I don't want to make this a really huge write up or be one of those people that posts pages of email transcripts but I wanted to share my recent experience with Anvil Arms. I frequently praise and recommend vendors who have served me well and I feel like Anvil Arms has joined the ranks of my other couple bad experiences with vendors.
Some time ago I ordered 3 stripped lower receivers from anvil arms, one with an engraving. The engraving was to be text and provided in the PDF format they asked for exported from Illustrator CS2. During the early part of the order process things were some small hitches but nothing I couldn't overlook. They lost the emailed in copy of my FFL the first time, I believe I nearly got my receiver without engraving as well but saved myself that hassle by reminding them of it. John at AA seems like a busy guy and I can understand being swamped and there being some confusion. I'll take a little to help the little guy out.
The receivers came in and they look good, finish and machining. I have no complaints there. My real problem was that the engraving was not the font I had selected but a different font. I emailed about it and feel as though I was given the run around being told they've been doing a lot of engraving, they can't find the PDF file, when I sent it again it wouldn't open, etc. He made it clear that he believed the work was close enough and that I should be fine with it. I don't think thats any more reasonable to hear from him than a tattoo artist.
John did offer to replace my receiver but I asked if he could just give me a little refund. I asked if he would give me a partial refund since I didn't care to pay another $30 transfer fee for a new receiver and the hassle of going back and forth to my FFL with the illinois waiting period. I asked him what he thought was fair and suggested that I thought it would be nice if he just picked up the shipping and credit card fees on the order, $24.45.
His reply indicated he felt that was excessive because the font wasn't "exactly correct." We exchanged a few emails where he told me that he didn't think he should have to take a loss because 25% off a receiver would be below his costs. I reminded him that I bought 3 receivers, not 1 and that either way I think part of doing business is that sometimes you might take a small loss when you screw up. That small loss now might mean the customer will buy again and tell his friends to buy again.
Eventually we agreed that our emails might have become a bit gruff toward the other. He said to send him my credit card info and he'd give me some refund, no problem. I sent him my information and said to send whatever he felt was appropriate. That was April 22. He responded and said he needed my security code and billing address again too. I sent those on April 24. I emailed him May 5th and said I still hadn't seen anything.
He told me he never got it and to mail him my mailing address and he'd cut me a check. I did on May 7th and he replied on May 8th that he received my address. Since then I've received nothing. I emailed him again on May 23rd and June 3rd telling him such and have received no such responses.
Take from this story what you will. I think the anvil arms receiver is a fine product, however my experience with their engraving and customer service makes me strongly advise people to shop elsewhere. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and say its a small shop with an overworked guy trying his best but I feel as though I've been lied to and they have no interest in customer service. All I really look for is for someone to say "sorry, we screwed up, here's a little something just to thank you for your business because you're a valued customer." Even saying nothing is better than outright lying though.
Along these same lines I'd like to recommend Aim Surplus. I've bought a ton of things from them over the years and have always received fantastic customer service from them. If they make a mistake they are eager and happy to make it right. They're selling stripped ar15 lower receivers for $80 and don't charge a credit card surcharge. I sure wish I could go back and do it all over again, save $70 on my order at AIM and find someone else to do the engraving with the spare money.
Our own member ceetee here at THR reports roughly the same experience with anvil arm's "winging" it with their own art file instead of using the one provided to them and them not feeling like they had to make it right on their dime.
Some time ago I ordered 3 stripped lower receivers from anvil arms, one with an engraving. The engraving was to be text and provided in the PDF format they asked for exported from Illustrator CS2. During the early part of the order process things were some small hitches but nothing I couldn't overlook. They lost the emailed in copy of my FFL the first time, I believe I nearly got my receiver without engraving as well but saved myself that hassle by reminding them of it. John at AA seems like a busy guy and I can understand being swamped and there being some confusion. I'll take a little to help the little guy out.
The receivers came in and they look good, finish and machining. I have no complaints there. My real problem was that the engraving was not the font I had selected but a different font. I emailed about it and feel as though I was given the run around being told they've been doing a lot of engraving, they can't find the PDF file, when I sent it again it wouldn't open, etc. He made it clear that he believed the work was close enough and that I should be fine with it. I don't think thats any more reasonable to hear from him than a tattoo artist.
John did offer to replace my receiver but I asked if he could just give me a little refund. I asked if he would give me a partial refund since I didn't care to pay another $30 transfer fee for a new receiver and the hassle of going back and forth to my FFL with the illinois waiting period. I asked him what he thought was fair and suggested that I thought it would be nice if he just picked up the shipping and credit card fees on the order, $24.45.
His reply indicated he felt that was excessive because the font wasn't "exactly correct." We exchanged a few emails where he told me that he didn't think he should have to take a loss because 25% off a receiver would be below his costs. I reminded him that I bought 3 receivers, not 1 and that either way I think part of doing business is that sometimes you might take a small loss when you screw up. That small loss now might mean the customer will buy again and tell his friends to buy again.
Eventually we agreed that our emails might have become a bit gruff toward the other. He said to send him my credit card info and he'd give me some refund, no problem. I sent him my information and said to send whatever he felt was appropriate. That was April 22. He responded and said he needed my security code and billing address again too. I sent those on April 24. I emailed him May 5th and said I still hadn't seen anything.
He told me he never got it and to mail him my mailing address and he'd cut me a check. I did on May 7th and he replied on May 8th that he received my address. Since then I've received nothing. I emailed him again on May 23rd and June 3rd telling him such and have received no such responses.
Take from this story what you will. I think the anvil arms receiver is a fine product, however my experience with their engraving and customer service makes me strongly advise people to shop elsewhere. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and say its a small shop with an overworked guy trying his best but I feel as though I've been lied to and they have no interest in customer service. All I really look for is for someone to say "sorry, we screwed up, here's a little something just to thank you for your business because you're a valued customer." Even saying nothing is better than outright lying though.
Along these same lines I'd like to recommend Aim Surplus. I've bought a ton of things from them over the years and have always received fantastic customer service from them. If they make a mistake they are eager and happy to make it right. They're selling stripped ar15 lower receivers for $80 and don't charge a credit card surcharge. I sure wish I could go back and do it all over again, save $70 on my order at AIM and find someone else to do the engraving with the spare money.
Our own member ceetee here at THR reports roughly the same experience with anvil arm's "winging" it with their own art file instead of using the one provided to them and them not feeling like they had to make it right on their dime.
