I have been trying to buy a pair of inexpensive rifle safes...nothing strong enough to prevent burglars from doing their thing, but just something to keep kid's and visitor's hands off of my rifles.

I located some biometric (fingerprint locking/unlocking) ones that look fairly good for my purpose, at Barska. So I tried to order. The first person I got in their sales unit wouldn't even talk to me unless I gave her the product number code, which I didn't have.

So I called Barska customer service for help. They would take my order, but when I paid for it with a credit card (which they DO accept and prefer) and gave them the number, the expiry date and my security number on the back and all that drill, they e-mailed me a form which I was to complete (which I was supposed to copy, sign, and fax back to them). I can't do that as I have no fax, and am too disabled at present to leave the house, so I couldn't even take it to a local service to have it faxed for me.

Even worse, they wanted me to photocopy the back of my credit card with the security number on it, and fax that photocopy along with their form.

Otherwise, they informed me, they would not honor my card (a Cabela's Club Visa). They didn't even try to use it for my purchase, saying that their company policy required the form to be filled out and signed for EVERY credit card order made online.

I e-mailed the CS rep I dealt with (Lorraine) and explained the problem to her. Her response was "no signed form, no credit card purchase".)

Because I would really like to get a couple of the little rifle safes, today I typed an order memo of my own and made cut a check payable to them, both of which I will snail-mail to them.


I don't know what you guys make of that, but my view at the moment is that their CS rep may not be a Customer Service rep, but a different kind of CS rep...normally found outside as a natural result of pecking bugs and seeds.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I don't know what you guys make of that, but my view at the moment is that their CS rep may not mean a Customer Service rep, but a different kind of CS.

I think you would have been better served to find an alternative company to purchase from and then wrote a letter to the president of Barska and explained why you purchased from their competitor.

It is ironic that you were trying to use a Cabelas(World class CS) card to purchase from a company that seems to have no clue of the retail level CS.

Dvor sells Barska safes.

George

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
Dvor sells Barska safes.

George

Thanks, George. I had already tried Dvor, but they want me to reach them only via a social network such as Facebook. I don't do ANY social media other than here at AR....one of my own personal security policies.

I can't understand, for WHAT all these troubles?

quote:

I don't do ANY social media other than here at AR....one of my own personal security policies.

LLoyd, you always were sort of an anti-social type :-)

Oh John, you sly devil you...I've worked long and hard for my curmudgeon reputation. Now that I'm somewhat beyond my salad days, I let myself just kick back and enjoy it.

BTW, I find that Optics Planet also carries Barska safes and their price is a few $ lower than direct from Barska.

Not that it makes any difference...I've found a place which builds biometric burglar and fire proof rifle safes which is only 25 miles from my home...and their price includes bringing the safe into the house, putting it anywhere I want it, and anchoring it to the floor, wall, or both.


Take care and Y'all come back now!

AC,

You can join Dvor's newsletter and it will arrive in e-mail form (that is how I get it as I also eschew social networks).

FYI, Optics Planet owns Dvor.

George

boy would that raise a red flags with me. in my mind i would immediately brand them as a crooked outfit

I would have cheerfully, at length and in minute detail instructed them in exactly what they should do with their products.

before buying from their competetion

Well, I don't like to burn bridges, so I took another approach which was prompted by one of the earlier AR responses to this thread.

Assuming that they really DIDN'T have much familiarity with the retail side of business, I wrote them a memo which pointed out that based on my years in business I found the most important single consideration in sales is making the customer happy.

And I pointed out that starts right at the initial contact...part of which is making the purchase as easy & simple for the customer as is possible.

I also suggested they take a look at how Amazon.com makes purchasing easy for its clientele as a good example.

The result? I got a very friendly e-mail back, telling me they had placed my order for me, no rigmarole forms necessary, and that my safe is on the way to my home, with the carrier instructed to place it in my house for me.

All's well that ends well.

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
AC,

You can join Dvor's newsletter and it will arrive in e-mail form (that is how I get it as I also eschew social networks).

FYI, Optics Planet owns Dvor.

George

Thanks for the info. I was going to buy from Optics Planet until I found they would charge $125 for curbside delivery. Instead, I took the approach described in my immediately above post.

Well it may be a little to late but I can say that I recommend Sturdy Safe.
www.sturdysafe.com.

They are made in the USA, are very high quality, and they are a very good company to deal with.

When I was trying to figure out the exact safe to buy, and how to fit it out, every time I called the company I either got the owners wife, the owners daughter, or the owner himself...

Looks like a good safe company. I'll certainly keep them in mind if I get another one. Thanks for the tip.

I was super impressed with the house burn down and the safe left standing......amazing.

I'm really more concerned with fire than theft. My dogs will prevent most thefts, but they ain't fire fighters.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Well it may be a little to late but I can say that I recommend Sturdy Safe.
www.sturdysafe.com.

They are made in the USA, are very high quality, and they are a very good company to deal with.

When I was trying to figure out the exact safe to buy, and how to fit it out, every time I called the company I either got the owners wife, the owners daughter, or the owner himself...

If I wanted to buy a burglar and fire proof safe, Sturdy is the make I would buy. I really like their company and their safes. But all I was looking for in this instance was a small "lockable closet", with instant unlock ability which I could add to my already overcrowded workshop.