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 Post subject: SPATCAVE: Buyer Beware....
PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:19 pm 

Location: Virginia, USA
Country: United States
Posted in RPF as well, but I wanted to outline my past 13 months trying to deal with SPAT who has had spotty responsiveness, hasn't delivered on my order, and will not refund the $502.50 I sent him last August for a set of Colonial Marine BDU's. I do understand hold-ups and delays in production, but this is more than double his projected lead time which also puts me out of the window to file a PayPal Claim. On the other hand Chef at Chef's Creations was able to get me a set in about 4 months in 2020 with awesome correspondence! At this point, I consider my money lost on him as he is either unable or unwilling to fulfill my order. Below is a timeline with the context provided which doesn't totally add up:

22 AUG 2021: Initial order placed for one set of Colonial Marine BDUs, Paypal Payment sent.

31 AUG 2021: Measurements provided by me to Spat for production of BDUs.

24 DEC 2021: First follow-up by me on order status just to see if things were moving along (no reply)

17 JAN 2022: Second follow-up by me on order status. Replied and stated, "some people ahead of you in the queue".

18 MAR 2022: Third follow-up to see if my spot moved up in the queue. Replied, "The website also warns that this is something everyone works on in their spare time and that sometimes real life can get in the way and extend those wait times drastically. I make that very clear because this isn’t my real job, nor is it my seamstresses. And a global pandemic is real life that kicked us all in the giblets pretty hard.
But… BDU’s have started shipping. I’ve gotten a few sets from her and I know she’s working on a run right now that’s the one ahead of you. So once she finishes those 2 sets, your run will be up."

29 JUN 2022: Fourth follow up with yet another deflection to his seamstress, "Not yet. She still hasn’t finished the run ahead of you. She’s killing me!"

02 JUL 2022: I ask if my order would be fulfilled by 01 AUGUST. No reply.

27 AUG 2022: Request full refund of my original order, sent PayPal request for full refund as I cannot do a claim.

28 AUG 2022: Spat replies: "I can't do refunds . . . seamstress is finally moved into her new place and has her sewing room set up. I picked up 2 sets of BDU’s from her last week. So now there’s one full set and a set of trousers ahead of you in the queue." Blames seamstress and pandemic again. Offers to fulfill my order with items he produces on his own, which I do not need. Going on 13 months, I now pointedly ask him to produce or provide a refund with no reply.

In summary, there have been one or two people ahead of me in the queue since March with the blame resting on his seamstress, but the math between the months of updates doesn't add up. Either she's not producing, he's not being forthcoming, or both.

As a reasonable person, if this issue does become resolved I will update this post, but I don't have my hopes up. Buyer Beware....


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:59 pm 
Giraffes. Talk to me.
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Location: Derbyshire
Service Number: A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
Country: United Kingdom
My armour has been outstanding since May 2021

April this year confirmed my kit being made

End of August there was an apology my kit is finished just waiting on lamp mounts she should be being dispatched last week.

Sounds like ithas justgktten away from him. If it gets here I’ll be very pleased, and all will be forgiven but I’m also preparing myself for it not happening.

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Cpl. JK "Hybrid" Knight. A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
XO HMS Valhalla; 13th Regt. 1st Batt. "Freebooters" - USCM Flight School "Bus drivers".
"I'm not saying it was Aliens but...."


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:32 am 
Galaxy-hopping garbage man

Country: United Kingdom
Spat has always had very long lead times.
In the 15-odd years I've been on the forum, I don't think I've ever known the estimates to be less than 6 months, and it's usually 12+, so you're actually quite on schedule.
Thing is, Spat has always been very up-front about these long lead times. He mentions it all over his website.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 11:29 am 
Harvester of Sorrow
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Location: Lancashire (Wirral born)
Service Number: A04/TQ1.0.32156E1
Country: United Kingdom
He also mentions the no refund policy.

Spat is a good dude, I highly doubt he’s trying to string you along.

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 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 5:07 pm 
reload
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Location: Hamburg
Service Number: A03/TQ3.0.12136E1
Country: Germany
[quote="88reaper88"]He also mentions the no refund policy.

Second what Simon wrote.
In all these years I had no issues with Spat. Only good things to tell.
And yes pandemic, cost increase etc. etc. caused not just for Spat,
for a lot of sellers heavy delays and unplanned cost increases they mostly compensated themselves.

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons


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 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 10:35 pm 
Giraffes. Talk to me.
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Location: Derbyshire
Service Number: A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
Country: United Kingdom
Ttaskmaster wrote:
Spat has always had very long lead times.
In the 15-odd years I've been on the forum, I don't think I've ever known the estimates to be less than 6 months, and it's usually 12+, so you're actually quite on schedule.
Thing is, Spat has always been very up-front about these long lead times. He mentions it all over his website.


Lead time for the armour I ordered is six to eight months, I am at sixteen months.

Please don’t minimize the experience.

I never said he isn’t a good guy, just that my armour is about twice the advised lead time.

Thevpiknt bring that May makes difference between someone going to Spat, or ponying up the extra to go to Chef or even try to manufacture at home.

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Cpl. JK "Hybrid" Knight. A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
XO HMS Valhalla; 13th Regt. 1st Batt. "Freebooters" - USCM Flight School "Bus drivers".
"I'm not saying it was Aliens but...."


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 12:11 am 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
He has had issues securing plastic for the armor. Like severe issues. I think he has also had some issues securing some of the resin supplies.

Just as an FYI

ALL MONSTERMAKERS LATEX IS BAD
It is shipping out of asia and coming to port all spoiled. No refunds and that stuff is several hundred for a 5 gallon bucket.

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The impossible takes a while longer and goes over budget too...


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 Post subject: Re: SPATCAVE: Buyer Beware....
PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:52 pm 
Giraffes. Talk to me.
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Location: Derbyshire
Service Number: A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
Country: United Kingdom
I got in touch with Spat again last week. He explained he had been distracted by a film project and lost track of my order.

He has now dispatched it, and its now in Illinois.

_________________
Cpl. JK "Hybrid" Knight. A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
XO HMS Valhalla; 13th Regt. 1st Batt. "Freebooters" - USCM Flight School "Bus drivers".
"I'm not saying it was Aliens but...."


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 3:07 am 
Giraffes. Talk to me.
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Location: Derbyshire
Service Number: A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
Country: United Kingdom
I gotta care package from the States!!


Conclusion, his lead times are a lot slower than advertised, but you will get processed.

3D77AF63-B27A-41A0-A3A1-BB6598C73466.jpeg
3D77AF63-B27A-41A0-A3A1-BB6598C73466.jpeg [ 1.66 MiB | Viewed 804 times ]


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Cpl. JK "Hybrid" Knight. A07/TQ0.0.52137E1
XO HMS Valhalla; 13th Regt. 1st Batt. "Freebooters" - USCM Flight School "Bus drivers".
"I'm not saying it was Aliens but...."
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 5:23 pm 

Service Number: A05/TQ2.0.32141E1
Country: United States
bear in mind spat does movie stuff in various roles and when that occurs for him the orders get placed on hold.

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The impossible takes a while longer and goes over budget too...


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