Delete

[mvrk28]

Hate to be a Karen about this but i thought i should at least mention it here for the group in case somebody is considering ordering custom dies from Whidden.

Basically my advice is, do not do it! Unless you are comfortable waiting over half a year for dies that you paid $400+ for up front.

Communication has not been great, if you want an update you need to reach out to them because otherwise you will not hear from them, ever.

Basically the abridged version is i ordered dies in january and paid for them and sent in my brass. I was expecting to wait 16 weeks as the website said 12-16 weeks. In mid april i reached out to see how production was going only to learn they were still working on dies ordered in December. I was told january orders would ship in 4-6 weeks. I figured it was still pretty close to the 16 week mark so no big deal. I reached out again in early june (still no update from Whidden) and was told the seater was done but not the sizer and that they estimated 2 weeks until the order would be complete. 2 weeks go by, no update. I reach out to Whidden to get an update, no response. It took 3 emails to get a response(good luck getting custom die department on the phone). The response was that they were still a few weeks out. I asked how they could be so far off on the lead times and was told “we’re doing our best.”

Not from where I’m sitting you’re not.

 

[sneaky]

Yeah, hate to break it to you, but you're being a complete Karen on this one. Everybody is behind, people are doing their best, and you have to just deal with the situation we're all in. At least they didn't take your money and ghost. I think you're being a little too critical considering the state of affairs everywhere.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[nhyrum]

Sure everyone is backlogged. How many times did you reach out to them? It seems every time but ONCE (or three times depending on how you look at it) they got back to you with the most real time information they had. Is it frustrating that it's being delayed? Sure. It sucks waiting for custom dies, you can't begin load development. But it's like they're losing your stuff, lying. It's a shit storm out there trying to get almost ANY raw material

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[Trippy]

I mean at least Dillon is up front by putting a 48 week lead time on their dies. Maybe stop taking orders and tell the public "we don't have shit to make your parts".

 

[nhyrum]

I mean at least Dillon is up front by putting a 48 week lead time on their dies. Maybe stop taking orders and tell the public "we don't have shit to make your parts".

They were upfront. They said 12-16 weeks. Depending on when I'm January the order was placed, and when the dies ship, they're not too far off 16 weeks. Things change, they can't update that lead time every day or anytime anything changes. Nobody can foresee everything. I doubt anyone fore saw the material storage to be as bad as it is in January.

A little common sense and understanding goes a long way.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[mvrk28]

They were upfront. They said 12-16 weeks. Depending on when I'm January the order was placed, and when the dies ship, they're not too far off 16 weeks. Things change, they can't update that lead time every day or anytime anything changes. Nobody can foresee everything. I doubt anyone fore saw the material storage to be as bad as it is in January.

A little common sense and understanding goes a long way.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

I just counted backwards from tomorrow to when the order was placed(January 15), 23 weeks. Add on another 3 and that is 26 weeks. To be clear, my issue is the continued delay and that I am the one having to reach out to learn I won’t be getting my stuff on time. If I took somebody’s money and couldn’t meet a commitment I myself made i would be reaching out to them to let them know and let them know what I was doing to remedy it. But that’s just me.

As far as material shortage is concerned, all it takes is…

”dear mr/mrs customer,

There are massive material shortages worldwide that did not exist when you placed your order. Unfortunately we will not be able to deliver your order at the previously advertised time frame. We will update you as soon as your order enters production.”

Also, they have not once mentioned materials being an issue. They said they shut down for maintenance, which again if you make a decision that effects customers orders and the dates you promised, TELL THEM.

I have no issue with things changing, I have an issue with somebody telling me something that is a complete guess and then doesn’t update me when the timeline changes.

 

[mvrk28]

Sure everyone is backlogged. How many times did you reach out to them? It seems every time but ONCE (or three times depending on how you look at it) they got back to you with the most real time information they had. Is it frustrating that it's being delayed? Sure. It sucks waiting for custom dies, you can't begin load development. But it's like they're losing your stuff, lying. It's a shit storm out there trying to get almost ANY raw material

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

ok sure, but what good are the responses if they’re nowhere near an accurate lead time and as I said in the last post I wrote, why am I the one reaching out to learn there is a delay. If you take money from somebody you should be updating them.

I back ordered an auto trickler and they sent out a mass email with what people should expect for lead time and I thought that was great.

I find it comical that I ordered a v3 auto trickler with auto throw 3 months after I ordered these dies and it showed up yesterday, from Canada.

 

[mvrk28]

I mean at least Dillon is up front by putting a 48 week lead time on their dies. Maybe stop taking orders and tell the public "we don't have shit to make your parts".

Or just be honest and say, “you can order but we are extremely back logged. As of right now we don‘t have an ETA.” It’s shady to me to advertise 12-16 weeks when it’s nowhere near accurate. So I pay $400 and they get an interest free loan for half the year.

 

[Trippy]

They were upfront. They said 12-16 weeks. Depending on when I'm January the order was placed, and when the dies ship, they're not too far off 16 weeks. Things change, they can't update that lead time every day or anytime anything changes. Nobody can foresee everything. I doubt anyone fore saw the material storage to be as bad as it is in January.

A little common sense and understanding goes a long way.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

Let's say worst case Jan 1, tomorrow will be 25 weeks and best case would be 21 weeks. It looks like from the first post it'll be 24-28 weeks from order date if they follow through. Material shortages for a lot of suppliers didn't start this year. Of course no one could foresee the shit show of the last 1.5 years. Companies should've or did know about the shortages since the middle of last year. My employer pushed all their product lines back at least a year because of this during the early part of all the shut downs. They knew well ahead of time getting materials and parts from suppliers wasn't going to happen as expected.

All I'm trying to say is if you don't know when it'll be available don't take orders, don't give a lead time, or put a long ass, achievable lead time on your products. I wouldn't say double the written lead time is "close".

 

[nhyrum]

I just counted backwards from tomorrow to when the order was placed(January 15), 23 weeks. Add on another 3 and that is 26 weeks. To be clear, my issue is the continued delay and that I am the one having to reach out to learn I won’t be getting my stuff on time. If I took somebody’s money and couldn’t meet a commitment I myself made i would be reaching out to them to let them know and let them know what I was doing to remedy it. But that’s just me.

That's fine if it was your show. Think of how to many people are in exactly your shoes. They're backed up to DECEMBER? You're not the only one whose order is maybe a bit behind. You want them to call every customer, about every delay? There's no way they have the sheer man power and time to do that. Not to mention the hours spent on the phone could have been spent making parts, catching up.

Quality things are things worth waiting for. Let them work. They're not out to screw you over.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[mvrk28]

That's fine if it was your show. Think of how to many people are in exactly your shoes. They're backed up to DECEMBER? You're not the only one whose order is maybe a bit behind. You want them to call every customer, about every delay? There's no way they have the sheer man power and time to do that. Not to mention the hours spent on the phone could have been spent making parts, catching up.

Quality things are things worth waiting for. Let them work. They're not out to screw you over.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

They have my email, they could very easily have somebody in the office send a mass email to everyone waiting on dies(like auto trickler does), probably not very difficult if they have a decent system. The point is they advertised 12-16 weeks, they’re nowhere close to hitting that, but how many more orders did they get by advertising that vs 25-30 weeks? It’s shady business practice. I just checked their website and they show a 14-16 week lead time, you can sympathize with them all you want, they should not be advertising that lead time.

 

[nhyrum]

I can agree you on the advertised wait time.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[deadwolf]

You’re absolutely right to be upset. If a manufacturer really has no idea on an actual lead time, they shouldn’t advertise one. I have an AR pistol on order from Seekins precision, from last August, that had a 2mo wait time. The latest email from them after checking in said “they expect” to get my order filled at the 1yr mark due to miscalculated lead times and their new building getting delayed. I wonder how they stay in business to be honest, and I’m a big fan of their firearms.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nhyrum]

What it takes to produce the components for an auto trickler and custom dies are widely different. Last i checked, the auto trickler doesn't have any custom, heat treated parts (which is often outsourced). But my auto trickler still has 3d printed parts

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[Reburn]

Lead times change daily. Material shortages that nobody ever thought would be a problems come up weekly. Yea maybe they went down broke or for maintence and figured out the part they needed was way out. In my experience in these times being super nice and understanding has gotten me moved to the front of the list more times then I can count. Just saying it kinda sucks out here. Be cool man.

 

[Cahunter805]

Seems like their communication could be a little better but I’ll tell you what. Those dies will be the nicest and most precise well built dies you have ever used. Whidden makes very nice stuff.

 

[Sandstrom]

Just remember every time they respond to a phone call or an e-mail is time away from finishing your order.
In twenty years of being in business I have never seen such a shortage in employees willing to work. I am guessing just like every other company I have talked to lately they are in the same boat. Ppppppkpmppppipppppp

 

[Neverenoughhntn]

Yup, you’re definitely being a Karen on this one… I understand you’re frustration, but have you ever took a second to think how much more frustrating it must be being Whidden’s CS, given the current state of affairs with the supply chain? Based on my past experiences with Whidden, I have absolutely no reason to question their integrity. Their forecasted lead times may be off a bit, but is understandable IMO. They’re probably basing some of that off of what they are being told by their suppliers, etc.

…. honestly, its a good thing I don’t work in CS, because I’d refund your money and tell you to pound sand (admittedly, I don’t have a ton a patience). Pre- COVID, I’d be with you on this, but not during current times. Point is, try to be a bit more understanding, it will be well worth the wait (seems to be the consensus here).

 

[mvrk28]

Yup, you’re definitely being a Karen on this one… I understand you’re frustration, but have you ever took a second to think how much more frustrating it must be being Whidden’s CS, given the current state of affairs with the supply chain? Based on my past experiences with Whidden, I have absolutely no reason to question their integrity. Their forecasted lead times may be off a bit, but is understandable IMO. They’re probably basing some of that off of what they are being told by their suppliers, etc.

…. honestly, its a good thing I don’t work in CS, because I’d refund your money and tell you to pound sand (admittedly, I don’t have a ton a patience). Pre- COVID, I’d be with you on this, but not during current times. Point is, try to be a bit more understanding, it will be well worth the wait (seems to be the consensus here).

I don’t see what is so complicated, offer a timeline and if you can’t meet it tell the customer and tell them what’s going on. That’s all my gripe is about. Don’t advertise 16 weeks max and then go almost double without much of an explanation. And don’t leave 16 weeks as the current lead time.

Like I said previously, auto trickier sent a mass email to everybody with a rough idea of time and I thought that was excellent. Bottom line, communicate with your customers. My wife and I run a small business, it is our privilege to sell our product to somebody, not the other way around.

 

[mvrk28]

Just remember every time they respond to a phone call or an e-mail is time away from finishing your order.
In twenty years of being in business I have never seen such a shortage in employees willing to work. I am guessing just like every other company I have talked to lately they are in the same boat. Ppppppkpmppppipppppp

I would be surprised if the person making dies is the same person running phones and emails. If it is, then that problem can be remedied quickly.