Has anyone ordered glass and supplies from Arrow Springs? I just put in a large order (well, large for me, over $100) and I am awaiting it, but I was unhappy with the entire ordering process. Several of the items I wanted were out of stock, and they called me to see if they could sub the ones they could, and they weren't even going to tell me a price difference. Then I chose other items to replace the ones that were out of stock of and unable to sub, and some of those were out of stock and they didn't even tell me, they just boxed up my order, so I am going to be short two reduction frits and a filigriana rod. I told them I would've ordered something else to replace those items, and she got a little snooty. She reluctantly offered to unbox my order, refund my card, and place a whole new order to go out at a later date. It was already a day later than I was told it would be shipped, so I said forget it, just send the order. She then offered to box up the few things I would've added, but I'd have to pay a whole new shipping charge. I don't understand why she couldn't just add them to the box and charge me the difference. Now I am worried about what the order is going to be like when I get it!
Has anyone else had any experience with them? Are they always out of stock on so many items? It was a total of appx 10 items that I ordered.
Is there another place to order glass and supplies (COE 104) that has comparable pricing? AS charges appx $1 for a 40" rod of effetre and that seems to be really cheap from what I've found, but if there is another company that is very close to that pricing and actually has the items in stock, then I would consider ordering there.
Thanks,
Theresa

This is my favorite supplier - www.soleiletlune.com

Of course, I could be a little biased... :D

I get a lot of the tools and things we sell from Arrow Springs, and they have good items. But, I agree, their ordering process leaves a lot to be desired. I know a lot of people that don't want to order from them simply because they don't have online ordering. Their web site itself isn't that good either. Hard to find the things you are looking for.

But, you shouldn't worry about your order (although I don't know about the whole extra shipping charge thing). I'm sure you will get what you ordered. If not, call them. They have always been very helpful with me and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone else (assuming it was for items we don't carry, that is).

I order from them all the time since they're my local glass supplier...well kind off...3 hours away. Sometimes they're out of a color I want but was able to substitute with other colors.

There are many glass suppliers...these come to mind:
Frantz Glass
Moretti and More
lbsupply
ABR imagery

I'd say find the closest to your place to save in shipping charges.

I like frantzartglass.com because site is easier to use and I have never had much of a problem there, sometimes a few things are out of stock.

Arrowsprings I like and have ordered from a few times, but I don't more often because they don't have a shopping cart system online. I ordered all of my beginning kit and torch from them without a problem. I just prefer a shopping cart.

Frantz also has a new color system to pick out glass that is fun:

http://www.frantznewsletter.com/color%20pallete/index.htm

I also like that I can save my shopping cart at frantz and come back to it next week and add and remove things to get ready to order.

All of the suppliers marybeads suggested I have heard good things about as well.

I finally got to make beads for the first time this week in a year! I am excited to start practicing again!!! good luck!

-Marie

I've had several similar experiences with Arrow Springs in which the representative has gotten very "testy" when I inquired about an order.[:(!] At first I thought it was because of the "rush" when I called on a Saturday since they close early on Saturdays. However, I found that the "attitude" was also a part of doing business during the weekday.

I've placed several "big" orders with AS and I have been very irrated when an order arrives and the packing slip indicates a particular item is out of stock. Of course, it is always an item that I was anxiously awaiting. I finally called and asked them to call my business number and advise me if an item is out-of-stock so that I can either substitute the item or have the shipment held until all items are in stock. My last order took more than six weeks to receive but that was because they were out of the graphite material to make the tools--and they did have the best price on the tools!

I too prefer to shop on-line so I now only order from AS if they have the best price and the difference has to be worth the shipping charges and wait time. I feel that for the money that I have spent with AS that I should be a "preferred" customer or at least be entitled to a discount. Unfortunately, I think my hundreds of dollars means nothing to AS which is evident by their customer service!

Thanks for everyone's responses to my post. I did get the order and everything looks good, but I'm just not sure if the wait was worth the price, out of stock items, and terrible customer service. I'm going to consider some of the others sites mentioned for my next order. There were several things that I was really looking forward to getting in this order and they were out of stock.
Thanks again!
Theresa

Hi tnehlers,
A good shopping situation and coustomers' service is very important for a buyer. so if you are not satisfied with your shopping ,you can change to another site. this is a reliable and good site you can try. http://www.myeglobal.com/
Have a good day!

QUOTE: Originally posted by sarahli Hi tnehlers, A good shopping situation and coustomers' service is very important for a buyer. so if you are not satisfied with your shopping ,you can change to another site. this is a reliable and good site you can try. http://www.myeglobal.com/ Have a good day!

Smells like spam to me...

Everyone has his or her expression about things. It is true for me to think it 's very important to find a good situation to do shopping.
somehow i thoght you did SPAM here. maybe you're working for www.soleiletlune.com,if not ,you're a good person to show this address on your signature to propagandize this site.

sarahli, your sarcastic and falsely innocent tone isn't funny and isn't fooling anyone. The site you're spamming for here doesn't even sell raw glass!

QUOTE: Originally posted by sarahli Everyone has his or her expression about things. It is true for me to think it 's very important to find a good situation to do shopping. somehow i thoght you did SPAM here. maybe you're working for www.soleiletlune.com,if not ,you're a good person to show this address on your signature to propagandize this site.

Yes, I do work for them. I appreciate you posting a link to my site again. That helps my search engine ranking.

Unlike you, I sell the types of products that this thread is discussing. On your site, the first five items are video game accessories. The only jewelry-related items on your site are mass-produced, un-annealed, sweatshop glass. Perhaps before you point fingers, you should take time to read the threads you are responding to.

Maybe your knowledge is too small. www.myeglobal.com, this is a good b2b marketplace for china suppliers and worldwide buyers.there are several very good beads shop specializing in providing all kinds of beads and jewellery findings. maybe you don't know b2b, so you said so much ridiculous words. or maybe you are not good at searching , so you can not find professional beads shop on www.myeglobal.com.

QUOTE: Originally posted by jetflair sarahli, your sarcastic and falsely innocent tone isn't funny and isn't fooling anyone. The site you're spamming for here doesn't even sell raw glass!

Before you said your words,maybe you need to have a look at this link http://www.myeglobal.com/Shop/ProductList.aspx?shopid=26&CateId=4024&CateName=Glass+Beads [:)]

QUOTE: Originally posted by sarahli Maybe your knowledge is too small. www.myeglobal.com, this is a good b2b marketplace for china suppliers and worldwide buyers.there are several very good beads shop specializing in providing all kinds of beads and jewellery findings. maybe you don't know b2b, so you said so much ridiculous words. or maybe you are not good at searching , so you can not find professional beads shop on www.myeglobal.com.

Uhh... yeah. That just goes to reinforce what I said earlier. And, again, I'd like to point out the obvious: the original poster of this thread was talking about suppliers of glass for lampworking - something that your site doesn't sell. You are trying to direct people to your site selling inferior, imported products which have no relevance to this thread. That is the textbook definition of spam.

QUOTE: Originally posted by sarahli QUOTE: Originally posted by jetflair sarahli, your sarcastic and falsely innocent tone isn't funny and isn't fooling anyone. The site you're spamming for here doesn't even sell raw glass! Before you said your words,maybe you need to have a look at this link http://www.myeglobal.com/Shop/ProductList.aspx?shopid=26&CateId=4024&CateName=Glass+Beads [:)]

Perhaps YOU should have actually paid attention to what you were responding to. There is no raw glass on the link you posted.

I'm not knocking you for trying to make a living. I am knocking you for trying to hijack a thread and direct people to your site selling things that aren't related to the topic of this thread. I would suggest you check out this link before you do any further posting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_%28electronic%29

For my lampworking supplies, I've ordered from Arrow Springs and feel pretty mediocre about them - the one order I had placed had a few things back-ordered - they claim they left a message (i never got) and never sent the order - i waited for weeks - and then finally called - only to find out what the hold up was...

do not like that you can't order online - they really should change that -

i like Wale Apparatus and always find them helpful. if you need to speak to them in person - and you can order online and they ship it out usually the very next day - very efficient and their prices are in line with everyone else.

www.waleapparatus.com - check them out -

Also, Members of Main Line Bead Society (www.mainlinebeadsociety.org) get a 20% discount on glass, and a 10% discount on apparatus, which is really generous of them.

Hope it helps -
Andrea
www.believablebalderdash.com