ComplaintsforSeattle Coffee Gear

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Placed an order on the website.....which showed the item in stock and available to purchase under a sale time period. SCG waited >24 hours (when the sale closed) to tell me it would be back ordered until well after Christmas. Had I known I would have either purchased from another company during the sale, or upgraded to a more expensive until that was in stock. Asked sales to change my order to the more expensive in-stock unit, asked them to honor the sale price from the day I ordered - they refused. So now I am over a barrel, can't buy from them at sale price and can't go to any other seller and get their sale price because of the incorrect information on the website, and the delay in notifying me of the back order.

  Business response

  11/29/2023

  Good morning!  I'm sorry to hear about this person's experience with our website and our staff.  Our staff is typically very well trained and very good at resolving any issues that *** arise.  It would be helpful to know what product this person is referencing so I can get to the bottom of what happened and potentially offer a satisfactory resolution.  I've searched in our system and don't see an order or canceled order for anyone by his name.  Please have this person respond with some details and I'll be happy to look into it.

  Customer response

  12/02/2023

   
  Complaint: 20928278
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Company's response is puzzling at best.  I have been in their system and on their email list for more than 2 years.  I ordered the espresso machine from Seattle Coffee Gear using my name, my email and shipping to my home address.  ***********************, your ordering manager emailed me on that email (which is my name).  WH2-OUT-449094.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  Business response

  12/11/2023

  Good morning!

  I need to know what machine this person is referencing to regarding the sale price that wasn't honored or that we were out of stock on.  If you can reply with that information I can get to the bottom of some sort of resolution.  Thank you!
  

   

• Initial Complaint

  02/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Returned a purchased product (purchase price $561.33) on January 14 via the ***** return label and RMA number provided by the company. More than 5 weeks later the company still has not refunded this purchase/return. They also keep ignoring my emails (sent February 3 and 16) asking for a status update and to receive the full refund.This is obviously an unacceptable practice to hold on longer to the money of customers who should have been refunded. Based on multiple such complaints online, this looks like a scam company.

  Business response

  02/24/2023

  Good morning!  Something is obviously wrong here as we process returns every day and respond to 100's of emails every day. I'd be happy to get this resolved.  Please email me at **************************************** with your order number and I will get it resolved asap.

  Customer response

  02/27/2023

   
  Complaint: 19436506
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The business continues its unfair practices. In my complaint, I mentioned that numerous other customers who have been treated unfairly received a standard "We process thousands of orders per day and most of our customers are happy" response. And look what I got here from the company? What a surprise! (sarcasm) In addition the response says "Something is wrong here" -- yes, no kidding, you received the return and then didn't provide a refund and tried to get away with it. That is indeed very wrong. But don't worry, I have already done a chargeback through the credit card company so that I never ever have to interact with Seattle Coffee Gear anymore; not for orders and not for refunds.****

  You should consider being more ethical and honest in your business practices.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Ludo Max ****

• Initial Complaint

  10/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Seattle Coffee Gear has fairly shady business practices. As noted by another commenter, I bought a very expensive espresso machine from SCG specially since there was a free kit and a $50 dollar gift card attached to it. Today I tried to do a price match on their site following all their rules and they said they couldn't price match since it was too much of a discount. It never said anywhere on the site that there was a max ****** they would price match (basically 20%). So unfair price matching policy and shady expiration on gift card that feels like a bait and switch. I'd be wary of them.

  Business response

  10/04/2022

  Good morning! Anonymous complaints are always interesting. What you described is not our policy and we price match on a daily basis, there has to be more to this story. I'd love to know the order number and customer name so I can look into the details. We record all our phone calls and have all our email and chat threads archived so it would be very easy to look into the details of this situation. We ship over ***** orders a day and have over a 98% consumer satisfaction percentage so this is highly unusual. This is our first BBB complaint since 2021 so we've served over ******* customers since the last complaint. Looking forward to a reply!

  Customer response

  10/07/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  SCG reached out to me directly to fix the issue and I think they handled it well. They will get my business back.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********

• Initial Complaint

  02/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I shopped for a grinder and settled on Seattle Coffee gear due to a promotional $50 gift card offer. There was no indication that the card would have a 90 day expiration at the point of sale. I tried to use it too late. They refused to honor it. The email did note the expiration at the bottom below the code but I feel deceived and Im out $50. One reason I delayed my order was because their website repeatedly would not let me add an item to my cart

  Business response

  02/06/2022

  Good Sunday evening!  I'm sorry to hear you're feeling deceived.  That's certainly not what we are trying to do and as you noted the expiration date is noted in the email.  All promotional gift cards retailers offer are required to have an expiration date only purchased gift cards do not expire.  That said, we do want our customers to have a good shopping experience so we will be happy to reactivate your gift card of an additional 90 days for you to use towards your next purchase.  Please reply to this email with your original order number and we'll get that taken care of on Monday.  Thank you for your business!

  Customer response

  02/07/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  My original order number is #*********

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a new espresso machine because of a discount (I received this discount because my machine, also purchased from them in 2020, needed its boiler replaced but through *** shipping was totaled). When I was purchasing the new machine, I explicitly had asked the sales associate on the phone if my purchase included the free upgrade kit. They said yes. Upon checking the receipt, I had asked again as it did not show up, and the associate confirmed once again it is included.The next day I was still apprehensive that it was not listed on the receipt. I called and spoke to ***** who told me that it was not included per the policy with using a discount code. This policy is not written down anywhere for someone to see, and regardless the sales associate personally reassured me that I was receiving the discount kit.***** offered no remorse or anything, and I am very disappointed that the sales associate directly lied and said I was receiving a product when in fact it is their policy to not send it.

  Business response

  01/09/2022

  Good evening!  I agree that this policy is vague and will have our marketing team clarify it for future orders.  I'm very sorry for the confusion!  Given one of our sales associates mistakenly said you were getting the kit and due to the vague writing in the policy we will be happy to ship you the kit at no charge.  Would you please reply with your order number to **************************************** and I'll get this handled on Monday.  Thank you!

  Customer response

  01/09/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. My order number for remedy is 001689223.

  Thank you for resolution. Had the associate not said I was receiving it upon direct question or the policy be written somewhere that is accessible, visible, or stated at the time of purchase, it would be understandable to not combine to offers; however, given this did not happen, I appreciate the remedy with your offer to send the kit as stated at the time of purchase. I think if you have written the policy somewhere, this would greatly improve the customer experience. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a Seaco coffee espresso machine in May 2019, and the machine came with a two year warranty. After about a year the grinder began getting louder and louder, and the machine would malfunction when preparing a brew. I called Seattle Coffee Gear and spoke with their tech service. I was told this is normal. Time went on and the machine got louder and malfunctioned more frequently. I call again and I was told the same as the first time. The grinder sounded like a bearing was going. In August 2021 I called again as the machine was very loud. I was told sorry your warranty ran out in May 2021. I took the machine to a local ************* center on 9/2/21 to have them check my machine. They found that my grinder was bad and they installed a new grinder. Now the machine is quiet and has not malfunctioned. I contacted Seattle Coffee Gear and explained what transpired. They asked what I wanted them to do. Cover the repair $195.00. Next day email said no.

  Business response

  09/10/2021

  Good morning!  I'm sorry to hear about this customer's grinder failing.  Grinders becoming louder as a super auto machine gets older is indeed normal and if the machine had been sent in a year ago it likely would have been deemed "fine" and not replaced.  That said it is incredibly difficult to diagnose for certainty over the phone.  It is a bad customer experience to have someone from the east coast ship their machine clear back to the NorthWest, wait the week shipping time both ways, wait the two weeks in line behind other machines, to only get a call that their machine does not need repair.  We can't offer to pay the repair the ultimately ended up being done outside of the warranty but we'd be happy to offer a free coffee subscription for a period of time to help compensate.  If this seems like a good resolution please reply with the coffee you'd like and we'll set up the subscription on our end.  Thank you for your business!

  Customer response

  09/11/2021

   
  Complaint: 15849491
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I understand that it is difficult to determine an issue over the phone, but the proper resolve for a customer who is calling several times with the same issue would have been to offer the following.  Due to the distance between the seller and the buyer, the seller should have said please locate a ***** repair center close to my location and take the machine to them to be checked.  If the grinder was found to be normal, then the buyer (Customer) would be responsible for the service fee.  If the grinder was in need of changing, the seller would cover the part and service fee since the machine was still under the warranty period.  By continuing to tell me that is normal, it prolonged my taking the machine to the other repair facility, thus at that time out of the Warranty period.  

  When I took the machine in last week for the repair, it was so loud that it sounded like a stuck bearing and metal to metal squealing.  The machine was also miss grinding probably 1 out of 5 times wasting coffee and $$.  Since the grinder was replaced it is quiet and has not missed a grind.

  I have had ***** machines for year, this is my 3 or 4th.  I have never replaced a grinder, and only performed minor service issues, ie., gaskets, orings, etc.  I purchase the same machine for my son 6 months after i purchased my machine, and it is quiet and no issues.  I was also told by the ******** service center that my machine model has had issues with the grinders.  

  I have a coffee club with Black Rifle and would not have any use for their coffee club, whatever that entails.

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩