I just want to give some credit where it's due due to a retailer. I have no connection with them apart form being a very satisfied customer.
Niwaki.com supplies pruning, gardening and woodworking hand tools (as well as a few other things) sourced from Japan. I'm no expert but I like Japanese hand tools - quality and simplicity combined. Anyway, I recently had to contact them about a problem with a folding pruning saw which I had bought from them over a year ago. The business owner, Jake, said that he hadn't come across the problem before and the only solution he could offer was that they replace the saw and hope the new one performs better. Within two days of contacting them, a new saw had arrived in the post, no questions asked, along with a prepaid posting label to return my old one.
I am seriously impressed with customer service like that! It's the exact opposite of an experience I've had concerning a pair of shoes bought for my son - shoes made by a very well know and fashionable brand. Even getting them to acknowledge that there is a fault has been like pulling teeth!
Niwaki.com sell a lot of quality tools, some quite specialised and some very expensive. However they also sell ranges of very affordable tools. I have definitely not been a big spender with them but that has made no difference to them.
Jake and his team have pride and confidence in what they sell and put customer service at the top of their priorities. I'm sure it's possible to buy some of the same tools for a bit less, maybe on one of the giant online super-sites, but I doubt you'll get better customer service than I have had from Niwaki.com. They are knowledgeable and make shopping online feel as close to shopping locally as you can get. I can't praise them highly enough and won't be going anywhere else for the hand tools I need, assuming they have them available.
Anyone else got any good news stories of suppliers?
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Well if proof be needed of the value of good Customer service - I immediately went to the website and have now bookmarked. I have seen a whole heap of items I yearn to handle in a Doris Day kind of way - especially the "Crean Mate" ( Japlish for Clean Mate ) - the secs look so elegant,functional and almost artistic - definitely objects of desire. Well spotted ( I have a book on Niwaki too,something I'm keen on as it happens)
It can get a bit like that! My secateurs from there are great - simple, hold an edge and easy to sharpen when it's needed. I can imagine the looks I'd get from some folk if I turned up with a golden spade though :)
I'm pretty sure my cordless drill is the only thing I've ever bought from Screwfix. Never had any bother with it though...touch wood!
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Always good to hear of good customer service; a rare thing these days in my opinion.