Mike wrote, "If you have been offered a replacement or refund, I don't understand what the big deal is. "
First, let's put this in perspective. I don't consider this a big deal. Debilitating disease is a big deal. Car accidents that crush half your face are a big deal. Strokes are a big deal. Losing a child to a drunk driver is a big deal. I doubt Greg's livelihood is on the line here either; It's obvious that most people here continue to have faith in Greg's products and branding. So this seems like a fairly little deal to me.
Here's what the little deal is about, in my opinion:
Do you remember the Red Ryder air rifle in the movie A Christmas Story? "I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!" is what Ralphie said as he slid down away from Santa.
There's a strong vein of "Christmas morning" emotion feeding this forum. Much of this forum is about wanting stuff, deciding whether to buy stuff, buying stuff informed by those wants, waiting expectantly for the arrival of bought stuff, seeing if those wants and expecations were satisfied by the stuff we bought, and then sharing pleasure or disappointment over that stuff with others on the forum.
How often have you read on this forum --or thought -- "I can't wait to try it," or "Oooh, I want one of those"? This is not a Red Ryder though; I use that example only to point out the premise of a consumer-driven economy: the creation of desire through branding and advertising and the satisfaction of desire through purchase. Red Ryder sells Wild West adventurism to little boys stuck in a schoolroom and their neighborhoods. The problem I have with both of my purchases is that iKon's branding
is quality -- even in his early models he was advertising fine hand-crafted workmanship. He's not selling razors; he's selling quality. Dealers that sell a $25 DE razor are selling razors.
That's the problem I have in this very little deal. Twice I ordered what Greg's selling: quality. Are there any other DE razor makers who claim as high of quality as Greg does? Twice I expected to get what's he's selling: quality. When I bought directly from Greg and when I bought from a retailer, I didn't get it. If Greg were to say on his marketing "we eventually deliver quality," or "if you do not receive quality you will be refunded," or "if your product is not high quality the first time, we'll send you another one that is," I wouldn't've been as disappointed. But IKon is supposed to "ALWAYS deliver high quality" (his capitals, not mine).
This isn't about Greg getting kudos for standing behind his product, as Tim's mentioned. I could order a 25 dollar DE razor and return it if it's bent; other razormakers who cast or machine from more zinc-based metals will also stand behind their product. Does any razormaker have a "no returns no refunds" policy? This is about Greg setting himself apart as a craftsman, as someone who always delivers quality, and then passing the buck. I'm not impressed with Greg's comment that the H2O shouldn't've been shipped like that. He's right; it shouldn't have shipped like that. But the 2009 iKon shouldn't've shipped either. Greg's explained the 2009 fluke as "a very early example" iKon, but he still handcrafted it and shipped it himself.
If my customers don't like the product I've given them, I own the mistake. Greg apologized above, sort of. He said "Sorry that you received a razor that looks as if is was crushed in transit - it sure did not leave my hands that way." This is really his explanation to himself of why he doesn't want to own the mistake. Another forum member (who I will keep anonymous unless he wants to out himself) emailed me after this post and said:
Ya here is the response he needs.
“Holy crap I can’t believe how much bad luck you have had. I feel so much pride the quality of my workmanship that I am shipping you a free S3S to help restore your faith in my quality products. Please consider my company for future purchases if you enjoy the S3S I am sending you.”
When my own customers are dissatisfied or inconvenienced in any way, I give them a full refund
and I give them the product they paid for or better if it's possible. I also apologize thoroughly for the inconvenience I've cause them. I do this because I want loyal return customers, and it works. I have a thriving business.
in·no·va·tion: 