Appalling service from Skye Highland Outffitters

[Downunder Kilt]

My experience with purchasing from Skye Highland Outfitters

I believe I have been the victim of the most appalling service by a business that I have ever had the misfortune to place an order with.


This is not a criticism of the quality of craftsmanship of products. It is however, what I believe to be, a fair criticism of Josh’s quality of service to his customers and his business acumen.

A brief as possible synopsis of the situation to date

(All in 2010)

24 March – order a John Brown sporran from Skye Highland Outfitters and pay in full with postage as requested via PayPal (estimate of 6 weeks on product)

Mid April – See on SHO site that Josh is delayed on sporrans as he is awaiting a shipment of cantles

10 May - email to Josh re time frame for cantles

11 May – email from Josh that cantles arriving ASAP and that sporrans are made and just awaiting cantle and for me to hold tight a little bit more.

9 June – email to Josh regarding the arrival of the cantles

10 June – email from Josh saying they arrived – provides a picture of them in his hand and states that he will be sending it on Friday and thanks me for hanging in there.

30 June – PM to Josh after emails not answered asking for update on sporran

30 June – PM from Josh stating that he had to send it parcel post via USPS as priority was going to be 70.00 but promises that sporran is enroute and for me to give a little more time

27 July – email to Josh asking for tracking, if any, details on sporran

28 July – email from Josh saying that he sent sporran USPS first class with insurance and that the parcel shows up as accepted by Australian Customs, but received another notification that it could take up to 6 weeks for it to clear. Or it could be the goat hair, he would investigate and get back to me. (He claimed to have sent another sporran, his chief’s, and a kilt at the same time, the kilt had gotten through but the other sporran had not.)

29 July – email from Josh saying that he had made a mistake on the customs forms and the sporrans were being returned to him (a longer story actually but that’s what it came down to) and that he would resend them properly once he got them back and apologizes

22 August – PM Josh as email not responded to, asking if sporrans returned and posting details with time expectation

23 August – PM from Josh saying that the sporran should be with him Tuesday and that he would be sending it priority which usually takes 5 – 10 days and would send tracking number
5 September – PM to Josh asking if sporrans returned and resent and for tracking number

10 September – email to Josh advising him of my concern and that I have functions coming up

14 September – email to Josh advising that I am annoyed re the non arrival of the sporran and the ignoring of my requests for information.

21 September – email to Josh expressing my disappointment at him ignoring my emails etc and the abuse of my patience and understanding of the delays. I also informed him that I had been making enquiries and that I had found four other persons that were in the same or similar boat with their orders. I ask for immediate attention to the problem.

If you are still with me, thank you

As you have probably gathered I have received no current communications from Josh. I find this type of treatment to a customer absolutely abysmal and showing total distain for an aggrieved customer.

I know that Josh has been on the site since I sent my PM on 5 September and since I opened the thread seeking a contact number. I have 3 phone numbers for Josh, two are dead and one rings sometimes then at other times you get a recording saying it’s disconnected.

You will also see from the above communiqués, that at no time did Josh contact me before I asked him about delays.

As for three of the other people I know are having problems, they are on another forum, one received an email yesterday saying that his product would be posted yesterday, the other two are making no public comment at the minute.

The fourth person is ThistleDown, and I will let him explain his circumstances, if he so desires.

If the sporran was posted in mid June and held by Australian Customs for a time (which I find hard to believe because as I was a Customs officer for 3 years and there is a quick procedure for parcels with incorrect paperwork) then I very much doubt that it would take August and most of September to return to sender. Supposedly it was insured for US$300.00

I still want the sporran as I have been waiting 6 months and have passed up other opportunities to obtain ones that I have liked. As I have said I am not in any way criticising the quality of his work and I have read many testimonials regarding it. Those testimonials gave me the push to purchase from Josh

I just wish to advise that I have received, what I consider, is disgusting customer service. (I would say other things but libel laws prevent this) I also consider that I have not been told the whole story about when things were sent.

Josh notified everyone through his website, I think in May and I think in a thread here, that he had received a big band order and I fear that he has let orders slide, especially for those of us outside the USA (3 of the people waiting are overseas customers).

If I can get a resolution by way of a confirmation of postage and a tracking number then the matter ends here. Otherwise my intention is to contact the Better Business Bureau in Sacramento to make a complaint and as PayPal is well out of date, if the BBB can’t help with getting the sporran, then the Fraud department of my bank to institute criminal proceedings and seek reparation.

I would also urge any member here to seriously consider if a purchase from Josh at SHO is worth the frustration, I and others are currently experiencing, especially if you are an overseas customer.

I ask anyone who can contact Josh to do so and urge him to contact those who need to be contacted

I have heavily précised some of the emails and PM’s mentioned above for sake of brevity (believe it or not). Should anyone be desirous of reading a full copy let me know.