Big I-am
So, welcome to our blog and here we can show photos and tell the truth about some of the idiotic customers, ranting and raving online about our "customer service" "quality of goods" etc etc...
One self entitled idiot from the UK, now living in Pennsylvania, USA decided to purchase a pair of skates from us and after making no less than 17 phone calls, 12 emails and 8 FB messages - placed the order. I mean, it was a bit much even by weirdo standards.
So, our response to his 1* Google review is as follows + photos to demonstrate how we (correctly) install skate plates, using the centre line of the boots. Please note: the ice blade removed from the skate varies from size to size. They are not equidistant and cannot rely on the rivet holes to align the skate plate. We maintain and shout very loudly - the only line on the boot is the centre line (seam) in the middle of the boot (the same line the ice blade follows).
This customer also threatened to report us to an ombudsman and trading standards. For clarity, we encourage you to do so... we are 100% correct in this example and will NOT be threatened by idiots screaming at us.
Gloucester Council Trading Standards can be contacted at GLOUCESTER TRADING STANDARDS
From the customer's google review
A bit of advice for everyone. Do NOT use Skate Factory, also known as Roller Xpress at Gloucester Quays.
I purchased my skates from there. Firstly I had a few queries before I ordered and after I ordered the skates, but they didn't answer emails, or their online contact form at all, I had to call several times to actually get to speak to someone once they picked up. That should have been a red flag there.
When the skates arrived. They were out of alignment front to back. The plate on the right skate was over half a centimetre further back than the skate on the left boot. The heel on the right boot was also placed further back.
i took photos of this issue which was so plain to see and contacted the company. After trying to work it out with them, it was decided for me to send the skates back to be repaired or replaced.
I had to pay return shipping from the US of $111.65 and I only shipped the skates back after them confirming they would reimburse my return shipping cost.
Upon them receiving the skates back, I got the following incredibly rude reply, "To confirm, all of these are perfectly normal for our standard skate build. As you have stated, you have a different opinion and won't be making any modifications to the skates as we believe they are exactly the same as all our other skate builds - and we believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.
We also note the number of phone calls and emails we received from you before the order was dispatched - honestly, we just don't have time for customers like you.
So, we're sending you a full refund and recommend you annoy some other skate shop."
They refunded my initial purchase cost, even though I just wanted the skates repaired or replaced, but did not refund my return shipping costs as all, even though they promised they would do this. I am now out of pocket by $111.65, have no skates and they will no answer my emails or phone calls at all.
Sorry this is so long winded, but I just wanted to warn everyone NOT to use this awful, rude and completely unprofessional company
I have also looked online since and found some other reviews saying they are the rudest people and also one saying they were fine until there was and issue, then they completely changed.
Avoid at all costs, I have never been treated so badly by any company before.
Our public response...
A pair of skates was sold to this customer and we received 17, yes SEVENTEEN phone calls to make sure we have received the order. I mean, yes – we have received it but there is no need to call 17 times to check the order has been placed. At that time, we were very busy and dispatch times were a little longer than normal and we advised the customer this will be the case.
The skates were built, dispatched and received by the customer and that’s when the sheer stupidity began. “They’re misaligned”, he stated. “The left and right is different”, he barked. After trying to carefully explain the difference between ice skate fixings and roller skate fixings and how he might be able to micro-adjust his skates if he was unhappy with them or he could return them for a refund or replacement.
The customer response was so whimsical – he was unable to make any adjustments because he couldn’t lift the insole (this wasn’t required to loosen the 8mm nuts) was laughable and clearly did not have a clue what he was talking about – despite our best efforts to explain why the skate plate is mounted at the centre of the boot, he believed there was a 4mm difference between left and right. He hadn’t used the skates, the wheels are untouched and has spent more time staring at the underside of the boot than actually using them to feel how they roll. This isn’t a skater – this is an uninformed arrogant and incredibly rude, entitled Kevin.
The customer returned the skates to us in a tatty cardboard box, scuffed and damaged. The harassing phone calls continued “where’s my skates, I want them fixed, I want them back, I want, I want….” It was all too much for all the Skate Factory team and we decided to refund this customer for the original sale of £184.54.
On inspection, after receiving the skates, the skate plates were fitted correctly, dead centre of the boot – no different from the thousands of other skates we have built this year. The customer’s complaint of 4 mm difference between left and right is just simply wrong and can only attribute this difference as “customer idiocy” or “customer arrogance”, not understanding or listening to the key point, the centre of the boot is marked from heel to toe.
The other point of the heel block being further back – this was fixed in 10 seconds with an 8mm spanner, moved forward and retightened – as previously advised to the customer, without the need to remove the insole, or readjust the skate plate (which remained in position).
Due to the fact the customer was so arrogant and rude to our team and because the skates were observed as “not faulty” i.e. there was ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with them, we would have normally refunded postage to this customer as a good will gesture. In this case, due to the customer being such a P.I.T.A, returning his purchase in a tatty box, using the most expensive shipping service possible, we have got to a point where this customer is taking the proverbial Michael and we will have nothing more to do with him and have now refused service, his dozens of phone calls and ranting/demanding emails. If this customer at any point stopped to listen, to understand there is no problem here – we could have worked with him. Instead we recommended he annoys another skate shop.
So, here we are – review left, facts of the matter revealed and leave it to you, the google review readers to make up your own mind whether we are really, that terrible.
Our review of this customer is 1* Kevin (male Karen) and 5* skate build.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
We maintain the fact we build and supply quality skates for over 40 years and will NOT be intimidated, threatened or bullied online by anyone.
This customer is an a-hole and should be called out for being wrong and failing to listen to our advice, guidance and information.
If we were truly as terrible as this customer states, then even we would want to give up - it just takes one annoying twat to make you think is it all worth it? The answer is YES, of course it is... and we love building skates and watching skaters progress at our rink. It's a shame this moron couldn't remove his head from his ass to listen to the advice being given.
Never to be repeated.