The Antenna farm

[Junior08]

Hi,

Hoping this is placed in the correct forum. Has anyone had experience ordering from this company? I ordered a Larsen Antenna from them online on February 22. I received email from them on February 25 that UPS billing information and tracking number had been submitted. The information provided also stated a delivery date of February 29.

It is now Monday March 3, and as best I can tell, even after calling UPS directly, the shipment has NOT been entered into the UPS system, meaning....It hasn't even been shipped!

I will be contacting them tomorrow (Tuesday) and will get confirmation on my order. I would like to hear some feedback from folks here regarding this company, as to whether or not they have a track record either good or bad?

Thanks for any replies.

www.theantennafarm.com

 

[thewenk]

I had a similar experience. They seem to issue a tracking number even before the item is shipped. Mine had to be ordered from the distributor/factory or something like that. I eventualy got my order, but I had to make several phone calls and there was always some reason for things being delayed. They eventually shipped by USPS Priority and not UPS. It also seems like I read here of a similar experience by someone else. It seems that everyone eventually gets everything they ordered, but it takes a while. I have only ordered from them once. Not exactly a good experience, but I have also had worse. Make use of the phone. Good luck.
Dave

 

[OpSec]

I get either get antennas from Antenex or a Larsen reseller that has what I need in stock.

 

[mjthomas59]

I've used them 4 or 5 times in the past year without any issues. I like the fact that they will combine shipping on multiple items which is nice, considering 10 bucks to ship a large antenna is a pretty fair rate, and if you order any coax or anything else for that matter there is no additional charge(or atleast there didn't use to be).

I've never had a problem, and most items i've ordered have come via USPS priority which is generally cheaper and faster than UPS ground(depending on where you live).

Sorry to hear your having some trouble. What i have found to be pretty common to the whole antenna industry is that most items aren't kept in stock and therefore require being ordered from the factory. When you think about the thousands of antennas that are made by each company, it would be impossible to stock multiples of every item. Sure they may keep the 1/4 waves and some of the other popular items, but they can't have everything on hand that is made. I ordered from universal-radio.com, a company known very well on this board as a quality e-tailer, and it still took almost 2 weeks to get my Comet antenna because universal needed to order it from the factory.

Good luck

 

[key2_altfire]

More and more e-tailers are going the "affiliate" route, where you place an order on their site, and then they have the products drop-shipped to you. They collect a few bucks and if you order three items, you'll probably be getting them from three different people. Usually these type of programs get you great selection but lousy customer service.

 

[firetaz834]

I've had a simulare expience when ordering from another company. The items were drop shipped from the manufacture. Took an extra day or so, but also the customer service I received from the company was pretty good.

My problem stemmed from the fact that I didn't read the fine print regarding drop shipments so they kept there words, I just didn't read them right.

 

[Junior08]

Well, some progress today.....,

FINALLY someone picked up the phone when I called. Explained my situation to them, and wanted to know why the information provided to me showed a delivery date of 2/29, and it was 3/4 and still no antenna? He (whoever it was) claimed that it WAS shipped on 2/27, and that there had been some snowstorms in Texas, where they are based, and that maybe UPS was causing the delay.

This was obviously not true, as I explained to him that as of 9pm last night, UPS confirmed the package tracking number was not even in their system! I asked once again to tell me the SHIP date, and he said it was the 27th. I said I would check back with UPS and if there was no change I would call back. When I got home earlier tonight I tracked the package via UPS's website. Here's what it shows;

Shipped from Sherman, TX on 3/3
Arrived in Mesquite, TX on 3/4 (must be a UPS sort facility), and it did have a comment stating adverse weather conditions.

Rescheduled delivery date 3/7.

So, it will arrive. What I'm very unhappy about is the fact that I was given false information regarding the scheduled delivery date, and then when that date passed, being lied to about the package actually being shipped! My antenna will be here in a few more days, I'm sure I will be happy with it, but I must say I am very unhappy with this company, and I don't believe I will be doing business with them again anytime soon. I know others may speak highly of them, and may look to point fingers at me for either not reading any fine print (was there any?) or just to drag this thread out and turn it into a war of words, which was not my intention. I wanted to make people aware of any online issues with this company for future reference/information ONLY!

Thanks to all who added their comments, greatly appreciated.

 

[Junior08]

Final update;

The Larsen antenna arrived today, after yet another delay in shipping. This time it was due to UPS and the above mentioned weather in the Texas area I assume? The Antenna farm did end up delivering what was promised, but this was not what I expected. I feel the service was not what it should have been. Perhaps it was just a rare occurance and/or a combination of weather or inventory.

Bottom line for me? I'm not sure I'll be ordering from them again.

 

[RodStrong]

I've bought upwards of 10 antennas and probably 5 or 6 radios from them in the past couple of years, with no shipping issues. I did have one radio that was messed up (not dealer's fault) and it was replaced with little or no hassle. I also had an antenna shipped without a spring once, and after I asked, the spring was quicky sent to me.

So my experience with them has been good, for whatever that's worth.

 

[radionerd13669]

I have order several item from them over the past few years radios antennas power supplies ect.They offer good pricing but I must agree with others that the shipping seems to be slow thats the only problem I have found with them.Over all I would rate them a 7 out of ten

 

[Airdorn]

UPS usually gets things moved around quickly, but when they don't it can really take a long time! They call those EXCEPTIONS I think.

What I have noticed in the last few years is that a lot of retailers consider an item shipped and their obligation fulfilled when they send the info to the shipper, fully expecting the UPS guy to just automatically drop by the next day and pick everything up with no fuss.

Days later when they get a phone call from an irate customer who really really wants his antenna, they're caught off guard and gotta figure it out on the fly.

 

[CLTX11]

Snow storms in Texas???

We did get nailed by that snow, Texans (excluding myself) have no idea how to drive in that stuff.

 

[AlabamaWeather]

[FONT=&quot]Ordered a Relm RPV599A Plus radio just hours ago from the antenna farm. I used Flat Rate Shipping, what they recommended, which was priced higher than priority mail.
For those of you who have ordered from this company, how long does it take after placing the order to get the tracking number, delv date ect. ??

Ill post back often on this thread of the following of my order to see how it compares to the experiences posted above.

Kenny[/FONT]

 

[SCPD]

god, there high on the relm, you should have gone to Scanner World.com, I have talked to them on the phone (since there are local to me) and they do order direct from the manufacturer on a lot of items. Very little in stock. No BBB complanints on them in Grayson Co., TX either. I'd bet your stuff will be there soon.

 

[N1BHH]

Final update;

The Larsen antenna arrived today, after yet another delay in shipping. This time it was due to UPS and the above mentioned weather in the Texas area I assume? The Antenna farm did end up delivering what was promised, but this was not what I expected. I feel the service was not what it should have been. Perhaps it was just a rare occurance and/or a combination of weather or inventory.

Bottom line for me? I'm not sure I'll be ordering from them again.

Mark, it would have been easier to drive there. If I want any antennas, I drive to HRO, it's only an hour away from here, you could do it in under two hours.

 

[AlabamaWeather]

god, there high on the relm, you should have gone to Scanner World.com, I have talked to them on the phone (since there are local to me) and they do order direct from the manufacturer on a lot of items. Very little in stock. No BBB complanints on them in Grayson Co., TX either. I'd bet your stuff will be there soon.

Had to get a Relm as these will be the new radios for our FD.
The Antenna Farm also does biss. on ebay and they have tons and tons of great comments and only 12 negative comments in the last 12 months. I wonder if it will make a diff. in ordering it from TAF or their eBay store?? Just checked on my order and its still in "Processing." Im hoping this will change laster this afternoon. I used flat rate shipping and it should arrive in 2 to 3 biss days. However...I dont know if its UPS or USPS???

 

[radionerd13669]

The status of your order on their site doesnt always update your better off to check the tracking numbers

 

[AlabamaWeather]

The status of your order on their site doesnt always update your better off to check the tracking numbers

I have yet to have the tracking number emailed to me. The website gives me a TransID but thats it. Waiting game for now...

How long did it take you to get your email with with tracking number?
3rd day for me and no email yet and its still in "Processing".

 

[unklefester]

the first time I ordered from them (about 2 months ago) ....I got the run-around with shipping dates and tracking numbers.......I placed an order from them last Wednesday night...it probly wasn't processed till Thursday......package came USPS Priority today............

 

[witthoft]

The antenna farm

I have done some business with them without any problems. In fact, the last radio I bought from them I ordered on a Monday night on ebay. I was going on vacation the following Saturday, and I told John that I would REALLY like to have the radio in my possesion on Friday. It came on Thursday. Excellent place to do business with.