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boaphile plastics is starting to piss me off....

I've been having trouble with boaphile as well, ordered in October and it is now January. Was gonna bring in new herps, but I guess that will not be happening. I'll be taking my business elsewhere next time.
Could have used that $300 for something quicker.
 
Well that would explain it, I suppose. I'm just a bit frustrated, which I feel is understandable. What would you guys estimate for a delivery date (I haven't been able to get a hold of Jeff yet)?
I can understand that a move would totally disrupt making cages, I'm just feeling a bit...disappointed that I can't bring in some super cool animals :/
 
10-12 weeks is a normal lead time for any of the major high volume cage manufacturers.

A lead time is an estimate for when work will begin, not when it will be completed.

You can always call him and ask too.

Jeff builds cages and racks in cycles, if you order cages in the beginning of a rack building cycle then you are looking at a longer wait period, if you order racks in the beginning of a caging cycle, same thing.

Most manufacturers do not have a warehouse of caging sitting around. Some have quick ship items, but that is as far as it goes. Smaller volume manufacturers are able to process and ship out faster, but that is a benefit not all of the larger guys have.

The only way to get an accurate estimate is to call him. He does not answer e-mails very often, if ever.

His business hours are Mon. - Fri. 9am - 6pm.

All of this information I just gave is available on his website.
 
ShadowAceD said:
10-12 weeks is a normal lead time for any of the major high volume cage manufacturers.

A lead time is an estimate for when work will begin, not when it will be completed.

You can always call him and ask too.

Jeff builds cages and racks in cycles, if you order cages in the beginning of a rack building cycle then you are looking at a longer wait period, if you order racks in the beginning of a caging cycle, same thing.

Most manufacturers do not have a warehouse of caging sitting around. Some have quick ship items, but that is as far as it goes. Smaller volume manufacturers are able to process and ship out faster, but that is a benefit not all of the larger guys have.

The only way to get an accurate estimate is to call him. He does not answer e-mails very often, if ever.

His business hours are Mon. - Fri. 9am - 6pm.

All of this information I just gave is available on his website.
Click to expand...

Total CRAP!. A lead time is an estimate of completion by anyone's standard in virtually any industry. These excuses have been tossed out by cage manufacturers in this industry for the last 20 years. They are just as ridiculous now as they have ever been.
 
Suncoast Herpetological said:
Not anyone's problem but Jeff's. Quote a lead time... meet a lead time...period!
Click to expand...

I never suggested it was anyone else's problem, I simply stated a fact.

I have ordered caging from both Jeff and AP, the average time after my order for receipt of products was ten weeks, one order for AP went almost six months due to issues with the cutting machine on a product they had not created before.

Point being, unless the cage manufacturer is smaller volume or has a bunch of pre-cut/pre-assembled material on hand then you are looking at a four-ish month wait regardless.

Complaints like the most recent stated here (this thread goes back ten years and I did not read all of the OP) have been given against most of the cage manufacturers over the years (Freedom Breeder, ARS, PVC Cages, Boamaster, Beeger Boxes ... etc, etc.). I have seen time complaints on all of them.

Should some of them be more honest about the lead times on their websites? They should probably reflect the average a bit more, yes, but I, personally, do not see an average period of ten weeks for anything I have ordered from anyone as unreasonable. Then again, when I order caging it's an advance sort of thing, not something I intended for immediate need.

A perfect world would be being able to order any new caging from anyone and get it within a couple weeks.
 
nickolasanastasiou said:
Then their way is incorrect.
Click to expand...

I do not think that has been disputed.

What I have commented on refers to how the average cage manufacturer has worked and continues to work.

I stated Jeff moved more as a statement to clarify that because the person who ordered their caging did so during a time period that was unfortunate for them.

I brought up what is the most common period of time I have received caging and when others I know have following orders because it has seem to become the standard 10-12 weeks but depending on the time of year I know that pushes to 16 weeks or even 20 easily (tax return season seems to be the busiest). Certain manufacturers I have mentioned have admitted to being overwhelmed by current order volume and are working on increasing the size of their facility (not stating who, specifically) but that is because I called and asked.

I called and asked if Jeff was in a rack building cycle or a cage building cycle when I ordered my first and only stack of cages from him back in 2011. I did not place the order until he was in a cage building cycle. I think I got those cages in 12 weeks. I would have to go back into my bank statements to know for sure.

The only point I was trying to relay and, admittedly, fairly poorly due to being on my phone, is that the people who ordered in September and got their caging in December and the person who ordered in October and has not yet received the items are not or were not in unreasonable time frames.
 
Last year I tried calling Jeff because a cage I got in a trade was said to be made by him, turns out it wasn't and I was never able to figure out the manufacturer but either way.

I got the cage in a trade, was told the cord was cut by a "friend" helping the guy move. Didn't think anything of it was like oh well I can replace the heat tape later. Turns out you can't get it out and the guy later admitted he runs his cages without stats so it's most likely a melted mess in there so I'm having to heat through the thickest part on the other side, it works I'm happy with it other than that but the point of this is when kids called and was trying to see if it was one of his so I could figure out how to open it up and replace the heat tape he was very short, couldn't wait to get me off the phone, had a rude tone like I was completely wasting his precious time with a 5 minute phone call. I won't be doing business with him after reading he is still operating the same as 12 years ago and how he treated me when I was just trying to figure out how to replace some heat tape since I was told it was bought from him.

Sent from my ASUS MeMO Pad 7 using Tapatalk
 
Not sure why this tablet put kids when I put "I" really hate how this thing changes words to things that make no sense at all.

Sent from my ASUS MeMO Pad 7 using Tapatalk
 
ShadowAceD said:
I do not think that has been disputed.

What I have commented on refers to how the average cage manufacturer has worked and continues to work.

I stated Jeff moved more as a statement to clarify that because the person who ordered their caging did so during a time period that was unfortunate for them.

I brought up what is the most common period of time I have received caging and when others I know have following orders because it has seem to become the standard 10-12 weeks but depending on the time of year I know that pushes to 16 weeks or even 20 easily (tax return season seems to be the busiest). Certain manufacturers I have mentioned have admitted to being overwhelmed by current order volume and are working on increasing the size of their facility (not stating who, specifically) but that is because I called and asked.

I called and asked if Jeff was in a rack building cycle or a cage building cycle when I ordered my first and only stack of cages from him back in 2011. I did not place the order until he was in a cage building cycle. I think I got those cages in 12 weeks. I would have to go back into my bank statements to know for sure.

The only point I was trying to relay and, admittedly, fairly poorly due to being on my phone, is that the people who ordered in September and got their caging in December and the person who ordered in October and has not yet received the items are not or were not in unreasonable time frames.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that the words in post number 167 were yours.

I addressed only one inaccurate statement. I understand (and agree with you) that caging manufacturers tend to have long lead times (typically considered order initation until order delivery in the operational project management or Lean context the term is involved with - regardless of any individual outfit's attempt to reimagine it with greater padding of the job completion time line). That said, a serious manufacturer tends to have the ability to gather and relay information pertaining to job status and the estimated state of any in-process deliverables. Even a smaller operation can give an estimate for completion to a customer who has paid for the work in a reasonable response time. Ignoring requests for that sort of information is not a positive reflection.

I am sure he could be a fine guy and all, but the communication issues are not something I would dismiss readily were I a customer or prospective one.
 
nickolasanastasiou said:
I was under the impression that the words in post number 167 were yours.

I addressed only one inaccurate statement. I understand (and agree with you) that caging manufacturers tend to have long lead times (typically considered order initation until order delivery in the operational project management or Lean context the term is involved with - regardless of any individual outfit's attempt to reimagine it with greater padding of the job completion time line). That said, a serious manufacturer tends to have the ability to gather and relay information pertaining to job status and the estimated state of any in-process deliverables. Even a smaller operation can give an estimate for completion to a customer who has paid for the work in a reasonable response time. Ignoring requests for that sort of information is not a positive reflection.

I am sure he could be a fine guy and all, but the communication issues are not something I would dismiss readily were I a customer or prospective one.
Click to expand...

Communication seems to be hit or miss and I have no reasonable assumption as to why.

I have spoken to Jeff three times, all three times were related to caging. One of those times I had to call him multiple times to get him, the other two I did not.

I know some people who say they can never get him on the phone and some who say he answers all the time (I do not know if people try calling the work number when it is outside of his business hours, however). Additionally, some people that say they try to contact him only e-mail and refuse to call and Jeff, despite others suggesting he not, admits to hating e-mail or text based communication in any form.

I also know people who say Ali is impossible to get a hold of but this has never been something I have experienced.

I do wish, personally, all caging manufacturers had a dedicated HR person like Ali for Animal Plastics.

I can say AP, of all the manufacturers I have contacted, has had the best communication by far. I have experienced minor and major communication issues with others.
 
All the polite, intellectual debate aside, a customer places an order on October 15, 2015. Jeff happens to move to a different state that very same month. At this point, "lead time" is irrelevant. :rolleyes:

Perhaps Jeff might have let his clients know he was moving; perhaps Jeff might not have taken customers' money during the time he was relocating his home and business, knowing he could not fill orders already placed and paid for, due to his move.

A move and settling into a new location; that is perfectly understandable. Where was his communication and explanation?

I order and pay in October, I expect better from someone who wants to be taken seriously in the industry ... whether it be honest communication, my finished product or animal, or refund.

Just MWO.
 
LauraB said:
All the polite, intellectual debate aside, a customer places an order on October 15, 2015. Jeff happens to move to a different state that very same month. At this point, "lead time" is irrelevant. :rolleyes:

Perhaps Jeff might have let his clients know he was moving; perhaps Jeff might not have taken customers' money during the time he was relocating his home and business, knowing he could not fill orders already placed and paid for, due to his move.

A move and settling into a new location; that is perfectly understandable. Where was his communication and explanation?

I order and pay in October, I expect better from someone who wants to be taken seriously in the industry ... whether it be honest communication, my finished product or animal, or refund.

Just MWO.
Click to expand...
:iagree:
Absolutely NO excuse to state he moved in October for anybody placing orders, have orders in the pipeline etc.
I would assume this was a planned move and not done on the spur of the moment so that being the case it is then called planning and communication to his existing and potential new customers.
There should have been something in place to warn customers of the possible disruption to his work flow due to the move.
Not the way to meet and greet potential new business for sure!
 
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