another rubber eye ring from Meade Instruments.

I was reading your post and just waiting for this part to come up! With all the different people you talked to, I wouldn't be surprised if two more showed up!