3/5

posted Oct-14-2010

I like a lot about Sweetwater, and I may even use them again. My problems are not as bad as other reviewers', but there is a similar root: Quantity of customer service does not equal quality. And there are a LOT of stores for musicians.

SW confirms order info via e-mail, which is not secure of course. Unfortunately they are among the fewer and fewer retailers who echo the greatest amount of credit-card data, including expiration date. This is not necessary or desirable.

Worse, when I helpfully suggest they reconsider that for the future, they do not even believe it happens. Certainly I am not going to e-mail BACK a copy of the excess info, which I don't want e-mailed at all. And they are too lazy or defensive just to check the system at their end. Whether or not they ever do change their e-mail order confirmations.

Perhaps their President's lavish pretense about customers is sincere, but I'm not sure about trusting any significant business to such first-level customer-"service" people, or their intermediate managers.

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4/5

posted Oct-14-2010

I like the inventory and prices at Surplus Shed, and may well order from them again. However I will have to be feeling lucky then, about the security of my personal information, and NOT needing any contact with their customer service people.

SS confirms web order info via e-mail, which is not secure of course. Unfortunately they are among the fewer and fewer retailers who echo the greatest amount of credit-card data, including expiration date. This is not necessary or desirable. And even if there's no immediate harm, it indicates a lax attitude toward confidentiality.

Worse, when I helpfully suggest they reconsider that for the future, they do not even believe it happens. Certainly I am not going to e-mail BACK a copy of the excess info, which I don't want e-mailed at all. And they are too lazy or defensive just to check the system at their end. Whether or not they ever do change their e-mail order confirmations.

SS is noted for its large selection of optical lenses. One can search by lens type, diameter, focal length, and shows whether coated.

However beyond that, probably because lenses may be surplus, there is not much info. And as you would gather from their "surplus" name, their inventory may vary from time to time.

In particular some lenses may not pass light across their entire physical diameter. A lens may be partly etched and/or painted black, because the specified optical properties do not apply across the whole diameter. I know little about optics, so perhaps this is obvious to other people. E.g. a negative meniscus, 14mm diam, -10mm focal.

Such paint varies in its ability to be removed easily, for certain peculiar applications if desired. Try acetone. Cheers.

This review was modified by Memento2 on October 29 2010 04:22:21 PM

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5/5

posted Oct-10-2010

Fine, as advertised. My initial purchase was through Amazon, but I'll try them again directly in the future. Apparently this vendor shares some systems with other music stores, but perhaps that is just their common Amazon backbone.

The package included a shipping list, but that did not show the prices and total cost, which would have been useful.

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5/5

posted Oct-10-2010

Fine, as advertised. My initial purchase was through Amazon, but I'll try them again directly in the future. Apparently this vendor shares some systems with other music stores, but perhaps that is just their common Amazon backbone.

The package included a shipping list, but that did not show the prices and total cost, which would have been useful.

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5/5

posted Oct-10-2010

Fine, as advertised, for the "Handyman" version of their signature regulated 9V LED Safe-Light/ PALight flashlights.

This has a fairly "floody" beam, c. 12" diameter at 12" distance, with only a little hotspot, and somewhat bluish tinge. A few lumens on low, and maybe c. 20 lumens on high.

The PALights are heavy and clunky/bulky compared to competing 9V Pak-lites, but that's the price of their being much more durable.

An advantage of any regulated flashlight is that you may end up with free batteries for life, just for that flashlight! You have to accumulate old batteries from non-regulated devices such as smoke detectors or remote controls, and then the regulated device uses the last dregs from those batteries.

This review was modified by Memento2 on October 10 2010 12:23:56 PM

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4/5

posted Oct-05-2010

Basically as represented. Prices are ok, with some bargains. From "Overstock" one should gather that the inventory is not the very freshest. And in particular, note their warning about items with great prices marked as "Clearance".

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5/5

posted Sep-25-2010

Fine, as advertised. Good prices vs. Amazon. No paper invoice included with the shipment, and I'd prefer one personally, but that's a minor point.

One also might arrive at www.nalgene-outdoor.com from higher-level corporate web sites www.thermofisher.com or www.nalgenunc.com, but of course there is no neeed to go through those.

This review was modified by Memento2 on October 13 2010 12:41:43 PM

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5/5

posted Sep-24-2010

Everything fine, as advertized. They e-mail'ed me a confirmation, but not the tracking number later. The shipment arrived earlier than I expected it anyway, so I didn't have to bother contacting them about that.

This review was modified by Memento2 on September 24 2010 02:14:51 PM

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5/5

posted Sep-12-2010

Fine -- everything as advertised. An electronics item shipped only single-boxed, but this is fairly common.

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5/5

posted Mar-26-2010

All fine, as advertised. My first order was through Amazon, but I'll use their own web site directly in the future. They do their order fulfillment and billing though efilliate, inc.

This review was modified by Memento2 on March 26 2010 01:25:27 PM

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5/5

posted Jan-26-2010

Fine, as advertised. They have some "pop-up" greeting cards, which my relatives seem to enjoy.

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5/5

posted Jan-21-2010

Fine, as advertised. Minor observations: Their checkout is a little clunky, saying that they took Amex, but then they didn't. And rejecting my Visa card one time, before accepting it. Prices average.

But they are one of the few U.S. dealers for Sparklan products, who make a good VoIP one-piece wifi ATA! Cheers.

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5/5

posted Nov-19-2009

Fine, as advertised. You may have come across them as sellers of products for food service or facilities maintenance, etc. I was pleased to see a good price on a hard-to-find item: Dial Unscented Aerosol Antiperspirant.

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5/5

posted Nov-19-2009

Fine, as advertised. The gift shop had some discount prices on stationery. Their invoice and presumably shipping was through MainGate Distribution Center.

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5/5

posted Nov-19-2009

Fine, as advertised. Besides cables, you may have come across them also as sellers of some electrical supplies, at a good price.

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