OutdoorPlay return policy sucks. Help with Mafia Kayak.

SurfinGator · 07-09-2006

I have eight or so years as a stream/ocean kayaker. I recently decided to get into whitewater river excursions, multiple day type trips. I did my research, one boat really stood out as be a great boat for this function: Dragossi Mafia. According to the company, good beginner boat.

So I ordered it May 29th from OutdoorPlay. Ten days later I get the boat, everythings seems fine except a hatch clasp is broken. So I set the boat in the spare room and climb inside. The tensioner straps are like nothing I have seen, or several other whitewater boaters I talked to. Very uncomfortable boat. OK, I figure it is just me. I will get help and figure this out so the boat will be comfortable. I signed up for a school, Pisgah Whitewater, July 1-2 in Hendersonville NC 650 miles away from Jackson MS.

Work is nonstop, plus I am taking a week off for this kayak/motorcycle trip so I am humping getting everything at work done before I go. I planned on spending a week around Deals Gap riding bikes with friends. So never figured out the strap issue, emailed the company and they don't have an operations guide, so boat never hit water.

I show up at the school, the instructor and I spend 10 minutes trying to figure out the strap setup. Finally I disconnected the rear back brace, it would not stay set to one position but kept moving forward. We get me in the water doing roll drills and this boat is all over the place, wouldn't stay stable in standing water. On top of this, the instructor points out the boat has an enormous "oil can".

Finally the instructor tells me we need to cancel the day, it is dangerous for me to get on the creek with this boat. The next day, they bring me a Pyrana Burn to use. Night and Day difference. Stable! Comfortable! Easy to adjust! Zoomed through the course. Gave me credit for another class day, but booked for the next day Monday ... so ... I have to re-schedule another month.

Ten hour drive through rush hour Atlanta, $500 for the school, and $500 more on lodging/food/gas ... for a day of kayak training. Screwed.

Here's where it get's bizarre. I call Outdoorplay. They don't do returns. Read the policy. No returns on sale items, $1400 retail on the boat, I paid $1200. And no returns over 30 days, I called them July 6th when I had access to a phone. Deals Gap NC doesn't have cell access and I was staying at a camping lodge ... so no phone there. Even though I got the boat June 9th, OutdoorPlay states they go by order date, May 29th. But it doesn't matter, I got a sale item .... NO RETURNS! Doesn't matter about the damaged boat, NO RETURNS!

So my question: Do I try to ditch the boat on Ebay and get a Burn? I will take a huge hit, if I got $500 for this boat I would be shocked. I wouldn't try to sell this boat without detailing the problems the boat has. Damaged and one hell've uncomfortable boat.

Or is there a way to pressure Outdoor Play to make this good?

Any advice would be appreciated ...

rwhyman · 07-09-2006

Pretty weird. Just this morning, since I'd never heard of them, I bookmarked their page for future purchases, but with that kind of service, I will delete that. Sounds like a company that doesn't care about repeat buyers or a company that is about to go under. Sorry to hear about your experience, but thanks for letting the rest of us know what a shitty company they are so we can avoid them. Good luck with finding a way out of your mess.

leery · 07-09-2006

Gator,
You still have a few options. I'm assuming you paid via credit card, if so your not totally screwed. If you were truly shipped a defective product (oil can, busted hatch) you can get a refund. Don't deal with outdoorplay anymore. Give MC or VISA a call up and explain the situation. Tell them you've tried to resolve it with no luck. The credit card company will refund your money and pull the funds from the account they have with OutdoorPlay. After that, the dispute is between VISA/MC and OutdoorPlay. You are out of the picture. Of course, you'll have to ship the boat back once you get a refund.

Plan on paying for the shipping.

If you paid via check card you may have to go to your bank and explain the situation. Regardless, once you claim a dispute on your card the company and CC company deal with it.

I've had to do this once before and it was a pretty easy process. Don't be shy, at this point you've got nothing to lose.

On another note...If you find a good deal online head down to your local shop for a demo before purchasing. Get the feedback from the guys in the shop, they deal with manufacturers and hear the pros/cons for their products every day.

good luck!

dwk · 07-09-2006

Thanks for the warning on outdoorplay.

I agree with what Leery said- it shouldn't be any problem to get the credit card company to fix it for you. The only thing is you're probably under a time limit with them too so I'd get on it right away. If you have any documentation of your attempts to fix this through outdoorplay, make sure you hang on to it until this is resolved.

On another note, if you find a good internet deal don't just try the same boat at your local shop, buy it there too. It might cost more but the benefits should be pretty obvious at this point. And the next time you're on your way to a river and suddenly realize you don't have a drain plug, you'll be psyched if a local shop is still there.

rwhyman · 07-09-2006

[/quote]On another note...If you find a good deal online head down to your local shop for a demo before purchasing. Get the feedback from the guys in the shop, they deal with manufacturers and hear the pros/cons for their products every day.

Quote:

Good point

Then if you like the product, buy it from the local shop. Support the local boys or they may not be around.

rwhyman · 07-09-2006

Looks like I don't know how to use the quote feature.

SurfinGator · 07-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by leery

Gator,
You still have a few options. I'm assuming you paid via credit card, if so your not totally screwed. If you were truly shipped a defective product (oil can, busted hatch) you can get a refund. Don't deal with outdoorplay anymore. Give MC or VISA a call up and explain the situation. Tell them you've tried to resolve it with no luck. The credit card company will refund your money and pull the funds from the account they have with OutdoorPlay. After that, the dispute is between VISA/MC and OutdoorPlay. You are out of the picture. Of course, you'll have to ship the boat back once you get a refund.

On another note...If you find a good deal online head down to your local shop for a demo before purchasing. Get the feedback from the guys in the shop, they deal with manufacturers and hear the pros/cons for their products every day.

good luck!

Yeah, I contacted my VISA company. Getting a letter from the instructor at Pisgah and took pictures of the damaged boat. The stick with VISA refunding my money is their return policy. It is linked on the order page ... no returns on sale items ... 30 day returns on anything else ... doesn't state from order date, but that is what they are saying. Doesn't matter to them anyway, "sale item". On a $1200 boat plus another $500 in paddles, skirt, and shipping. $1700.

I intend to keep the paddle, but the skirt won't fit a Burn ... and the carrying bag was torn anyway when I got it. Didn't really care, like I was going to use the bag. But kind of hit me, "why are these guys shipping me a skirt with a torn bag?"

I didn't read the link before I ordered, like 90% of us, I just thought ... cool ... kayakers ... looks like a big company.

then BAM!

and I am all into supporting local shops. pay a little more? get a lot better service! But Jackson MS doesn't have a true kayak shop, just a sports outfitter who sells a very limited number of sit on tops and fishing type boats. So, left me to wade into the internet ... Google popped Outdoor play at the top ... damn you Google!

it's cool ... I got a "Half Full" glass of water Tshirt in NC... be positive ... instead of having a half empty attitude ...

cuze I met some cool people ... learned some skills ... and realized I really am going to enjoy whitewater kayaking.

Geezer · 07-09-2006

Classic example of try before you buy.

Refund policy does not apply if the merchant shipped defective merchandise. Especially if they sold it to you as a new item. Whatta bunch of jerks.

LBA7895 · 07-10-2006

I hate to be the one to say this to you, but now you know why the boat was on sale. Maybe you should correspond with Corran Addison, the CEO of Dragorossi, and let him know how PO'd you are.... Print your story on Boater Talk, www.boatertalk.com. Corran watches that forum like a hawk, and I am sure does not want that sort of negaitve publicity regarding his expensive boats.

kayakjunkie · 07-11-2006

Forget about Outdoorplay ... they are just a retailer. The reason for the sale price is that the boat is last year's model and they are just trying to get their purchase and carrying costs out of the boat.

Contact Ellis Cucksey at NRS ... not sure of the current status, however, they were the North American distributor for DragoRossi boats last year. Their phone number is 800-635-5202.

Also, you can contact Corran & DragoRossi directly through their website:

http://dragorossi.net/index.php?opti...tpage&Itemid=1

I have found that they go to extreme lengths to make sure that people are satisfied with their premium priced products.

Peace.

Jesse