Disappointed in Vega Fence - Anyone ever return to them?

[glenn bradley]

Have you tried calling your CC company to have the charges reversed? That would be the thing to do if you're not getting any joy from Vega.

Great advice! Done it before, myself.

The OP mentions having already contacting the credit card folks in his opening post. I agree that it is our responsibility as consumers to make retailers / makers responsible for their own QC. Sending an obviously not-new product without checking with the buyer first is not a class move. A simple phone call or email is not that much trouble. I make sure I include my email and phone when ordering most items (even here on the Creek) to be sure that contacting me couldn't be easier.

[Gabriel Marusic]

I bought a Vega around a year ago. I was extremely disappointed in the build quality. The machining looks like it was done by a 12 year old in their garage. The slots on the aluminum mounting brackets looked like someone chewed them out with their teeth. There were sharp burrs on everything. I had to file almost every edge and corner on the unit.
That being said, it functions fine, adjusts well, and seems to hold parallel well. I am just disappointed that it wasn’t a refined product i would expect from and American made unit. It seemed very “thrown together”. I voiced these complaints not expecting a replacement and got zero response despite being respectful in the email.

That is consistent with the build quality of the unit I received. My dad also commented that it looked like someone built it in their garage.

[Gabriel Marusic]

Have you tried calling your CC company to have the charges reversed? That would be the thing to do if you're not getting any joy from Vega.

Yeah, I opened a dispute with American Express. They're good about this kind of stuff so I'm sure I'll eventually get contacted by Vega. It's super frustrating that this is the length I have to go to for a reply from them.

[Jay Kepley]

I sent a link to this thread to Vega and suggested it do something about this. Here is the e-mail address: remvega@aol.com.

[Gabriel Marusic]

I sent a link to this thread to Vega and suggested it do something about this. Here is the e-mail address: remvega@aol.com.

Thank you, I hope they reply. That's the same email address I've been contacting and I actually sent another email over last night.

[Frank Pratt]

I sent a link to this thread to Vega and suggested it do something about this. Here is the e-mail address: remvega@aol.com.

In these times extra patience is needed when dealing with suppliers. That being said, it literally takes just a few seconds to reply to a complaint, even if it's just to acknowledge & say it will be dealt with when possible. If they have the staff to sell the product, then there is no excuse at all for treating a customer this way. It's highly unlikely they're not aware that they have QC issues.

A lot of potential customers read this forum & it will not go unnoticed.

[Gabriel Marusic]

I sent a link to this thread to Vega and suggested it do something about this. Here is the e-mail address: remvega@aol.com.

I'm guessing that had some influence. They finally replied to me today and said they're refunding me... and to keep the fence. I feel a bit guilty now.

[Frank Pratt]

I'm guessing that had some influence. They finally replied to me today and said they're refunding me... and to keep the fence. I feel a bit guilty now.

I don't think you need to feel guilty about anything. They messed up, you called them out because they weren't fixing it, and they were motivated to do the right thing. The system worked.

Their offer was certainly generous.

[Tom M King]

They were going to have to eat that one anyway, so this was a fitting end, including publicity. I wonder if it was a try to dump it for profit, or they just overlooked looking at it when it came back in.

[Derek Arita]

As I recall, this is not the first time I've heard that their fences are less than you'd expect in fit and finish. Also, that folks have had issues with customer service contact, after the sale has been made. Seems their CS is on a "Forced To" basis.

[Richard Coers]

As I recall, this is not the first time I've heard that their fences are less than you'd expect in fit and finish. Also, that folks have had issues with customer service contact, after the sale has been made. Seems their CS is on a "Forced To" basis.

Pretty rough that you guys are beating up on a small business in the middle of a pandemic. How do you know a 1/3 of them aren't sick? Vega is a really small business, just a few people working in a small Mom and Pop factory in the middle of some corn fields near Decatur, IL. Actually started by a father and son. And now with people begging for American made product, here we have a forum where people come on and bash them. And to the point that they have to eat the product and shipping. Couldn't there have been some compromise even though they offered to eat it? Wonder why American businesses are in trouble?

[Mike Henderson]

Pretty rough that you guys are beating up on a small business in the middle of a pandemic. How do you know a 1/3 of them aren't sick? Vega is a really small business, just a few people working in a small Mom and Pop factory in the middle of some corn fields near Decatur, IL. Actually started by a father and son. And now with people begging for American made product, here we have a forum where people come on and bash them. And to the point that they have to eat the product and shipping. Couldn't there have been some compromise even though they offered to eat it? Wonder why American businesses are in trouble?

I afraid I can't agree with you. Pandemic or not, they certainly should have shipped an acceptable product. Shipping what the OP described is simply unacceptable.

It's possible that they didn't reply because of the pandemic, but the OP said they replied quickly once he sent a query from a different email address.

Their response to refund his money and keep the fence was generous but it may be that the material cost was less than the cost of shipping it back to them, where they'd have to refurbish it before being able to sell it again.

No, I don't think the OP was rough on them at all.

Mike

[Richard Coers]

I afraid I can't agree with you. Pandemic or not, they certainly should have shipped an acceptable product. Shipping what the OP described is simply unacceptable.

It's possible that they didn't reply because of the pandemic, but the OP said they replied quickly once he sent a query from a different email address.

Their response to refund his money and keep the fence was generous but it may be that the material cost was less than the cost of shipping it back to them, where they'd have to refurbish it before being able to sell it again.

No, I don't think the OP was rough on them at all.

Mike

You don't have to agree with me. I've had a slow response from many companies during this. People have been put on furlough. Could be an untrained person grabbed the wrong box and shipped it. My intention was to suggest more patience with these little American businesses. If we aren't, everything we buy will come in a sea container and everyone will be working at some place that serves food out a drive up window. I guess I was brought up differently, I would have insisted on paying for some part of that fence system. If I didn't, I'd feel the regret every time I stood at the saw.

[Derek Arita]

Pretty rough that you guys are beating up on a small business in the middle of a pandemic. How do you know a 1/3 of them aren't sick? Vega is a really small business, just a few people working in a small Mom and Pop factory in the middle of some corn fields near Decatur, IL. Actually started by a father and son. And now with people begging for American made product, here we have a forum where people come on and bash them. And to the point that they have to eat the product and shipping. Couldn't there have been some compromise even though they offered to eat it? Wonder why American businesses are in trouble?

Richard, since you quoted me, I'll respond. I hear what you're saying and agree that these are tough times for small businesses. What I should have said was, that over the years, I read of issues with Vega CS and their fences. Were I referring to issues since the pandemic began, I wouldn't have chimed in. Right now I'm doing business with a very small US company that is having issues with CS to the point that they are no longer responding to phone calls or emails. Still, I know they put out a decent product and are doing their best to deliver. It took me 6 weeks to receive my order from them, but I did receive it and it was as advertised. Considering their past record and the current situation's effect on them, I endured the long wait and even placed a second order from them.
I'll always pass the word when a company does it right, however I'll also pass the word when they don't, current situation excluded.

[Jay Kepley]

Pretty rough that you guys are beating up on a small business in the middle of a pandemic. How do you know a 1/3 of them aren't sick? Vega is a really small business, just a few people working in a small Mom and Pop factory in the middle of some corn fields near Decatur, IL. Actually started by a father and son. And now with people begging for American made product, here we have a forum where people come on and bash them. And to the point that they have to eat the product and shipping. Couldn't there have been some compromise even though they offered to eat it? Wonder why American businesses are in trouble?

I thought I was doing Vega a favor. I let it know about a forum thread where it was being criticized and suggested that it respond. Isn't that looking out for the small company?