Glassware Audio took my money and hasn't shipped the product.

[bullitt5094]

I placed an order with Glassware on Jan 2nd for an input selector switch. I received a confirmation that it would ship from stock and I even received a USPS tracking number confirmation. But the status still shows USPS never getting the package. Since then I've sent multiple emails to a couple of different addresses for glassware with no response. I see no phone number for them.


Is this SOP for these folks? I see enough on these forums to think that at least at one time the were a legit business. Maybe someone has a phone number for them? I'm about to submit a PayPal complaint. I don't think they want that anymore than I want to go through the process. Any information would be greatly appreciated! All I want is my order filled.

 

[nigelwright7557]

have you tried this page ?
Printed Circuit Boards and Kits

 

[bullitt5094]

Yes I have. That page includes one of three email addresses I've attempted including the confirming email that had this address... "send me an e-mail at [email protected]".
Crickets... I can't find a phone number anywhere. I really enjoy many hobbies but some reason the Audio hobby seems plagued with too many unprofessional boutique vendors. I really thought Glassware had a good reputation and I'm surprised by this encounter with them. Or "him" since I'm betting it's a one man band.

 

[wiseoldtech]

As a rule, I don't do business with anyone that doesn't have a phone number, and a staff of people who must answer those phones.
Because if you don't have such "customer service' in place, you won't be getting my business... period.



These vapid, purposely distant companies with their "website only" types of doing business are not one bit attractive.


You live, and you learn.

 

[JeffYoung]

His Tube CAD Journal is an absolute gold-mine of information.

(I do note that he says there to begin the email subject line with "Tube" since he receives so much spam....)

 

[billshurv]

These vapid, purposely distant companies with their "website only" types of doing business are not one bit attractive.

John Broskie is one of the good guys in the DIY scene. Of course you don't believe in doing research before posting your 'wise' opinion...

 

[nigelwright7557]

John Broskie is one of the good guys in the DIY scene. Of course you don't believe in doing research before posting your 'wise' opinion...

I have made some daft purchases in the past from cheap Chinese websites who sent stuff that never arrived, arrived broken or didn't last very long.
You some how have to work out which are the best and worst businesses to buy from.

 

[billshurv]

Just search on here and you will find a lot of happy customers of Glassware audio. I am sure there is a good reason for the error here and it will get sorted. It's only 2 weeks from order after all.

 

[cbdb]

Are you sure the courier didnt loose it or someone scooped it from your front steps?

 

[Tubelab_com]

I don't do business with anyone that doesn't have a phone number, and a staff of people who must answer those phones.

If you are selling maybe a hundred or two PC boards a year for $25 to $40 each and making $10 to $20 on each one, you are going to pay that staff of people, how? The HiFi tube audio business is a small niche market that has been slowly declining every year. This is especially true from the engineering and development perspective that Broskie and I pursue.

Broskie had been in this business longer than I have (15 years) and I have personally bought his boards and software. There is likely a valid reason for the disappearing act.

I do my best to answer email and ship product from wherever I am when travelling, but if I disappear for a few days, it's usually because Comcast is down again and there is no cell phone (my backup) coverage here when the weather is bad.

 

[jjasniew]

You did say USPS?

Recently my wife sold some flower bulbs on ebay. We printed the USPS label, afixed it to the package in an ordinary way - and dropped it into a post box with a 3:00 pm daily pickup.

Gone. Tracking never even registered in the system. Stopped by a post office, had a chat and they said they'd look into it and get back to us. Never did.

2nd try; this time we went to one of those shipping stores and handed the prepaid USPS package to a person. Shipment went through to the buyer -

Perhaps something similar happened to your transaction and it's not Glassware's fault, but the fault of the US post office. May be.

 

[Tubelab_com]

You did say USPS?

I always take my boards directly to the local post office, or to a real USPS in whatever city I happen to be in. In rare cases I will hand them directly to our mail girl. That reduces the disappearing packages. If the pack and post place accidentally gives your USPS box to the brown truck, it may get trashed, delayed or held for a delivery fee. It goes the other way too the USPS WILL hold a UPS or Fedex box for postage ransom.

I have shipped my PC boards via USPS for 15 years. I have had ONE eaten by a machine, last year which was reimbursed by USPS, and one or two a year lost in the mail in a foreign country, often where tracking is not available. Sometimes this is fraud by the recipient since they know that Paypal will refund them.

I had ONE board sent to a US address just a few states away where it was scanned at the local post office, then never seen again. The buyer inquired about his missing board after about 10 days, so I asked the USPS to look for it, and told the buyer that I would send him a replacement board if he did not receive it in two weeks.

A day or two later I got an email from the buyer that he got his board......2 to 3 day Priority mail took 13 days, and then showed up on the USPS tracking site as "delivered." I received monthly reminders for a YEAR from the USPS telling me that they were still looking for my package, but couldn't find it...….UH, try running the tracking number through your own system....it was delivered!

I have also seen several long delays in Priority mail packages, that involved Los Angeles or Chicago. These seem to be black holes where mail checks in and stays for a while before eventually being delivered......sometimes for a week or two around Christmas time. Then there was the board that went to Canada and back to the US then back to Canada 5 times on 5 consecutive work days until it finally got delivered...…..

 

[wiseoldtech]

John Broskie is one of the good guys in the DIY scene. Of course you don't believe in doing research before posting your 'wise' opinion...

Trust me, I've done plenty of "research" over the decades.
Being a professional servicer, in the business for decades, not really a DIY'er, I have customers to deal with, a substantially different thing.

So I've gathered enough dealers/resources for my needs and requirements.

 

[AllenB]

John doesn't fit that category, there must be something wrong.

 

[Boydk]

+1
I´ve had nothing but the best experience with John Broskie over the years.
Many years ago I wanted to by the PH-1, but it was out of stock, and John wasn´t sure, if he wanted to revive it.
About 2 years later, out of the blue I got an e-mail from him telling me, that it now was back in stock, and since I´ve been wanting it for so long, he gave me a "special offer".
Shows to me, that he really keeps up with his customers.
As for being an "one man band", there´s the possibility of accidents, sickness and every bad thing, you can think of.
Give him the benefits of the doubt, and see if the problem won´t solve itself in the near future

 

[Mr_Zenith]

I've also had nothing but positive experiences with Mr. Broskie. I seriously doubt there's anything but an honest foul-up somewhere along the line.

 

[tobydog]

https://www.manta.com/d/mkhxkby/glassware
?

 

[bullitt5094]

If there is a good reason, it isn't being communicated. I went back to PayPal and they sent a request for communication to John Broskie on my behalf. No answer. PP is now trying to contact him directly. All I want is my selector switch. When I call the number in the post above, I get a woman's voice who only repeats the phone number and asks you to leave a message. No mention of GlassWare. I did leave a detailed message so hopefully I'll get a response. I'm not trying to be a bad guy here. I was hoping for help from the DIY group and I also wanted the community to know there is at least currently a problem with this vendor.

 

[nigelwright7557]

If you are selling maybe a hundred or two PC boards a year for $25 to $40 each and making $10 to $20 on each one, you are going to pay that staff of people, how?

I sell a couple of things on ebay and struggle keeping up sometimes.
It must be hard keeping up with loads of different items.

Just had a silent phone call.
Then an email from someone saying they had trouble getting in touch !
I had answered the phone.
Sometimes communication breaks down.

 

[bullitt5094]

I just received an order update from GW and then a USPS shipment tag generation notice. So something worked. But still no "hey, sorry" note or any reason given for the problems. But again, all I want is what I paid for in the time promised from a vendor. If there is a problem, let the customer know! We are all pretty reasonable folks out here.