Torpedo's Cronkhite eBay Store - UPDATE!!!

[ronr]

I saw this post and promptly ordered a bag for my new toy (JPacker 179Bb, purchased from this guy in Tennessee). Got an email the next day asking specific questions about my horn, and a delivery date of April 23. We’ll see…

[kingrob76]

Given how much eBay takes from each sale, I’m wondering out loud if there’s any value in contacting Torpedo and making an offer for a bag somewhere between the eBay retail price and the eBay “money received” price…. Guessing probably not since that would mean opening up to negotiations for every sale which isn’t feasible.

But it’s an interesting idea…

[tofu]

.

[the elephant]

UGH! What is the freaking purpose of having a delivery date on eBay that you seem to have zero intention of fulfilling? Why not be honest and earn some respect for your company through that honesty?

This dishonesty is the wrong way to do business. The promised eBay delivery time is a week from today up to a week from Friday. And Jen confirmed with me that it would likely be in about two weeks. Then this automated crap arrived. SIXTEEN TO EIGHTEEN WEEKS???

That was their last chance. I was understanding about the terrible turnaround time and lack of communication (and straightforwardness) during the pandemic. I felt sorry for them and encouraged them to take the needed time to do it right. "I'll get it when it gets here." But truly, the supply chain excuse (or whatever their current reason might be) no longer holds water with me.

Hi Wade,
Thanks for placing your Glenn Cronkhite Custom Case order!
Cronkhite Bags are currently backordered by roughly 16-18 weeks. If you’re reading this email, we have your order. We make about 250 bags a month — sometimes more, sometimes less. We handle more than 50,000 product variations! Some items are in stock, but most of our orders are quite specific: “British Tan Leather Body with Black Leather Gusset Contrabassoon Bag,” or, “Cinnamon Leather Slide Trumpet Bag.” With 6 leather colors, 8 Cordura options, and hundreds of patterns, this would be impossible to stock. You are in line!
If you have questions along the way, or wish to change a color, please feel free to reach out to us. FYI: Once an order is cut, we usually cannot make any changes.
Sincerely,
Steve Kriesel
President
Glenn Cronkhite Custom Cases
and
Torpedo Bags

If this is normal enough that they have an automated letter telling you that it will *actually* be sixteen to eighteen weeks then THE FREAKING EBAY AD NEEDS TO SAY SIXTEEN TO EIGHTEEN WEEKS. There is no excuse for what they just did (to me and apparently "about 250" customers a month). Their normal process seems to be to charge your card with a two-week wait time promised and then follow that up with this BS. They need to be kicked off of eBay until they can either deliver when promised or that they advertise in big, bold letters the actual turnaround time. This is not right.

I may have to cancel, but I really WANT this bag, so they have me over a barrel, here. Not sure what to do…

[Three Valves]

Oh shut up and give us your money.

You'll get nothing and like it!



Is there an echo in here?

[arpthark]

UGH! What is the freaking purpose of having a delivery date on eBay that you seem to have zero intention of fulfilling? Why not be honest and earn some respect for your company through that honesty?

This dishonesty is the wrong way to do business. The promised eBay delivery time is a week from today up to a week from Friday. And Jen confirmed with me that it would likely be in about two weeks. Then this automated crap arrived. SIXTEEN TO EIGHTEEN WEEKS???

That was their last chance. I was understanding about the terrible turnaround time and lack of communication (and straightforwardness) during the pandemic. I felt sorry for them and encouraged them to take the needed time to do it right. "I'll get it when it gets here." But truly, the supply chain excuse (or whatever their current reason might be) no longer holds water with me.

Hi Wade,
Thanks for placing your Glenn Cronkhite Custom Case order!
Cronkhite Bags are currently backordered by roughly 16-18 weeks. If you’re reading this email, we have your order. We make about 250 bags a month — sometimes more, sometimes less. We handle more than 50,000 product variations! Some items are in stock, but most of our orders are quite specific: “British Tan Leather Body with Black Leather Gusset Contrabassoon Bag,” or, “Cinnamon Leather Slide Trumpet Bag.” With 6 leather colors, 8 Cordura options, and hundreds of patterns, this would be impossible to stock. You are in line!
If you have questions along the way, or wish to change a color, please feel free to reach out to us. FYI: Once an order is cut, we usually cannot make any changes.
Sincerely,
Steve Kriesel
President
Glenn Cronkhite Custom Cases
and
Torpedo Bags

If this is normal enough that they have an automated letter telling you that it will *actually* be sixteen to eighteen weeks then THE FREAKING EBAY AD NEEDS TO SAY SIXTEEN TO EIGHTEEN WEEKS. There is no excuse for what they just did to me (and apparently "about 250" customers a month. Their normal process seems to be to charge your card with a two-week wait time promised and then follow that up with this BS. They need to be kicked off of eBay until they can deliver or they started to boldly advertise their very slow turnaround time. This is not right.

I may have to cancel, but I really WANT this bag, so they have me over a barrel, here. Not sure what to do…

That wait time stinks, and I agree that the ad should reflect the real time it takes to get the bag. But in practicality, do you have something that will hold your tuba for 4-5 more months? Do you think the wait will be worth it, or did you need something sooner? Not trying to be a smart-ass and apologies if that is how I am coming across. I know that once we're dangled something that seems in reach, it's always super frustrating when it's yanked away.

FWIW, I ordered my Messina in October and got it in December.

[the elephant]

I don't need the bag at all; I want it. This is why I decided to try out the eBay store: it's no skin off my nose. However, I think that it means that some other brand will get my future purchases. And maybe I'll buy a used industrial sewing machine and make my own. I have made a leather gig bag in the past. It was screwy, but I was learning then.

Oh well, I will get the bag I want — someday. But their eBay storefront is simply their website; the same issues, exactly.

[Mary Ann]

I may have to cancel, but I really WANT this bag, so they have me over a barrel, here. Not sure what to do…

Well, as in my recent pay-too-much-if-you-want-it situation, you have to decide what it's worth to you, and then decide to be happy and content with your decision.

[the elephant]

It is not the money at all. It is the principle of the thing.

This is dishonesty (even if accidental) and I try very hard to give my money to honest businesses. Even if this is simply a shortsighted practice, it needs to be corrected, and I think I'll support businesses that are more transparent upfront because honesty after the fact has zero value. This is a detail, but it is a BIG one, and I don't imagine that they are into details like this one or they would have corrected this practice at some point since they bought out Glenn YEARS ago.

Fingers crossed, anyway…

[kingrob76]

I took the plunge on a black cordura one for my Besson 983... I'll keep you informed if I get a similar email. I can put a brand new Miraphone bag in my hands in a week for about half the cost, but, I'd rather have the Cronkhite. In all honesty, it would give me a good reason to change my order to black leather...

[Three Valves]

I took the plunge on a black cordura one for my Besson 983... I'll keep you informed if I get a similar email. I can put a brand new Miraphone bag in my hands in a week for about half the cost, but, I'd rather have the Cronkhite. In all honesty, it would give me a good reason to change my order to black leather...

No yellow?

[kingrob76]

Not for this one.

[ronr]

Received this message today:


New message from: torpedobag (50BLUE_STAR Star)
Hi Ron,

Ok, Gotcha. We'll have to make you one, so it will be a couple of weeks!

Thank you for your business!

Jen


A couple weeks as opposed to 4-5 months? As I said earlier, we’ll see

[the elephant]

Jen told me the same thing but then I received the automated "canned" response that it would be 16 to 18 weeks.

[the elephant]

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

Jen was as good as her word, and the canned, automated email was spurious.

MY BAG HAS SHIPPED!

I HAVE A FEDEX TRACKING NUMBER. HOOAH, BABY!

I am so glad that this has happened. I was ready to write these guys off if they promised me the delivery time they did and then changed it to 18 weeks. I need to alert them to the spurious email so that this does not happen again. I was royally PISSED OFF about that inconsistency as it seemed like some slimy way to separate me from my money. I really WANTED Torpedo to nail this one. I love this product, and I want to see them successfully market and sell it so that it never disappears as an option for us.

[Tubajug]

Awesome! I might have to save up and get one for my little Eb frankentuba. I got one of the last bags Glenn made for my King before he sold the company.

The big question would be, do I buy a matching bag (burgundy Cordura) or completely different one?

[Three Valves]

WOW!

Good news.

Now I almost wish my cheapie didn't work out.

The dark blue is looking really nice...

[the elephant]

The tracking number was finally activated. FedEx says that it will be here this Saturday.

What a pleasant surprise in this time when disappointment is seemingly being normalized.

[bort2.0]

That's great news, Wade!

After this roller coaster, I hope. You find that this bag is everything you wanted and it fits just right. No offense I tended, but you seem to jump to and between both ends of the reaction spectrum a few times. I just hope that your elation now doesn't end in a bag that is 3 inches too short or something like that.

But for real, I'm happy you will get this so soon, and jokes aside, it's going to be great!

Many tubas ago when I bought my Alexander, it had a Cronkite bag on order for months, and it was supposed to be ready shortly after I got the tuba. Ended up cancelling the order and had a Superfine instead, which was also excellent. @greenbean please tell me you'll be back some day!

[ronr]

My bag is supposed to arrive tomorrow, six days after I ordered it.

Weird, but I’ll take it.