mlcs router bits vs. Routerbits.com

[rawliee]

I recently placed an order for a couple of router bits from mlcs. Paid extra for quick shipping. I received one of the bits a couple of days later but not the other. I emailed and asked and got a snotty reply back that they were out and won't be back in until Friday and that the web site said they were out when I ordered. I checked my receipt and they both said they were in stock and would be shipped. My quick shipping router bit should be here next week, 3 weeks later.

I also placed an order with Routerbits.com and with regular shipping they were here in 3 days.

Price were comparable and although I have used both bits and can say they both performed well I know where my next order of router bits is coming from.

Rawliee

[Andrew Benedetto]

I had nothing but good CS from MLCS in the past,even replaced free a bit that the carbide severed and it could have been my fault.
I call and speak to them directly, alway have been nice to me.

[LCHIEN]

i also have nothing but good service from MLCS.
they replaced a bit that I broke because I was taking too big a bite (too deep a pass) like a half inch with a 1/4" spiral carbide bit.

And they replaced boxes damaged in shipping.

I always use their free shipping and it usually comes in less than a week, USPS first class for most single router bits.

[leehljp]

I cannot comment on individual companies per se, but I will note something similar.

This has happened to me twice before with other companies. It seems when I email a company in a situation like this, often the person answering the email is also the website manager/builder or IT person at that company. No offense intended to web site managers in general, but I when I received a notice that the web site showed it was out of stock when I ordered, I also got a snotty comment that it was my fault.

I usually don't order something that shows it is out of stock - out of habit and experience. Both of those cases for me, OOS items had big letters over OOS items to the extent that it was IMPOSSIBLE to see the item clearly without seeing the words. Also, In both cases previously, I checked the web sites to determine who is who at the company, only to find out that the person making the remark was the IT manager or web site database manager. I couldn't convince those people that they were wrong or that their web software was not working correctly.

I went to the phone, called and made a complaint to a different person.

[Knottscott]

Does Routerbits.com sell any other brand besides Whiteside? If you're getting comparable pricing for comparable bits, between those two brands, Whiteside is a superior American made product. MLCS's Katana line is their better line, but I still don't think they're quite at the level of the WS.

[JimD]

I have also always gotten excellant service from MLCS. I always use the free shipping and typically get the bits in about 3 days. I haven't tried a Katana yet.

Jim