Dumb Edward Clarke meets Lee Valley Customer Service

[Edward Clarke]

Me:

I've been collecting hand tools for my retirement for years now and just realized that I duplicated an
order for a plane. How long do we have to return an unopened item? I got a pair of skew rabbet planes
in December, 2009 (order yyyyyy ) but ordered a duplicate right handed one in in March of last year (order zzzzzzz).

Them:

Thank you for your e-mail. Normally, we have a 90-day guaranty. But since the duplicate plane you purchased has never been opened, you are more than welcome to return it for a refund or exchange by using the return label, which covers the return postage costs, included with your last order. If you do not have a return label, please view the following link for a printable version of the return label: http://www.leevalley.com/us/home/Ret...angeFormUS.pdf.

Simply place the return label on the outside of the parcel and take it to your local post office. Please include a brief note with the parcel indicating why you are returning the item as well as your complete mailing address and/or customer number as this will help our Returns Department process the return quickly.

We look forward to hearing from you again.

Regards,

[Edward Clarke]

Ok, can anyone tell me why I should buy from anyone else? That's absurdly good customer service.

As to how it happened, I've been buying Veritas/Lee Valley stuff and putting it away unopened in a chest of drawers for years.
When I finally get rid of all this damned power equipment it'll all be there waiting for me. The skew rabbet plane was one that I
recently needed so I opened one... and found two in the drawers.

[Chris Griggs]

Funny. They are indeed lovely people to deal with. Thanks for the story.

[Chris Griggs]

Ok, can anyone tell me why I should buy from anyone else? That's absurdly good customer service.

You should not buy from others INSTEAD of LV only IN ADDITION TO LV. LN and Tools For Working Wood also have obscenely good customer care. I've never seen anything like it outside of woodworking.

[glenn bradley]

I will even pay a little more to buy from Lee Valley when they have the item I am after (which is often) just because of the fantastic business model Rob Lee operates under. Truly a model for many types of businesses. Another favorite is when they send you a check because the item you bought a week ago went on sale recently. Total class act.

[Jeff Duncan]

My goodness....your level of patience is on par with Sainthood!!!

I can't even imagine buying something and putting it away without even taking it out of the box I will literally put down my sandwhich to open the door for the UPS guy, and won't come back to it until I've opened the package, taken everything out, and given it a good look over. My hats off to you for having that level of patience. HOWEVER.....it may be a good idea to open your items at least once as if something was amiss and you didn't find out until years later, you may not be so lucky next time

JeffD