# First Mann Lake Experience.



## EastTnJoe (Jan 20, 2016)

Our local guy doesn't carry a few things I want so I placed an order with Mann Lake last Wednesday evening. I received an immediate oder confirmation, but nothing since. I sent a follow up email this morning to check the status but they didn't respond. I know they're probably busy but tomorrow makes a week and I don't even know of the goods are on the road. Is this typical for them? I'm a pretty patient guy but this seems kind of slow service to me.


----------



## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

its a good company to deal with but this time of year is their busiest.


----------



## Cyan (Jan 27, 2015)

It was roughly 7 days on my order, a fairly small order: 5 medium supers, 2 solid bottom boards, 2 migratory tops, and several extra entrance reducers.


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

It sounds a little unusual for them to go a week. Their procedure is that the order confirmation is followed by an invoice upon shipment which is rarely more than a few days later. I'd give them a call unless the confirmation mentions something about a delay or a back order.


----------



## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I have ordered once, with a follow-up.

I placed my order online on the last Sunday of the March sale. Got an order acknowledgement the next morning saying they would send further confirmation at the time of shipping, and then, crickets. A week went by, and still nothing more. I called and enquired. Was told they were backed up. OK, a few more days went by and I got a second copy of the order acknowledgment saying they would send my shipping confirmation when it was ready. And finally part of my order showed up (smoker by the sound of the rattle in the box), delivered by FedEx. The other part was sent later to my post office box instead of my home address. There is no USPS mail service to my farm, but common carriers deliver here almost every day, so I had only given ML the physical address, not the PO box # number which is rarely attended and only for a short time at an inconvenient time. Grrh!

Anyway, I open the smoker and see right away that it is the correct item, but it was invoiced to someone else. I call, the correct invoicee has been waiting for the smoker (backordered), and apparently has since gotten mine, so it all works out.

Color me not very impressed, and unlikely to order again.

A few days go by and I finally light my new smoker. Lights like a dream, has a nice soft action. I really like it. I usually have the smoker lit and standing on the next hive to the right when I am working. I keep hearing these sharp little crackles as I am leaning into the boxes I am checking. I am a former volunteer firefighter and it sounded exactly like a small fire extension inside a wall, a worrisome noise. I opened the smoker, it seemed fine, but using a fair amount of fuel. Refueled it, tamped it down, went on to the next hive, and more crackles. I keep working, and then I happened to look up and I see smoke coming out of the seam about halfway up the side and creosote running down and burning off from what apparently is a hole in the seam. Not so pleased with it now. (My older, but now usurped, smoker is probably sitting on the shelf cackling with glee.)

I grumpily call ML to negotiate a replacement, and the customer service lady is so darn nice about it that she completely takes the dudgeon out of me. No question of returning the defective item, and immediate replacement is offered. Excellent customer service, that has me rethinking my previous decision to cross them off my list. And I got the new smoker package in just a couple of days. 

So, my ML experience: slow shipping, screwed up order delivery, but over-the-top fantastic customer service for a product defect. I think maybe we've all been spoiled by Amazon Prime that can a deliver a new order of dish detergent three days after you press the order button on your sink cabinet door. 

Enj.


----------



## EastTnJoe (Jan 20, 2016)

Well, thanks for your snotty reply but 4 months ago I wasn't interested or involved in beekeeping. I'm just getting off the ground this year and learning as I go. Fortunately most people, unlike yourself, aren't rude and condescending when I pose a question but thanks for your snide reply. 

And the items I ordered are not required right this minute so I'm not screaming for them to be delivered in two days, but when a company takes my money I like to know when my items might show up at my door. Go ahead and take that shame you sent my way and have a cup for yourself. 

And being busy isn't an excuse for a business offering poor customer service, being busy in business is a blessing and they should do better than this. I work in construction sales and this is our busy season too, but my customers aren't waiting a week for their orders to get out the door. My customers also, no matter how busy we are, *NEVER* have to go a week without even being acknowledged when they try to give me their money for my wares.


----------



## Cyan (Jan 27, 2015)

Well, keep in mind that my order also spanned the weekend. I did indeed receive an order confirmation shortly after and shipping confirmation 2 days after I placed it.

Roughly the same can be said about the order I have coming in today from Brushy Mountain, but a day sooner. I also placed an order with Kelley, but haven't heard anything on it yet. It is indeed the wrong time of year to be ordering gear/ware through the mail if you want it quickly though, and that's a fact.

It beats last year though- I had to wait a month for an order last year because a suit I wanted was being backordered from somewhere overseas. As soon as I canceled it, I had that order in 3 days. I won't say who that supplier was, because I still do business with them and really like their woodenware.


----------



## COAL REAPER (Jun 24, 2014)

EastTnJoe said:


> Well, thanks for your snotty reply but 4 months ago I wasn't interested or involved in beekeeping. I'm just getting off the ground this year and learning as I go. Fortunately most people, unlike yourself, aren't rude and condescending when I pose a question but thanks for your snide reply.
> 
> And the items I ordered are not required right this minute so I'm not screaming for them to be delivered in two days, but when a company takes my money I like to know when my items might show up at my door. Go ahead and take that shame you sent my way and have a cup for yourself.
> 
> And being busy isn't an excuse for a business offering poor customer service, being busy in business is a blessing and they should do better than this. I work in construction sales and this is our busy season too, but my customers aren't waiting a week for their orders to get out the door. My customers also, no matter how busy we are, *NEVER* have to go a week without even being acknowledged when they try to give me their money for my wares.


joe,
this order 'mishap' will certainly not be your biggest hurdle to overcome as you get started in beekeeping. save your energy.


----------



## Cyan (Jan 27, 2015)

COAL REAPER said:


> joe,
> this order 'mishap' will certainly not be your biggest hurdle to overcome as you get started in beekeeping. save your energy.


True. You could actually get a notice that queens are being shipped while you're in the middle of a cold snap and totally un-prepared to re-queen or make splits. :waiting:


----------



## EastTnJoe (Jan 20, 2016)

Well, here we are 9 days since I placed my order and this morning I received a response from Tom McAllister that said: "No, this order has not been shipped yet, Thanks.". 

This is the epitome of poor customer service and Mann Lake will never receive another dollar from me.


----------



## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

then cancel the order, no need to keep on steaming about it.


----------



## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

This reminds me of a swimming pool I had built, I had to wait two months before they got around to me. A neighbor ordered a pool built and his guy got right on it, the neighbor rubbed that in my face big time. When I mentioned it to my guy, he said ( your buddy might want to ask why his guy isn't busy this time of year.) My neighbor is still complaining about the rotten job his guy did, mine turned out really good.
I've had reasonable service with good prices from Mann Lake. I think as stated they are just swamped this time of year, I wouldn't want a part time guy filling my order, I know the full time guys are working their butts off now, I've learned to order my stuff in the winter and if I need something fast now, I make the three hour trip to Rossman's or order from someone not so popular. JMO


----------

