Another Fanatec wheel arrives!

[Spagetti69]

Jesus dont they realize that all those problem people have why brand new products put off potencial customers (like myself)
Dont they have QC or QA or something?
At least a bit faster support service would be nice.
Im very sorry for you thats really a bummer.....

No problems mate. I'm de-sensitised to it all now.

Alarm bells first rang when I noticed a missing paddle shifter right out of the box........

Oh how I wish that was my only problem, knowing what I know now I would have loved that to be my only problem and hugged and kissed it. Ha ha.

 

[Fanatec...]

We acually tried to speed upthings and send the shipping data in advance to our warehouse so they can immediately ship the units. As soon as they create the shipping labels there will be emails going out to the customers. Perhaps we should have waited a few more days to have a buffer. There is another shipment coming in and I hope there will be no examination.

 

[Spagetti69]

Can't they do QC whilst their examining them 8^)

 

[kasey435]

We acually tried to speed upthings and send the shipping data in advance to our warehouse so they can immediately ship the units. As soon as they create the shipping labels there will be emails going out to the customers. Perhaps we should have waited a few more days to have a buffer. There is another shipment coming in and I hope there will be no examination.

Thats good you tried to speed things up. But that does not change the fact, getting an email saying, your order will ship now, and then after getting an email saying its delayed. Its rediculous.

 

[tribolik]

Can't they do QC whilst their examining them 8^)

But they are going to refund you or give you a new unit (with both paddles and CS full working unit)?

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

I can understand your frustration but can you please suggest what we could have done better?

The (random) examination of the US customs is totally beyond our control and the only thing we could do was to inform our customers.

Edit: I might want to add that we could get clearance already later today or on Monday in best case.

Well, as others have been saying, in the future do not send out the email that says "Your order will ship now" when you are not already shipping units to customers, as it is very misleading for us.
Also, I think that at this point people are just becoming frustrated and feeling as if Fanatec is responsible for events that were largely outside of your control. However, because of all the delays, I do think that perhaps a token of appreciation for those who have been so long suffering may be appreciated. Maybe free upgrades to Expedited or 3-day shipping? Or even just refund the price difference to the people who ordered shifters before the price drop. I know that either of these would be a huge step in the right direction in a lot of customer's minds because it shows that you are aware of the frustration that the delays have caused.

We acually tried to speed upthings and send the shipping data in advance to our warehouse so they can immediately ship the units. As soon as they create the shipping labels there will be emails going out to the customers. Perhaps we should have waited a few more days to have a buffer. There is another shipment coming in and I hope there will be no examination.

👍 Looks like you're getting the right idea. Always plan for the worst, and your customers will not be disappointed when their product arrives earlier than expected.

Please keep us up-to-date on the status of the GT2 Customs inspection Thomas!

 

[Fanatec...]

I need to discuss with our warehouse that they send out the shipping infor only after the products have been actually shipped. Otherwise it makes no sense.

 

[AGP5000]

It just sounds like you really need to reexamine who your distributors are. Your global carriers. Your production in China. There is a chain of events that occur with these deals. It sounds like something needs to change.

Is Suddath logistics really helping? Claudia Ochoa there has been a doll by the way from Suddath though. I call her to find out what is in stock and if I place my order, when will it be released. I CANNOT count on the Claudia at Endor/Fanatec at all.

Maybe these people are being deceitful, lying, or maybe I am dead wrong. As long as these ships steer clear of the Somalian coast, all should go smoothly....

 

[kasey435]

I need to discuss with our warehouse that they send out the shipping infor only after the products have been actually shipped. Otherwise it makes no sense.

That would be great. Please, update when, and only when the product is on its way.

 

[Spagetti69]

But they are going to refund you or give you a new unit (with both paddles and CS full working unit)?

I have the option of sending the unit back.
I did that with my wheel it cost me £76.
I don't particularly want to enrage my wife by telling her I need another £76 to send the pedals.

I also have the option of new sensors being sent to me along with an adapter.

I have gone with that option.
Correspondence between Alex (who seems nice) takes approx 10 days between e-mail responses. I think the e-mail service is on strike ATM.

I am currently waiting for them send out the equipment.

I had my paddles along time ago.
Oh and I bought my own working power pack too. A snip at £55.

 

[tribolik]

I have the option of sending the unit back.
I did that with my wheel it cost me £76.
I don't particularly want to enrage my wife by telling her I need another £76 to send the pedals.

I also have the option of new sensors being sent to me along with an adapter.

I have gone with that option.
Correspondence between Alex (who seems nice) takes approx 10 days between e-mail responses. I think the e-mail service is on strike ATM.

I am currently waiting for them send out the equipment.

I had my paddles along time ago.
Oh and I bought my own working power pack too. A snip at £55.

Dont tell me the shipping costs of returning the faulty (brand new) untis arent refundable...and if they send you another faulty unit?
You might as well buy a T500RS and a PC rig

I really hope they sort this faulty brand new products issue because I would really like to buy an Xbox but for the time being Ill stick to the PS3 and Logitech wheels (Ive had two the first one bought in 2004 and the second one in 2009 and they are both brand new except for a few scratches)

 

[Fanatec...]

I have the option of sending the unit back.
I did that with my wheel it cost me £76.
I don't particularly want to enrage my wife by telling her I need another £76 to send the pedals.

I also have the option of new sensors being sent to me along with an adapter.

I have gone with that option.
Correspondence between Alex (who seems nice) takes approx 10 days between e-mail responses. I think the e-mail service is on strike ATM.

I am currently waiting for them send out the equipment.

I had my paddles along time ago.
Oh and I bought my own working power pack too. A snip at £55.

Did you not forget to mention a few things?


Of course we would have refunded the shipping costs but you lost the receipt. And I even offered you to give you the money for the power supply but you did not have an invoce either.

No word as well that we gave you a discount for the shifter although you ordered it before the price reduction.

Actually I now have serious doubts that the other statements you made are correct as well.

You are pretty quick to make us look bad here and this is quite disappointing after the efforts we made to make you happy.

 

[MisterStatic]

Did you not forget to mention a few things?


Of course we would have refunded the shipping costs but you lost the receipt. And I even offered you to give you the money for the power supply but you did not have an invoce either.

No word as well that we gave you a discount for the shifter although you ordered it before the price reduction.

Actually I now have serious doubts that the other statements you made are correct as well.

You are pretty quick to make us look bad here and this is quite disappointing after the efforts we made to make you happy.

I don't want to get into a conflict I don't belong, but I am curious in case I have problems with my products.

Question: How could we not have a receipt or invoice if we order online through the store? Isn't it there electronically for Fanatec and me to see anytime we want? Or did Spaghetti buy this second-hand?

 

[left888]

Well I have been waiting since January 5 for my GT2 &CSP order. I don't think Fanatec needs any help in looking bad, this is totally unacceptable to wait sooooooooooo long for a product.

 

[Fanatec...]

I don't want to get into a conflict I don't belong, but I am curious in case I have problems with my products.

Question: How could we not have a receipt or invoice if we order online through the store? Isn't it there electronically for Fanatec and me to see anytime we want? Or did Spaghetti buy this second-hand?

I was talking about receipts for the shipping cost or buying spare parts by yourself. If we need to refund the shipping cost you need to give us a receipt of the forwarder. This is pretty normal business practice.

If you bought the order in our webshop and we can identify you then there is no need to send us a receipt for the product. A big advantage over buying at a local store.

 

[kasey435]

Well I have been waiting since January 5 for my GT2 &CSP order. I don't think Fanatec needs any help in looking bad, this is totally unacceptable to wait sooooooooooo long for a product.

WOW,

I ordered on march 17th, and its killing me. Sorry about that.

Lets hope that next week its at my house. If not, im afraid i cant wait any longer

 

[Fanatec...]

Well I have been waiting since January 5 for my GT2 &CSP order. I don't think Fanatec needs any help in looking bad, this is totally unacceptable to wait sooooooooooo long for a product.

Not that I am proud of long shipping times but did we not clearly mention already in January that we will ship it in May?

We are late now but just one week so far. This does not make you feel better but please be fair.

 

[AGP5000]

You are pretty quick to make us look bad here and this is quite disappointing after the efforts we made to make you happy.

I have been quite harsh myself, but you did step up to the plate and resolved all of my issues in a timely manner. Which is very commendable for as harsh as I did get. I am a person that does not do well in the "heat of the moment", so to say when something isn't going the direction I feel it should.

BUT, there are many things that could be done to ensure none of these issues happen in the future. Mainly, money exchanging accounts months before products are shipped if not in stock. I am a stickler on my rights as a consumer, that is why.

I know YOU(THOMAS) tries your hardest to make sure all goes well. And some of these things ARE out of your control. BUT, you are the CEO, and as such, the man who takes the heat for OTHERS who make mistakes. You need to look at the global supply/production, and see if you are with the right people for YOU/FANATEC.

If you cannot tell, I am not the type who will wait for something and have it come to me. I am a go getter and go to it. At the end of the day, I will have that purchase order in my hands while my competitor wonders what he did wrong to not get it when he was 15% less than me!

 

[kasey435]

here is to hoping it will be here next week.

 

[left888]

Not that I am proud of long shipping times but did we not clearly mention already in January that we will ship it in May?

When I placed my order your web site said 1 to 2 weeks, it was only later I found out it was May, then June. We will see if this product ever makes it to me.

 

[sandboxgod]

Not that I am proud of long shipping times but did we not clearly mention already in January that we will ship it in May?

We are late now but just one week so far. This does not make you feel better but please be fair.

Nope, I'm pretty sure the website used to say April. I remember this because around late Feb I wanted to order a gt2. But for some reason I waited til early March and was distraught when I saw the prediction get pushed back to May

But it appears the reality was like early June. That wait would've drove me absolutely bunkers. This is unfortunate I am sure I would've been happy with the gt2 wheel but such is life; hard choices must be made.

Come on Thomas isn't there something you can do to keep these wheels in stock here in the US? you could probably make so much more money I reckon if you could fill these orders faster. I could see waiting for a month but beyond that it's getting crazy

 

[Bonefork]

I can understand your frustration but can you please suggest what we could have done better?

The (random) examination of the US customs is totally beyond our control and the only thing we could do was to inform our customers.

Edit: I might want to add that we could get clearance already later today or on Monday in best case.

People are over-reacting, I think, but it's hard not to be frustrated when the original date was May (I ordered Feb 2, so 5 months ago)... and that we all know this isn't the first time they've shipped late, and it's not the first delay on this shipment!

The last time this happened you sent out free mice and they all ended up on eBay. A more appropriate response would be to upgrade the shipping speed... we all just really want our wheels -- we knew the risks when we ordered but they're no easier to accept. Further, I think it looks bad on you to have all these threads about delays all the time, something that wouldn't happen if you (for example) upgraded the shipping speed at the same time as delivering the bad news, instead of in response to the reaction.

Just get us those wheels ASAP! Try to rectify your mistakes by taking responsibility, then you can learn from them better and they will happen less in the future.

 

[AGP5000]

+1 Bonefork. The mouse was a slap in the face IMO. Who wants that? Just give free shipping, that means more.

 

[djcslice]

People are over-reacting, I think, but it's hard not to be frustrated when the original date was May (I ordered Feb 2, so 5 months ago)... and that we all know this isn't the first time they've shipped late, and it's not the first delay on this shipment!

The last time this happened you sent out free mice and they all ended up on eBay. A more appropriate response would be to upgrade the shipping speed... we all just really want our wheels -- we knew the risks when we ordered but they're no easier to accept. Further, I think it looks bad on you to have all these threads about delays all the time.

Just get us those wheels ASAP! Try to rectify your mistakes by taking responsibility, then you can learn from them better and they will happen less in the future.

Upgraded shipping speeds or tuning kits 💡

 

[Spagetti69]

Did you not forget to mention a few things?


Of course we would have refunded the shipping costs but you lost the receipt. And I even offered you to give you the money for the power supply but you did not have an invoce either.

No word as well that we gave you a discount for the shifter although you ordered it before the price reduction.

Actually I now have serious doubts that the other statements you made are correct as well.

You are pretty quick to make us look bad here and this is quite disappointing after the efforts we made to make you happy.

1. Unless I have a very clever carrier pigeon disguised as an UPS delivery driver, I paid for UPS to deliver my wheel to you.

2. You did offer to pay for my replacement power supply but as I lost my receipt, I wrote it off.

I had previously taken the supply to an electrical chain known in the UK as Maplins, the chap there said it was fine (big mistake on my part but I was trying to help). Turned out he was wrong.

I told Armin who is a nice chap and I asked what should I send, he said the wheel only. This is my fault as I had told Armin about the supply being OK.

When my wheel came back from Germany I still had power on issues. Frustrated I take the whole kit to Maplin's again who then find a power adapter fault.

Funny thing is I was HAPPY..... so I ask the guy for an adapter. The only one they have is a variable one at £55.So I buy It.

I explain to Armin that I have bought a new adapter after all.
You never did send me an original power supply though did you Thomas.


3. Refund on the shifters...are you having a laugh.
Yes I ordered them the same day they went down in price.
Yes I PM'd you about a refund.
Yes you said yes.
Claudia told me no Thomas has blocked it.
So yes you a right about no word from me.

Please don't doubt what I say, this is the truth.


Who cares.

 

[Spagetti69]

Sorry for double post but I'd thought I would share this.


Spagetti69
Thomas just to give you an update on my dealings with your company.

My GT2 issues started on day one.
Slow to power up until finally it wouldn't start at all.

My first mistake was trying to eliminate the problem myself.
I took the power pack to an electrical shop who told me it was fine. ( Big mistake on my part but I was trying to help).

I contacted Armin who has been fabulous I might add.
I told him about the electrical shop saying that the supply was ok and I asked if he wanted the supply sent back or just the wheel? Armin said to send the wheel only.

It cost me £76 shipping.

I received my wheel back in quick time and went to start it. Nothing happened.

I went to the electrical shop with the wheel and Power supply.
This time the man said the supply was faulty.
They had a variable power supply for sale at £55.

I bought it to save any hassle. I felt partly responsible for messing Armin about.
I told Armin what had occurred but I never asked for a working supply and I never got offered one.

I am currently £131 over what I had originally intended to pay for the advertised product but I soldier on.

The shifter reduction on the same day I ordered was 30euros.
I'm not bothered anymore by that but thought I'd share it with you.

My throttle on my CSP has just totally stopped working.
It's 2:35 in the morning. I have not even told my wife who thinks I'm mad with all this sim racing stuff.
She will hit the roof if I spend anymore on this stupid hobby.
I'm certainly not sending any packages back across the sea.

I'm too embarrassed to even mention my sad events on the forum as people will just think I'm mad.

I'm going to bed. If I wake up with any sense I'm just going to pack the lot in.
I'm starting to hate aim racing.

Good night.



My PM to Thomas.^^^^
Anyone understand my frustration.

 

[mikemav]

Guys, I understand it's frustrating to get news of another slight delay, but everything I've ever dealt with working through Thomas has been handled very professionally for a small company. I know they are not huge with the resources and experience selling as much globally over many years like Logitech, but face it, if you've ordered the GT2 you didn't want a Logitech, you wanted a Fanatec. Logitech won't even make a wheel that is 3-platform compatible.

So yes at times there are growing pains but I've always seen issues resolved as best Thomas and his crew can. And I go all the way back to the original PWT beta test with them. I'm the guy who posted the videos on YouTube of taking my Turbo S and GT3RS apart to swap rims and make essentially what was a GT2 before it was available. So I know these wheels inside and out, and they are my go-to day after day, after having a G25 (and crappy M$ wheel) for a good long time before. I even bought a GT2 when it came out to round out the collection.

Thomas acknowledged the warehouse should not have sent out shipping notifications yet, and of course that is a frustrating mistake. But let's not make it out like he and his company are out to screw people, as that has not been my experience at all and I've probably spent more on their products than the average customer. Just my 2 cents having used their products for as long as they've been available...

 

[strtgng]

Nope, I'm pretty sure the website used to say April. I remember this because around late Feb I wanted to order a gt2. But for some reason I waited til early March and was distraught when I saw the prediction get pushed back to May

But it appears the reality was like early June. That wait would've drove me absolutely bunkers.

I really don't understand on a website dedicated to the most delayed game in history other the Duke Nukem how anyone could be upset when they are given a May delivery date and it gets pushed until June. I am sure Fanatec is no happier about it than all of you.

S#$% happens. Try ordering a car sometime...factories can get shut down due to strikes, earthquakes came limit supplies, bad weather can delay overseas shipping, cars can be held up by the government for emissions testing, the truck delivering it to the dealer can break down.

I can understand not wanting to get a shipping confirmation until it actually ships, but beyond that most everything is out of the sellor's control.

 

[sandboxgod]

I really don't understand on a website dedicated to the most delayed game in history other the Duke Nukem how anyone could be upset when they are given a May delivery date and it gets pushed until June. I am sure Fanatec is no happier about it than all of you.

S#$% happens. Try ordering a car sometime...factories can get shut down due to strikes, earthquakes came limit supplies, bad weather can delay overseas shipping, cars can be held up by the government for emissions testing, the truck delivering it to the dealer can break down.

I can understand not wanting to get a shipping confirmation until it actually ships, but beyond that most everything is out of the sellor's control.

Why do people keep making excuses for Fanatec? For my wheelstand, the WSP guys also were doing preorders however their estimates were right on the money when the product would become available.

It's time to stop making excuses for Fanatec seriously. They are probably bigger than Wheelstand pro yet they respond to emails quickly, give great esitmates, and ship out the product on time

Like Fanatec, Wheelstand pro has a similar strategy too. Their main office is overseas and they have a warehouse in the US.

[edit] And let's not even bring up Thrustmaster. I was able to walk into a store and get my T500rs. If something were to go wrong I could've just returned it back to FRY's to switch it out. No worries bout Dead on Delivery, etc. Fanatec needs to step up their game.

 

[djcslice]

Im not mad about waiting the first three months, that was my decision, but I think like most people my excitement and anticipation was reved into high gear when I got the your order will be shipped email only to find out it has not actually shipped...