Cover nightmare

[NSBCraig]

Ok so give me your opinion.

I ordered a semi custom boat cover from a large online retailer. Cant tell you how excited I was to get back to town and find the box waiting on me. My new parking spot is under trees and I really need a new cover.

Wow, what a nice cover. Just what I needed.

Except they made it to the wrong pattern and its to small.

So I call up customer service and explain. Asking them to please help me because I really need a new cover.

So multiple calls and emails later, pic sent clearly showing its wrong.

Nothing happens. No reply. Oh so the customer service rep went on vacation and hasnt even metioned to the manufacturer that there was a mistake!

Another week goes by I have spoken to two reps at the retailer and one at the manufacturer asking them all to please help expedite this and get me the correct cover.

No instead they email me saying they refunded my money to my card.

Call again. "oh we thought you just wanted your money back" "No you didnt I explained to everyone I talked to that I wanted the correct cover made and asked them to please get this in motion"

Well now Im waiting to get the refund so I can order another cover that may or may not be right, but of course the manufacturer is closed tomarrow so how long will it take to possibly get the right one.

Here is the big question- would you even bother trying? Would you buy anything from a company that ignores you and then completely blows you off?

 

[64osby]

Just ask for a full refund and keep the cover. Use the wrong one until the new one comes. Then sell the wrong one. Best of both worlds.

If they want the cover returned take your business elsewhere.

 

[NYBo]

You might want to give your business to an online retailer that provides a great forum in addition to great customer service...

 

[bonz_d]

I too think I would be looking for the check and another supplier. The disheartening part is now having to wait.

 

[smokeonthewater]

You might want to give your business to an online retailer that provides a great forum in addition to great customer service...

THIS^^^

Currently you are complaining at red lobster about the poor service you got at cap'n d's.

 

[jayhanig]

From the customer service you've gotten so far from both the dealer and the manufacturer, I'd take my money and run.

Mod EDIT: to follow Smokes analog: Jay, you posted a link for Wendys on the menu at McDonalds? Please try to remember the generous forum host IS an online retailer and not post links to their competitors. I removed the link.

Had my cover in 2 days.

I get about two and a half years worth of life out of these covers, which I've been using since 2010 on my Galaxy. They keep the rain out, are trailerable at highway speeds, and come in various sizes and configurations, depending on your boat.

The pole they give you is crap, so dummy up your own pvc structure to keep water or snow from pooling.

 

[ziggy]

as for the company that has givin you the blues. i'd try to get my money back. what happens to the existing cover is up to you.

I get about two and a half years worth of life out of these covers

that's where i'd be at.
i've had two or three custom covers @ about $350 ea. they did fit. they lasted about 4 years. maybe 5.
i've now gone to the cheap covers. i get mine at menards locally. about $110. so far i'm getting the 2.5 years that jay hanig is talking about. though i don't trailer with them.
so 2 covers for 220 for about 5 years. or 350 for 4 or 5 years. this seems to be a case where cheaper is maybe better.
the ones i've got have done fine for repelling rain. i brush the snow off all of them. the cheap ones at the end of their life span have started to get brittle material, leading to a rip eventually.
good luck with the bum company.....

 

[NSBCraig]

I cant seem to upload the pic of it clearly not fitting.

Invoice says it will fit a 15' 6" to 16' 6" boat with a 84" beam. My boat being exactly 16' with a 80" beam it should fit. In fact since I dont have a windshield it should be extra large. Not a foot to short.

What I really dont get is why this seems like such a difficult thing for either customer service department to comprehend.

Way I figure if your company makes covers for hundreds of boat shapes and sizes, you have hundreds of patterns at your shop. So someone grabbed the wrong one. Maybe it was in the wrong spot or something.

Why would a company not just take it back and check it?

When I asked the person at the manufacturer to please help me out and expedite this so they can make the correct one, she very rudely told me I could just buy a cover from someone else. I responded "or you could just fullfill the order that was placed with you".

Of course they have the wrongly made cover. They wanted it and I really just wanted them to fix their mistake.

 

[NSBCraig]

THIS^^^

Currently you are complaining at red lobster about the poor service you got at cap'n d's.

Am I?

 

[GA_Boater]

Am I?

Did you buy the cover from iboats?

 

[foodfisher]

^^^The bingo question^^^

 

[smokeonthewater]

Am I?

Well either that or you aren't currently telling red lobster that it's their staff that you aren't happy with........

 

[jbcurt00]

No matter where you bought it, the margin is probably small enough that the company wont want to pay the shipping for you to return cover. As you dont want to pay return shipping either, the wrong cover will likely remain w you

 

[JimS123]

I had the same problem with a semi-custom cover for a fishing boat. Can't get any simpler than that. It was clearly too short. No mistake how long the boat was. The tag sewn in the hem showed pattern number, size, etc. Customer service confirmed it was the correct size. But it didn't fit.

Sent it back for a refund and bought a different brand.

 

[scipper77]

This doesn't sound like a nightmare. This sounds like you were refunded with a slight delay. I do however completely understand how frustrating it is to have to wait when you need something right away.

What is the condition of your old cover? Can you throw a tarp over it (old cover) until a proper cover arrives?

Also, many materials will shrink over time. I'd be nervous even if you had a perfect snug fit. My last boats mooring cover required slip pliers (channel locks) to get the snaps on and this was after the previous owner moved the snaps back 1/2". I'm just including this information bacause you might be just as upset with a cover that fits after the first season.

 

[JoshOnt]

I have found using a large tarp drapped over the boat with a tight rope going around just under the rub rail will keep it pretty good for when it is just sitting there so maybe that is your best bet for now till you get a new one. I do that as my cover and it works well, wish I could trailer with it on but for a cheap solution it works.

 

[Frank Acampora]

My boat came with a custom cover and I used it for about two years before it started to disintegrate. NOW, I buy a plastic tarp at Harbor freight for around 20 bucks. It lasts two years and I never need to complain about customer service. True, I did need to make a support for it but hey--That's life. You want to own a boat, sometimes you need to do a little work.

 

[NSBCraig]

Oh brother Frank trust me I fear not working on my boat. After completely rebuilding my hull including molding the deck and hull together (2 layers 6" biax outsude, 1 layer inside and fairing)

Id be happy with two years out of a nice cover.

And yep they have the cover back that they made wrong and Im still waiting on the refund.

 

[bruceb58]

I make my own covers. They fit great. Think about having someone make you one out of Sunbrella. One on my Wellcraft is now 13 years old. Cost you more in the beginning but well worth it in the long run. Since your boat is red, I would have it made to extend far down the side to shield it from the sun.

To me, plastic tarps not only look bad but they end up ruining your boat in the long run by rubbing and leaking when they wear out.

 

[GA_Boater]

Oh brother Frank trust me I fear not working on my boat. After completely rebuilding my hull including molding the deck and hull together (2 layers 6" biax outsude, 1 layer inside and fairing)

Id be happy with two years out of a nice cover.

And yep they have the cover back that they made wrong and Im still waiting on the refund.

One more time - Did you get the cover here?

It does make a difference knowing where it came from. The iboats Marketing guys and store management need to know about vendors not meeting the iboats standards for customer service.