Ordering from repro manufacturers

[Anonymous]

I don't know what's happening lately, but it seems customers experience difficulty to keep it under 100 emails before they place an order. Andy at BK is going crazy trying to reply to everyone and I can understand why other makers don't take custom orders.

Custom is fine but would like to kindly request everybody to keep correspondence to a minimum in order to avoid mistakes. It's very easy to get confused and mix up things. Also, please ask for confirmation of the specifics of your order once you have submitted it.

 

[Jason]

Unfortunately that's the double edged sword the modern world has forged for itself. Once upon a time face-to-face dealings were the norm, and you could quickly arrive at a mutual understanding for such bespoke items. Now that the digital age has shrunk the world and made the market more competitive, email has replaced face-to-face - and lots of people are not as expressive via the written word as they are verbally.

 

[Tim P]

Just buy a bloody jacket off the peg. too short? go up a size.. too tight? go up a size. too roomy in the shoulders? live withit as airmen did or buy another type or even contract. relax.

 

[dmar836]

LOL. Agreed. Why anyone would want an A-2 for the "look" but then have every aspect custom cut is beyond me.
That said, having the body or sleeves a tad shorter is understandable for some with a unique size. For many, that uniqueness means an A-2 just isn't for them.
Reminds me of the 60 yo fat paratrooper in an M-42 at the air shows.
Dave

 

[leper-colony]

It's not a bad problem to have people asking questions about your products.

I would have asked a lot more and almost did not order as it seemed questions were unwanted when I recently ordered.

If you are paying a lot of money for something, I would expect questions.

 

[CBI]

Agreed, if jackets are $1,000 plus, expect loads of questions.

That said, there are customers who can be a real pain, but that's retail the world over...........

 

[flyboy]

Just buy a bloody jacket off the peg. too short? go up a size.. too tight? go up a size. too roomy in the shoulders? live withit as airmen did or buy another type or even contract. relax.

:lol: :lol:
I totally agree - if the price for a jacket were the same as in 1940. Which is not the case. Unfortunately.

The manufacturer sets the price - the manufacturer gets the questions. That's how I see it.
Who would spent £ 700 or more on a jacket that might not fit? Just because the manufacturer "gets confused" with all these questions?

 

[Anonymous]

The questions are not the problem.
The problem is changing the specs every other day. Then it gets confusing.
Also, if one has 100 questions, put them all down in an email or two and send them rather than sending 1 by 1 in 100 emails. Imagine what happens if 10 people do this at the same time. And believe me it does happen.

Just buy a bloody jacket off the peg. too short? go up a size.. too tight? go up a size. too roomy in the shoulders? live withit as airmen did or buy another type or even contract. relax.

No need to do that. Just ask the measurements of the jacket you think you should buy and then ask whatever adjustments you need, if you need any. Simple thing to do in with 2 messages.

LOL. Agreed. Why anyone would want an A-2 for the "look" but then have every aspect custom cut is beyond me.
That said, having the body or sleeves a tad shorter is understandable for some with a unique size. For many, that uniqueness means an A-2 just isn't for them.
Reminds me of the 60 yo fat paratrooper in an M-42 at the air shows.
Dave

You can't imagine the degree of customization people asking for.

 

[Jason]

Also, if one has 100 questions, put them all down in an email or two and send them rather than sending 1 by 1 in 100 emails.

If you have the attention to detail to answer ALL questions posed in a multi-question email - bravo! You'd be in the 1% of people who do. I find that if you ask more than two questions in one email, it seems to overwhelm 99% of people and they only answer just one of the questions posed. Hence I default to asking questions one by one these days, unless I know the responder has the metal abilities to handle multiple questions at once. Apologies to all in advance if that sounds arrogant on my part - but that's just the way it is to me.

 

[chamboid]

Rather than look at it as a burden, look at it from the customers perspective, they are obviously excited, spending quite a bit of money, probably haven't ordered from you before so nervous; and after the dream jacket that they have always wanted, and you the manufacturer has promised to a certain degree.

They just want to feel looked after, and special, and for everything to be perfect. They want to be made to feel special, because its special for them. And will not think that 30 other people are doing exactly the same thing, because this is their 'moment'

As has been said that's the retail business. I get it in the restaurant I work in all the time. Customers don't want to feel like you're waiting on 7 tables, just the one, theirs, with all their requests and minimal or awkward as they are, you have to suffer them, they're your livelyhood

 

[leper-colony]

A thought: maybe it's not a question problem, but a process, scaling, or training issue. Or some combination.

Maybe a need for lead tracking software?

A bad way to deal with it would just have the order form on the site.

I've found it's better to ask questions than just assume.

PS: Platon was really great with the PMs I had for him and answered questions I had with great detail.