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MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late  

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MikiCab
(@mikicab)
Reputable Member
MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

Just got this broadcast Apology Email from MakerGeeks. I stopped buying from them a couple of months ago. Anyone who has dealt with them in the last 16 months more than twice probably has a story in frustration in dealing with them. I will save my breath in just say I wanted to do business with them but you cannot get what you order.

👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿

"Well, that's no good at all...
Good morning, well as you might know or might not know MakerGeeks.com is having a bit of a rough patch - we have grown and grown and grown over the last 24 months and we finally reached our breaking point over Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2018.

With our equipment issues and not being able to ship all your orders on time we started to run into trouble with the BBB and claims of fraud.

While we in no way took any money fraudulently or with the intent of not shipping we did fully drop the ball and our support team and shipping couldn't keep up with the demand.

So, the drama continues - this Sunday we received an email from Google saying that they had received a report from an anonymous tipster that our website, hosted on Shopify, had a vulnerability and they blocked the website and we were asked to provide a scan to prove that the site was clean of any malicious apps. We did submit the scan as perfectly clean and Google is now reviewing the site to bring it back online.

Talk about bad timing - with the bad press coming out over the weekend and now our website and emails being down ... that sort of reinforces the rumors which is unfortunate to say the least - since we are all here working hard everyday to make and ship filament.

So, you should be up to speed now.... I just wanted to reach out and give you all a way to get in touch with us... we have a work around email at [email protected] and we can work with you to provide a FULL refund for anything you are missing - please just email us with your order number and what you are missing from that and we'll get you a full refund right away.

The January 3D Geek Box is shipping out today and you should be getting an email with tracking info very soon this morning.

Right now we have our sister website up and operational at www.filamentgeeks.com and we are running filament today and will have some stock and colors building back up slowly as we try and move through this.

I just want to tell everyone that I apologize for letting this get so out of control; as the founder I know the blame lands on me fully - I know many of you love our filament and have enjoyed our service and I hope we can rebuild and re-start so we can keep bringing you great spools and filament made in the USA.

Joshua b Smith
- Founder
[email protected]

Posted : 29/01/2019 5:08 am
Gary
 Gary
(@gary)
Active Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

I"ll continue to support Maker Geeks because I love their Raptor PLA. It's critical that I continue to get it for my small business. Over the last couple of years I've learned to order well in advance as my inventory runs low. Joshua has always come through and worked to make things right.
For a small business too much success can kill you as easily as too little. I hope he works out his current issues and continues on. Prusa had their PayPal fiasco which was beyond their control too. Little companies with big growing pains.
You can't grow and improve without making mistakes. Their are times when any business owner would love to throw in the towel and give up when the poop hits the fan. Joshua has offered to make this right for his customers. People of lesser character would walk away.
I enjoy supporting the small guy and the fact he's a U.S. manufacturer makes it all the more important to me.
Gary

Mechanical Design since June 1973 3D Printing since November 2016 😀

Posted : 29/01/2019 6:17 pm
ed
 ed
(@ed-3)
Reputable Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late


I"ll continue to support Maker Geeks because I love their Raptor PLA. It's critical that I continue to get it for my small business. Over the last couple of years I've learned to order well in advance as my inventory runs low. Joshua has always come through and worked to make things right.
For a small business too much success can kill you as easily as too little. I hope he works out his current issues and continues on. Prusa had their PayPal fiasco which was beyond their control too. Little companies with big growing pains.
You can't grow and improve without making mistakes. Their are times when any business owner would love to throw in the towel and give up when the poop hits the fan. Joshua has offered to make this right for his customers. People of lesser character would walk away.
I enjoy supporting the small guy and the fact he's a U.S. manufacturer makes it all the more important to me.
Gary

I generally agree, but have found the Raptor seems to embrittle as it ages, at least a lot of my earlier parts are cracking and failing as they age. In any case Makergeeks did me wrong over the Black Friday sale, I purchased a bunch of filament with the intent of using it for a high school Christmas basket and was di$%3d around with deliveries until it was too late to look elsewhere. Then was promptly told I'd get a refund, that I didn't ask for or want, when I inquired about an updated delivery schedule. I let it go but was still angered. Two weeks later, early Jan, I checked my credit card account, and still hadn't received a refund, I inquired again and was told they could ship the order that day. I agreed and got the order but will be hard pressed to order from them again.

My next attempt at a small manufacturer will be fusion filaments, https://fusionfilaments.com/collections/htpla-filament-1

I believe their HTPLA+ to be similar to Raptor and feel that maybe it's time to give someone else a chance while MG gets their act together.

Posted : 29/01/2019 7:48 pm
Nikolai
(@nikolai)
Noble Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

I gave up on Makergeeks recently. I love their regular PLA and PETG. The colors are really nice and the print results are not superior but good. The price is competitive.
But in the last two years I had always to talk to support in order to get my already paid filament. And it took always at least 4 weeks to get even simple orders processed. There was no fraud, I got always what I paid for but it's always a pain.

I understand it's a small business but the fact that they are offering something on their web shop what they don't have in stock and sometimes can't even delivery in 3 month is kind of no-go. I don't like their business model. Let the people buy anything and produce whatever was bought most first results in a long waiting times for most of the orders and partial deliveries. At the end it's chaos and people are just complaining.

Two years grace period should be enough. They promised already twice to change their shop and every purchase after the promise was the same experience.

Often linked posts:
Going small with MMU2
Real Multi Material
My prints on Instagram

Posted : 29/01/2019 11:23 pm
rob.l6
(@rob-l6)
Honorable Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late



But in the last two years I had always to talk to support in order to get my already paid filament. And it took always at least 4 weeks to get even simple orders processed. There was no fraud, I got always what I paid for but it's always a pain.

While not wishing to start a ****storm, do you not see the irony here?

Posted : 30/01/2019 3:12 am
MikiCab
(@mikicab)
Reputable Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late


IOver the last couple of years I've learned to order well in advance as my inventory runs low. Joshua has always come through and worked to make things right.
Joshua has offered to make this right for his customers. People of lesser character would walk away.
I enjoy supporting the small guy and the fact he's a U.S. manufacturer makes it all the more important to me.
Gary

I have to respectfully disagree. I don't want to say MakerGeeks is fraud and running a scam but they are pretty close to that. They knowingly sell filament they don't have in stock and will not have in stock any time soon. If your happy with them I say keep using them. For me I am still looking for a good USA filament maker at a reasonable price.

Posted : 30/01/2019 5:32 am
cwbullet
(@cwbullet)
Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

A lot of folks complain about MatterGeeks. Where there is smoke.....

--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog

Posted : 30/01/2019 12:28 pm
ed
 ed
(@ed-3)
Reputable Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late




But in the last two years I had always to talk to support in order to get my already paid filament. And it took always at least 4 weeks to get even simple orders processed. There was no fraud, I got always what I paid for but it's always a pain.

While not wishing to start a ****storm, do you not see the irony here?

I was thinking the same thing but decided not to say anything because I couldn’t find a polite way to say it.

Still waiting on my textured sheet.....

Posted : 30/01/2019 12:30 pm
rob.l6
(@rob-l6)
Honorable Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

More than two months now for mk2-3 upgrade ...

Posted : 30/01/2019 12:47 pm
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late


[...] I have to respectfully disagree. I don't want to say MakerGeeks is fraud and running a scam but they are pretty close to that. They knowingly sell filament they don't have in stock and will not have in stock any time soon. If your happy with them I say keep using them.
I tried MakerGeeks a few times, and was always disappointed. When I'd make queries, I'd get the personable email explaining delays, but time would pass and nothing until I queried again. I sent an email asking for a refund and was told I'd get it. Gave them another chance at Christmas and same results.

It wouldn't be so bad if they'd been forthright about the problem. For all their faults and screwups, Prusa has always kept updates up front and visible. They never acted like they'd shipped anything when they hadn't. The didn't hold 40% off sales on items they clearly didn't have on hand. More importantly, my accounts never suddenly stopped working. If MG had done the same, I'd still be willing to wait and give them a chance.

I finally sent MG an email stating that I was still receiving their emails while my accounts to their site had been disabled, so it was clear their internal system was working. Attempts at password recovery for my 2 accounts failed claiming no such account existed. I demanded that they issue refunds for all undelivered orders or I'd report the charges as fraud. Within 24 hours, my card was refunded roughly $65, including an order I'd completely forgotten about. Their internal systems are fine. The disabling of user accounts was clearly deliberate. If they are not running a scam, they're doing a very convincing imitation of one.

I'd love to see them straighten things out and bounce back as a dependable and reputable company, but they wore out my patience.

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 30/01/2019 2:08 pm
MikiCab
(@mikicab)
Reputable Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

They had a $17,000 judgement enforced on them from one of their suppliers and their website is still gone. I would say you should get your money back if you can.

Posted : 01/02/2019 7:47 am
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

One user on Reddit is claiming that their credit card claim against MG has been reversed, with MG countering that the charge was for digital downloads. The poster is out something like $160 over this.

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 01/02/2019 12:40 pm
dryja123
(@dryja123)
Honorable Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late


One user on Reddit is claiming that their credit card claim against MG has been reversed, with MG countering that the charge was for digital downloads. The poster is out something like $160 over this.

Sounds like they're going to have to take MG to small claims court to get their money back. Probably wouldn't hurt to file a claim with the states Attorney General.

Posted : 01/02/2019 2:29 pm
MikiCab
(@mikicab)
Reputable Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late


One user on Reddit is claiming that their credit card claim against MG has been reversed, with MG countering that the charge was for digital downloads. The poster is out something like $160 over this.

I will have to check my charge backs. I had my credit card company reverse the charges in January and it took about 2 weeks before they finalized it. I didn't know they could come back later and try to reverse it again?

Posted : 01/02/2019 4:06 pm
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

I suggest reading this thread on Reddit for info on filing a complaint formally. It's working for some folks, at least for now. If you subscribe to their "monthly" box, pay careful attention to your statements after canceling.

Here's the thread on the chargeback. It was for $90.

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 01/02/2019 6:05 pm
MikiCab
(@mikicab)
Reputable Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late


I suggest reading this thread on Reddit for info on filing a complaint formally. It's working for some folks, at least for now. If you subscribe to their "monthly" box, pay careful attention to your statements after canceling.

Here's the thread on the chargeback. It was for $90.

Funny that he did that. One of the Geek boxes I bought they sent out Gift Certificates instead of filament and if you went to use the gift certificate you could not get any filament. He can prove you downloaded the gift certificate.
I just wished I had charged back more now because I would order filament and not get what I had ordered and then I would ask what they had on hand and settle for something else. When I bought 4 rolls of ABS only to have them tell me they had "NO" ABS at all and did not even have resin to make it was when it dawned on me they were running a complete bait and switch. Why would you even sell something that you did not even have and were not going to make.

Posted : 02/02/2019 5:29 am
On The Spot
(@on-the-spot)
Eminent Member
Re: MakerGeeks Apology Email. Too Little Too Late

As a newbie to the 3D Printing world, I found MakerGeeks last fall, and when an opportunity came about for a project that called for blue and green PET-G, I decided to give them a try (since most other sources only had "transparent" PET-G in those colors, as well as the fact I preferred something made in USA vs. China). I placed an order with them and they were quick to bill my Discover Card for the filament. After several weeks, I sent an inquiry to the e-mail address and got a "it should be shipping next week" response.

After 8 weeks and no shipping information (and deadlines for the project approaching) I inquired again and got a similar "it should be shipping soon" response. At that point I started doing some digging and found they unsatisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau, and many other forums of complaints. I immediately told them to cancel the order, then contacted Discover to reverse the charge. I also unsubscribed from their mailing list that was almost daily offering promotions for additional purchases (but kept the spam-trap e-mail account open just in case they tried to contact me). Discover removed all charges from my account, and the time for them to dispute has now passed, so I considered the matter closed. (I ended up finding some China-made PET-G that would work for the project)

Then I got the aforementioned e-mail, which to me sounds like desperation and a general excuse to "please buy from us, we can't deliver yet but we need the money advanced to restart operations" or they will likely go under. In the end, I have no interest in ever doing business with them again.

It is always sad to see businesses fail, but this, like many others is "self-inflicted".

Posted : 03/02/2019 4:41 am
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