Atomic Athletic - Thumbs Down.

I’ve got some major venting about piss-poor customer service from a different online vendor, so bear with me.

3-and-a-half weeks ago, I decided to order from a site called Atomic Athletic. They “specialize” in custom-made barbells and odd (though occasionally interesting) crap. They also have some books and videos that can’t be found elsewhere. So, I ordered 2 copies of a particular book. One for me, and one for a client’s upcoming birthday ('cuz I’m a swell guy).

Their site says “6-8 DAYS lead time to ship date” (the captial letters are theirs, whatever that exactly means.) I figure it’ll be 6-8 calendar (not work) days before it gets shipped out. No problem, I’ve got 3 weeks before my clients birthday.

2-and-a-half-weeks after I ordered, I still had no product. I sent them a well thought-out, professional sounding e-mail asking the status of my order, and asking, politely, for urgent attention since I had the deadline of my client’s birthday fast approaching. I received no response.

To make a long story short (too late), about 10 minutes ago, I got off the phone with them and the tale does not have a happy ending. I spoke with Roger, the owner, and told him I was cancelling my order of 2 simple books (which cost about 73 bucks, including shipping). He asked why. I said that " it’s been 3-and-a-half weeks, I don’t still have the product, which was intended for my client. I sent an e-mail to check the status a week or so ago, I didn’t hear back."

He says “Oh yeah, the books are on back order right now, but I’ll cancel the order. I’m sorry you can’t keep waiting. Live Strong. Bye-bye.” click.

He hung up on me. [i]W T F !?![/i]

So, just a word to my T-bros and sisters out there, Roger LaPointe and his company are fucking tools.

Thanks, I feel better now.

I love the Internet.

Recently I was trying to buy an air purifier. I brought one home, it was hosed and made a ton of noise. Exchanged it. Got home, a piece of it was broken off. Exchanged it. Noisy ass piece of crap. Returned it.

I was so pissed off! I have better things to do with my life than keep exchanging a product looking for one that works…

Anyway, I took out my frustrations by blogging the make and model and my frustrations with the company and my recommendation that nobody ever buy their shitty products.

It may only be a tiny slice, but justice feels nice!

I second the fuck Atomic Athletic. That’s right, fuck them. I ordered a gripper about eight weeks ago. My payment was accepted, and money deducted from my account. I have not seen the product, I have not heard from them, I have not had a response to 10 emails and several voice messages. Well, I did get a reply to my emails, but it was a form letter, dated three weeks prior, letting me know what was new with the company and that they will be away from the office at an expo. Not bad customer service, NO customer service.

I won’t put an ad out for places to go. But there are many other places, the equipment that Atomic Atheletic sells is not unique to them.

I have had the same problem with them. I ordered a pulling harness back in Sept 05 and when it didn’t come for about a month, I cancelled my order. I received a confirmation that it was cancelled but I never got my money back. I have sent numerous e-mails to them and even tried calling them directly…I can never get through…

What sucks is that I ordered from them because I really admire Dr. Ken L. and he seems to be associated with them.

Two thumbs way down!!!

[quote]vroom wrote:
It may only be a tiny slice, but justice feels nice![/quote]

Too true, too true.

Medic, I’m glad (and sorry) that I’m not the only one. The real kicker of it is, when I first placed my order, I got a phone call from Roger about a half-hour after I ordered. He called to thank me for my order, and chit-chatted for about 10 minutes about some 8-foot barbell he just got done designing for the president of Hammer Strength.

I couldn’t really care less about what he was saying, but that he actually followed up the online order with a phone call gave me the impression of a top notch guy. Sadly, you and I seem to know that’s false.