"La vie sportive" dealer feedback

I'm not going to bash "La Vie Sportive", an official Hobie dealer in Québec, QC. I will just share a chronology of events and readers can draw their own conclusions.

2011/01/03 - I emailed the dealer for prices on specific parts
2011/01/06 - received prices
2011/02/22 - I sent email to place order for Hobie parts, as they were not available on the online store
2011/02/24 - received response that he was getting permission to proceed with phone order using credit card
2011/02/24 - received confirmation that phone order was not possible, had to be a web purchase
2011/03/05 - parts not yet listed on online store, sent an email asking for update
2011/03/08 - I received an updated price list as they changed
2011/03/08 - change of plan, they agree to make an exception and take a credit card over the phone and my order was taken:
2011/03/11 - I sent email because the deposit he said would be taken on 03/08 was not yet taken
2011/03/14 - received email confirmation that my order was taken even if deposit not yet charged to my card
2011/03/15 - deposit charged to my credit card
2011/03/31 - sent a follow-up email to check status
2011/04/01 - order was processed, waiting for shipment
2011/04/25 - received email that they received my order and asked for my shipping address
2011/05/01 - received an email asking for my credit card info to charge remainder of order, I have not received the parts yet and no indication that they were shipped from the dealer to my house.

_________________
Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

What did you order?

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Nothing earth shattering.
> 1 X 2061 grommet
> 1 X 2065101 main halyard non comtip
> 2 X 20792011 shrouds
> 2 x 1075 low profile jib block
> 2 x 5018BL ballcaps
> 1 x 10730000 halyard cleat

It's still better than the order I placed last September from "Atlantic Wind Adventures" from Halifax, NS. Forgot to place the order a few times, finally processed it (or so he says). In November, he told me he was still waiting for them from Hobie. Never heard back and don't plan to follow-up with them.

_________________
Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

2011/05/04 - parts received

The dealer left the Hobie invoice in the box. The invoice is dated April 1st and there is also a stamped date of April 10th.

Is the invoice date reflective of the date the order was received by Hobie from the dealer?

_________________
Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

56kz2slow:Next time try Fogh Marine in Toronto.I live in Ottawa and have used them for years for my H16 with absouletly no complaints.They have a great stock of parts and if they have to order direct from Hobie,the turn around time is quite fast.I'd pay the extra in shipping cost to NB just to avoid that aggravation.
Too bad you have to put up with that from a dealer.I'm sure that level of service is more the exception than the rule.

Actually ordered a few odds and ends from them an hour ago. They had all my items in stock, but about 10% more expensive. I guess there is a premium to have stuff in stock instead of waiting weeks.

It's possible it's just the person I was dealing with too. But it's like when you go to the restaurant. If you have a plate with several items in it, even if just one is spoiled, it puts a bad taste in your mouth for the rest of the meal and odds are you won't return there.

_________________
Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

Shame... Date is likely order date if it is a carbon copy of the "Picking ticket". Invoice date would be the day it left here.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)