Has anyone ordered from Honig's lately?

[johnnyg08]

There simply aren't a lot of guys who wear numbers on their shirts.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

There simply aren't a lot of guys who wear numbers on their shirts.

An incorrect generalization around here. A solid majority of umpires with whom I work have numbers.

Any company who wants to be at or near the top in customer service in a limited, narrow market but who refuses to provide a simple service that all of its competitors provide isn't very "customer friendly". I'd call that either lazy or shortsighted.

[MrUmpire]

I have also found UmpAttire to be rigid and less than "customer understanding" at times. In a business as fickle as officiating supplies, that is risky.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by UMP25

An incorrect generalization around here. A solid majority of umpires with whom I work have numbers.

Any company who wants to be at or near the top in customer service in a limited, narrow market but who refuses to provide a simple service that all of its competitors provide isn't very "customer friendly". I'd call that either lazy or shortsighted.

Just dropping in to add another data point. I'm disappointed with UA not embroidering numbers. It's not an easy job to do at home and it's kept me from ordering their shirts, which I otherwise find superior. Someone should send Jim Kirk to this thread.

[Welpe]

I don't wear numbers and I don't like the fit of UA's shirts. That said, I took issue with they way they described their sizing and they did everything in their power to make it right. I can't argue with that kind of customer service and they have a loyal customer in me.

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Just dropping in to add another data point. I'm disappointed with UA not embroidering numbers. It's not an easy job to do at home and it's kept me from ordering their shirts, which I otherwise find superior. Someone should send Jim Kirk to this thread.

I like everything about the ultimate shirts but the buttons & placket. Picky? Yeah.

[zm1283]

I have a seamstress locally that does work out of her home as kind of a second job. I think she charges me $2 or $3 to put numbers on a shirt, and $6 per pair of pants to hem. She does oustanding work and I don't have companies put numbers on no matter where I get the shirt from.

I love my polywools, but after hearing about the belt loop issue I might have to get the Ump Attire polywools for next year. I need new black shirts too and I will go with either Smitty or UA. The UA black shirt I have now seems to have faded rather quickly though.

[SWFLguy]

Honig's was my go-to place when I worked baseball/softball and football back in central NY. I am a bit upset at the deal going on with FHSAA down here. Even though I have taken myself out of any state playoff consideration down here, I think it is wrong for one company to have sole rights to FHSAA gear.

[gpdeppert]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Just dropping in to add another data point. I'm disappointed with UA not embroidering numbers. It's not an easy job to do at home and it's kept me from ordering their shirts, which I otherwise find superior. Someone should send Jim Kirk to this thread.

I ordered some shirts and numbers from a supplier and they convinced me to let them sew them on (new service). I described how my other shirts looked (distance off the shoulder, etc.) and they started giving me a hard time that "it couldn't be done that way". They finally listened and told me they understood.

Lo and behold, I get the shirts and they are a DISASTER. Did not follow instructions that they claimed to understand and the quality was horrible. Took a picture of my old shirts hanging next to the ones they prepared and the difference was obvious. BTW - they have a policy that embroidered shirts are not returnable - which I completely understand.

Sent them the picture and did not hear ANYTHING back. Nothing, I did not request a refund and the complaint was fairly mild. No acknowledgment whatsoever. Poor Customer Service if you ask me.

Now I only purchase the bare minimum from them and the vast majority of my business goes to the folks at UA. NEVER had a problem with them.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by gpdeppert

I ordered some shirts and numbers from a supplier and they convinced me to let them sew them on (new service). I described how my other shirts looked (distance off the shoulder, etc.) and they started giving me a hard time that "it couldn't be done that way". They finally listened and told me they understood.

Lo and behold, I get the shirts and they are a DISASTER. Did not follow instructions that they claimed to understand and the quality was horrible. Took a picture of my old shirts hanging next to the ones they prepared and the difference was obvious. BTW - they have a policy that embroidered shirts are not returnable - which I completely understand.

Sent them the picture and did not hear ANYTHING back. Nothing, I did not request a refund and the complaint was fairly mild. No acknowledgment whatsoever. Poor Customer Service if you ask me.

Now I only purchase the bare minimum from them and the vast majority of my business goes to the folks at UA. NEVER had a problem with them.

If a supplier needs to be told how to affix numbers on an umpire shirts, it's a huge red flag. The numbers should be affixed by every supplier in the one correct way.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by gpdeppert

I ordered some shirts and numbers from a supplier and they convinced me to let them sew them on (new service). I described how my other shirts looked (distance off the shoulder, etc.) and they started giving me a hard time that "it couldn't be done that way". They finally listened and told me they understood.

Lo and behold, I get the shirts and they are a DISASTER. Did not follow instructions that they claimed to understand and the quality was horrible. Took a picture of my old shirts hanging next to the ones they prepared and the difference was obvious. BTW - they have a policy that embroidered shirts are not returnable - which I completely understand.

Sent them the picture and did not hear ANYTHING back. Nothing, I did not request a refund and the complaint was fairly mild. No acknowledgment whatsoever. Poor Customer Service if you ask me.

Now I only purchase the bare minimum from them and the vast majority of my business goes to the folks at UA. NEVER had a problem with them.

Post who it was so others don't get numbers attached by them.

[gpdeppert]

Originally Posted by zm1283

Post who it was so others don't get numbers attached by them.

I hesitate to name them since they may have gotten their act together and this is may no longer be an issue. The quality issue was that the stitching was too far in on the "outer" color which enabled the numbers to curl.

Also, I had numbers and patches sewn on locally prior to this, so my intent was to have all of my shirts match. I am not saying what they did was "wrong", but it was not to my request to which they had agreed.

The part that stuck in my craw was the complete lack of acknowledgement of my dissatisfaction on their part.

So, I take my business elsewhere.

If anyone is THAT interested, I will pass the firm along in a message.

[IowaMike]

When I started out officiating in 2001, I got all of my stuff for both basketball and baseball from Honigs. Good quality, good service and I was satisfied. I noticed a trend over the years though; prices went up and quality went down. Their shirts seem to be made from different materials and are cut differently every year. I also noticed that their ultimate umpire pants fade badly. My originally charcoal gray pants now look more like heather gray after two seasons. I've never had a customer service issue with them.

The quality and price issues encouraged me to look elsewhere and today I buy nearly all of my gear from Ump Attire. I think Jim Kirk seems to make a real effort to listen to his customers and get himself in tune with the umpiring community. I've also been happy with their prices and quality. To me, Honigs seems to have been top dog for so long that they've started to take their market position and customers for granted, which is a very unwise move. With the proliferation of internet business, there are a ton of places officials can get their equipment.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by UMP25

A solid majority of umpires with whom I work have numbers.

Why is that? Do most of your partners work in a league that requires them? Most of the guys I work with have them, too, and the only reason I can discern for them doing so is to give the appearance that they work higher levels than they actually do. That, or they just think it looks cool for some reason.

No HS, college or summer amateur league in our area requires numbers, yet a sizable minority wears them.

[UMP25]

Well, the association of which I'm president and for which I assign (spring college and summer collegiate) has required them since our inception in 1988. Consequently, many guys I use have them. In addition, one of the other leagues for which I work requires them. This results in most guys having them. Even umpires in other associations who work games I assign have numbers.

Very few around here do not have them.