Exchange Sails

[JumbleDuck]

Is this a scam? A company on the verge of bankruptcy selling non-existent sails to scrape together some money before the collapse? Juggling multiple outraged customers? The behavior is hard to explain, as no business can survive like this -- pure suicide. A company behaving like this is not planning to be in business much longer.

I wonder if they have any happy customers? It would be a very good idea if you, and the others who have posted tales of woe, contacted Trading Standards to let them know the issues.

 

[Dockhead]

I wonder if they have any happy customers? It would be a very good idea if you, and the others who have posted tales of woe, contacted Trading Standards to let them know the issues.

I really doubt that there is any point to it. A company which intends to stay in business just doesn't behave like this. This is the way a company behaves when it's in the process of going under and is encircled by its creditors. I've seen it before; just never in the UK.

 

[Drews]

Westaway are exhibiting at SIBS on stand G036

 

[NealB]

Westaway are exhibiting at SIBS on stand G036

How very brave of them!

I'm really surprised they are still trading.

I had aggro with them several years ago.

The usual story, it seems...... took my money up front, with promise of delivery within days......then no word for weeks.

Then very rare replies to emails or phone calls, which made more promises of "delivery scheduled for next week", then 'next week, then 'next week'.

They may be competent sail makers, but they seem to be totally useless at production scheduling and customer service. Their promises mean nothing.

I will never have anything to do with them again.

Grrrrr!!!!!!

 

[Dockhead]

Westaway are exhibiting at SIBS on stand G036

That's good news! I'll drop by and see them for a friendly chat

 

[Ianqv]

Care to amplify?

Condensed version........
First off the sail was NOTHING like what they advertised!
It was worn and needed repairs! Plus…. It was short on the leech by 2ft compared to their measurements!!
I returned the sail (at my cost), they said they would refund me within a couple of days!
Needlesss to say that did not happen! I then spent the next few weeks calling them EVERYDAY.
Loads and loads of broken promises from them, I think they used every excuse in the book!
Threatened that I would be going legal….. Eventually I received a cheque from them!

They are at the boatshow!! If I go, I will defo pay them a visit to tell them face to face what I think of them!

 

[Just_sayin']

Condensed version........
First off the sail was NOTHING like what they advertised!
It was worn and needed repairs! Plus…. It was short on the leech by 2ft compared to their measurements!!
I returned the sail (at my cost), they said they would refund me within a couple of days!
Needlesss to say that did not happen! I then spent the next few weeks calling them EVERYDAY.
Loads and loads of broken promises from them, I think they used every excuse in the book!
Threatened that I would be going legal….. Eventually I received a cheque from them!

They are at the boatshow!! If I go, I will defo pay them a visit to tell them face to face what I think of them!

Ouch.

I have a friend who is gearing up to do the ARC next year (every year :sleeping: ) but I'm sure he will do it. He has the boat and the time but funds are running low. He has a shopping list that includes spare sails and Exchange looked ideal.

I have sent him a copy of this link. Thanks for the warnings.

I note that the last update to their stock list was done in July

 

[Ianqv]

Ouch.

I have a friend who is gearing up to do the ARC next year (every year :sleeping: ) but I'm sure he will do it. He has the boat and the time but funds are running low. He has a shopping list that includes spare sails and Exchange looked ideal.

I have sent him a copy of this link. Thanks for the warnings.

I note that the last update to their stock list was done in July

Proof that exchange sails don't care about theirs customers...
The sail I purchased was on their April update. I saved a copy of this as I thought I was going legal.
I have just checked on their July update and the same sail is still on there with the WRONG measurements!!
They clearly don't give a stuff about their customers!!

 

[Dockhead]

Proof that exchange sails don't care about theirs customers...
The sail I purchased was on their April update. I saved a copy of this as I thought I was going legal.
I have just checked on their July update and the same sail is still on there with the WRONG measurements!!
They clearly don't give a stuff about their customers!!

They sell sails which don't exist. That's the problem.

I DID go legal. I have skipped the other steps and went straight to the police. This is pure fraud.

 

[Daydream believer]

They sell sails which don't exist. That's the problem.

I DID go legal. I have skipped the other steps and went straight to the police. This is pure fraud.

Expect to be arrested any day soon

 

[Marinedrive]

I would be interested if anyone has ever received a VAT invoice for their purchased second hand sails. Surely the invoice would list what the VAT is applicable on. Or are they taking the 20% and not passing it onto the treasury?