Chess Bazaar Experience

Hello,
Does any one have comments regarding doing business with Chess Bazaar. My purchases have involved way too much back and forth before inconsistent quality, returns and replacements are dealt with. And then I am left with a sizeable ‘lifetime store credit’ that CB to date has refused to return to me as a credit on my cc or to PayPal.

Never agree to Chess Bizarre's store credit system. You will commit to buying another imperfect product and then get locked in a cycle. Their store is also on permanent sale with never ending discounts. What are the true prices on things?

A Chess Bizarre "customer success representative," I will call him "Mr. M," pulled the same stunt on me with the lifetime store credit. Received a $300 dollar set with dents on a rook and pawn. They asked me to send back the pieces. Okay. But reimburse me for the shipping cost to Mohali. What followed was a two week long exchange about reimbursing me for the return shipping cost. I did not want their store credit, just a partial refund on my credit card for sending back something that was clearly their fault. The store credit would require me to make another purchase I did not want to recoup the cost. I sent back the pieces but I never did buy from them again.

Their numerous emails are all stall tactics in hopes you lose interest or perhaps die and disappear during the exchange. "Awaiting your reply." Another 2 days. Why do you need to confirm my shipping address again when I just bought from you? "Awaiting your response." Why do you ask if I want to buy another product so soon when the first one was disappointing? "Awaiting your response." Then another 3 days because it's the weekend. The first purchase was not perfect. Just send the damn replacements, Mr. M.

 

Hello, your scenario has been mine to a T. I’ve also been dealing with Mr. M and occasionally Mr. V (billed as M’s boss). Same stall tactics, same everything. My business is commissioned sales, so I have been around the block, understand the tactics etc. My immediate past Chess.com post on this subject got locked because several other posters ignored posting etiquette to the point that the administrator had to lock it (personally I would have barred the perpetrators permanently from Chess.com ….). So your reply is welcome, justifies my question, and adds evidence to my experience. Hopefully other chess.com forum participants will find this post and be mindful of the Chess Bazaar business model. The smoke and mirrors pricing, discounts galore, large clearance section etc - what you pay is what you get, and at or beneath the surface the product quality and customer service has no longevity. I am now dealing with true artisans and private sellers, where there is clear respect and honesty.

An update. CB agreed 4 days ago to refund me my ‘life time store credit’ by paying me electronically, but awaited my confirmation ….. ie stall tactics. 3 followup emails from me have been met with silence.

"Awaiting your response" "could you kindly confirm" "awaiting your reply" "we will notify you when we are ready"....

Chess Bizarre is at it again. Well it is good that they have agreed to refund your store credit, but will they actually do so? 

Across the board, with the exception of NOJ, the quality control and service right now stinks like a Mumbai toilet. And it's not just Chess Bizarre. Companies such as Staunton Hassle, House of Crackton & Royal Mess Mall all require followup customer service on potentially defective products, and that customer service may or may not exist. Dents, gouges, cracks, and now you have to deal with all the stall tactics and long periods of silence between messages.  I recently bought a chessboard from one seller I'll call the "ColoradoWoodWarper" - the board arrived warped right out of the box with his burned on logo sloppily done.  D'oh!

I don’t think I am too picky, or difficult to do business with. My own employment is 100% sales commission based in a field of ample local field rep competitors and many online sources. Much of what I sell are commodities - so customer service from myself and the distributor I represent is all I have to differentiate myself from the pack. And I have been doing it successfully for 18+ years. But CB, RCM, HOS, SC apparently all need to learn the hard way - collectively we should all stop doing business with them. What about Chess Empire, House of Chess are they distributors or do they manufacturer most of what they sell? Chess House I have done some business with. What is your experience or street talk on these three?

I do not believe you have been picky or difficult at all, but only wanting what was advertised and in pristine condition. It is certain sellers such as the one in this thread title that are being difficult for buyers.

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I have bought 3 sets from the House of Chess directly. One, the Rio Staunton Knight arrived without any damage but the knight carving looked nothing like the one in their site picture. However, I thought the knight I received looked so much better so I made no complaints. A second set, the Premier Bridle knight also looked different from what was advertised. A third set arrived as pictured but had damages to several pieces including a box. This was replaced without fuss.

I have purchased from Chess House several vinyl and mousepad boards without issue, including replacement pieces for out of warranty and cracked House of Staunton Championship series chessmen. I do not think Chess House is a manufacturer but a reseller of sorts.

Regarding Chess Empire, I have not done business with this company so I cannot comment on them. 

 

 

Thanks for your insights. House of Chess suggest they are a manufacturer, so does Chess Empire. Both are based in India. Chess Empire has quite an informative website detailing their 3 generation family business and manufacturing history. I have found USA based Chess House to provide prompt customer service and timely shipments. They are expensive for me in Canada as all orders are shipped via couriers and they do not offer any free shipping. As far as I can see, they are distributors, often of items they offer exclusively like Flex Pad foldable playing surfaces and JLP wooden boards.

I feel bad for you dbrit.....I read the closed down thread and no matter how small a purchase you made,you deserve to be treated correctly!

I owned a business for 35 years and treated even the smallest account like they were my biggest.

Your experience and those of others,regarding the poor quality coming from Chessbazaar these days,makes me not wish to purchase anything chess related from Chessbazaar(and I want a nice C.B. set that I see is on backorder,btw).

To be perfectly candid,I am hesitant to buy anything from the Idian vendors,since i believe the Covid crisis has impacted their ability to turn out a consistent product.

My heart goes out to those guys,but it is what it is,so my money sits in the bank,where the wife is happiest.

Hope it all works out....For all parties.

It's a roll of the dice with Indian sellers. You are better off paying a little more and buying from a reputable middle man that has a good guarantee. 

Just to report that finally after repeated emails and requests CB have now credited me with the full $ f value that had formerly been held in my ‘lifetime store credit.

@dbrit7 It is nice that they finally refunded you. It is unfortunate that it took this long to happen. No customer should have to experience that sort of customer service. Wasted time is wasted money.

What a scummy business practice. I wonder if you did not have this public forum to vent would CB have cared at all.

I wonder how many people have been swindled by this store's credit system over the years. For every customer that  "fights" back demanding a refund, there must be ten customers that don't or just give in after a polite request.

 

A sad but no doubt true observation. Then after ‘we’ settle I am asked to post product reviews - which are filtered through a ‘moderator’ ie only positive one’s make it into print on the CB website.

Another possibly true observation @dbrit7: It may be a good idea to go ahead and block the poster above me from commenting on your thread. You can do so on his or her profile page.

 

I have no idea who that is. You may want to calm down before you get muted again.

 

Your accusations are most untrue. How the admins let you run amok on this forum with such bullying and vulgarity is beyond my comprehension. @TundraMike

 

I will no longer reply to your delusions. I will let the admins deal with you from now on. Have a good day. Tell your bird I said "hello." Be Kind, Be forgiving. @TundraMike

Sound67 gutter sniping language is not appreciated. It is non productive, nor typical of chess.com, and only points to your character. You may wish to find another outlet for your pointless inflammatory venom.