Wanderlust gear, where is Kurt?

[Doctari]

I think that question has been asked here before. But I ask it again as I am concerned about Kurt.

The web site is still up, but the phone is disconnected.

Does anyone know what happened?

I want another Nomad someday.

Thanks!

Doctari.

[fullofadventure]

Apparently this is an on going problem with Him/the Company. If you do a search you will find a long thread with various customers complaining that they never received their tents that they ordered (but they were still charged for them) and it was like over a year later. I wont go into more detail because I don’t want to state the wrong facts but this is what I remember.



I think his products are very cool and so do a lot of other people, so I think he could have a fan base if his company had been run proper. In my opinion, I think he is at the point where nobody will buy from him because they don’t have confidence he can deliver the product. Here is what I would like to see happen. I think he should just sell the rights to his design and let some else start making it. Who out there would like to see this happen?

[gravityman]

Apparently this is an on going problem with Him/the Company. If you do a search you will find a long thread with various customers complaining that they never received their tents that they ordered (but they were still charged for them) and it was like over a year later. I wont go into more detail because I don’t want to state the wrong facts but this is what I remember.




Careful there. I don't know anyone that hasn't gotten a tent. It took us 8 months to get ours, but we did get it eventually. I would suggest that you talk with him BEFORE placing the order though. I wouldn't send him a check without talking with him.

Gravity Man

[fullofadventure]

If you do a search on backpacking.net or here you will find some info that I was referring too. Quite a few people had not received their tents for a very long time but their money was taken. Some of them did receive their tents in the end but not after a very long stressful wait. A user on that backpacking.net named rahodeb never go the tent after numerous call, e-mails and such. Maybe he/she got the tent in the end, I cannot say for sure although he/she said they would post if they did. I could not find a post saying he/she had received it yet.



Gravityman, it does look like things got resolved in the long run because most/if not all people got their tents but you kind of have to wonder what kind of business he is running. From what I have read there were multiple reasons given for what had happened from being lost in the mail during the aftermath of 9/11, his friend misfiled orders, too much demand not enough supply, to problems with the people he outsourced some of the work too, and so on. It all boils down to being his fault in the end not matter which way you look at it. He needs to reinstall customer confidence again somehow and I don’t know how he can do that. I hope he does though.



I am not trying to put Kurt down at all (I like his product) and I hope his business is back and running at full speed. I am a big supporter of the cottage industry and wish him well in the future. Kurt if you read this best of luck in the future.

[gravityman]

He does have some serious problems with his delivery. No doubt. I also waited for ever, got the machine and left messages, sent mail to him, phone got cut off... On and on... I would never tell anyone to get a tent from him. But I don't think that he takes the money without an promise to send the tent. I think that we would be hearing more from people if they NEVER recieved their tent. I'm curious if anyone has experienced this. A lack of response on a board is probably not the best indicator. If you are expecting your tent in three months, post on boards 5 months, and it comes 8 months later, chances are you aren't going to remember to go back to the board to say you got it.

Tarptents are a great product and have timely delivery. Our 2-4-2 is nice and spacious, but I like our squall better.

Gravity Man

[hiho1624]

He's out on the trail,Backpacking:-? :banana

[Streamweaver]

[QUOTE=hiho1624]He's out on the trail,Backpacking:-? :banana[/Q

If thats the case then hes practicing bad buisness !! You dont take orders and peoples money then go off and play all summer and say the hell with them it can wait!! Theres other folks doing buisness online that go off in the summer and what they do is give ample notice and only take so many orders that they can all be filled before they leave.Not saying thats whats going on with Wandurlust ,because I dont know for sure ,but if that is the case the least he could do is let folks know how long it would take to recieve their goods!! Streamweaver

[Eveready]

I am also experiencing the same problem as Treehugger with my order placed 8 months ago with Kurt. I wrote him a letter 30 days ago asking for my deposit back. About 2 weeks later I received the 2 person tent in the mail, but I had ordered the 1 person model. I returned the tent the next day. As of today, no tent and no returned deposit. Also based on my recommendation, a good friend of mine in Az. ordered the 1 peson model, sent in the purchase price and as of now not received his tent.

[icemanat95]

A lot of small businesses have this problem. Someone has a great idea, starts up a cottage business to implement and sell that idea, but never really does the homework needed to support the business. They never establish a business model, business plan. Never figure out how l;ong it will really take them to produce each piece or handle the administrative side, thus they never figure out their production capacity making it too easy to fall behind in orders delivered vs. orders received. Neither do they ensure that they have enough operating capital in pocket to pay for the overhead so that they do not have to ask for money until product is delivered. Thus they are buying the materials needed today with the money paid for a product not to be delivered until three months from now. Wrong answer. If you cannot deliver the product now, you shouldn't be charging more than 50% up front with the rest due on delivery, and that ONLY if you explicitly state that you need a deposit.

It's not malice at work though, it's just lack of planning, ignorance and a generally loosey goosey attitude.

Most of these businesses die under the weight of their mistakes. Sometimes this is unfortunate, but most of the time someone takes off on the idea with a better business plan and gets it done.