Bad casting from Bonaparte

[yellowcat]

Hi Guys,
Thank you for all your comments. I received email from Paul of Bonparte this morning.

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Bonaparte Military Models

2:55 AM (6 hours ago)​

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Hi Felix

We can send you a replacement dragon and give you a 20% discount on the figure.

Thanks
Paul

7:39 AM (1 hour ago)​

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to Bonaparte

Hi Paul,
Just the replacement dragon and 20% discount does not work for me. There are more broken parts than the dragon.
Please send me a new replacement kit with tracking and upon receive the kit I will then ship back the old kit to you and email you the post office receipt. You then refund the postal cost to my paypal account.
Please make sure the kit is well pack and casting is good.

Bonaparte Military Models

8:09 AM (1 hour ago)​

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Hi Felix
The dragon is the only part you said you can not fix, so that is why I suggested that! If you wish to return the kit instead, then please do so and we will send a replacement out upon receipt of this kit.

to Bonaparte

Hi Paul,
I did not say the dragon part I cannot fix. Please refer to my previous email to you. The email clearly includes the picture of the replacement parts that I needed from you.
Anyway, I want you to send me a new replacement kit with tracking. Make sure the kit is well pack and casting is good with no flaws. Upon received the new kit I then send you back the old kit and you paypal me for the shipping cost.
I am not going to return to you the old kit first. This is for my insurance that I will receive a new replacement kit. I am not scamming you for another kit. You have sent me a faulty kit and I am not happy about that. Just wasting my time. If this does not work for you then I will file a case with Paypal.
Thanks,
Felix

This is my previous email to Paul
to Bonaparte

Hi Paul,
Thank you for your reply.
I can repair some of the parts but there are parts you need to send me the replacement and
there are parts I am unable to figure out where they belongs to.(see attached pictures)
How much discount refund will that be if I keep the kit and you send me the replacement parts?
If I return the kit, the cheapest service will be small packet- international surface - $19.36
small packet - international Air - $38.72 with no tracking and signature on delivery or confirmation.
Tax is not included and final price is at the post office counter.
Thanks!
Felix

More reply from Paul
Bonaparte Military Models

9:16 AM (21 minutes ago)​

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Hi Felix
As with all companies you need to return the faulty item before the replacement is issued. We can't send out another kit until we receive this one back.

to Bonaparte

Hi Paul,
As with all companies, they will send you replacements right away with pictures proof of faulty item. They don't even ask you to return the faulty item.
Felix


This is the worse case of customer service. I feel like banging my head against the wall.

 

[yellowcat]

These are the pictures I sent to Paul for replacements if I choose to keep the faulty kit. The guy is just not there.

 

[housecarl]

Get on to Paypal for a full refund, take your custom elsewhere.

 

[DEL]

Ridiculous. Dreadful customer service. Most of the companies in our small hobby are run by fellow enthusiasts who do not hesitate to replace faulty parts, often as not replacing entire kit without question. Sometimes they dont want the original back sometimes they do but not as a condition for replacement.
This is a bit of a pattern of behaviour from this company as can be seen in a thread from last year.
Suggestions on replacement parts for post Militare Figures | planetFigure | Miniatures

 

[theBaron]

Bonaparte used to use ys castings which are normally first class...maybe they have changed supplier?

That could explain the poor casting, but it doesn't explain the ridiculous method of packaging for shipment. Just sticking a label on the kit box? Most eBay sellers don't even do something that irresponsible.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Wayneb]

Totally agree Brad.....Not to keep this thread going but very curious how this pans out. It may be an issue of a bad employee...I wonder if Felix is actually dealing with the owner/operator.....Too many good sculptures and art to be reproduced with poor quality and sold to the public.

Wayne

 

[Redcap]

I have always been happy with my Bonaparte's stuff especially their white metal kits, but reading this thread is like witnessing a car crash in slow motion - despite everyone shouting out warnings in real time - for the company's PR. What is there to 'debate' here and why on earth would they want a kit returned in this condition; surely not to try and resell to a possibly less discerning customer? If all they are going to do is bin it as below their QC for sale, then why can't Felix do that for them without incurring any more additional and needless cost or inconvenience in shipping it back from the other side of the world?

The photographic evidence speaks for itself and this smacks of an exercise in 'maybe he (Felix) will eventually go away' ?...... Just send the bloke a new kit for goodness sake !

Gary

 

[Helm]

Well it's cost them my business, I quite fancied the bust in question myself, but not prepared to have to fix a brand new kit. I dislike cleaning seams etc, let alone having to re make parts.
Steve

 

[yellowcat]

Hi Guys,
Thank you for all you comments again.

Round 2 - Like hitting a brick wall. I have to send the kit back in order to get a replacement.
Previously I had already emailed Paul of Bonapartes at least 5 or 6 times about the prices on the the return shipping. The man never confirm or gave me an straight answer. I have to ask him over and over again. Please refer to the following and you will be amazed.

Nov 9 (2 days ago)​

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to Bonaparte

Hi Paul,
Please reply email so that I can post the kit.
The kit is all pack up and ready to post. See attached pictures.
Here are the prices I get from Post Office this morning. Please confirm which service to post the return. What to put on the custom declaration and how much value?
Prices are in Canadian dollar, tax does not included in the price below and may be extra at the post office counter

Prices are the same with or without the outer box
small packet- international surface - $19.36 no tracking 6- 8 weeks no coverage
small packet - international Air - $38.72 no tracking 6-10 days no coverage
Tracked packet - international - $64.29 6-10 days up to $100 coverage included
xpresspost - international - $81.31 5 business days up to $100 coverage included
Your previous email state that you will ship out the replacement and refund the postal cost when you receive proof of postage
Is it OK to send you the scan of the postal receipt ? Does this still stands?

Please confirm your shipping address and reply all questions. I want to post this on Friday

Thanks!
Felix




Bonaparte Military Models
Hi Felix

Please send it back by the cheapest means to:

David Freeman
46 Queens Road
Westbury
Wiltshire
BA13 3LZ
UK

Please send us a scan copy of the proof of postage and we will get the other kit sent out.

Thanks
Paul


to Bonaparte
Hi Paul,
small packet surface $19.36 or small packet air $38.72 which one to send?
please choose one.
How much to declare on the postal form.
Felix


Bonaparte Military Models
Hi Felix

The cheapest one, as we only charged £9.50 to ship from UK to Canada. £50 on form.

Thanks
Paul


to Bonaparte
Hi Paul,
This is Canada post charges. So which service to send. Small packet surface $19.36 canadian or small packet air $38.72 canadian?
I had already indicated to you in my previous email that Canada Post shipping cost is very expensive.
Felix


Bonaparte Military Model

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Hi Felix
So the $19.36.

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to Bonaparte

Hi Paul,
Kit is mailed this afternoon. Refer to the attached scan.
Please refund Canadian $19.36 to my Paypal account and please don't forget to pay the Paypal fees.
Please make sure the replacement kit is well pack and casting is good without any flaws.
Please let me know the shipping date and the tracking number.
Thanks!
Felix

Finally the kit has been posted and post receipt has been sent to Paul. Waiting for Round 3 for the refund of the shipping cost and the replacement kit. I would rather spending my time painting my kit.

 

[Martin64]

Good luck Felix - following this thread and keep my fingers crossed that you will end up with the kit you paid for. Whatever the outcome will be - the communication on their behalf is simply something you would expect from a fraud and not from someone that is doing honest business - they lost me already as a potential customer (always fancied their mounted Marshall Ney).
Cheers, Martin

 

[Helm]

Absolutely appalling customer service and attitude. I won't be over surprised to hear it got ahem "lost" in the post as their next attempt to wriggle out of fulfilling their obligations to a customer.
Steve

 

[Nap]

Get on to Paypal for a full refund, take your custom elsewhere.

Totally agree ..but let's see what happens in round 3 !!

this is just not good enough IMO and definately putting potential customers off

As for customer service ....I don't see any apart from a lot of hassle to the customer .....

And it's not the first time something like this has happened ...see DEL's link

Nap

 

[Redcap]

Wow! Just incredible and there is enough material here for a Monty Python sketch. I just cannot understand the procrastination with Bonapartes in this sorry saga and I rather suspect this is going to be something of a 'Ratner's' moment for them in terms of online ordering!

Gary

 

[Tecumsea]

I saw a very nicely painted 120mm Samurai produced for Mitches by Carl Read yesterday-maybe time to get your money back and think of an alternative, It's not as if they are not out there Pegaso also do a very nice edition in 90mm. You don't have to put up with crap like this. Both the kit and the service!

Paul seems to be quite intransigent in dealing with this (Worse than the bloody EU) , I wonder if David is aware?

Keith

 

[yellowcat]

Round 3
Received a refund for the return shipping plus an additional refund of 50% of the price of the kit. The new kit has been shipped with tracking.

From Paul's email " I will also refund you 50% of the price of the kit as a good will gesture.
I hope the new kit arrives safely and satisfactory. Sorry for the inconvenience. "

Finally some customer service damage control from Bonaparte. This should have been taken care of at the very beginning not after 30 email exchange.

"Ask your customers to be part of the solution, and don't view them as part of the problem."
Alan Weiss, Author "Million Dollar Consulting"

"When customers share their story, they're not just sharing pain points. They're actually teaching you how to make your product, service, and business better. Your customer service organization should be designed to efficiently communicate those issues."
Kristin Smaby, Author "Being Human is Good Business"

Looking forward to review the new replacement kit.

Felix

 

[Tecumsea]

Well done Paul and David.

 

[Jimbo]

Good to see that the issue has been resolved
Jim

 

[Nap]

Nice result and a really good response at last from Bonapartes

We all look forward to seeing the finished painted model from Felx

Nap

 

[DEL]

All that effort to arrive at what should have been the starting point.
Have to wonder how far you'd have got without the debate on here?
Still can't argue with what is clearly a generous outcome.

 

[megroot]

GREAT WORK from Bonaparte.
It took sometime but you both get a good feeling about it.

Marc