Comments About AmigaKit

[BozzerBigD]

I can now live without their slow to non-existent customer service and products and I guess that's true for a large proportion of the Amiga market. THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR AMIGAKIT NOT ME!!

I now have RetroPassion and AmigaStore.EU who are friendly and answer tickets, queries and emails in a timely manner. Yes, RetroPassion couldn't afford the time to attempt a repair on my PS2 but he communicated that eventually and you move on. AmigaKit don't allow you to do that but I'm over it. It's OK as long as they don't need my ongoing financial support which won't be freely given.

Sorry Matthew, thanks for all the help in the past.

[BozzerBigD]

Fine, yes I'm happy with my new mouse and further back the repaired A4000T, floppy disk drive and numerous other in person dealings with you at shows and in Cardiff... cheers!

However, what I am less than happy with is the fact that I open query tickets about products that go in and out of stock in the time it takes you to ignore my questions (you don't even acknowledge that I asked the question)! That isn't customer service and you'd have probably got a Prisma Megamix sale out of me with or without compatibility with the Rapid Road USB IF YOU'D ANSWERED THE QUESTION 2+ YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST ASKED IT!

Seriously, I just asked you if you'd sell me a joystick switcher mobo if you are having problems populating them because I'll attempt to do it myself if I have to. I really need 2No. of your product Code: JOYMSESW2 but you ignore me over and over and over again!!!!!

I am also insterested in the A1222 Plus but I simply cannot buy it off you if and when it becomes available because of these communication problems. I've called RetroPassion out on this too but he has always explained his position eventually. YOU NEVER HAVE REGARDING THE JOYSTICK SWITCHER OR THE PRISMA MEGAMIX DESPITE REGULAR REMINDERS AND NOW SHOUTING ON A FORUM (which seems the only way to get your attention sometimes sadly)!!!!

Infuriating doesn't quite cut it....

[BozzerBigD]

I am saddened that it come to this because as I say I have had nothing but good dealings with you and Christopher in person but I have had items shipped from China during the pandemic faster than it's taken you to consider populating the Joystick Switcher units and inform me about the ETA! Ironically, two of the Chinese parts were 9-pin 90 degree adapters to use with the CD32 compatible joypad/joystick switchers (originally Solidcore's design and then yours if indeed you supplied them). :-(

No hard feelings just a feeling of apathy and sadness really towards the state of things...

Additionally, I WILL consider donating towards the upkeep of the two sites mentioned if this is cleared up. Thank you.

[BozzerBigD]

Do you know what the worst part of this is? It is the fact that this reminds me less of the 'stella' customer service I've received from Eyetech and then from you in the past and reminds me more of how Alive Mediasoft Ltd were in the last few months of trading! It's awful and I already regret making the comparison as you have always delivered goods I've paid for and Alive failed to deliver me AmigaOS 3.5 keeping the money when they knew they were going under but the way customer communication is failing reminds me of those days!

I wish you well and appreciate all you've done and I don't want you to go under as a business but we need each other and this ship feels like it's sinking to be honest!!

[BozzerBigD]

There is more to life than you 'saving face'. It is a fact that you have until now FAILED to comment on the Prisma Megamix. It wasn't out of stock when I asked the question but since you sold them all I guess the fact that you lost my sale doesn't matter?! You included a clock port on the Prisma and I wanted to know what it was useful for! That was a reasonable question about YOUR product. You didn't acknowledge the question had been asked and this is the first time in over two years that you have acknowledged it!

I understand the CD32 compatible joystick switcher is a low margin product and that you have taken no money from me, however the damage that can be induced to CIA chips etc from 'hot swapping' is considerable and hence the items are considered important to me. I would appreciate an update as to 'ballpark' when you think you may be able to provide them. e.g. 1st quarter 2023 for example.

I understand everything is "When it's done!" around here but this is important to me and I would appreciate further communication about it.

I'm sure that whether the A1222 Plus is an A-EON product or not, YOU ARE helping to bring it to market and it is disingenuous to suggest otherwise. The truth will out.

To clarify I am not trying to discredit your business and as already stated I have called RetroPassion out for similar practices. Saving face seems to be THE priority all round IMHO. To remind you, it is a good thing when customers show an interest in YOUR products and if you sell them irrespective of the manufacturer they ARE your products!

[BozzerBigD]

P.S. You were selling the Rapid Road and the Prisma when I asked the question. Also, it is news to me that you won't be distributing the A1222 Plus.

Good luck with you other endeavours that 'pay the wages'!

[BozzerBigD]

I am not trolling. As demonstrated here, unless you are summoned into 'saving face mode', some questions go unanswered for years. I am entitled to clear this up anyway that works. The ticket system on your website SHOULD work but doesn't always. Also, if you are too overworked to finish the CD32 joypad switchers YOU could collaborate with 'the community' to get it finished considering you have the mobos. Yes, you'd lose your margin but you've implied 5% is hardly worth your while anyway!

I had hoped that increased competition may have made you knuckle down on the 'soft skills' element of customer service I've mentioned but at the end of the day I see now that you only judge yourself by how efficiently you are able to undertake financial transactions and shipping etc. In stands to reason in a pre-order rampant/low quantity/custom niche market you think you'll sell out the units you have in stock eventually and hence answering queries or trying to convince people to buy products they otherwise would give a pass on is less of a priority. Oh well.

Also, no need to take a cheap jab at RetroPassion. In football you're only as good as your last result and AmigaKit is only as good as your last order fulfillment/query ticket response! That's commerce and where does loyalty get us? Hyperion attempting to destroy the whole market that's where! Therefore, competition is healthy to stop anyone being too big for their boots! Don't increase your foot size as they're getting tight IMHO! 

[BozzerBigD]

I am not trolling.

Well, ask yourself this: if you were talking with us face to face at a show or in the office, would you tell us that we have "non-existant service" ?  I suspect not because besides not being polite, it is a blatant exaggaration of the truth.  Therefore, why are you posting this on our forum?

I accept that I exaggerated but that is because you have never answered my questions about the Prisma Megamix while it was for sale or gave a time frame/update for manufacture of the CD32 Joypad switcher in 'normal' channels. I still await a time frame and have had to assume the Rapid Road USB was never 'officially' compatible with the Prisma's clockport from your comments today. All of it is now as you say "a non-issue" as you are not able to sell me either item and I envisage SolidCore returning to the scene would be more likely than a CD32 switcher from AmigaKit in the medium term!  Maybe you could employ him as a contractor?

https://www.amibay.com/member/20003-solidcore

Also, no need to take a cheap jab at RetroPassion.

We did not reference third parties- another example of you attempting to stir the pot. 

I question that:

This is our livelihood, which you probably do not consider.  We operate in a niche low margin market.  As a consumer you now have plenty of choice of pop-up part time "dealers" who maybe will be gone within a year or two.

You seem to be talking about small 'run out of home' outfits like RetroPassion with that statement. Yes, you didn't 'name' them but you implied that was the sort of business that you were talking about. It doesn't matter. Small outfits like that ARE your competition now.

I would like to conclude that your business is valued but you do need in my opinion to accept some constructive criticism and the way that you have stalled answering some of my queries (dragging on over 2 years in the case of the Prisma) has not been completely as it should have been. I thank you for answering my questions here and I wish we could have had these discussions months if not years ago over the AmigaKit ticketing system, on the phone or at a show.

Truce. Forgive me my Amiga passion