Does Mickey Mouse wear a Charkbait watch?

[codhead]

I can honestly state that after buying items on-line from various US, Aussie, PRC, Taiwanese, Malaysian and other various countries: I have never known an ordering process as convoluted, complicated and simply user-unfriendly as Charkbait.

After placing an order that totalled $21, I was informed that they would require $42 shipping - sorry? What was that? That was despite their carriage charge as being $8.50 on my order. I was then informed that the $8.50 was for US shipping only and to ship to the UK would be $42. I had a friend working in SC and asked if they could ship to him and they agreed.

At the same time, I ordered a number of items from a US based eBayer and also some items from Cabella's. I've had the eBayer's items for over a week now, the Cabella's items were delivered last Friday. Today when I enquired of Charkbait, I was informed that they were waiting for stock to be delivered. Is it not beyond the wit of man, in this techy age, to actually advertise an item IN-STOCK?

I could have expected an attitude like this from an English retailer in the 1950s but feel this falls far short of what we perceive as customer service in the 21st century.

Am I really expecting too much?

[Irish Jigger]

I tried to buy a Torium they had on offer recently. Had great difficulty in getting a reply to my emails. Had a friend who lives locally pick one up for me. Had it in about a week at half Charkbait's quoted shipping charge. Don't think I would buy there again.
Hope you items arrive before our fishing season ends!

[alantani]

i've had good luck with them.  if you need something, you can have it shipped here and then i can ship it to you.  had a bunch of guys buy reels from charkbait, then have them shipped directly to me for hotrodding.  unfortunately, you have 9% california sales tax added when it is shipped to a california address. 

in the last week i've shipped 8 packages to australia and new zealand.  stood in line at the post office like everyone else.  not a problem to do once in a while, but i can see why smaller companies have simply given up shipping overseas. one poor guy wanted quite a bit of gear and ended up with a $52 bill for just the shipping.  that is just what the post office charged.  i think it's up to $1 per ounce.  there needs to be a better way.  alan

[redsetta]

It's not just in the US though.
I posted a New Zealand surf magazine to my brother in California last week - it weighed about 10oz and cost $16 to post!
Madness...

[Taily]

I must say that late last year when I was chasing some 4:1 gears and stainless yokes for a couple of my 113H's Mark at Charkbait kept me well in the loop about his difficulty getting the gears from Newell and well, the shipping was a little steep in my opinion, however not as bad as I have seen on FeeBay from some people just out to gouge whoever they can. Mark was quite courteous and all the while gave me very good customer service, much the same as I have always gotten from Mo at Penn Parts.

Unfortunately in this day and age it is user pays for the kneejerk reaction of many governments to events 10 years ago etc that now see the people sending stuff OS facing big $$ for the privilege of paying for that destination country's customs and excise facilities, not to mention the big fancy x-ray machines being installed at many international airports and customs clearing houses nowadays. Unfortunately the end user pays for it.

I recently bought a 113HL from someone in the US and asked for a shipping quote. It came back at $22.50 - which was the figure that USPS had charged him about six weeks previously for a reel to someone around 150 miles from here.... which I thought was good - so I bought the reel for $40 (near new condition too as it turned out - those 113H rings I sent you redsetta came off that reel), however the seller contacted me after I had paid for it very apologetically telling me that when he posted it they were hit up for much closer to $30 to send an article the same weight and size basically the same distance as the previous reel.  

Being that I do purchase from the 'States many times a year, I find it interesting that as soon as the Aussie dollar headed for the stars late last year/early this year that shipping has near doubled (in US bucks)! Hmmmmmmmm, conspiracy theory anyone?  

[redsetta]

G'day Taily,
The rings arrived yesterday - thanks mate, they're greatly appreciated.
Look forward to repaying the favour.
All the best, Justin

Nunc est bibendum

Indeed! 

[Keta]

I haven't ordered from them for a few years but I've always found Charkbait easy to deal with.

[blktwr2660]

Hey Guy's It's the times we live in .I have never had a bad exprience with CHARK BAIT .I have brought very expensive reels from them and have never had a problem .I'm not trying to be there advocate but, there on the West Coast and I'm on the East Coast ::)The CLOWNS I have on this side think there doing you a favor .Buy selling to you .Try this on for size,10 miles,items coast $15.00, ,cost to ship?$22.50 .My bud's and I don't buy local any more because of this.When we spoke to these Tackle shop's we were told they can't help it ,it's out of there control,Yeh, right  Shipping cost are cheaper,tackle prices and everything else is cheaper on the West Coast .Give thanks for small favors .My freinds and I will keep purchasing our reels and all else devoted to offshore fishing world wide to the West Coast Vendors.(We can afford it,trust me )

[Rickman]

I love Charkbait. I continue to buy stuff from them. But, they do have to get their act together. Cabellas will tell you when you order if something is backordered and you can change your plans at that point, not a week later when you get a message saying all of your order didn't ship.  Supply tracking isn't magic anymore and shipping should be quick. On another subject with Charkbait...they are now importing their own lures. I bought about 8 of their Coffin Nails and when they came they had trout hooks on them. I had to change them all out, that pissed me off, then one of the lures got punctured and took on water. I wrote them and they said, "Yes, the new models will be stronger" Now they are discounted. Meanwhile I've got 8 of the things at the original price, plus the cost of new hooks, and they get pukas! Sorry for the rant.

[Keta]

I tried to buy a Torium they had on offer recently.

Are you sure it was Charkbait?  Mark DID NOT SELL Shamano products the last time I looked.

[Irish Jigger]

I did buy a Torium 20 from them when they had them on special offer earlier this year. Had a friend pick it up from Charkbait and ship it to me.  I believe they were selling this batch off cheap as it was not their policy to stock Shimano products.

[broadway]

Happened to me with the 4:1 and 5:1 newell gears last year, also.  I've had good luck otherwise.  It would be nice if they said whether it is or isn't out of stock.
Dom

[merkelck]

I have always had good luck with Charkbait, both online and at both of their retail stores (Huntington Beach and San Diego).  Living in Hawaii, I also have to deal with shipping charges that can be quite high, but Mark keeps things reasonable. 

[dobrobill]

I know this post is old but I too would like to say a few unkind words about Charkbait. I ordered some items from them and recieved an email that items were in stock and going to shipping.  Several days later I get another email stating a few items were on back order. They had charged my card so I told them to get them and send them on but go ahead and send the rest.  Next day email arrives all items being shipped. Shipped? The package sat for two days before getting on board a ups truck. That was bad enough but being a sucker I decided to try again. This time a Avet reel in a lefty. Same thing backordered. Again they charged my card so it makes me feel I can't cancel. I call them they state the reason the card is charged is that is is a special order. I say okay but go back to their site and look again. No mention of Avet leftys being a special order. Their site only states they have the largest selection of lefty Avets.  I call back ask for an explaination. "Oh this is so you get the one coming in tomorrow and someone else doesn't get it". Bull.......   Needless to say it was not shipped the next day. I know it is going to take for ever to get my money returned but tomorrow I will call and cancel. I will get it from T.... NJ or from Avet, but Charkbait is well done and over due in my book. More to this saga; Short version; Owner makes contact - Your order was delayed in shipping, unfortunately. We were out of the lefty single speed MXL at the time of order, we placed an order with Avet on the date of your order and should have received product for you on 1/4. We were shipped the wrong item, another 2 speed lefty... We have spoken to Avet, they are sending another lefty to us today. We will upgrade your shipping with UPS at our expense. As a result, your order will arrive to you on Thursday of next week - which would have been the expected delivery date had things not been delayed with Avet. I apologize for this delay, but we are taking responsibility, and covering the expense of expedited delivery. Please have patience with the folks at Avet, they were working off several large purchase orders from us, restocking after Christmas, and they simply made a mistake in filling one of our orders. We will spool the reel immediately upon receipt with the line you requested and ship your reel 3 day express with UPS. A tracking notice will be sent to you Monday evening.  NEXT CAME - I have two other errors to apologize for. Your reel was shipped out to you on Tuesday, it's on it's way to you. My shipping manager typed in an incorrect email address for you, which is why you did not receive your tracking notification, and why I did not note that the shipment had occurred in my earlier note to you. Florida  is a 5 day destination for UPS ground, the reel is scheduled to be delivered on Monday.---  I told him he has a mess on his hands which he said no too. There was much more and most of it hard to believe or take.  He would consider this no harm no foul, but I won't try it again.   All of this is just laughable.  Today the reel arrived, yea.  Now the bad, it was not the one I ordered and it did not come with the glove. Mark said he will have me another in two days.  He is trying hard but he says he can't believe this happening either. Second reel arrived, it looks like I have a reel. I bid Charkbait ado and fairwell.