I’ve been one of their biggest fans in the past and often posted about them. I bought about 40 Armytek lights mostly used for testing purposes. Recently I ordered the Barracuda Pro from them and they shipped me the Barracuda Non-Pro. Because they looked identical, I didn’t know I had the regular. I ran the test and found the output to be far below spec so I emailed them to report the defect hoping for an RMA.
I was speaking with Olivia Brown. In the beginning when they knew I bought so many of their lights, she said, You’re our VIP-client and I’m your personal manager! Once I reported problems, I get no replies from this “personal manager”. They ignored me for over 2 months after repeated emails. Then I mentioned I just found out the one Armytek sent me is the regular and not the Pro version and she finally answered and said I have the light for over 2 months so they’re not going to send me the Pro version I ordered.
WTF, Armytek. This is how you treat one of your best customers? I’m never going to buy another Armytek light and I warn anyone who intends to buy their light, if you have problems, ARMYTEK WILL IGNORE YOU.
Thanks. I’m not even mad because of being cheated one light but I’m pissed at the principle. After being a loyal fan supporting them, this is how they treat me back. If they can do that to me, they will definitely do that to their non “VIP-clients”.
So many things can get in the way of a transaction…absences, language barriers…I doubt it’s malice, just mismanagement. That’s what life has taught me. And there are two sides to every story. But damn, I feel for you. That tremendously sucks.
This is not good. Just for the heck of it I looked at their website and the store website and they show that pro in Warm White as out of stock on both places. I wonder if it’s possible that’s related to the response. If you paid up for the pro then their response is totally unacceptable.
Yea I’m guessing they didn’t have stock of the Pro WW so they just decided to send me the Regular WW and hope I wouldn’t notice, which I didn’t originally because they look identical. Luckily someone in this thread told me the Pro has two turbo modes but mine had one so that’s how I realized Armytek sent me the Regular instead of the Pro. I can’t believe they’re not willing to fix this for me.
Yes, you can choose Turbo 1 or Turbo 2 at Pro Version only. But you can identify the pro Version very easily. Pro has XHP35 Hi instead of XP-L Hi LED, and you can use it with one or two 18650 because the battery tube has two parts only at pro Version. Last but not least they add a small “pro” at the head…
Both the pro and regular version can be used with 1 or two batteries. Also, the “average” customer would not assume Armytek sent the wrong item. The “average” customer should not be expected to peak into the reflector and tell the difference between a XP-L HI and XHP35 HI.
Only when the customer suspects the seller sent the wrong item would they go looking/researching the minor differences. That’s when someone pointed that out to me did I start investigating the differences and realize I was sent the regular version. Armytek refused to right the wrong. And I’m one of their biggest customers and fan ever. I own several dozen Armytek lights, multiples of each model, and posted test results of almost all of their light models. Imagine a company that would rather save a few bucks than to own up to their mistake to keep a loyal customer that would continue buying their products. Very short sighted and bad PR.
That’s a typical scheme called Bait and Switch and it is a form of fraud.
I wonder if the 1+1 promotion is a bait too, the wording of it is a little off. And on their website the same offer includes an exclusion marked with a ‘*’
I have many dozens of Armytek lights and ordered many times from them. Only once they sent me the wrong item but they were not willing to take responsibility for their mistake, which is what is worrying and shows low business ethics. Even the much smaller company Enogear/Fireflies sent me replacements when I had issues.
Wow. Thank you, Vinh and other people, for speaking up. Otherwise, I would have fell for this trap. I never have an Armytek before but probably will never will. This is what makes this community great.
Strange. I once got shipping refunded just because the shippment was late. In another two cases Armytek made a mistake with discounts and sold lights basically at manufacturing costs or below. Still, they fulfilled the orders. What has happened?
Those 144’s aren’t as rosy as the 219b’s. That is pretty much what the only light I have in 144 looks like. I don’t like it either. It’s not an Armytek though. If you are use to those rosy 219b’s then nothing will really replace that. I like the 219c’s better but, that’s just a preference thing of course.
Got lots of Armytek lights. Never had a problem with shipping, the product or customer service. I get a phone call from them probably once every few months offering me a discount code. Very nice lady thanking me for my business. Never had any other flashlight company call me, not that I was really expecting one.
I did not order the Wizard Nichia to get a 219b pinkish tint replica. I ordered it because of customers reviews showing a good 4500k tint which isn’t greenish at all.
To be “not as rosy as”, and to be “obviously greenish”, is totally different thing. I just want them to exchange it. My 219C 90CRI looks like a 219b compared to that Wizard Nichia. It doesn’t make sense. Even Hank said his batch of 219C 5000K 80CRI has a better tint (less greenish than the 219C 5000K 90CRI… ) So, if my 219C 90CRI looks even better than this Armytek, there is something wrong.
Or the new batch has a downgraded bin R8000 (80CRI) or they really drop a XHP50 neutral instead…