Thursday is my son Matthew's birthday. Two weeks ago I decided to get him the base pants and some red and navy undershirts that he wanted.

Honigs, my favorite vendor doesn't carry undershirts in the "small" size and was out of his size in base pants. I called Plus POS. I know, I know. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I thought I was being careful though because I specifically asked, as I ordered each item, "Do you have this in stock and can you ship today or tomorrow?" I was assured, each time, with: "Yes, we have those items in stock and we'll get them out today."

Matthew just called me. He just received a letter from Plus POS telling him that the items I ordered are out of stock and he should be getting them the end of February, after the clinic he will be attending.

So not only can't they deliver the goods, they lied. How the [obscenity deleted] do they stay in business? Yeah, I know, [obscenity deleted] like me who think "this time it will be different."

I guess I thought maybe I could sneak one in. Just maybe this one time I wouldn't get screwed by Plus POS. I should have know better.

[Edited by GarthB on Feb 4th, 2004 at 09:44 AM]

They used to be one of the best, but now I use them as a last resort. I have the advantage in that I only live about 5 miles from them, so i can run over there if they have the item I need, otherwise it is Honig's for me. I heard they have had some health problems over there with the oweners. I don't know if that is true.

+POS bad service strikes again. I was just waiting for another opportunity to rip these people a new one. I have had nothing but problems the last three times I have dealt with them.

I ordered a mask combo last summer. Got in the mail after a nice little delay. Did not like the pads, so I sent them back. This all happened in August of 2003(if I remember correctly). I received my refund check in December of 2003.

What a joke these people are. I have talked to some minor league umpires, and they have all told me that they hate the +POS uniform that they are required to wear.

Ordered some ball bags, navy blue in color, and lo and behold, arriving in the mail were black. Returned...

Pants have been on backorder since last year. Another strike against them. And I used to hold them above Honigs. Not anymore!!!

Called Plus POS this morning and cancelled the order. As I told the young lady on the phone, I could probably have dealt with the delay if I had not been lied to.

Placed the order with Gerry Davis. All items in stock and shipped today. (Neither Honigs nor Lester's had his size in the shirts, but were honest enough to say so.)

I have to thank all of you.. If it were not for this board I would have ordered from +pos sooner or later. As a result I never have had any problems. It is either Honig's or the Referee's call in Oklahoma City for me.

+POS ups and downs...
 

i, myself, have had very little problems with +POS. sure i have had to wait a little longer for packages, but they have let me know everytime i have called my orders in. like a month ago i got a leather suede mask pad and didnt like it. so, i called them up and sent it back and they told me that i wouldnt get it until the end of feb., but i got it at the end of jan.!!!! so, i believe that +POS is top of the line for face masks and mask pads, and thats pretty much it. at least thats all i get from them. he he he.... but, yeah i havent had any "major" problems with them and just wanted to let everyone know my side.

J.K.
a.k.a. The Rook

Not to mention the price hikes on shirts. Up 5 bucks from last year, and they could not answer why either.

+POS
 

I placed an order with them for a pair of combo pants and there single bar mask. Got them three days later no problems. My high school board uses the +POS shirts and I like them. In fact I'm going to order a couple for summer ball.

For all of you who don't like dealing with +POS I've found another place that has +POS stuff http://www.pro-ref.com .

same here. im like 30 minutes away so i just drive up there if i need something when im in the area. im switching to honigs pretty soon because my grandfather knows dick honig from refereeing college football back in the day with him, so i can get some nice deals now.

I get everything I need from Honigs. No problems.

To the +POS haters..

I ump for PBUC. I like my +POS uniforms so much I ordered aditional pants and shirts. I also used the long sleeved shirts last year that has the lining. +POS are the best shirts. I had bought the plp jacket a couple of years ago. The linning ripped out. I called spoke to the owner they told me to return and they would replace. My new jacket I never had any further problems. Its a pimp Jacket. I own a sigle bar mask with the air pads, you could not pry from my cold dead fingers!!!!

I never had any problems getting my stuff eather.

You disrespect intended what so ever with what I am about to say Marcus, but you mentioned four magical letters in you last post on this topic. Those letters were PBUC.

+POS is the official supplier for PBUC and the entire minor league system for umpires. +POS is not going to mess up a contract agreement that they have.

No company in the world is going to mess that big of an agreement up.

Congratulations Marcus. I am sincerely pleased that + POS is taking care of its pro customers. You guys need fast and accurate service, especially during the season.

However, I don't see how that changes my experiences. Am I supposed to sit back and be happy that I was lied to and that my order was not going to come when it was promised because you enjoy good experiences? That makes no sense what so ever.

An unscientific look at threads regarding + POS on various bulletin boards reveal that about 2/3rds of the posts involve negative experiences. These people are not going to forget how they were treated simply because + POS has the business intelligence to take care of their professional clients better.

I am not a pro umpire, but I wager I order more uniforms and equipment that half of the minor leaguers. I buy for myself and my son and I place the orders for shirts, hats, chest protectors, face masks and shinguards for an entire association. I will do business where I am well treated, not where someone else is well treated.

[Edited by GarthB on Feb 16th, 2004 at 05:34 PM]

I do not think I could have said it better myself Garth, no matter how hard I tried.

Sorry here you go wrong!
The Dutch Base and Softball Federation has an agreement for both the base and the FP-softball umpire-uniforms with a company called SSK-Europe. They dilevered only the uniforms for the baseball-ump's... We, softball-umpires, have to buy our own gear now.

Alex

I like there mask pads with the air chamber pads.

They are way better then my old set. If I take a shot I do not get my bell rung and have a headache all day. I have had many concussions Boxing and playing sports as a youngster-Im 27,hehehe. I am a satisfied client of the +POS!!

Marcus admits: <b> I have had many concussions Boxing and playing sports as a youngster</b>

This may explain somethings.

I do admit I like the mask I have! It absorbs shock ALOT better then the other pads I had. I used to get a head ache a if I caught a ball dead on. My +POS mask with the air chamber pads is not hype. I think the other pads I had were stuffed with dirt.

Marcus managed to spit out:
<b>I used to get a head ache a if I caught a ball dead on.</B>

Obviously. And apparently, frequently.

big diffrence of air foam pads and ANYTHING else.

Do all the +POS masks have the air pads? Are there any other companies which make the air pads?

Curious as well
 

I'm with LDUB in wondering about these air foam pads. Is it just the +POS pad style that they use in all the pads and you choose the covering?

Do any of you on the board have any experience with the CPL all cotton pullover shirt. I mainly do softball & Elbeco years ago had a poly/cotton powder blue which ASA discontinued.
I am unhappy with the poly or nylon mesh that you can get throught ASA or +POS. Probably because I have a portly build and these shirts are cut narrow.
If someone else is making a blended shirt tell me and I would look into that.
Thanks for letting jump over to the baseball board for a bit.

If you have ever been to the +POS office I think you would agree that they are not lying to you. I had a very similar experience. I was buying a shirt and a few other items and I went to pick it up. I only like about 10 or 15 minutes away from their office. So I went to pick up my order and when I got there they went to get my stuff out of their store room. They brought me the rest of my order and informed me that my shirt was not in stock. They do not have the best computer system. The computer showed that my shirt was in stock while it actually was not. That is the same thing that happned to you. Their computer was wrong. The person who you were talking to did not lie to you. I understand that you still do not want to buy from Parson's because of all the hassles, but don't put them down for lying to you.

LDUB,

Why can we not put down +POS when we think they lied to us about something? When they lied to me, they not only heard about it over the phone, but also through email as well until somebody from +POS stepped up and admitted they will wrong, and corrected the problem.

I sent some mask pads back last year and wanted a refund. I was informed by the +POS sales person, that it would take about a week, two at the most to get my refund check out to me for the pads. Two weeks came, and two weeks went, and no check.

It took +POS well over two months to get the refund check back to me, far longer then the two weeks I was told about previously. I called and asked what the hold up was several times, and everytime get somebody different, giving me excuse after excuse about the delay.

Basically, when all was said and done. The staff did admit that had made a mistake with the refund of getting it out to me in a timely fashion. Therefore, I cut all ties with them and will not do business with them again.

But, it leads me back to my question to you though, why should not be upset or put them(+POS) down when they lie to us the customers time after time?

New Stuff
 

I live near them as well, so I don't have to worry about the "delivery" issues.

With that said, has anyone seen or used the new mask or chest protector? So far I haven't been able to find any real reviews.

The last time I was at their office there was one of the new chest protectors sitting on the table. So I was able to pick it up and look at it. It has an X harness in the back, which makes it much easier to adjust. The zipper on the front is also a very nice feature. You are able to put it on and zip it up just like a jacket. It is made with breathable mesh padding with hard plastic plates inside of the mesh. The air vents make it even more breathable. It does not offer as good as protection as their BB2000. The new protector is also somewhat light. I have not seen their new mask in person, but I hear that it is lighter and much stronger than a resin mask. It also has the squared off front to provide a better field of vision.

Sizing
 

The venting and comfort seem to be well improved. However, how is it in terms of bulkiness? Another "robocop" protector? Also, how far down do the arm extensions come down? Do they stick out of a shirt?

Thanks a bunch.
Larry

It is not a robocop style protector. But then again it is not ultra thin. I did not try it on put it appeard to be in the middle of the thickness scale. I have a BB2000 and the shoulder and arm parts are the same as on the new protector. On mine the arm part comes about half way or a third of the way down my arm. So it does not stick out of your shirt.

A discussion with +POS
 

I of course am a newbie here but I ran across this forum while deciding what brand of equipment to buy. I must admit that after reading this thread that I was a bit concerned with the fact that I decided to purchase from +POS, but I know lots of officials who love their equipment so against my better judgement I called. Placed my order, asked about some pad substitutions on the mask I ordered, all with no problem. I asked if all items were in stock, I was assured that they were, then I mentioned what I had been reading concerning their service. The lady told me they had gone through a tough time with a new computer system and seemed to have worked through it.

To make a long story short, I orderd on 4/12 received my order on 4/14 via standard ground UPS from Ill to OH. I have no complaints at all and am thrilled with the products received and will buy from them again. I encourage all dissatisfied clients to give them another chane to serve you.

<b>I have no complaints at all and am thrilled with the products received and will buy from them again.</b>

It's like the slot machines. You win just often enough to keep coming back.