Author Topic: Off ice skates experience?  (Read 6356 times)

JenniRose399

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Off ice skates experience?
« on: June 22, 2020, 11:53:36 am »
Hi guys,

So I caved at the beginning of May and ordered off ice skating blade packs for my old Graf 500s that I don't use anymore since I got my Jacksons. Honestly, the experience has been awful. They said stock would come end of May/early June and finally at the end of May I got my invoice, which meant the stock had arrived and paid the full amount (not cheap, £140 which is the same as my John Wilson's that I use on ice). I got an email to say would be shipped 8th of June. Since then I've had nothing, everytime I message they tell me something different- manufacturers delay, moving to warehouse, been told they would be sent "in the next few days" on 3-4 occasions and still nothing...

My worry now is that I've committed and I'm going to have to deal with this company going forward for buying toe stops and wheels. There's a roller rink near me (also closed just now) that hopefully I can use even after ice rinks are open at times where there is no ice sessions available, but I definitely won't be using as frequently as I could have over the last few months. Does anyone have experience of these blades? Are they worth it? I'm seriously considering disputing with paypal at this point as I have no idea when the blades are actually coming (my last update was "in the next few days" (again) on Thursday) and also I worry they will be super unreliable at sending wheels etc in future.

The ice mouse

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2020, 01:03:43 pm »
If you are still having trouble, then I would look to getting your money back. You can do this in a few ways.
1) Ask the company direct
2) If you used a credit card, then ask your credit card company under section 75 claim
3) If you used a debit card, then ask your bank to do a charge back


Always ask the company directly first unless you have lost confidence with them, then go straight to your credit card company or bank.


I hope you get it sorted soon and enjoy your skating


I prefer frozen ice. I will try anything once. I

Loops

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2020, 05:31:41 pm »
I haven't been able to use mine as much as I'd have liked, and I mounted them poorly (the alignment is off).  I'm not giving up hope though.

It seems that all the inline artistic frames take the same wheels, you just have to make sure you get the right diameter, and the hardness you like.

If you're on FaceBook there's a group there that might prove useful.  It's a French group, but a lot of us there speak English and it seems there are some members that don't speak French.  So don't let the language scare you.

Roller En Ligne Artistique - France

I would sign in there, and perhaps look around for other such groups.  They may have sources for wheels and toestops.

Good luck getting it sorted with the vendor.  What a bummer to deal with all that.

Crackers

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2020, 05:55:33 pm »
Hi,
The people at Off-Ice Skates were super helpful to my son last week. He wanted to get a blade suitable for a Jackson Debut Fusion mens size 9.5M, but the off-ice skates chart did not go high enough.
I called them and they sent out a 270 frame, 280 frame and a pick & wheelset (larger sizes are in stock) within a couple of days.
Incidentally it is the 280 frame required for a Jackson Debut Fusion Mens size 9.5M as it is the same length as an 11" MK Gold Star blade.
The boots were also in stock at All Star in Swindon, and they mounted the frames to the boot for him.
First trip out he went through learn to skate Bronze to Gold and Nisa 1 field moves.
Second trip out he realised that the toe pick needed adjusting
Third trip he got his loop jump
Then it rained......

My daughter pre-ordered her off-ice wheelset as it was out of stock and has just paid the invoice for the balance. We expect delivery soon.

When I spoke to the Off-Ice Skates people, they said that the stock was coming in in 2 stages and they had never seen such demand before, so bear with them.

I would also suggest that the toe picks are going to be a high wear item and it might be worth keeping a spare set.

I hope that your situation is resolved soon, and that this post has been helpful to all who read it.

JenniRose399

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2020, 09:09:30 pm »
I haven't been able to use mine as much as I'd have liked, and I mounted them poorly (the alignment is off).  I'm not giving up hope though.

It seems that all the inline artistic frames take the same wheels, you just have to make sure you get the right diameter, and the hardness you like.

If you're on FaceBook there's a group there that might prove useful.  It's a French group, but a lot of us there speak English and it seems there are some members that don't speak French.  So don't let the language scare you.

Roller En Ligne Artistique - France

I would sign in there, and perhaps look around for other such groups.  They may have sources for wheels and toestops.

Good luck getting it sorted with the vendor.  What a bummer to deal with all that.

Thank you! I will join the group, I speak enough French to get the gist of the conversation but doubt I could have a proper conversation! It will be good to even just get some information and good to know there are other options for toe stops etc. I'm also a bit worried about mounting to the boot as all skate shops in Scotland are still closed. Going to have to give it a go and hope for the best! (if they ever appear...)

JenniRose399

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2020, 09:16:11 pm »
Hi,
The people at Off-Ice Skates were super helpful to my son last week. He wanted to get a blade suitable for a Jackson Debut Fusion mens size 9.5M, but the off-ice skates chart did not go high enough.
I called them and they sent out a 270 frame, 280 frame and a pick & wheelset (larger sizes are in stock) within a couple of days.
Incidentally it is the 280 frame required for a Jackson Debut Fusion Mens size 9.5M as it is the same length as an 11" MK Gold Star blade.
The boots were also in stock at All Star in Swindon, and they mounted the frames to the boot for him.
First trip out he went through learn to skate Bronze to Gold and Nisa 1 field moves.
Second trip out he realised that the toe pick needed adjusting
Third trip he got his loop jump
Then it rained......

My daughter pre-ordered her off-ice wheelset as it was out of stock and has just paid the invoice for the balance. We expect delivery soon.

When I spoke to the Off-Ice Skates people, they said that the stock was coming in in 2 stages and they had never seen such demand before, so bear with them.

I would also suggest that the toe picks are going to be a high wear item and it might be worth keeping a spare set.

I hope that your situation is resolved soon, and that this post has been helpful to all who read it.

Hi, this is re-assuring that your son had good service. It was the 240 blade set I ordered. I paid my invoice on 29th May but I've still had nothing sent, the communication has just been not great. I was expecting a delay because of COVID but the fact that when I contact them they keep saying 'this week' 'next few days' etc then not sending has lost my confidence, it's been like that for the 3.5 weeks since I paid in full on maybe 4 separate occasions.

I hope your daughter has better luck getting hers sent out. I'll maybe give them another week then it will have been 4 weeks since invoice. If I've not heard by friday I will have to re-assess. If everything arrives as it should then I will order some more toe stops, hopefully be the end of the month their stock will all have arrived.

Also great to hear how quickly your son progressed on them, I'm hoping I can work mainly on field moves on them!

VisuallyImpairedOnIce

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2020, 07:51:05 am »
I ordered mine in mid April - a complete kit as I don't have spare boots, and received them on Friday. They didn't anticipate the demand so have had a lot more orders than they could deal with, and I believe had supplier issues as well.


Currently awaiting some safety equipment so I can go out on my driveway in them :) Have had a play on my tiled floors and it's different, but I'm hoping I can just maintain the basics.
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JenniRose399

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2020, 11:41:45 am »
They have just replied to me (again) saying I will receive my order in the 'next few days' (again), which was what they told me last Thursday. And last Monday. And the Friday before that.

I'm going to give them until the end of the week and then if this is another lie I think I'm going to try and get a refund. I just can't understand why they can't be upfront about this. If there is a delay they should be telling us that rather than continually lying about when they are shipping orders. Your stories are giving me some hope but I've just lost all confidence in them. I might start looking at alternatives. Problem is that snow whites etc are all more expensive than my on ice blades so it's hard to justify that when I will use them much less!

Loops

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2020, 02:47:04 pm »
Can you give them a call and connect with a live person?  That might be more reassuring than what looks to be an auto response to your emails.

If you can get someone to properly mount them, that is 100% the way I would go.  In my situation, it's one of the parents at the club, and I don't really trust them.  There's no fitter/skate shop here in town.  So I tried on my own, with no mounting block and a very heavy hand drill.  It was a collosal PIA to do, only to mess up.  Twice. 

JenniRose399

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2020, 03:57:32 pm »
No there's no phone number :( They aren't replying to my email either, the only response I can get is from their instagram or facebook, though whoever mans the facebook just says they have no access to the system and can't track. It's the instagram team who keep telling me it will definitely be sent 'in the next few days'. Very frustrating.

If I get them I might message our local skate shop and see when they plan to re-open. Government have just said some non-essential shops can open from next week so maybe they will be able to do an appointment system or something which would be great

Crackers

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Re: Off ice skates experience?
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2020, 04:40:35 pm »
No there's no phone number :( They aren't replying to my email either, the only response I can get is from their instagram or facebook, though whoever mans the facebook just says they have no access to the system and can't track. It's the instagram team who keep telling me it will definitely be sent 'in the next few days'. Very frustrating.

Hi,
There is a mobile phone number on the Jackson Debut Page to call for pricing.
This is the number that I used and I spoke to Karen ONeill, the owner, she was very helpful.
Have a look here
http://www.off-iceskates.com/shop/jackson

And your OK, my daughter is waiting for a 230 blade set so we are not competing  :)




 

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