Problems with Galaxy Kayaks

[brix]

Hi Guys

Just writing a about purchasing these cheap kayaks from the UK seller.
Some friends and i purchased 4 kayaks from him, and there were no worries getting them shipped to Denmark for a reasonable price. But after using them we found some flaws and wanted to use the "3 years factory warranty" . After two trips the rod holder came clean off one of the kayaks. We saw that the screw holes were drilled in the wrong places making the small screw holes connected to the main rod holder hole - making this impossible to fix so it lasts. Both my luxury seats are now broken due to too broken plastic clips. One paddle is down due to too soft aluminium. Also both paddles hold water inside of them when exposed (which they will be often)
So i wrote Graeme from Galaxy Kayaks emails that he refused to answer until i started chaning tone. Then he offered us to send it back and he would give us back the purchase money, but would not send us a new kayak even though the EU law says he has to do this due to him selling products. I have a longer email communication with him to back this up, but won't post it here now as it gets long.

edited by zebra
this is not a place to air your problems with a particular or any manufacturer.
regestering on this forum just to complain is poor taste.
it would have been good if you had regestered and given us the benifit of your kayak experiences or catch reports it would not seam like we were being used then.
we will not be used as a tool to complain or slate to any manufacturer

[izzetafox]

This surprise me Bix, Graeme has a great reputation for customer service in the UK.

When did you buy these?

I know some while ago there was a problem with one production run which was quickly rectified.

He sell thousands of kayaks and has an exceptionally low returns rate. What is the end result?

Terry

[ZEBRA]

Having read this post I have contacted the importer graham challis he has told me he was aware of the problem that bix had and he was very sorry to hear of the problem and he was in the process of rectifying it.
He has offered bix a refund but this was declined by bix . graham has told me he had a small problem working out some of the language in the emails bix being from Denmark but from his understanding it seams like bix wanted a refund and a replacement kayak.
Having declined a refund Galaxy kayaks have sent replacement seats / rod holder and sikaflex to bix so hopefully that should sort out the problem

[izzetafox]

Oct 22, 2014 11:34:22 GMT -1 ZEBRA said:

Having read this post I have contacted the importer graham challis he has told me he was aware of the problem that bix had and he was very sorry to hear of the problem and he was in the process of rectifying it.
He has offered bix a refund but this was declined graham has told me he had a small problem working out some of the language in the emails bix being from Denmark but from his understanding it seams like bix wanted a refund and a replacement kayak.
Having declined a refund Galaxy kayaks have sent replacement seats / rod holder and sikaflex to bix so hopefully that should sort out the problem

Snap.

This again illustrates Graeme's commitment to Customer Service.

Nice to hear.

In all honesty Bix perhaps joining the site just to post negativity before you contact with Galaxy has come to a conclusion is rather harsh,


All's well that ends well.

Terry

[brix]

Hi guys

"edited by zebra
this is not a place to air your problems with a particular or any manufacturer.
regestering on this forum just to complain is poor taste.
it would have been good if you had regestered and given us the benifit of your kayak experiences or catch reports it would not seam like we were being used then.
we will not be used as a tool to complain or slate to any manufacturer"


Thanks for your replies. I am aware that it seems a little bad taste to just write this about one single company, but it was a genuine warning about buying something that people would be very sorry to own. I have had so many bad experiences with this dealer. Most of the mails i sent to him he simply refused to answer forcing me to make claims on Paypal - not until claim was made did i hear from him.

--------------------------------------------------------
"This surprise me Bix, Graeme has a great reputation for customer service in the UK.

When did you buy these?

I know some while ago there was a problem with one production run which was quickly rectified.

He sell thousands of kayaks and has an exceptionally low returns rate. What is the end result?

Terry"


Hi Terry - i made the first purchase of 4 kayaks in March or April. I don't know anything about his problem with that production run, but the kayaks we received definitely seem to be part of that batch.
------------------------------------------------------------

Having read this post I have contacted the importer graham challis he has told me he was aware of the problem that bix had and he was very sorry to hear of the problem and he was in the process of rectifying it.
He has offered bix a refund but this was declined by bix . graham has told me he had a small problem working out some of the language in the emails bix being from Denmark but from his understanding it seams like bix wanted a refund and a replacement kayak.
Having declined a refund Galaxy kayaks have sent replacement seats / rod holder and sikaflex to bix so hopefully that should sort out the problem.

So it's great that you contacted Graeme. If he was aware of the problem isn't it funny that he didn't react to it then? Graeme offered a refund of the purchase amount, but the shipping bill is also something that he should have paid which he refused. Also he refused to send us a new or repaired kayak - only to pay back the money which we off course would not be interested in since that would leave us with at loss of two shippings - maybe GBP200-300:

"Hi
Michael all on offer is £50, i can give you a return address in denmark of our distributors, once returned we will refund, but we are not obliged to resend a new kayak
Regards
Graeme"

I would be more than happy to show you the whole email thread, but it's pretty long. But that he claims that there has been a language problem is just not right... he just didn't want to communicate about our problems.

About a month ago i wrote to Graeme that i had still not received the repair stuff, and received no answer - not until today after you have informed him that i was writing this. So it's true that Graeme is now sending us stuff to repair the one kayak. But... this is still only something i had to settle for, as the rod holder cannot be repaired to full functionality due to the nature of the flaw. The solution we have to settle for glues/molds the rod holder in place making it hard to replace it. Graeme even admits we were in our full legal right to get a new kayak, but writes that he would be happy to take that as a tax loss rather than send a new kayak. So we didn't have much of a choice other than to take the glue he said he would send back in September... and then again today.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Snap.

This again illustrates Graeme's commitment to Customer Service.

Nice to hear.

In all honesty Bix perhaps joining the site just to post negativity before you contact with Galaxy has come to a conclusion is rather harsh,


All's well that ends well.

Terry"


Terry - i have contacted Graeme SEVERAL times and we have been communicating about this but he repeatedly ignored mails having me waiting for weeks without replies and without willingness to fix the problems. I would never dream of writing like this without trying to fix the problem with a seller. This is written after MANY attempts to fix this and i am ashamed that i have recommended this to my friend that now ends up with a broken glued product rather than a new kayak that he legally is entitled to.

Anyhow... this post seems to have made Graeme react and he has promised to send the glue and two seats tomorrow, but it took more than a month and he didn't reply to my mail about not receiving the glue in a mail Sep 29th. - not until today... So i hope we at least get that one day soon even though we would have found it more fair (and legal) that we should have had a new kayak and sent this back to him.

[izzetafox]

Brix,

I appreciate it has been difficult and can sometimes be frustrating. Did you try dealing with the more local supplier to see if that would speed things up?

From my knowledge and from people I know who have dealt with Graeme his reputation exceeds that of many other suppliers in the UK.

Do not feel guilty about recommending the Cruz to your friends they are a very competent kayak when used correctly. A lot of pike anglers in the UK are buying them for their lightness and agility. Perfect for a lure angler in particular.

I hope your problem will be resolved soon.

Tight Line.

Terry

[brix]

Oct 22, 2014 14:34:17 GMT -1 izzetafox said:

Brix,

I appreciate it has been difficult and can sometimes be frustrating. Did you try dealing with the more local supplier to see if that would speed things up?

From my knowledge and from people I know who have dealt with Graeme his reputation exceeds that of many other suppliers in the UK.

Do not feel guilty about recommending the Cruz to your friends they are a very competent kayak when used correctly. A lot of pike anglers in the UK are buying them for their lightness and agility. Perfect for a lure angler in particular.

I hope your problem will be resolved soon.

Tight Line.

Terry



Hi Terry  - yes i tried to talk to the Scandinavian dealers and asked them if they could talk to the factory about the 3 year warranty, but they refused to have anything to do with it since this was a thing for Graeme to solve. Graeme has been very nice most of they way, but he didn't take his responsibility and left me - the customer without loss. The 3 year factory warranty is just plain nothing worth, so that i am very unhappy with. And i do feel bad about recommending this to my friends and will never do it again - remember we are still left with a repaired kayak that is not like new so problem is not completely fixed - but we have to settle with what we get. The kayaks are probably fine, but i need a seller that also takes his responsibility when something is not right and a lot of other brands are fine too - maybe even with better customer service.


Thanks
Michael