# Cuddeback/Non Typical customer service



## sagecreek (Sep 3, 2004)

Here's my experience with Non Typical. I never thought about there name before but I'd have to say its quite fitting. 

I bought my camera(expert) about two months ago. Shortly after buying the camera I noticed that the camera was draining batteries in less then 100 pics. I contacted NT and they suggested that I send it back in. I asked them since hunting season was only three weeks away, if they'd 3- day(UPS) the camera back to me. They informed me that that wasn't policy and that I'd have to pay for any express shipping, which I then did. The tech called me when he started work on the camera and informed me that he would be replacing the circuit board and would ship out the next day. SO FAR SO GOOD! I asked the gentleman if he'd go over the whole camera because I didn't want to end up sending it back again, as hunting season was just around the corner. He said he would. 

9 days later I received the camera and re-set the time and date and all of that stuff and took her out to give her a workout. Set the camera out for a week on a heavily used trail and just got back in from getting it this afternoon. NO PICTURES! I knew it was BS so I set the camera out and did a little testing. Turns out the camera wouldn't take a picture unless I was about three feet away or closer, and wouldnt take any pics any further then that. Sometimes it would take a picture and sometimes it wouldn't. Sometimes the flash would work and sometimes it wouldn't. Went to the computer to look at the pictures of myself, and the camera wasn't transferring the pics to the flash cards. Time to call customer service. 

After about an hour of alternating between a busy signal and a recording I finally pushed 0 for the operator and got a person on the other line. After about three attempts she passed me through to a nice fella who said I'd need to send my camera back in for them to look at it. I asked to speak to a supervisor because I really wasnt looking foreward to sending the camera back a second time! I was then connected to a person named Terry. He seemed eager to help and after he asked the folks in the background to be quite(sounded like a game of grab ass going on) he listened to my problems. All I could think of was if they hadn't been playing grab ass, maybe they could have been answering the phone and I wouldn't have had to spend almost an hour of my time trying to get SOMEONE TO ANSWER THE PHONE!. 

Turn's out Terry wasn't able to help, and he also suggested that I send the camera back. I let him know that I wasn't very happy about sending the camera back again, and reminded him of the express shipping that I'd already payed for, and the three sets of batteries that I'd gone through. When he asked what he could do for me I suggested that he pay for express shipping this time. According to him, that wasn't their policy and that was not going to happen. So if I plan on ever using the camera this year it looks like I'll end up paying for express shipping, again, both ways. 

So I just shipped it off for another two week turnaround(if I'm lucky) and hopefully this will be the last time. 

The funny thing is I was going to be a dealer for them! Not any more! When I informed him that I intended to post my dissatisfaction with the camera and my experience with them on Chasingame.com and my own hunting forum, he said that they are all amazed at Non Typical how much time we all have to spend on forums. He also said that they get threats all of the time from dissatisfied customers that threaten to "bring them down" and wasn't worried about it. BTW, I never threatened to "bring them down" 

When I was speaking to the supervisor and he was trying to figure out how to format my flash cards, which he never did figure out, I felt by his attitude that they didnt think they where responceabile for their faulty equipment. 

I dont think I've ever been more dissapointed with a company in my life. I'm retailer of hunting equipment, and I deal with manufactures all of the time, but this was a first. He did slip and say that they ''deal with thousands of returns" and my problem was new to them. lol! 

So, 

Am I happy with my Cuddeback? NO! 

Would I ever recomend buying anything from Non Typical? NO! 

Would I buy a Cuddeback again? NO! 

Am I happy with the initial customer service? I'd give them a B+ 

Am I happy with the follow up customer service? Absolutly not! (F-) 

Was I impressed with the management being able to take care of a returning unhappy customer? Hell no! 

Do I feel better after posting this? As a matter of fact I do! 

Scott


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

We should all e-mail Cuddeback telling them because of this complaint we will not be purchasing their products in the future. I find Scott's treatment unfair and unreasonable. They should have replaced the unit with a new one, but then again, maybe they did, but sent one that had been returned. New equipent should be replaced, not repaired.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Tried maneuvering through the cuddleback site, but couldn't find what I wanted...

Do the cameras take more than 100 pics? That sounds like a lot if you're using flash... my digital camera's batteries die quickly if I'm using flash on each pic (got to where I carry extra batteries)

Sorry you got a bum deal out of em... if they pay express shipping even once, they're probably out all of the profit they make on those babies. You're lucky you even got to talk to americans... once they get a little bigger and a little smarter, you'll end up talking to someone in bangladesh.

Sounds like the situation was better then got worse...

I could never justify buying a ~400 game camera, as it would probably get 'borrowed' :flame: ...


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## sagecreek (Sep 3, 2004)

texican, great idea except they dont have an email address on their website.

Check out this thread on a trail cam forum,

http://www.chasingame.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1253


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

I submitted a non picture explaining I would have sent one in but I couldn't since I did not buy their product because of the experience of our friend Scott.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Scott,
I was a'thinking about this yesterday afternoon, while working on my stone wall project.....

did you perchance pay for this with a credit card? If so, you do have options...I usually buy everything with the cc, mainly for protection purposes... my main card doubles the warranty...

and of course, I wouldn't buy one either from them, knowing what you went through, even if I was in the market for one...


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## sagecreek (Sep 3, 2004)

Thanks for the help fellas! 

Here's an update,

A weeks gone by and after hearing on another forum that Terry the supervisor had been "let go", I figured I'd better check the status of my camera. I have to say that that poor lady Marlene that answers the phone for them sure has a thank less job! Anyway, after being on hold for about 15 minutes she found my camera and promised me that they would be working on it today. It should ship today or tomorrow, and when I reminded her about the batteries and the express shipping charges(3times) that I'd incurred she agreed that they should pay for the return express shipping. We'll see if that happens or not. At this point I really don't care and all would be forgotten if the camera actually works as it should and I never have to send it back again. 

Time will tell.
Scott

www.sagecreekoutfitters.com


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