First time ARH customer/ Last time ARH customer . Buyer beware!

[outlikealight]

Originally Posted by It's Sisko

This terrifies me. Telling a customer to repaint the statue themself? I can't even fingerpaint. I can't believe mine has to travel all the way from the US to Australia in that crappy foam.

Originally Posted by Wombat

Paint it yourself? Yikes.

Yeah,

I have absolutely zero experience in painting anything other than a wall or a house.

For any interested I will keep this thread updated.

[crimsinwing1989]

Originally Posted by outlikealight

Just an update.

ARH did e-mail me that Arahom had taken a look at the pictures. They offered me a $50 credit and it was his opinion that I could paint the horse myself. No mention was made of the chains on the saddle that are incorrectly hooked. I also received a shipping label. I was confused by this.

I replied right away that I really did not want any money back and I would be willing to try and touch up the horse if they sent me specific directions on what to do and the paint to match. I told them I am sure I can't just go buy any black paint and slap it on.

Back into CS purgatory as I have not heard anything back again.

Originally Posted by outlikealight

Yeah,

I have absolutely zero experience in painting anything other than a wall or a house.

For any interested I will keep this thread updated.

So you pre order an 800$ statue wait 2 years, it arrives damaged, you spend weeks contacting ARH, upon contacting them they offer you a 50$ credit and suggest you could paint it yourself. Dude call your credit card company and get your money back!!! You are not a painter, and even if you were its the principle of the matter. just my 2 cents

[sash501]

I have the Conan sacrifice. The statue itself is amazing . . . The packaging is an issue that ARH has known about for a long time cheap styrofoam that falls apart and take the paint off (maybe they fixed it with the frazetta line). I won't be buying another ARH and if the offer was $50 and paint it yourself (are they going to at least pay and send you the paint) then sounds like Melissa and Spencer need to dust off their resumes because ARH doesn't Appear to be in good financial shape.

[Pragmatist]

Originally Posted by crimsinwing1989

So you pre order an 800$ statue wait 2 years, it arrives damaged, you spend weeks contacting ARH, upon contacting them they offer you a 50$ credit and suggest you could paint it yourself. Dude call your credit card company and get your money back!!! You are not a painter, and even if you were its the principle of the matter. just my 2 cents

Yup, that is some serious BS there. That is super telling.

[clutch]

Need to see pictures of 'damage'.

[Valkyrie]

I've received similar "solutions" from Sideshow in the past. It's absurd to suggest that the average customer repaint a statue themselves. If the customer wants it done right by a professional, I'm pretty sure it's going to cost a lot more than a $50 credit too.

These companies show no responsibility for the negligence of the factories that THEY choose. At least with Sideshow, you still have the option to get a refund directly.

Since this was purchased under ARH's old TOS, I would think you should still have the ability to return it for a refund. You initially contacted them well within the 30 day window and they're the ones that have been dragging this out going on 2 months.

[COI]

Yeah, the big difference with Sideshow is they'll give you the option of taking the credit as a last resort if they don't have a replacement, and even then, a full refund is always on the table.

It's completely ridiculous for any company to suggest we touch things up ourselves. I get that this hobby has lots of talented artistic types who fix/modify their own pieces, but lots of us, like myself, have zero artistic skill and no time/inclination to learn. I'm paying money for a complete product, not a project.

ARH's customer service is a complete trainwreck, and there's no excuse for it. Even if you personally got your piece, you have to acknowledge at this point how many other collectors are being given short shrift, and that you may not be so lucky on your next order.

[TNovak]

Originally Posted by COI

Yeah, the big difference with Sideshow is they'll give you the option of taking the credit as a last resort if they don't have a replacement, and even then, a full refund is always on the table.

It's completely ridiculous for any company to suggest we touch things up ourselves. I get that this hobby has lots of talented artistic types who fix/modify their own pieces, but lots of us, like myself, have zero artistic skill and no time/inclination to learn. I'm paying money for a complete product, not a project.

ARH's customer service is a complete trainwreck, and there's no excuse for it. Even if you personally got your piece, you have to acknowledge at this point how many other collectors are being given short shrift, and that you may not be so lucky on your next order.

Originally Posted by outlikealight

Just an update.

ARH did e-mail me that Arahom had taken a look at the pictures. They offered me a $50 credit and it was his opinion that I could paint the horse myself. No mention was made of the chains on the saddle that are incorrectly hooked. I also received a shipping label. I was confused by this.

I replied right away that I really did not want any money back and I would be willing to try and touch up the horse if they sent me specific directions on what to do and the paint to match. I told them I am sure I can't just go buy any black paint and slap it on.

Back into CS purgatory as I have not heard anything back again.

Ok I know I am going to come across as an ARH homer here but it sounds to me like Arahom took a look at the damage and offered a $50 credit as an option but also sent a shipping label if he didn't want to go that route and would rather return it. He also said, in his opinion, that Light could probably touch it up himself if he wanted to take the credit. (I haven't seen photos but he horse is basically flat black so could very well be done with an inexperienced painter.

Light then said (apparently without pressure or duress) that he didn't want his money back based on post above and wanted to try to touch it up with direction from ARH and even didn't want money back (dude you should take the $50, you got a damaged statue and are going to paint it yourself, that's worth at least $50.)

I don't get how everyone thinks ARH is so out of line on this?

[COI]

Originally Posted by TNovak

Ok I know I am going to come across as an ARH homer here but it sounds to me like Arahom took a look at the damage and offered a $50 credit as an option but also sent a shipping label if he didn't want to go that route and would rather return it. He also said, in his opinion, that Light could probably touch it up himself if he wanted to take the credit. (I haven't seen photos but he horse is basically flat black so could very well be done with an inexperienced painter.

Light then said (apparently without pressure or duress) that he didn't want his money back based on post above and wanted to try to touch it up with direction from ARH and even didn't want money back (dude you should take the $50, you got a damaged statue and are going to paint it yourself, that's worth at least $50.)

I don't get how everyone thinks ARH is so out of line on this?

He wanted a replacement or some other fix, and he spent weeks trying to get in touch with them, had to send the emails twice, and was blown off multiple times. The fact that no one can seem to get any kind of customer service from them in a reasonable time frame is enough in and of itself to not do business with this company. Seems clear to me.

[TNovak]

Originally Posted by COI

He wanted a replacement or some other fix, and he spent weeks trying to get in touch with them, had to send the emails twice, and was blown off multiple times. The fact that no one can seem to get any kind of customer service from them in a reasonable time frame is enough in and of itself to not do business with this company. Seems clear to me.

I get the delay and poor communications part but it sounds like he didn't want his money back, he started his credit card chargeback when he couldn't get a hold of them because he thought he might not get any response at all. Once he did get a response he said he didn't want any money back and wanted to go with the fix as long as he could get some direction on it.

My point is that while the lack of communication is really bad what everyone here seems to be saying that ARH basically gave him the finger and said "Paint it yourself rube" and I don't think that is the case. They sent him a shipping label if he wanted to return it but also offered the option of a $50 credit if he wanted to keep it and the opinion that it wouldn't be that big of a deal to paint the paint rub area, even for an amateur, and it sounds like that is what he wants to do.

It is also not true that "no one can seem to get any kind of customer service from them in a reasonable time". It is true that there have been quite a few cases with difficulty reaching them and getting response there have also been several posts I have seen about getting good service from them. If you or Outlikealight or anyone else want to not do business with them or Sideshow or anyone else you actually don't even need a reason, it's your money. Personally I would say I have received better customer service from ARH than Sideshow and truth be told got the best customer service from Bowen, and he is on the ash heap.