Satellite equipment and supplies - buying experiences & satisfaction

[frypv6]

Hello all,

I recently started to act on the knowledge gathered here with the intention of building my first FTA setup.
So far my experiences with the only two dealers dealers I placed orders with have been less than stellar.

My first order placed with the SatelliteAV was almost dropped because of total lack of feedback and was saved only by intervention via this forum.

My second order placed with Sadoun is a similar experience.
The only part I received until now is NOT what I ordered and what was confirmed in the email I got from them.
I already contacted them via their website and PM'd Sadoun here in the forums. We'll see how well that goes and what other surprises I'll have once I receive the rest of the order.

As things stand right now I'm really jaded; ordering the receiver and some other minor parts I still need will be something I'll do without great hopes and considerably less pleasure. For those who still think about jumping in do so but be aware that the market for this equipment is a lot less mature than most others.

There is also the expectation that since this is a hobby or should be treated as such there will be occasional setbacks.
However the (online) shopping experience has nothing to do with the technical difficulties one is expected to encounter and is not mentioned much.

The above is based solely on my experience so far.

How did you fare?

 

[Sadoun]

Hi There

I just got your PM and replied to it promptly. You can always contact us directly, but this forum is ok also.

 

[SatinKzo]

Well, I can only say I have had very promising experiences with Sadoun. Ebay is the only other place I have gotten FTA stuff (switches, LNB, etc) and even there, the results have been great. My first order with Sadoun did have some back order issues which were not quickly relayed to me and I had to call to find out, but since then, things have been fine.

I think we do this type of post once every few months and I think you'll see that most people here that deal with Sadoun or SatelliteAV have pretty good info to report.

Obviously we don't know the whole story and that is something between you and the company you buy from. I am glad your post didn't come out swinging though. Sometimes people get a bit touchy and overreact.

 

[Anole]

Vendor Comments

Sadoun -

'bout 18 months ago, I ordered two USB receivers, a dish, motor, and Invacom LNB.
Everything arrived as expected.
Few weeks later, we decided the USB boxes were overheating, and arranged to swap them out.
No trouble setting that up, and getting replacements - they were helpful and friendly.
The fact that the replacements were also heat sensitive is no fault of Sadoun, so my buddy and I fixed the problem ourselves.
(chronicled in other posts to this forum)
Hard to have any gripe with the company.
Oh, and he gives good forum, too, so that's a real plus!


SatelliteAV -

Ordered one FTA receiver from him about Feb or March.
It was a clearance deal for SatGuys members, and as such, dirt-cheap.
The receiver is certainly at least mid-line in my estimation.
It had about every feature, lacking only blind scan.
I did have to do some hunting with Google for firmware updates, but found them easily.
We set up a self-help support thread here on SatGuys, since the vendor offered them to us with the understanding that he really couldn't support 'em.
Shipping was prompt, and the price outstanding.
He also gives good forum, another plus.

I've had a few short personal discussions, even to the point of asking about some other deal, and indicating I'd prefer to buy from him if he had anything similar.
He sent me off to scarf up a below-wholesale receiver, elsewhere.
This is the sort of resource you don't want to use up.
Something to keep around for when you have your back against the wall.


eCanadaPlus -

Not a supporter of this forum, he came to our attention when a member posted a link and we started a discussion.
They were blowing out a number of items, and I got a Mercury II receiver for about $70 Canadian.
I forget what that turned into with shipping, Canadian tax (which I didn't even argue about), and money conversion, but maybe mid-$80's.
Came with 4-way diseqc switch, and programming cable (and two extra 4-port switches for no reason)
Shipping was instant; delivery was surprisingly decent at 8 days from east Canada to west USA.

In the same thread, some other members had slightly less than stellar success on their items, but the company seemed to make an effort.
If you're in Canada, and they have what you want at a decent price, you might look up the thread here, and give it a read.


IvyStonePlace -

I ordered some cheap LNBs from 'em.
Didn't like the way their web site calculated shipping.
I actually emailed them and asked about shipping charges, and wasn't happy with their answer, so it took me several months to reconsider and buy anything.
In the end, I ordered four LNBs, to get the average price down.
For a receiver, especially if you wanted a Traxis 3500, they'd be very attractive.

Delivery was fast and painless.
I'd go back for more, if they had what I needed.


SkyDeals -

Three, or four years ago, I established a good rapport with this guy.
Placed several orders, and recommended some friends who also made purchases.
At the time, I was certainly treated very well!
Not really FTA stuff, but all the little junk ya need, is pretty cheap and readily available here.
Last time I emailed, a couple of years ago, I didn't hear back from my usual guy.
Not sure what happened, but certainly worth a test-order.


Others -

Couple of years back, I tracked down a local satellite dealer and walked in.
Was looking for 36" and an Invacom.
They had only 30" dishes and cheap LNBs.
Maybe that was their market - installs to the local ethnic community.
Didn't buy.

Found another guy on Ebay who's about 50 miles from me.
Ordered some switches through his web site after giving up on trying to do a local pick-up.
The -lady- called me that Monday, and asked if they could ship UPS ground or something - that being 1-day for local delivery.
It would also be cheaper than their web site had calculated.
I said "yes", she threw in a $5 refund check, and I had my parts the next day.
Too darned bad they're no longer around!

Someone started a thread about a little dealer who is quite near me, SkyTechUSA.
I went over and discovered they were really a post office box and UPS shipper up front, and a sat dealer in the back.
I posted a picture and gave my thoughts (not too encouraging).
Seems someone has recently bought from them and not been too happy.

In my area, there are a few sleazy satellite dealers who go to local swap meets.
With little or no competition, they sell Coolsat, Satpros, Pansat, Viewsat, and other receivers for what I would consider "above market".
Of course, my idea of "market" is ... well-shopped...

On the other hand, I tried to buy a half-dozen dual feedthrough grounding blocks from one, and he said, "just take them".
I gave him a couple of dollars, anyway.
Talk about good will!

Another had diseqc and 22khz switches.
I got a 22khz to have "just in case I ever need one", for $5.


Think that pretty well covers my experiences.
Mostly pretty positive.

 

[iafirebuff]

Sadoun & SatelliteAV are where I have dealt with (Sadoun the most) and everytime they have been great!

 

[frypv6]

Well, I can only say I have had very promising experiences with Sadoun. Ebay is the only other place I have gotten FTA stuff (switches, LNB, etc) and even there, the results have been great. My first order with Sadoun did have some back order issues which were not quickly relayed to me and I had to call to find out, but since then, things have been fine.

I think we do this type of post once every few months and I think you'll see that most people here that deal with Sadoun or SatelliteAV have pretty good info to report.

Obviously we don't know the whole story and that is something between you and the company you buy from. I am glad your post didn't come out swinging though. Sometimes people get a bit touchy and overreact.

It's good to hear that everything went through fine in the end.

This is the kind of feedback that allows those still trying to make a decision
- to set their initial expectations correctly
- to see how responsive a company is when it really counts

It also gets sellers valuable feedback: someone who otherwise would look for alternate sources without saying anything may post something if it really helps speed things along.

Besides, I am not a fan of phone support: too much holding, restricted hours etc.
This approach seems to be working much better especially when there's a time difference.

In my case Sadoun replied promptly via PM and the issue seems to be settled in a satisfactory manner for both of us.

As for the overreacting part, I usually want the problems solved as fast as possible and that doesn't help in most cases. When all is said and done we all stand to benefit from it and that is what really matters.

 

[mastermesh]

I've mainly used ebay, soudon, and ftapalace and no major problems... do watch who you use on ebay. There are plenty of scammers... but not everyone is a bad guy... I've bought two things from both OmniDekora and Saeid Nassirian (ftanow)... great service from both! eBay My World - ftanow
eBay My World - omnidekora

 

[icstephen]

I have been very happy with Sadoun even when an order was missing some stuff called them and they sent it out right away.

I also get stuff from Mike at Global (http://www.global-cm.net/) and have been very happy with him, he even has pre-orders of the new Pansat HD reciver which I may have to break down and pick up.

I also get anything I can cheap or for free from friends, craigslist & ham fests

 

[SatelliteAV]

Frypv6,

I personally apologize for anything that occurred to create this level of dissatisfaction!

I am responding to this in the public forum as we feel that there were some extenuating circumstances to your order that were not shared. Unfortunately, there is an occasional missed communication which we all wish would not have occurred. Satellite AV is a company built on integrity. We value each customer and pride ourselves on providing a positive customer service experience. I would also suggest that Sadoun is a company built on the same principles. Our dealings with Sadoun have always been fair and a positive experience. I personally admire the way that Sadoun runs his business and gives back to the satellite community through participation in various forums.

Satellite AV immediately responded to your PM when we learned that you did not receive the email sent on the previous day containing the shipping quote for the oversize freight item.

As I recall, the item was ordered Friday. Satellite AV emailed a shipping quote on Monday, information resent by email on Tuesday, item shipped on Tuesday.

You are always welcome to PM me if you need any assistance! My hope is that we will have an opportunity to provide you a positive experience with satellite equipment purchase sales and support in the future!

 

[Mr Tony]

Lets see.....done alot of ordering from various companies

Sadoun...ordered many items from them including the T90 dish, 2 90cm dishes, 80cm dish & both of my C-Band dishes...also LNB's and lots of parts. Only issues I have had were
-when the 2 90cm dishes came I had other parts ordered that were on backorder. Didnt get a call or e-mail that they were backordered so the order was shipped about a week later
-One of the LNB's I received had some paperwork in them from someone who returned it saying one output didnt work...it worked but was weird to see paperwork from another customer

So other than those 2 minor things I have had no issues

SatelliteAV
Ordered the Glorystar dual LNB setup, the receiver deal we had a while back and a dual C-Band LNBF. Very fast shipping. Friendly operator when I ordered the receiver and everything came well packed (took me a while to get the Glorystar setup out of the box All and all a great experience

Gosatellite
Ordered a few receivers from them (Coolsat 5K, Coolsat 8K, Pansat 6000). Other than the CS8K being delyed for a couple days all my other orders came right away (usually within 3 days).

DMSI/PSB Satellite
Even though PSB is no longer a mod here before that I did order many items from him. (dont know if he would take my order now or not) Had no issues getting the items right away. DMSI is a great company to get stuff from. Had a receiver that didnt work and turnaround time getting it fixed and shipped back was very fast (2 days to get there, 1 day to fix, 2 days back).

IvyStonePlace
Ordered some LNB's from them a while back. They also use DMSI as their wholesaler. Very nice prices and fast shipping

 

[newsjunkie]

I've placed several orders with Sadoun, and have been very happy with each. Delivery is quick(usually a day or 2 after I place the order), and I've never had an issue with anything I've gotten.

 

[sikma]

I've ordered from ebay, Sadoun, Satellite AV and Global Communications (Mr. Kohl's). I received each order promptly. I must say that in one particular case I ordered a couple of switches for $32 and upon receiving them decided to return same (still in box and not used)but will only get $16 credited back to my card.......I will not do business with that specific company (one of this site's sponsors) again. I don't believe one should have to give a company a free $16 dollars!!!

 

[SatelliteAV]

How much of the $32 was for outbound shipping? How much of that $16 actually is lining the pockets of the seller? My guess is that the majority of that $16 is lining the pockets of a shipping company! Often customers forget that the seller cannot ask the shipping company for a refund on shipping cost when a customer returns a product. If $10 or $12 was shipping cost of a FedEx package then the 2 switches might have been about $10 each. To get $16 dollars back on a $20 order doesn't seem too unfair.... Of course, I am just speculating on the transaction.

Satellite AV has a 20% restocking fee on products that are either refused or returned within 30 days of purchase. The restocking fee is based on the product cost and the customer is responsible any shipping fees. The restocking fee helps cover the cost of credit card processing fee, the sales representative to sell and then issue a credit order, and also the shipping department with the packaging materials.

If a product is faulty and under warranty, we repair or replace the item and ship back to the customer at no charge. We have tried to make our return policy fair.

 

[gabshere]

well i have shopped on ebay but i have to read everything ( twice) and most of the time i prefer a normal online store over ebay due to the high shipping cost or over-inflated prices of shipping ....

now on the restock fee i can see it but luckly enough i ether know what i want or need or can ask here and find out before ordering and sending back.

main thing about here and using several of the sponsors is they are either active here or they read here.... that a plus...

Satellite AV is a company built on integrity. We value each customer and pride ourselves on providing a positive customer service experience. I would also suggest that Sadoun is a company built on the same principles. Our dealings with Sadoun have always been fair and a positive experience. I personally admire the way that Sadoun runs his business and gives back to the satellite community through participation in various forums.

Brian, I will deal with a company over all other online stores, local stores just for this fact Integrity is important to me . I can buy form anyone , i choose to deal with the best.

 

[sikma]

I forgot to mention that it cost me $6 to ship the items back (not $10 or $12 that it apparently cost to ship the items to me originally), so in reality I'm out of pocket a total of $22 with absolutely nothing to show for it?!

 

[mastermesh]

restock fees are never good customer service... If I recall, Circuit City has those types of fees... so I avoid them as much as possible, unless it's Black Friday, and I know the super deep discounts from that day can offset future problems if they arise.

 

[SatelliteAV]

I agree with you. Restocking fees are not a good idea if you are a brick and mortar, but in mail order it is a much different situation. If you drive by our store and pick up an item then decide that you don't want the item and return it in like new condition, we give you full credit even though we may lose the credit card processing fees.

There are additional hard costs involved with mail order: shipping staff, packaging materials, and the actual shipping costs. Shipping charges alone account for over 20% of our cost of goods sold! We often joke that we should be in the shipping business of satellite equipment rather than the distribution. I have always felt that the only party that benefits from a return is the shipping company! The 20% restocking fee normally doesn't even cover the actual cost of the transaction.

When customers state that they only spent XX dollars to ship an item, they often forget to account for the cost of the packaging, the time and the gas that it takes them to drop off the package at a local ship center or post office. Even if it only took 15 minutes of their time and a gallon of gas, how much is that really worth if the amount needs to be charged to another party?

 

[iafirebuff]

It is surprising how much packing supplies are. I sell on ebay and the cost of penuts, tape and boxing keep going up! Then pay someone to do the job, etc I can see that that would add to the cost of an item.

 

[RIRWIN1983]

Hi There

I just got your PM and replied to it promptly. You can always contact us directly, but this forum is ok also.

I highly recomend Sadoun, if your local in Columbus,OH. he just needs to find a better location than the "hole in the warehouse wall" he's in now.

 

[FTAsquirrel]

I am very new to FTA and the support here has been great!! I bought a poorly packaged system from another dealer before I found this site, I have learned quite a bit here.

I ended up over time getting a new receiver and a bigger dish all from SatelliteAV/Glorystar and have been very satisfied. The support and shipping were A1 top notch I would recommend them to anyone and will be soon to a friend that has the Sky Angel service that sounds like he may lose soon.

Keep up the good work SatelliteAV/Glorystar