Cannonfodder
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- Aug 10, 2020
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Same here. If I don't hear anything by tomorrow evening I'll be cancelling the order and getting a refund.
Has Fubar Bundy Airsoft closed down?
- Thread starter Dani930
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Dani930
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- Nov 16, 2024
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- #42
Well that’s what’s happened to me and several other who reached out after my post.
I was under the impression from the replies I placed the order days before they “went on holiday”. I did emailed a few days after ordering to see if I could go up grab it as I needed them for that weekend. Had no reply and couldn’t get hold of them on the phone so gave up on that expecting delivery the following week.
I’ve just noticed him saying they emailed me that morning with an update on my order but I’ve just checked my inbox and junk with no said email found.
It’s a lesson learned stick, stick with known reputable retailers.
Hopefully you’ll actually receive the order and don’t have it cancelled for commenting on the thread
. Jokes aside I would send him a message on here and push for delivery updates but let’s be honest, you’re looking at late next week at best. According to Google they are closed Sunday opening back up on Wednesday and wouldn’t expect them to dispatch tomorrow. They also run limited hours so imagine orders back up let alone when dealing with 2+ weeks of not processing orders.Hope you have a better experience than me
Cannonfodder
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- Aug 10, 2020
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Well I've just got an email saying it's been posted. Can't help wondering if had I not posted yesterday I'd still be waiting.
Either way I won't be shopping there again
Either way I won't be shopping there again
Genuinely sad to read some of these comments. I live locally to Fubar and have always found Steve to be a genuinely nice guy who has gone the extra mile for me and my lads whenever we've visited.
I've never bought from the website because the shop is local to me, but I do know the website advises customers to check opening hours before visiting. Having experienced delivery delays with other online retailers in the past, I now always check the handling and delivery terms before placing an order.
I'm not dismissing anyone's negative experience, but I can only speak from my own. Steve has always been helpful, friendly, and willing to go the extra mile for me and my lads.
While I have sympathy for the people who have had issues, I'd also say that he's running the business largely on his own and is doing the best he can. That may not have been good enough in this instance, but I think it's fair to cut him a bit of slack. In this day and age, you never really know what someone might be going through, so I'm not comfortable with people vilifying him online. I think this thread should end here.
I've never bought from the website because the shop is local to me, but I do know the website advises customers to check opening hours before visiting. Having experienced delivery delays with other online retailers in the past, I now always check the handling and delivery terms before placing an order.
I'm not dismissing anyone's negative experience, but I can only speak from my own. Steve has always been helpful, friendly, and willing to go the extra mile for me and my lads.
While I have sympathy for the people who have had issues, I'd also say that he's running the business largely on his own and is doing the best he can. That may not have been good enough in this instance, but I think it's fair to cut him a bit of slack. In this day and age, you never really know what someone might be going through, so I'm not comfortable with people vilifying him online. I think this thread should end here.
- Oct 7, 2017
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Let's hope he takes all the criticism he's received here in a constructive manner, & moves forward by making some changes to how he operates, no one expects him to work 24/7, but to just address any failings in his current set up, that'll benefit everyone, him included.
novioman
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- May 12, 2012
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I don’t see how anyone can run a physical shop and an online business by themselves, it really needs 2 at least or problems will occur. I have spoken with Steve in the past when I had problems with an order that was messed up, and he was very helpful sorting it out, and the problem was not of his making. Unfortunately if people are let down they will take there custom elsewhere, so what’s the gain of trying to do it all by yourself.
- Oct 7, 2017
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I agree 100%, its one thing to run an Internet based dropship business out of your spare room, but a bricks & mortar location is a massive commitment, both physically & financially, whether its someone manning the counter while someone else sorts net orders in a timely manner & answers the phone, & dont get me started on sickness/holidays/family emergencies, any of which leave customers in the lurch, never mind that business rates & creditors all want paying, irrespective of whether your doors are open or not.
If Steve is genuinely a one man band, I'd implore him to consider an assistant, even if its only part time, the pressure of being a one man band either leads to lost revenue, like we're seeing here, or eventual burnout, both of which would likely end the business.
novioman
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- May 12, 2012
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The chance of burnout is very great in circumstances like this, seen it before and it didn’t end well.I agree 100%, its one thing to run an Internet based dropship business out of your spare room, but a bricks & mortar location is a massive commitment, both physically & financially, whether its someone manning the counter while someone else sorts net orders in a timely manner & answers the phone, & dont get me started on sickness/holidays/family emergencies, any of which leave customers in the lurch, never mind that business rates & creditors all want paying, irrespective of whether your doors are open or not.
If Steve is genuinely a one man band, I'd implore him to consider an assistant, even if its only part time, the pressure of being a one man band either leads to lost revenue, like we're seeing here, or eventual burnout, both of which would likely end the business.
- Oct 7, 2017
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Me too, its not pretty, & often very hard to come back from
- Jan 21, 2023
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I would say that's a mischaracterisation of what's been going on. Criticising poor customer service is one thing, it's another to make personal character attacks. The latter has not taken place so there is no online vilification.
To say it's not good enough not to keep on top of communications is a valid criticism of any airsoft retailer or business whether you're a sole trader or have multiple staff. Bespoke Airsoft, Wolf Armouries and a few other retailers have had legitimate criticisms made of their customer service on this forum yet nobody jumped to their defence asking for them to be cut slack.
Yes, you never know what's going on in someone's life but that doesn't excuse deflecting by saying "We are not Amazon" when the better response would be "We aim to do better next time".
Sometimes your pride has to take a back seat for things to improve. I've had to deal with that a few times in my professional life.
Fair enough, I can see your point.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying people shouldn't criticise poor service. If customers have struggled to get responses, had delays, or found communication lacking, that's completely fair game.
My issue was more with some of the speculation that started creeping in. Things like suggesting something was "suspicious" based on Companies House information that turned out to be wrong, making assumptions about staffing, or drawing conclusions without really knowing the full picture.
For me, there's a difference between saying "the communication wasn't good enough" and speculating about motives or how the whole business is run.
Having reflected on it, "vilifying" was probably too strong a word on balance. People have every right to be unhappy with their experience and to talk about it. Equally, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask that criticism sticks to what's actually known rather than assumptions.
Looking back over the thread, I'd agree that, overall, it's been more balanced than I initially gave it credit for.
- Jan 21, 2023
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You can ask but it's also not unreasonable to acknowledge that speculation and assumption are very human things, particularly when some details are unclear and that's not unique to this case. To repeat this ad nauseam, keeping on top of communication is key, especially today where competition is rife and we live in a very digitally connected world. If you don't communicate with your customers, your customers will be quick to communicate with others about you. Until you make defamatory claims, assumptions are usually going to happen.
A site closed down a couple of years after having taken a lot of deposits from players for games. Customers were notified of the games being cancelled but no communication was offered for reimbursing them. Is it unfair or unreasonable that assumptions were made that the site's directors accepted bookings in the knowledge that the site was in serious financial trouble and that its closure was imminent given that they resigned over a month before the fact?
Dani930
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- Nov 16, 2024
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- #54
Glad to see you’ve been sorted out, hope it’s the same for the others who reached out.
It was my first and only experience I wish to have, I won’t be returning either.
And how is anyone to know it’s a one man band when they don’t even run phone lines or update business hours on there own website. No “vilification” on my behalf. I was simply a customer who tried everything at my disposal and even gave additional time to communicate before recovering what was paid.
The thread was made to see if they were open / trading. I had several others reach out with the same issues and with the information to hand it didn’t look good.
When approached with my concern given it had now been over 2 weeks I was met with sarcastic comments, an order being cancelled and factually incorrect replies.
So I shared my experience, never slagged them off and was wiling to wait but the dummy was spat out the pram following my below email
Hi,
I’ve tried to call but am unable to get hold of anyone. If an update isn’t received by Friday 6th November I’ll be left with no choice but to have my bank start a chargeback.
Regards,
My review was factually correct, none combative only detailing the issue faced. I made no direct reference to them being closed I only asked if they had given for over 2 weeks the hours listed as closed.
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I think you're arguing against a point I haven't made.
As a moderator, I think you're now overstepping your role by moving from moderating the discussion to arguing a position within it.
I fully accept that people will speculate when communication is poor. That's inevitable.
What I've consistently said is that speculation should not be confused with fact.The fact that a lack of communication can lead people to assume the worst does not make those assumptions accurate, fair, or supported by evidence.
Your example demonstrates why people might become suspicious; it does not demonstrate that the suspicion is true.
Being frustrated, sceptical or suspicious is entirely understandable.
Presenting those suspicions as established facts is where the line should be drawn, and that's the point I've been making throughout.
- Jan 21, 2023
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My position as a moderator is irrelevant to me having an opinion as a fellow customer. You're making this accusation simply because I don't agree with you.
You don't really know what's going on in my life, you should surely cut me some slack, right?
You're continuing to justify why suspicions arose. I've never disputed that.The issue isn't whether people had reasons to be concerned. The issue is whether those concerns were then presented as facts rather than concerns.
A customer saying "I can't reach this business and I'm worried they may have stopped trading" is very different from asserting that the business has stopped trading or suggesting motives that aren't supported by evidence.
Nobody is criticising people for asking questions. The distinction is between reporting verifiable facts and promoting speculation as though it were fact.
My concern is that you appear to be defending and rationalising the speculation rather than addressing that distinction.
And that's precisely why your position as a moderator is relevant.
Throughout this discussion you haven't distinguished between comments made as a moderator and comments made as a customer.
When a moderator enters a contentious discussion, that's an important distinction.
So I'll ask are you speaking as a moderator or as a customer?
If it's as a customer, what has your actual experience with the retailer been?
So far you've expressed opinions about the situation, but you haven't explained what direct experience those opinions are based on.
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- Jan 21, 2023
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I wasn't aware I needed to declare either.
I didn't specify I was a customer of Fubar. I buy airsoft kit generally - that makes me a customer - and have experienced some delays with poor communications. My position as a moderator doesn't disqualify me from having or expressing an opinion.
- Oct 7, 2017
- 6,539
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Dev, the mod team are first & foremost, players, so by virtue of that, assuming they aren't rentals, they are also customers of airsoft retailers.
Whether they're customers of fubar bundy is irrelevant, their experiences with other airsoft retailers gives them a bar to judge by, & unlike all of the now defunct forums, everyone here is entitled an opinion, as long as its presented in accordance with the fairly easygoing forum rules.
Even without the input from any of the mod team in this discussion, its fairly safe to say that the general opinion of members recent experiences fubar bundy has been unfavourable, irrespective of the reasons behind it.
In this digital age, no one should struggle to source the most basic information from a supposedly live business, especially if that business is still taking orders & payments.
If it was my hard earned expect a message on their website, or confirmation email, giving an honest timeline for order completion & despatch if, as was the case here, the business was closing for a personal holiday.
It's not a lot to ask, especially if you're throwing hundreds of pounds at a business.
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