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Negative Blade HQ Experience

Dknight16

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Mar 25, 2013
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Decide where you want to spend your money.

I placed an Internet order for a Hinderer XM-18 Harpoon Spanto in the stonewashed DLC finish. I paid extra for UPS 2 day air shipping. Unfortunately, my shipment was immediately lost. After 5 days I contacted UPS. UPS said they could not investigate as they never took custody of the knife. Their advice was to contact the shipper: Blade HQ.

So I called them. Customer service person B told me they have a 7 day policy before they consider a package lost. I said ok. I waited 8 days and called them again. Customer service person B was a little impatient as I tried to tell my story again. He was only interested in my order & tracking number. Ok. When he called it up, he said UPS had just updated my shipping status. That made no sense to me. I still saw nothing other than a shipping label being created. I realized he was looking at the page date and time his tracking inquiry was processed. Literally seconds ago. I tried to explain that to him. He said, no, that was just my opinion and I would need to wait another 7 days. I again insisted there was no update and if he refreshed the page he would see he was mistaken. Instead, he asked me if I would “stop talking” so he could investigate on his end. Then he placed me on hold.

But he didn’t place me on hold. So I was treated to listening to him complain to another Blade HQ employee about me, the loudmouth know-it-all he had on the phone line. He said I wouldn’t listen, was only interested in constantly giving my “opinion”, and would not stop talking. Just “blah, blah, blah” (his actual words). Then he started bad-mouthing Hinderer Knives: too many models, variation, and parts - and that there were plenty of better knives for a lot less money. Once he realized they did not have a replacement knife for me, he started talking about ways to avoid giving me a refund by redirecting me to something else.

When he turned his attention back to me I didn’t say anything about hearing all of the venom he spewed. I was more interested in getting my considerable money back (although I did mention I owned 14 Hinderers - some purchased from Blade HQ). After the refund hit my card 3 days later I sent an email to the Blade HQ manager relaying my negative experience. Sadly, no response at all.

I’m an experienced knife guy enjoying the golden age of EDC folders. I’ve spent more than $7,500 at Blade HQ over the last 7 years. But I think I am done with Blade HQ as there are dealers who treat their customers (and knife makers) with some modicum of respect. Actually a lot more. USA Made Blade, DLT Trading, and Knife Center come to mind.

Next stop is likely a talk with the Hinderer Facebook Group. They too should consider where they spend their money. Rick might be interested too.
 
I’ve bought many knives from Blade HQ and never had a issue but never had a lost knife and had to deal with CS. At least they gave you credit but totally understand how feel about the conversation you over heard when not really being on hold . Totally unacceptable imo even though they didn’t know you were listening that’s a pretty poor attitude on there part .
I highly recommend DLT for future purchases . I’ve purchased many knives from them and they have some of the best CS you will ever experience . A bunch of knife guys that actually love knives and care about there customers .
Some of the fastest consistent shipping I’ve ever experienced also .
 
My only complaint about them is the amount of time it takes them to get the package to the shipper.
Always seems slow which makes for a longer wait than most.
Never had any other issues though there are faster shippers out there that offer incentives as well. I believe one was already mentioned, I give them a lot of my business.
 
I have had to deal with their CS and that was the last time I will ever buy from them. The time between ordering and actually shipping is a joke and even then shipping is slow beyond words.

DLT has become my go to. They ship almost same day as when I order and the package normally takes 2 days to reach me.
 
I've not had bad experiences with BHQ but so far I think I've seen 4 threads in 2019, at least within the last year, about people being treated poorly by their CS team. I think one was more impatience than them being buttholes but this one is pretty bad. If I were you, I would shop elsewhere because there's other good places to shop and that would down-right piss me off.

@BladeHQ might need to have a chat with the CS team. We know you can't get it right every time but seems like you're getting into a bit of a funk, IMO.
 
I've had those "accidentally on purpose forgot to actually put me on hold and then trash talk me" type of CS interactions before although not with Blade HQ and that would be enough for me. This is why in the age of the internet you remind your employees to blow off steam after work, or at least after you know nobody is on the phone. $7500 worth of sales isn't chump change and now you won't be back, I hope you're listening, @BladeHQ
 
Maybe I'm just getting older, but customer service in general is a nonexistent feature of most monetary interactions. It's as if you're supposed to feel lucky for getting the opportunity to spend your money and that they are just tolerating you until they have your $$.
Like others, I stopped ordering from BladeHQ because they would sit on purchases for up to a week before shipping. This isn't a bid deal in the grand scheme, but compared to other vendors (who, in my experience, all ship same day or next) it is excessive. Perhaps the disgruntled employees should get other jobs.
 
Maybe I'm just getting older, but customer service in general is a nonexistent feature of most monetary interactions. It's as if you're supposed to feel lucky for getting the opportunity to spend your money and that they are just tolerating you until they have your $$.
Like others, I stopped ordering from BladeHQ because they would sit on purchases for up to a week before shipping. This isn't a bid deal in the grand scheme, but compared to other vendors (who, in my experience, all ship same day or next) it is excessive. Perhaps the disgruntled employees should get other jobs.

In general, this has not been my experience anywhere I have dealt with. I find most places are very helpful when help is actually needed, which is what makes the OP's interaction seem so much more ridiculous.

I still buy from BHQ because the wait doesn't really bother me and I've not had a bad experience with them but seeing other people's bad experience means that I try to find my stuff elsewhere first. Or, at a minimum look a few other places before buying instead of just going to BHQ and being done with it. I probably shop BHQ more because of their pleasant search features but I still see if I can find it elsewhere before actually buying it.

I tend to buy a lot of my stuff off of the BF exchange where customer service seems quite nice because we're a good group, in general.
 
In general, this has not been my experience anywhere I have dealt with. I find most places are very helpful when help is actually needed, which is what makes the OP's interaction seem so much more ridiculous.

I still buy from BHQ because the wait doesn't really bother me and I've not had a bad experience with them but seeing other people's bad experience means that I try to find my stuff elsewhere first. Or, at a minimum look a few other places before buying instead of just going to BHQ and being done with it. I probably shop BHQ more because of their pleasant search features but I still see if I can find it elsewhere before actually buying it.

I tend to buy a lot of my stuff off of the BF exchange where customer service seems quite nice because we're a good group, in general.

Welp, there ya go. Glad things are generally going well in your nape of the neck.

Bladeforums certainly is exceptional in this regard, in general.

Of course, this is all generally speaking.
 
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But I think I am done with Blade HQ as there are dealers who treat their customers (and knife makers) with some modicum of respect.
I too have purchased from them but have not dealt with CS. They will move toward the bottom of my purchase list if they do not respond to this. :thumbsdown:
 
Maybe I'm just getting older, but customer service in general is a nonexistent feature of most monetary interactions. It's as if you're supposed to feel lucky for getting the opportunity to spend your money and that they are just tolerating you until they have your $$.
Like others, I stopped ordering from BladeHQ because they would sit on purchases for up to a week before shipping. This isn't a bid deal in the grand scheme, but compared to other vendors (who, in my experience, all ship same day or next) it is excessive. Perhaps the disgruntled employees should get other jobs.
I have had some very good CS experiences with DLT. The person on the other end was always polite and easy to talk to.
 
I have had some very good CS experiences with DLT. The person on the other end was always polite and easy to talk to.

Them, USAMadeBlades, and KSF have been the best in terms of customer service for me. I've not had a problem with KnifeCenter, Blade HQ, or GPK, although as others have mentioned, Blade HQ has slow shipping. Some of that is because they're located in one tiny dot of Utah that on the USPS zone shipping map is like an extra day to everywhere.
 
I will order from other places before I consider bhq. Talking with people who have problems with their order seemly easy but can be very hard mentally. Need to have a certain mindset to do that and be happy and polite to everyone for probably some of the lowest pay. It seems to be a industry trend of having revolving door employees to handle these jobs and whoever you spoke to probably on the way out. Their shipping would annoy me too. Having dealt with bad cs for past 20 years Im not overly rude but I wouldn't want to talk to me. I expect things to be made completely right but most companies just focus on the easy / cheapest way out that's acceptable to the customer. Every customer is different and seems like they get the lowest care to test the water before they invest more in fixing a problem.
 
I bought a knife from them and it arrived with a non existent detent and was extremely gritty so I called them to explain and that I wanted to return the item.
I was told that I could get a refund but that if it ever happened again I would be charged a restocking fee.

I’ve never returned a knife from them before and will never again... buy from them.
 
DLT also for me super quick shipping... Customer service is a thing of the past..there is none anymore..
 
DLT also for me super quick shipping... Customer service is a thing of the past..there is none anymore..
Not to beat a dead horse but DLT will spend as much time with you on the phone as needed to resolve an issue or just talk knives with you . It feels like your talking to a friend or buddy vs a business. So customer service is definitely not a thing of the past with them . I know you were just generally speaking but just thought I’d throw it out there :thumbsup:
 
I've bought from bhq probably dozen times over the years. Never had any problems, and shipped fast. But mostly bought stuff they had on super sales like cold steels in bulk and since cold steel has decided to go MAP pricing doubt will be seeing any good sales on cs anymore at bhq.

I mostly buy from knife works anyways.
 
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