Bad quality and customer support from Visible Dust

I recently purchased a "Quasar 7x" sensor inspection loupe from Visible Dust. Upon receiving the loupe and inspecting it, I found that there were some spots on the lens which caused some difficulty in differentiating whether the spot were from the camera sensor or the loupe itself. I tried cleaning the loupe with microcloth and lens cleaning solution a few times but they could not be removed. Upon closer inspection it became apparent to me that the spots were permanent lens coating defects. I was not expecting to get this type of poor lens quality given that the cost of this loupe is even more expensive than my B+W camera lens UV filter!

I then proceeded to raise a complaint to Visible Dust by email. They asked me to send it back to them using regular post and they will issue a credit note for my postage. I informed them that I had tried cleaning it with microcloth and that the spots were permanent coating defects. The communication style from their customer service seems to be always that of suspicion, questioning me in separate emails things which I have already made clear to them earlier. It also came to me as rude as their question ends in multiple question marks (??). I do not think as a customer who received a defective product, warrants such bad response from them.

Upon receiving the loupe, they took seven days (five working days) to tell me that they have removed the spots by cleaning the lens using a microcloth and that they will return the same loupe to me. Of course, I will not accept this as as an experienced photographer and engineer, I know what I was doing. I asked them the type of light they used when inspecting the loupe because if they use room light or a soft light, they will not be able to see the spots, or for that matter any dust on it. I could not accept this and worse still they asked me to pay for the return shipping saying that the customer has to pay for it if he has returns it after 14 days of receipt. I had already informed them in my earlier email that I returned the loupe to them almost immediately after finding the defect and receiving their return authorization number. In fact I received it on Oct 3rd and shipped it back to visible Dust on Oct 5th. Apparently they don't even care to check the facts properly and treat the customer fairly and ethically!

I have sent my protest to visible Dust on this matter and they have not replied. I hope that Visible Dust act in a responsible and courteous manner towards their customers and be accountable for their product quality.

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Write directly to the President of the company, with a clear description of the sequence of events and how you were treated by customer support/service

If you were there from the start, you would know that VD had a quite shady beginning. Even so, I did purchase a 7X sensor loupe from them a few years ago when no one at that time had a comparable product. (I'm not familiar with the Quasar name) I love mine and it works great for it's intended purpose. I don't think I've done a careful inspection of the lens itself, but I've never had any difficulty differentiating sensor dust from other dust or imperfections while using it.

Visible Dust's representative, Julie, seem to be quite dishonest and she is trying to put it such that it is not a manufacturing defect and trying to absolve Visible Dust of warranty replacement and shipping cost. I reproduce below the last email I sent to her (cc to Better Business Bureau, Calgary). It is obvious to me that I am dealing with a dubious company. I will never purchase another product from them and will never recommend their products to anyone.
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Hi Julie,
Here are my responses in brackets to your last email:
1) Please let me know if you want me to send free of charge your Repaired Sensor Loupe which is cleared of any spots and fully functional, as it was an Optical cleaning problem. [I have already explained to you many times that I use exactly the same method of cleaning that you used i.e. with a microcloth and a cleaning solution, and tried cleaning a few times but the spot will not come out as they are permanent coating defects. This coupled with my long experience as a photographer and engineer specializing in coating technology further affirms this. I think the reason why you are insisting that it can be cleaned and making me appear to be in the wrong is only to dishonestly absolve your company of its warranty against manufacturing defect and to make me bear the full shipping charges]
2) You have not provided us with a receipt of purchase, therefore we cannot provide you a new unit of choice in black, as your original sensor is fully functional. [Again you’re being dishonest here as a receipt was already emailed to you on Oct 20th immediately upon your request as per the email communication below]
3) I can ship it C.O.D. the cost to ship Via Canada Post from Canada is 20$. [Again you’re dishonest as I have mentioned to you many times that I shipped back the defective loupe to you within 2 days of receipt of the loupe pending your return authorization email. I received it on Oct 3rd and shipped it back to Visible Dust on Oct 5th. You’re trying to absolve your responsibility of paying for the return shipping by citing your return policy of 14 days within receipt. Well, I returned the defective loupe to you within 2 days of receipt. I have a copy of the postal receipt as proof]
Mike

One way around the problem is to live in the US and shop for VD items at B&H. I don't think I would get the same runaround from them.

Also, I must say that I never had a problem with the VD products, so I sympathize with you. I will keep an eye out from now on re their products. Sad to hear this, I think their stuff is pretty good.

Oh, I'm sorry and surprised to hear about VD's very poor customer service.

I use their cleaning products exclusively, ordering directly from them in Canada and thought I was dealing with a class act. I like their products but will be cautious in the future now.

I would expect a replacement loupe as well, no further questions asked. They've lost a lot more money in future sales then the bit of postage they are trying to save... very disappointed to hear this.

Good luck, I hope they come around to your satisfaction and good for you for not letting it go.

hmmm...I use the sensor scope in the Delkin Sensor Scope kit...never had any issues. And since most of my bodies don't have the built in shaker...I loupe and clean if necessary after every shoot.

Just an update: Better Business Bureau, Calgary, was not able to take any action against Visible Dust. According to their Mediation Administrator, "BBB is not an enforcement agency. We are a non profit neutral Organization, who tries to help with Consumer to Business disputes. We cannot force a company, and we cannot
supply an opinion on a complaint. We have to remain completely neutral." For those who plan to take up any case through BBB, please do not expect much from them, based on my experience. At the end of the day the consumer is at the loosing end no matter the quality and defect in the product, if a manufacturer like Visible
Dust attempts to cover up their manufacturing defects. In the case of Visible Dust, not only they denied the manufacturing defect but worse still, in one of their feedback to BBB, they accused the customer of purposely causing the defect! I was completely disgusted at the deceitful and negative attitude of Visible Dust that I told them to keep the defective loupe as per my last message to them below:

Hi Visible Dust/Julie,

Despite your denial and attempt at discrediting my complaint on your manufacturing defect, I stand by my findings on the defective coating in your sensor loupe product. You can keep the defective loupe as after all the bad experience I have gone through with Visible Dust, I am no more interested in using any of your products. I have never in my life had so much difficulty in dealing with a product issue. Although I will stand to lose more than $100 in buying this product and all the shipping expenses, it is a matter of principle for me. It is a pity that Better Business Bureau was not able to take any action against Visible Dust. I trust in God that truth and honesty will prevail in our lives.

Mike

Did you ever get the loupe back to check, maybe they managed to polish the spots out ?

Hi lannes, no it was not possible to polish off the coating defects. They're too embedded in the coating structure. Also, by a deep polish, I am sure the "magnesium fluoride" coating they claim to be on the lens would be removed as well and that would defeat the purpose. If it was possible, I would not have to send it back to them. Anyway, I don't plan to get the loupe back from them as they want to charge me shipping cost of approximately 25% of the original loupe cost. Knowing that they'll be sending me back the same defective loupe, I'd rather get a new one than risk it. Also, the bad experience dealing with Visible Dust leaves me with such a bad feeling about using any of their products. I'm finding out more about the Delkin Sensor Scope now.

Bad customer service sucks, plain and simple. Though I will not take a side here.

I have the sensor loupe with the built in leds. I never examined it closely to see if the surface of it was free from defects as it seems totally unnecessary to me. If the spots on the loupe are in the same spot all the time, as of course they are, it's a complete no brainer to distinguish them from sensor dust. You're talking about a product that has what, a plastic lens, maybe glass, that in total costs a hundred bucks. Do you expect nano coating or something exotic like an L lens?

Besides, no amount of sensor cleaning works, at least for me. It moves the dust around, picks up some of it, etc. There is no substitute for built in sensor cleaning technology.

mark

People use a loupe to check for dust? I just do a test shot, and if dust shows up then do a wet clean or two and all is good.

from reading your post, i guess thats where they got their company name "visible dust" from, their own product!

You keep throwing around this coating engineer expert stuff around as if you invented it. Sounds very much to me like they actually don't want you as a repeat customer and that might be a good reason to provide bad service. They already promised in good faith to refund shipping to them and most manufacturers will only pay to return the repaired product anyway.

Maybe if you just stuck to the facts the lens had issues blah blah like a normal customer would then you would have gotten better treatment. Being such an expert one can only wonder why you aren't making your own product instead of buying theirs or repairing it yourself. So without hearing the other side of this story and judging by what you wrote (imho) it appears as if you accused them of intentionally selling a defective product right from the start.