Boarding ramp

[diverdn]

I recently contacted boardingramp.com regarding a ramp I purchased shortly before hurricane Sandy dismantled our lives. I sent them this letter:

Jeff,
I purchased a boarding ramp from you in the spring of 2012. I'm sorry to say that my ramp was lost to hurricane Sandy, and I am in need of two things. First, I'm going to attempt to claim the loss to my insurance company (they've denied all my claims so far) so I'll need a copy of my original bill. Second, I will need a replacement ramp exactly like the first one. Please send me a copy of my original invoice ASAP so I may include it in my claim.


Thank You
Tom


They answered me immediately stating that they would gladly supply me with a copy of my original invoice, but could not supply me with another ramp because the price had gone up by an additional $300.00. To this, I wrote:


Jeff,
Thank you for supplying me with a copy of the invoice from my original purchase back in July. I enjoyed the ramp for the few months that I had it, but unfortunately, it's days were numbered.
Since the storm was so devastating to our area, the outpouring of help has been amazing. Individuals and businesses have truly opened their hearts to lend a hand to their fellow man when it was most needed. Donations of much needed supplies have been made by many large (and small) companies, all with the knowledge that it is the right thing to do.
Then comes your company.
I'm not saying you owe me a ramp, or even a discount on one since I only got 3 months use of the last one, but I couldn't believe that you had the nerve to raise the price! Talk about kicking someone when they're down. You manufacture a product that I purchased at full retail from you, is it asking too much to receive a little kindness on my second purchase of the same item? Are you that profit driven or just heartless?
I'm hoping that the distance your company is from the actual devastation that occurred here has perhaps clouded your perception.




Regards,
Tom


Its been 2 months and I've gotten no reply.

 

[Knot It]

Send another letter with a CC: to every news outlet and elected official you can think of or find. Bet that gets a response on the fast track. Sorry for your loss and I hope it works out for you.

 

[mpmiller]

Maybe his costs increased. Try submitting the invoice as proof of purchase and get a new quote for your claim amount.

 

[moparlvr4406]

sorry for your losses from the storm
but honestly I have issues with your approach.
I will probably get flamed for this but...
that company owes you nothing in reality
they did not cause the storm or your loss
it's a wonderful thing that so many people including myself aided in the relief efforts
but a boarding ramp niether feeds your family nor heats your home so is not what
I would consider a necessity of life.
Granted it would be a nice gesture of them to sell you another at the same price
as the last one but again...it was not a material defect or any fault of theirs.
and sorry to say...ALL businesses are profit driven...that's what keeps the doors open.

 

[GrandMaster]

sorry for your losses from the storm
but honestly I have issues with your approach.
I will probably get flamed for this but...
that company owes you nothing in reality
they did not cause the storm or your loss
it's a wonderful thing that so many people including myself aided in the relief efforts
but a boarding ramp niether feeds your family nor heats your home so is not what
I would consider a necessity of life.
Granted it would be a nice gesture of them to sell you another at the same price
as the last one but again...it was not a material defect or any fault of theirs.
and sorry to say...ALL businesses are profit driven...that's what keeps the doors open.

I concur...A boat is a "luxury" that no one needs except for fishermen & others who make their living on the water...and a boat boarding ramp is a boating luxury that I estimate most recreational boaters dont even have. New less expensive boarding ramps for all will not help bring the OP's life, or Northeast, back to normal

 

[hottoddie]

After checking the website it seams like some of those ramps can be expensive. How much did the original ramp cost? Is $300 a 50% increase or a 10% increase. Aluminum is a commodity that fluctuates alot. Also if they build large marina ramps then they are most likely busy after Sandy and supply and demand applies. Sorry but my sympathies are with boardingramp.com and I would frown on bashing them on the interent or you may here from their attorney (no I am not an attorney).

 

[Carver370]

This is right in line with expecting sea ray to give an owner a new boat after sandy.

 

[Budman]

sorry for your losses from the storm
but honestly I have issues with your approach.
I will probably get flamed for this but...
that company owes you nothing in reality
they did not cause the storm or your loss
it's a wonderful thing that so many people including myself aided in the relief efforts
but a boarding ramp niether feeds your family nor heats your home so is not what
I would consider a necessity of life.
Granted it would be a nice gesture of them to sell you another at the same price
as the last one but again...it was not a material defect or any fault of theirs.
and sorry to say...ALL businesses are profit driven...that's what keeps the doors open.

I have to agree. I bought groceries before Sandy and since then the price went up. Now I have a choice - I can ***** about the price increase and go hungry or pay the higher price. Guess which one I chose.

 

[wetpaint]

I agree 100% that they owe Tom zero.......This is not a publicly traded company or fortune 500 company with excessive profits. Their margins and market is so small. However, I do believe a gesture of some discount would have been appropriate and they would have been better served by free positive marketing versus the negative post here........The one questions is, if they offered a $50.00 discount which that gesture is not expected, would that have been a slap in the face too?

 

[tdschafer]

Sorry Tom,
But I agree with the masses on this one. As was stated so well in previous posts, a boarding ramp is a luxury and is not feeding your family or heating your home. I actually thought it was responsible of the gentleman to inform you of the price increase in case you were trying to get it replaced by the insurance company. Best of luck for a satisfactory outcome on your claim!

 

[JVM225]

Maybe his costs increased. Try submitting the invoice as proof of purchase and get a new quote for your claim amount.

I agree!

 

[Jim M]

Diverdn----YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. Maybe you should ask our president for a free new boarding ramp.

 

[bigblockcutlass]

All he was asking for is a discount on a new ramp. They chould have offered some kinda discount, but the email was kinda harsh. Hard to get a responce unless your really nice about the whole thing. Heartless was a little much maybe.

 

[diverdn]

For some clarity: the cost of the original ramp was 1200.00, now its 1500.00. It's a 3-ft slab of aluminum with a hinge at the end. No discounts, no bargains. I'm certain that aluminum hasn't skyrocketed 25% I clearly did not ask for a free replacement, or a discounted ramp. I only expressed disappointment at the price increase. And to hottodie, really? You're sympathetic because they're so busy replacing all the damage from the storm? Those poor guys!

 

[AMFM3]

While I sympathize greatly with all the losses from Sandy, this one kinda confuses me.

So,what if they put the price up? They sell ramps well outside of the area affected by Sandy. They're a private business with the right to sell their wares at whatever price they deem appropriate. If there are no sales, then they will drop their price.

It may not be like by those in your situation, but it is the way of the world.

Mark

 

[diverdn]

Mark,
I'll be the first to agree with you that the fundamental purpose of a business is to create as much profit as the market allows. I constantly preach that "the consumer is king". With that said, the practice of price gouging is still unfair and illegal. Just because a disaster takes place and plywood becomes in high demand, doesn't permit Home Depot to triple the price of plywood. According to your simplified rules of supply and demand, it would be perfectly fine for plywood to be $100.00 a sheet when it's needed most. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed, and companies (at least successful ones) recognize that their customers are the reason they're in business, and choose not to "squeeze" just because they can.
I wish you the best of luck with all your boating and hope that should tragedy strike, the person you turn to holds a very different belief about business than you.
Once again, I NEVER asked for anything for free.
I NEVER asked for a discount.
I asked to re-purchase an item at the original price a mere 7 months after my original purchase.
With regards to some of the other comments I ask a simple question:

can any of you read?

"it's like asking SeaRay for a new boat".........is that really what it's like?

"ask the president for a new ramp"..............unfortunately, this president has successfully pitted the haves vs the have nots and I fall into the wrong category on that one. Perhaps in Michigan or Florida the government handouts are a way of life, but in New Jersey it's not. Enjoy your free cell phone.

 

[Woody]

:smt101....:lol: and :smt043

 

[KC_Sundancer]

I NEVER asked for a discount.
I asked to re-purchase an item at the original price a mere 7 months after my original purchase.

:smt017 Is that not the same thing?

:smt101....:lol: and :smt043

Woody, I'll second that as I step out to proudly work here in Michigan with no government handouts by my choice.

 

[hottoddie]

For some clarity: the cost of the original ramp was 1200.00, now its 1500.00. It's a 3-ft slab of aluminum with a hinge at the end. No discounts, no bargains. I'm certain that aluminum hasn't skyrocketed 25% I clearly did not ask for a free replacement, or a discounted ramp. I only expressed disappointment at the price increase. And to hottodie, really? You're sympathetic because they're so busy replacing all the damage from the storm? Those poor guys!

Sympathy has nothing to do with it. I was only stating a possible reason for a price increase. If there are other companies out there making a similar boat ramp for less then boatramps.com will loose your business and others as well. I agree with KC that by asking to buy another ramp 7 months later at the same price you are in fact asking for a discount if their prices went up. Some companies sell at low or no margins to keep the doors open and if their business has picked up and they have an opportunity to make a profit then so be it. :wow:

 

[diverdn]

Apparently I hadn't considered that Michigan is a big Union state that believes a slab of aluminum is worth $1500.00. Don't worry, I'll continue to pay huge New Jersey taxes to support your government bailouts.