I have to vent here, as I saw something pretty stupid but seems to be common as it's the third time I've seen it now.

Kooks - if you buy gear new from a shop and things don't work (leaks, workmanship, etc) please don't run into a shop with an attitude expecting the shop owner to drop everything and give you 100% satisfaction - or else!

Yeah I know you've forked out big $$ for it all, but that does not give you the right to think a shop would or should treat you like royalty.

One kook broke his foot strap out on a session in front of a kite shop owner that he bought the board from, and came back frothing shoving the board into this guys hands like as if it was an unwanted baby or something. He expected the entire board to be swapped over with a new one.

Ahhhh - sorry sunshines but do you know what shop owners have to do to pay for insurance and supplier refunds?! It ain't as simple as that.

Just sayin. Some pricks really need an attitude adjustment about kite surfing and it ain't about being cool on the beach - oh look at me **** either.

How did ya know he was a kook, did ya ask him

Yep there’s some arrogant pricks in this world – just came home from a visit to my Physio and he was telling me about a person coming into the clinic asking for an appointment and was told the earliest would be in a week to which he said “no I need it earlier” and left. The Physio assumed he was going to try somewhere else but he returned 2 weeks later demanding he be seen then and there as he had taken the day off work to see a physio.

What’s that saying: “Bad planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part”

Your thick as 2 bricks if you think arrogance is going to get you anywhere fast…

There's dickheads in all aspect of life.

Take the safety labels off everything and let nature take its course.

Sounds like a case of being a dip ****

Define KOOK....Isn't this more about consumer personality rather than consumer category? Are you going to tell me a shop sponsored team rider ,who gets it for nothing or a regular customer who spends $6000 a year at the shop isn't going to maybe respond the same as the Kook. Also if a new $4000 t.v.set , a fanbelt on a new $50000 car, a chain on a new $3000 pushbike all broke the first day of purchase ,how the would the consumer react? Is he a kook too?...

But it says royal on the board lol

Good customer service is memorable.
Some people are never happy though.

G'day everyone ja back in the day I worked in a factory/shop that sold surfski's etc and the amount of flack you would cop if someones gear failed and stopped them doing their thing over the weekend was amazing- I had a company ceo who was also a mate of mine come out swinging straight out of his car because his paddle broke on the start line of a surfski race -we didn't even make those paddles we just sold them- on a monday. The thing is, is that people can handle pretty much anything at work because its not real life and they are paid to be there but if you fxxk with their free time -their actual life- they will get you for it. Aswell add to that the usual absolute shxxhouse service you get from your local shop " yea man pick your kite up on the way to the beach its all here" the shop is closed so you drove for a hour for nothing and now are driving home for an hour because you have no kite then no one answers your phone calls for a week because they are all out kiteing then you catch one in the car park as they are leaving and ask them if you can pick up your kite that you paid for a month ago so they go with you to the shop unlock it and your kite is there but: "yea man the bars gone walkabout but just pick it up next time you go to the beach". I can well imagine if that kite had been fxxt when I finally got it out what I would have done. Do you know how many mushrooms I have to bleach just to buy a secondhand board? To the OP who was the shop owner for some context?

And here is me thinking this thread was going to be about euro tourists dropping in on waves....

If people got upset because someone made their (free time ) as Awkward customer said, there would be a few weather men with out there targets on their back ....I can tell you.....

Please. . . Good Customer service is easy. . . But most businesses for some reason find it hard. Contrary to popular belief the customer is not always right and in many cases are dodgy and try to rip yoh off. Nonetheless, it is easy to provide good service and when u find it you return. . . . Best way to deal with the good and bad. . . . . Whether u spend $5 or $5000 it has no relevance. . . . . And I treat my customers so.

In kiting you need someone who wants your business and provides that service to do so. . .

For my business I deal with public all the time . . . Every customer is important to a point. . . . I can only do best. .
And already mentioned some people are never satisfied. . . . . Their expectations on reality are fuzzy

2 cents

Shops should allways be 100% honest with the quality of second hand gear they are trying to flog to poor noobs who don't know any better. A "near new kite" should not lose pressure after half a hour.

Yes we have consumer protection laws in Australia and the thing that most people don't understand is:
1. Manufacturer warranties are NOT statutory protection
2. Statutory protection says you re protected regardless of the warranty, as Gorgo states above.

the Manufacturer can say that it has a 3 month warranty but that does not mean the statutory protection only covers it for 3 months, it could cover it for 1 day or 20 years depending on what is considered reasonable.

example in South Australia a case on a fridge claim was that it broke down after the manufacturers warranty of 12 months, the judge stated however that a fridge must last longer than 12 months, more like 5 - 10 years and in which case the consumer was protected.

the other thing is that the manufacturer is often used as a first point of call with claims when going back to the retailer, this however is wrong as the responsibility is with the retailer, that's the reality, the retailer can then take it up with the manufactures as they have rights too.

There is no excuse for poor behaviour as a consumer unless they are not being treated fairly, and its why the good shops / dealers form good relationships with their customers, its the only way to run a business. that's never changed.

Daz

or maybe people know you may be a pain to deal with if left unhappy

I keep on buying even from those who dealt with issues in a less customer friendly way than others and what I consider exceptional service. Giving them a chance to do it better next time . Also, writing off some money affects my quality of life in a lesser way than frustration does or even worse, not having the gear to hit the water at any time.

i just buy all sporting goods from distributors rather then dealers. probably not supposed to but man does it make a hell of alot more sense to do so.

No reason for bad customer service though.

if it's all too hard for the shop owner maybe they should gain suitable employment and sell the business.

One happy Kook is a better advertisement than one pissed off Kook.

just sayin