By The Sword fails on many levels.

by Kenneth
(Wichita, KS, USA)

These guys are crooks, do not by from them.

Placed order 3 weeks, nothing shipped to me.

They do not notify customers of out of stock items. I contacted customer service and they blamed *me* for the delay because I did not enter a need by date in the order comments section

I contacted customer service by email and got no response. I contacted customer service the next day via their web chat feature and was informed the items were out of stock. They wanted to charge me for canceling the order, so I changed the order to items that were verified as in stock. One week later items have not shipped.

Comments for By The Sword fails on many levels.

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Nov 20, 2014
 Missing Info?
by: Spectre

I agree with Steven Clarke on this. It also seems you might have left out some details in your "communication" with them.
I don't buy that statement in which they said "it was your fault."
I'm guessing that's how you read into it while you were upset, but it was probably more along the lines of "If you needed it by a certain date, you should have let us know." You also mention it was a custom order. 3 weeks is not very long for custom service, and you're not the only customer. How many people do you think may have placed custom orders a few days before you?
Sep 01, 2014
 BTS Experience
by: Aero

I actually placed an order with them not too long ago for some GDFB gear- their communication was actually very prompt and helpful, and they were even willing to price match one of their competitors for the maille I was buying! Rose, as seen here in the comments, was very polite and professional. The shipping was also about what I expected/paid for, so no complaints there either. I can't speak towards how it may have been in the past, but I'd be happy to order from them again at this point in time.
Jul 21, 2014
 Sour Grapes?
by: Steven Clarke

I have to think if you had a hard time with this company then you did not make an effort to let them resolve it. Every company large or small will make mistakes now and then. This is because all companies are made up of people. In my experience (which admittedly isn't super extensive as I am not a power buyer) By the Sword makes at least as good of an effort, if not better than, other companies at correcting mistakes or misunderstandings (in my case it happened to be a misunderstanding). It seems to me that there is an upsurge in people that want to go around "pencil whipping companies" around the internet when things don't turn out precisely as expected. They use excessive words like "thief", "scam". and "con", when all they had to do was be a little flexible and give the business a chance to rectify it as the vast majority of businesses want very much to. This irks me very much as a small business owner. It's not fair to the company, and it is anti-helpful to other consumers, not to mention ultimately self defeating since you are choosing be angry and discontented rather than giving somebody a second chance to give you what you wanted. Rant over.
May 07, 2014
 Sorry, one last thing
by: Rose

Craig- If something arrives not as expected, please email us pictures and let us know. We can refund the sharpening charge, or try to make it right in another way if you prefer. We love our repeat customers and work hard to ensure everyone is happy with their purchase.
May 07, 2014
 New policies, better service
by: Rose

I work for BTS, and I am familiar with these complaints. I would like to say, I am the current lead in customer service over here and I welcome you to give us another shot. It is true that not all of our items are in stock,so sometimes items are back ordered or made to order; but we do try to notify customers of this and offer alternatives if needed. We also try to add to the description when an item is hand made, so you have a better idea of a time frame. I answer all emails and voice mails, so if you're wondering if something is immediately available, I can let you know. I'm happy to check sizes, weights, and ask the manufacturers for specs where available. We do not charge for a cancellation unless something is under construction for you which you have customized. Also, please check out our price match policy on our FAQ page.
Feb 12, 2014
 Incorrect and Paid For It
by: Craig

Bought the "Wall-hanger" Heron-mark Blade from Wheel of Time from them, and paid extra for a Sharpened Blade.
It arrived, but it was not sharpened.
I have Banned them.
Sep 05, 2012
 I had nearly an identical experience
by: Harry Marinakis

Go read their fine print Dufus!
It's all your fault!
They claim "Great Communication" but actually it's the complete opposite.

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