All Star Rod service SUCKS!

[Redlinerobert]

I hear you ReelMech,

However I in no way made it as a taunt.  I suppose she could have taken it that way and simply ran with it.  

[jdw174]

At one time some years back, I was doing some "repping" for AllStar in western Pa.  I purchased several rods that I still use today...with one exception.  I snapped a Stanley Jig SJ2 model clean in half on a hookset.  Now this was in the days when they were SUPPOSED to have a good warranty one them.  When i called the company I was told that they'd replace it for $50! >   The only one I'd consider replacing with another is my Zell Rowland TWS.  One of the best rods I've ever used for topwater and small cb's.

[FishTank]

I too had a bad time with All Star rods' service.  I had a rod break when I was reeling a fish in last year, I tried to reach their customer service and all I got was a run around.  I sent the warranty card in and even had my receipt.  The rod was less than one year old when this happend.  As luck would have it, the store where I purchased it took it back and gave me a full refund.  No harm done.

The rod did work well all season long.  

This was the first rod I ever tried to exchange via a warranty.  I had heard how good their customer service was over the years but based on my experience I will probably not buy from them again.

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

I love their rods but I agree their service sucks.

[hi_steel_basser]

Myself, the only Shakespeare product I havent had a problem with is the ugly stick.  My Team All Star flippin rod lost guide liners in the middle of a row of docks during a club tourney on Logan Martin, and the only Pflueger reel I will ever own threw its gears out the first time I relly tried to fish with it. That reel was and will remain the last Shakespeare product that I ever buy, and if I can talk others out of their junk, I will. My mind cannot be changed on this. They are the worst fishing product on the market.  > > >

[Redlinerobert]

You can have the BEST rods or product in the business.  If you have poor customer service, word will get around and your business will SUFFER because of it.  If you can't keep your current clients happy, bad rep will eventually be the demise of your business.

I feel badly for All Star, I am obviously not the only one that has had negative dealings with them.  

[HomersTomaco]

its a shame that shakespeare as a big company is like this.  All star used to make good stuff, but I doubt I will ever buy anything with there name on it again because I can get comperable stuff with good support and warranties.  I don't like anything this company deals with, all they do is make stuff cheap and crap, like ugly stick, pflueger, and now all star.

[Guest avid]

Allstar schmallstar

There are way too many good rod companies that sell quality rods in the Allstar price range who know how to treat customers.

I would dump them faster than yesterdays newspaper.

As for GLoomis rods breaking on the hookset, this is the famous " I can't tell them that I closed the car door on my rod so I'll tell them this instead"   Of course I'm sure that it has happened, but my response to that would be, "set the drag dummy"

Anyway, Loomis can be criticized for not having "cutting edge" design, like split grips.

But you'll never win the argument that they don't build quality rods.

And as for C.S.???    FUGGEDABOUDIT

[flechero]

I don't like anything this company deals with, all they do is make stuff cheap and crap

That's just not true... I guess you think fuji guides and reel seats suck also?

To everyone: there have been 4 people who had bad experiences with All Star post... out of over 7000, if anyone believes this to be a widespread problem, I would like to live in your sheltered world!! Especially when a couple of the complaints are from abuse or guide inserts falling out (which usually takes a good smack or stepping on). ...lol And no one actually claimed that the warranty period was still in effect, except redlinerobert.  And I hope his is resolved quickly.

If you are only concerned with a warranty, why would you buy a rod without a lifetime warranty? It makes no sense... you spend under $100 and then cry and whine that you don't get G. Loomis type service. The funny thing is that we have had threads that bashed Loomis and St.Croix customer service in the past as well. So like those, I will dismiss this one since the current tally is that .00057% (4 of 7000) of the membership now thinks (and not even all 4 complaints are legitimate, IMO) that All Star's customer service sucks.

Lets all grow up and accept our own actions. If you bought a rod with a timed warranty and you break it through abuse after the time expires, don't cry about a replacement, open you wallet and shell out a few bucks. If I have offended you with this post, buy something with a better warranty and quit crying.   ;D

[Bud]

       Myself, the only Shakespeare product I havent had a problem with is the ugly stick.  My Team All Star flippin rod lost guide liners in the middle of a row of docks during a club tourney on Logan Martin, and the only Pflueger reel I will ever own threw its gears out the first time I relly tried to fish with it. That reel was and will remain the last Shakespeare product that I ever buy, and if I can talk others out of their junk, I will. My mind cannot be changed on this. They are the worst fishing product on the market.                    

         its a shame that shakespeare as a big company is like this.  All star used to make good stuff, but I doubt I will ever buy anything with there name on it again because I can get comperable stuff with good support and warranties.  I don't like anything this company deals with, all they do is make stuff cheap and crap, like ugly stick, pflueger, and now all star          

THis is a little off topic but it looks to me like we have a few new members  to the Loomis & SHIMANO club

[Guest DavidGreen]

Happy Holidays!

flechero,

Well said......

Quote from Tom Kirkman...

I'm not sure that a no questions asked replacement policy means anything more than that you're dealing with a rod that isn't very expensive to build, has had the price jacked up to include several free replacements, or employs a design that makes the rod very durable at the cost of being far less efficient.

Most all the rod companies have very good warranties if you're dealing with actual defects. When companies start offering to replace any rod due to any breakage - watch out. There is no free lunch - such a warranty comes at some price, either in cost, design or performance.

Tight Lines!!!  

[roadwarrior]

In my mind, "value" is determined by the "total package." There are several manufactures that build quality rods, I fish rods from four different companies and I respect the opinions of our members that sing the praises of other brands that they fish. Regardless of the specific legal warranty statements, several companies "effectively" have similar programs. Yet, one company stands above the rest and that company is G. Loomis.

The Loomis warranty is straight forward, user friendly and simple. For the all-in cost of $50, you receive immediate replacement, for any reason, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. You start off with a well designed and engineered piece of equipment incorporating high quality, time tested components. The rods perform through the years as well as they did when they were new. If you encounter a problem, you have a solution.

For me, it's all about customer service. G.Loomis has the best that I have every dealt with from any company manufacturing or selling any product. (Although I feel both Cabela's and BPS are close seconds.) For my money, this level of service makes the "total package" the "best value" in fishing equipment.

[flechero]

Thanks Reelmech!

Roadwarrior,

I also think Loomis has the best warranty... consider that the price of their rods have increased less than the rate of inflation over the past 10+ years, and before the expeditor was implemented.  SO they have either cut their profits to cover it or come up with efficiencies in manufacturing to free up dollars.... either way it's a WIN-WIN since we don't pay more and they obviously still make enough profit to continue.  

Long live G. Loomis!  ...lol

I still think All Star makes great rods... but I buy them for the rods, not the warranty.  

[dodgeguy]

I don't like anything this company deals with, all they do is make stuff cheap and crap

That's just not true... I guess you think fuji guides and reel seats suck also?

To everyone: there have been 4 people who had bad experiences with All Star post... out of over 7000, if anyone believes this to be a widespread problem, I would like to live in your sheltered world!! Especially when a couple of the complaints are from abuse or guide inserts falling out (which usually takes a good smack or stepping on). ...lol And no one actually claimed that the warranty period was still in effect, except redlinerobert. And I hope his is resolved quickly.

If you are only concerned with a warranty, why would you buy a rod without a lifetime warranty? It makes no sense... you spend under $100 and then cry and whine that you don't get G. Loomis type service. The funny thing is that we have had threads that bashed Loomis and St.Croix customer service in the past as well. So like those, I will dismiss this one since the current tally is that .00057% (4 of 7000) of the membership now thinks (and not even all 4 complaints are legitimate, IMO) that All Star's customer service sucks.

Lets all grow up and accept our own actions. If you bought a rod with a timed warranty and you break it through abuse after the time expires, don't cry about a replacement, open you wallet and shell out a few bucks. If I have offended you with this post, buy something with a better warranty and quit crying. ;D

AMEN TO THAT!!!

[Siebert Outdoors]

If you are only concerned with a warranty, why would you buy a rod without a lifetime warranty?  It makes no sense... you spend under $100 and then cry and whine that you don't get G. Loomis type service.     The funny thing is that we have had threads that bashed Loomis and St.Croix customer service in the past as well.  So like those, I will dismiss this one since the current tally is that .00057% (4 of 7000) of the membership now thinks (and not even all 4 complaints are legitimate, IMO) that All Star's customer service sucks.    

Lets all grow up and accept our own actions.  If you bought a rod with a timed warranty and you break it through abuse after the time expires, don't cry about a replacement, open you wallet and shell out a few bucks.  If I have offended you with this post, buy something with a better warranty and quit crying.

Great post Fletchero.  One of the best I have seen in a long time.  Stating the truth always hurts, but sometimes it needs to be done.    Goes back to the saying most of the time you get what you pay for.

and Roadwarriors post

For my money, this level of service makes the "total package" the "best value" in fishing equipment.

 You get a clap smilie for that too.

IMO I would rather pay an extra $100 at the time of the purchase then down the road buying another rod for 150 and so on.  Warranty and good CS makes my mind up most of the time

[Siebert Outdoors]

On a side note,  I will be the first to admit.  I have broke a total of 5 loomis rods I believe.  How many were their falt.  Maybe one.  The others I broke not paying attention.  Yes, I bucked up and paid for the repairs of each except 1.

[FishTank]

Not to stir the stuff but here is the link for the All Star warranty. Please read it for yourself.

http://www.allstarrods.com/rod_warranty.htm

Phone: (800) 347-3759

Email: service@allstarrods.com

I did like my rod from them but again the service was not what I had hoped. I bought their rod not for the warranty but to fish with. The warranty was a bonus, however useless. Just in case the rod I owned cracked near the reel seat while I was pulling in a large 20LB+ catfish. I explained what happened to an All Star CSR and he was just plain rude, defensive and hard to deal with :'( :'( :'(. If he had said sorry, your rod broke because of abuse that would have been OK. I would have been off to the tackle store to buy the exact rod again. But instead, he said I should have known better than to fish with that rod for catfish. (Tell that to the fish). He then said something about the warranty being more of a liability statement. At that point, I had enough. It was nothing but a waste of time. I was able to return the rod from where I purchased it and invest my money in a Loomis.

I do beleive that warranties on rods help inflate price. IMHO, warranties/service go hand in hand with reputation and a good reputation can be won or lost based on how a customer is treated (no matter what the circumstances).

[JT Bagwell]

I hope none of you guys are sponsored by All Star. I can not believe how RUDE they are. I called them to see what their warranty replacement service requires. They need proof of purchase for the rod. OK. So I call Bass Pro to get a record of my rod purchase. They unfortunately only go back one year with their records.

I put in another call to All Star. I finally get a lady on the phone, explain what happened to my rod, and she says the same thing, unless they have a receipt or warranty card, they can not do anything. GREAT! I did send in the the warranty card and ask her to research it. She comes back and tells me that she could not find it. I tell her I am confused, I know for a FACT that I sent it in.

At this point, I am a little confused. I mention to her that I know that I sent in the warranty card, and that I sent in two rods to G Loomis and in 3 days I had new rods back. She obviously didn't like that and told me "We aren't G Loomis". She then hung up on me!

Great customer service All Star....... >

Robert,

I am not going to jump in on the All Star vs. Loomis debate that appears to

be building here, but I will say that I have had nothing but positive results from

all of the All Star rods that I have owned. And believe me, I own and have

owned a lot of them from the various product lines. I have also never had a bad

experience with any employee from Shakespeare.

With that being said, send me a PM with all of your information (name, address, model #

that you broke, etc) and I will "attempt" to help you out. I know a few people there and

have worked with the company to increase brand/name recognition for close to 4 years now.

I will not promise anything more than me trying to help resolve the issue.

Take Care and don't give up on All Star rods simply because of

a single negative experience.

JT Bagwell

[Redlinerobert]

JT,

Thanks for the response.  I just don't understand why I have to go through so much grief to get a rod replaced DURING the warranty period.  From other posts I am not alone on this matter.  All I want is the rod replaced.  I'm not looking for anything else.  

I sent you a pm with my information.  Please feel free to call me at your convenience.

[castaway]

I couldn't figure why I never had a broken warranty rod. With the exception of a Castaway rod that was my fault, I never had one break before.It was my fault so I didn't send it in. They probably would send me a new one in return,but I can't ask them to do that, it was my fault.I realize I am a lucky person after all, even though I can't hit the lottery. No lottery winning= no new arsenal of Loomis rods & Shimano reels. :'( life is still good.I still get out and fish alot. Ivan

[Guest avid]

I was a call center supervisor for a number of years in the debt collection industry.

You can imagine how many irate calls we received on any given day.

Our reps were trained, and we enforced a policy that prohibited rudeness, raised voice, and under no circustances was anyone permitted to hang up on a person, unless they were ranting uncontrollably, refusing to accept our attempt to resolve the dispute, or became profane or otherwise unacceptably vulgar.  Even in the most extreme circustances the rep was required to inform the person that "I am going to end this call now Mr. Jones" or similar statement of intent to hang up.

The kind of treatment redline robert and others described is not acceptable.

If that happened to me, I too would never deal with that company again.

It's not like their the only game in town right?

[Redlinerobert]

Exactly Avid.  I was never rude, never raised my voice, just stated the facts about what happened.  She decided that she no longer wanted to deal with me, so she hung up.  Employees like that can wreck havoc on a business.