IT's GO TIME (Warning: Some Rough Language)

OK kids, there here's my blog, and I got me a good old fashioned BONE TO PICK. So I'm going to pick it. Feel free to Ignore me, but follow this advice: Don't EVER buy from John Crowley, owner of an online shave shop that I won't name...no need to advertise. He's a liar and he's verbally abusive to his customers.

I have been looking at buying a BIG razor for a while, and some 8/8 Henckels Friodur Inox blades have been turning up on SRP; I liked the look of them. Then, just as I was about to grit my teeth and buy one from eBay, member John Crowley posted that he was having a sale on them--Huzzah! $139 plus the mandatory $12.95 International Flat Rate Shipping option--total of about $152

I bought one.

I should have done MORE RESEARCH. Both on the razor, AND the seller.

First problem: ten days after I ordered the razor, I received no delivery confirmation--this is odd, as in all other online vendor shopping, I have received a shipping receipt in a day or two. I emailed John to see what the problem was, and he said that he had had some problems and it had taken him a while to ship--but that the razor had shipped a couple of days before. So, a week late or so...but it was shipped. I still hadn't received a shipping receipt, but I know shit happens.

I got the razor a little over a week later.

Surprise #1--it had been shipped First Class postage. At a cost of $4.80.


So, about $8 difference, paying for a promised service that was not provided. So...he lied. Fraud, I think they call it, when a seller takes money for a service they don't provide...

Surprise #2: The blade was defective.

There was a discolored grind mark on the face of the blade. Now, since getting the razor I did more research and found that some people on SRP had mentioned that there were "odd" grind marks--but that this was ok with them. For $150, I don't think it is...but maybe that's just me.

Now, the scales are crap, and everyone knows that , so I didn't complain. I should have, but I didn't. I emailed John (and I'll admit that I was a bit angry...especially about the postage...I don't like liars) and said that I was a bit upset, and I would like 1. an explanation of the postage and 2. some kind of satisfaction on the blade.
**EDIT**

In the interest of fairness, here is my email:

"Dear Mr. Crowley,

I wanted to let you know the razor arrived. It took a while, and now that it's here I'm sorry to say that there seems to be a couple of problems.

First, on your website you charge $12.95 for the international flat rate--which is a fine option, and I have no trouble paying for the service. You can print out a mailing label and customs form automatically, and have the mail picked up; it's convenient and smart. However, when I got the box it was very clearly NOT shipped flat rate. In fact, it was clearly marked US First Class Postage $4.80. That's a little over $8 price difference...Can you please explain this?

The second problem is the blade itself. There is a clearly visible discolored spot on the blade that can be felt with the finger--perhaps a irregularly ground spot? Whatever the case, the fact that I paid $139 ($152 with shipping...) for this razor and it is clearly defective bothers me a lot. I understand the poor scale quality, and I'm not complaining about that, but the blade should be pretty close to perfect for that kind of money.

I guess it is possible that you didn't see the mark--even though you honed the razor--butI would like to know if you can offer any kind of solution to this?

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Best Regards,
Jim Rion"
John emailed me a one line response, and I quote:
"Hello Jim,

Please send it back to me and I will refund your money when I receive it.

John"

That's it. A few minutes later, by my google mail clock, he emailed me again and explained that if he actually used the service that he charged people for, he would lose money and he would have to "fill out a real pain-in-the-ass long customs form". But he would still refund my money when I sent the razor back to him.

Now, here's where my problem began. I was (FINALLY) doing research on this guy, and on SRP I found this thread, where he verbally abused other people who had had complaints, and I was now officially worried. Frankly, I figured if I returned the razor to him he'd find some BS excuse to not refund me the full amount. I replied, honestly, that I had not paid $150 for a razor I did not want, and if he wasn't going to offer me an exchange then forget about it. I also advised him that he should change the description of his item on his site, as it could very easily lead to some serious paypal claims against him.

**EDIT** Again, my email:

"John,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

I think you misunderstand. I don't pay $150 for things I don't want. If you can't offer an exchange, then I will keep this blade and call it a lesson learned.

I would advise you to think about changing the description of the razors on your website to include the possible defects in them. Someone could very easily start a claims process with PayPal over issues like this, especially if they aren't members of SRP and don't already know about the poor quality of the handles--the scratches and apparent rescaling marks make them look used.

Best Regards,
Jim Rion"

He responded, again with one line:

"Jim,

Then send it back to me and when I receive it I will send you a different one.

John"

He did, in fact, offer the option I had mentioned. But only after I had told him what he should do...and he never, not once, claimed any culpability for his actions. Here's actually where I got pissed off. Really. I don't handle piss poor customer service well, especially AFTER I buy something. You take my money, I'm your boss.

Now, in the interim, I had talked to my wife about the situation, and she recommended I keep the razor as it would just keep going around in circles if I didn't, and there was no way he would send me a better razor in return. I figured this was spot on, and I was already tired of the crap, so I fixed the scale problems (took about 5 seconds--Mr. Crowley must REALLY not care about his customers if he doesn't take the time to see that their orders are usable...) and let him know that, as a customer, I should not be forced to tell him how to handle complaints, and that I was tired of dealing with him, and that I had found his previous remarks on SRP (I included a link to jog his memory) and that I, myself, was no chump.

**My email**

"John,

I appreciate very much that you made the offer.

I feel very strongly that I should not have had to tell you to do so.

I imagine that you get a lot of complaints about these razors, and that you're probably tired of them. I imagine that you've had to replace a few, and that the one I got has probably been sent to others before. I also know that if I sent this razor back to you, it would just go on to someone else. I'm not comfortable with that.

After I emailed you last I decided that I was done with the entire situation and went ahead and filed out the spacer so that the tip no longer hit it on closing (funny, it only took about 5 seconds...), polished the scratches out of the scales, and did a test shave.

I appreciate that you put a decent edge on the razor, I've read that it's not easy to do with these Friodur's. Thanks for that.

I'll be keeping the razor, and in the future I will remember how this went.

My name is Jim Rion, you know my address, and I'm not a chump, either. (this is a direct reference to Mr. Crowley's remarks in the thread on SRP. ed.)


Jim Rion"


Here's where it gets FUN!!!

Mr. Crowley's response #1:

"Hello Jim,

While you are remembering all of that remember this:
1. I offered you a full refund and you refused.
2: I offered you a new razor in exchange and you refused.
So, short of just giving it to you there isn't another thing I can do to make you happy! You are apparently just one of those people who come along once in a while that can't BE pleased. I have had a few complaints - legitimate complaints where I was given the opportunity to make the customer happy and ultimately they were. If you had wanted custom scales and a polished razor I sell them too. Your comment about filing down the plastic end spacer and how it only took five minutes - are you by any chance related to that asshole from Belfast?

John"

It was all ok, really, except for the "asshole from Belfast" remark. That was offsides, really...And..He ALSO sells "polished" razors? $139 (on sale from $169!!!) DOESN'T buy a polished razor?!!?

But his second response?

"The more I read this the more I understand you have a serious mental problem. That explains a lot! Please go get some help.

John"

Oh yes...verbal abuse. I was going to let it go. I was going to not mention a damned word. But...Nope. He had to do it. He had to attack me.

So there it is. John Crowley is a liar and an abuse-monger, and he has no respect for anyone--even the people who pay his freaking bills. Don't buy a damned thing from him.
End of tirade.