Right, last week I decided it was time to create my first shopping list for ThinkGeek. They sell freaky gadgets, t-shirts, remote controlled zombies, .. I could go on.
One item in particular that I ordered was an Atari t-shirt. I ordered size L for a friend and size S for me. American sizes can be somewhat big for us Europeans. Belgium is where I ordered from.
I noticed right away the L and S were different. Here’s how:
On top, the L version. Sewn in Atari logo and cardboard Atari circle. Below, the size S. As you can clearly see, a generic t-shirt.
I also noticed the print was of lesser quality and the blue was not 100% the same. Well not a very big deal, I can live with that as long as the t-shirt is awesome. This was the case UNTIL I washed the t-shirt according to instructions on the “Pro Weight” label.
The print after the wash
What happened next
I started an RMA procedure on the ThinkGeek website. You can choose “refund, shop credit, replacement” as options. So I opted for a replacement. In comment I added some polite notes of what exactely happened. They shipped me a replacement almost instantly. I received a new t-shirt, with higher quality fabric and sewn in logo. As it should be. You can start an RMA up to 30 days after delivery.
Note: I have not washed the t-shirt yet, so expect an update if anything goes horribly wrong.
Conclusion
- Extremely fast delivery from USA to Europe (1 day). fact: In Belgium where I live, it takes 2 days to receive a letter posted to yourself in a mailbox 100 meters from your house.
- If the customs check your package, prepare to pay heavily (60 euros on a 150 euros package is what I paid).
- High-quality, fast after-sales service.
- Double check goods for any faults when they arrive.
- Expensive transport (45 euros on a 150 euro package)
So yes, it’s expensive. But if you want something few people have, it’s worth spending an extra penny.
