edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) (11/08/85)
Has anybody ever done any business with a company called DAK Industries
of Canoga Park CA?
They seem to offer a catalog with 90% junk, but about 10% name brands
of audio equipment and the like. They allege that their name brands are
manufacturers overstocks.
I will be happy to form my own opinions about the materials, but HAS
ANYBODY EVER GIVEN ANYTHING BACK TO THESE GUYS, AND DID YOU GET YOUR
MONEY BACK???
Please mail to me. I will summarize if there is enough interest.
-e
--
Ed Greenberg; MicroPro International Corp. (disclaimer)
UUCP: {hplabs,ptsfa,glacier,lll-crg}!well!micropro!edg
{ucbvax,decwrl}!dual!micropro!edg
AT&T: 415-499-4096ron@brl-sem.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (11/08/85)
> They seem to offer a catalog with 90% junk, but about 10% name brands > of audio equipment and the like. They allege that their name brands are > manufacturers overstocks. > Their tape that they always used to claim was the mainstay of their business was crap. It was cheap, and mechanically inferior to even the 98 cent radio shack tape. The fact that they gave you 10 patch cords, a can of head cleaner and a AC adapter along with the ten tapes for $24, should tell you something. Their stuff is manufacturers overstock. If you look you will find that they generally have the previous model on everything. I've made too orders and didn't have any problem. I didn't try to return anything though. -Ron
earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace) (11/08/85)
In article <176@micropro.UUCP> edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) writes: >Has anybody ever done any business with a company called DAK Industries >of Canoga Park CA? > .... Hummmm... I have their catalogue and was looking at the colossus speakers (about $300 for a pair). Does anyone know if these speakers are any good? While we are on the subject... I would like a pair of speakers that can handle at least 200 watts rms, fuse protected(?), and can handle Compact Disk sound. I blew the heck out of my current set of speakers :-) P.S. - I don't want to spend over $500 total for the pair.
mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (11/10/85)
Hmm, I seem to have gotten their latest catalog too. I have no idea how I got on their mailing list. But the ads are pretty entertaining, all about the hard luck of some company who has wonderful products but has to dump them on a liquidator like DAK at a big discount. On page 51 of their catalog is a voice recognition phone from Audec. It's your basic clock-phone, with a few bells and whistles: a speakerphone, an alarm, and the key: a voice recognition feature, so that you speak the name instead of dialing the number. Having seen an ad for the Audec phone in a Byte card, I ordered one several months ago. The phone is a really fragrant piece of junk. (I should have known better than to get a phone that isn't made by AT&T, but now I see why.) There is a loose connection somewhere in the handset, resulting in so much crackling noise on the line as to make the phone unusable except in speakerphone mode. Once it managed to hang up the line when I picked it up by accident while a call was in progress on another extension (a good trick since the remote party originated the call.) The handset is the most uncomfortable design I can imagine, and there's a mute button on the handset located so that if you hold the handset between your shoulder and chin, it mutes you. The touchpad is UNDERNEATH the handset, so you can't dial without picking up the handset (meaning you can't dial it in speakerphone mode.) It's as though a human factors person had deliberately designed the worst possible user interface. But the whole point of the phone is voice recognition, right? Well, it's the usual "train it with your voice" hack. It knows 16 numbers, and there is a corresponding array of 16 LED's and 16 buttons. You speak a name for each number, and you also have a confirming word such as OK or YES or DIAL (think of it as <return>.) You pick up the handset (can't use speakerphone), press a special button, and say the name of where you want to call. The corresponding LED lights up, you say OK, and it dials. One serious flaw is that only one person can use the voice features, since it only recognizes OK in one voice. Different people might use different buttons, but that confirmation kills it for family use (in spite of their billing as a family phone.) But here's the rub: rather than pick up the phone and speak into it, all you have to do is push one of the 16 buttons! I'd much rather just hit a button than go through a 5 step process with voice. Now, for an interesting quote from the DAK page: WHY SO CHEAP Audec is an R&D company working on voice recognition systems. One day, they may be responsible for introducing the first voice recognition typewriter. [I shudder to think about this product.] Well, the only way to really test their chip was to get it out to consumers and let the public, not the lab technicians, test it. Well, they've succeeded. Hmm. It's nice to be a guinea pig for somebody while paying full price. I also wonder what sort of consumer testing they were doing, since I never got any followup from them. No surveys, no offers of a refund or an upgraded product, zilch. It wasn't my money being spent, so it's not worth my time to pursue getting a refund, but I urge people out there to not consider the $89 price in the DAK catalog a bargain. About the only good thing I can say about this thing is it makes a nice alarm clock.
julian@osu-eddie.UUCP (Julian Gomez) (11/11/85)
> Has anybody ever done any business with a company called DAK Industries > ... > I will be happy to form my own opinions about the materials, but HAS > ANYBODY EVER GIVEN ANYTHING BACK TO THESE GUYS, AND DID YOU GET YOUR > MONEY BACK??? I ordered a telephone hold button from them once. It didn't work, so I sent it back, and they refunded my money in less than seven days. -- "If Chaos himself sat umpire, what better could he do?" Julian "a tribble took it" Gomez Computer Graphics Research Group, The Ohio State University {ucbvax,decvax}!cbosg!osu-eddie!julian
smelser@wanginst.UUCP (Craig Smelser) (11/12/85)
I have purchased several hundered dollars of miscellaneous things
from DAK, mostly discounted brand name things (BSR controllers for
lights and appliances was my biggest purchase). My experience has
been very good. I had some problems with one thing I bought, so in
the last week of its warranty, I sent it back to DAK. They
replaced it with a new one without any problems.
I just got a recent catalog from them, and notice a 300/1200 baud
no-name modem that they now offer for $169. They claim it to be a
full featured, Hayes compatible. Anyone know anything more about
it? $169 seems awfully cheap for that kind of claim.kevin@gitpyr.UUCP (Kevin Campbell) (11/13/85)
problems. The only problem I did have was they were out of an item that
I wanted, but I guess that kind of thing is to be expected. I would
recommend them.
Kevin Campbell
--
Kevin Campbell
Office of Computing Services
Office Of Telecommunications and Networking
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia 30332
...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!kevin
...!{rlgvax,sbl,uf-cgrl,unmvax,ut-sally}!gatech!gitpyr!kevinjimb@tekcbi.UUCP (Jim Boland) (11/15/85)
> I just got a recent catalog from them, and notice a 300/1200 baud > no-name modem that they now offer for $169. They claim it to be a > full featured, Hayes compatible. Anyone know anything more about > it? $169 seems awfully cheap for that kind of claim. I have seen ads in PC WEEK for a modem from Sunnyvale Communications. (most recently on page 99 of Nov. 5 issue). The internal one is $149. External is $199. They say it is Hayes compatible. Any one know of Sunnyvale Communications and is this product any good????. Will it (or the DAK one) work with Smartcom II Version 2 software??
bob@multivu.UUCP (Bob Hutson) (11/16/85)
I have purchased many items from DAK. The closest thing to a problem was
a 5 month delay in receiving my spark-jet printer. I did receive (every two
months) a letter of apology, explanation, and approximate delivery date.
The apology seemed sincere, the explanation was believable, and the estimated
delivery date was accurate. Each letter included a card I could return to
cancel my order. I now quite pleased with both my printer and with DAK.
All other orders were delivered within a month of ordering.
You should keep in mind that nothing could possibly live up to the hype
presented by DAK, but they DO deliver (and at very good prices too).
--
~ bob
Bob Hutson
{ucbvax,decwrl}!dual!vecpyr!altos86!multivu!bob
{ucbvax,decwrl}!dual!vecpyr!altos86!bobslerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner) (11/18/85)
> > Has anybody ever done any business with a company called DAK Industries > > ... > > I will be happy to form my own opinions about the materials, but HAS > > ANYBODY EVER GIVEN ANYTHING BACK TO THESE GUYS, AND DID YOU GET YOUR > > MONEY BACK??? > > I ordered a telephone hold button from them once. It didn't work, so > I sent it back, and they refunded my money in less than seven days. > -- I ordered a phone from them once, did not like it, (nothing wrong with it), returned it and got back a full refund fast. I have dealt with them with no problems. -- Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus Development Corp. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner talcott!sesame!slerner@harvard.ARPA
edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) (11/21/85)
Recently I requested information about DAK industries. Several people
were kind enough to respond and many others posted. I have two
responses to post as a summary, both positive. I think that there have
been more, but I suspect that the computer has eaten them. (I think
that I used a function that was supposed to append and it overwrote
instead.) Here are the two responses that I have, and I'm sorry that
those that are missing didn't get posted.
Bottom line: Dak seems to be VERY GOOD about refunding both your money
and also your return postage. There were a few people who posted
problems, but they were few and far between, and it's well known that
even a "good" company that tries hard can't always please everybody.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dual!decwrl!decvax!cca!emacs!eno!pz (Paul Czarnecki)
In the past 4 years i have purchased two items from them and been pleasd
with both of them. I had a problem getting one deliveredbut that was
the local UPS office fault (they claim it was stolen from the truck,
sure...) I ordered a second one (I wanted it fast and UPS would take n
months to notify DAK that I never got it) It was fairly easy to get my
MC credited. Even though I cancelled in writing the 1st order, it still
arrived several months later. DAK sent me a refund check which wasn't
necessary (since my MC was already credited) and I didn't cash
(really!). Last Christmas they were extremely hard to get through on
the telephone. I had re-dial on my phone and a scratch pad. I made
over 200 calls before I got through. I am about to order their $39 air
ionizer to nuke the passive cig smoke in this office park. I am pleased
with them.
From: well!lll-crg!seismo!vax135!mtuxo!mtfmc!mlj (Michael Juliar)
Yes, I used DAK recently. This is my story so far. I'll give you a follow
up when it is finished.
Last May I ordered a "stereo phone with 2 lines" from DAK using their 800
order number. Several weeks or a month after placing the order, they sent
me a notice that because of the tremendous demand for this product, there
would be a delay of about 30 days. No phone arrived in 30 days, but a
notice did, saying what the first one had said--another 30 days.
This went on into October. Each time, the notice included a postage-paid
envelope and a simple form allowing me to cancel my order. The notice also
said nothing would be charged to my credit card until the order was actually
sent out. That was the case.
A couple of times between May and October, I got a more formal letter saying
that the manufacturer was so overwhelmed with orders that he couldn't keep
up with the demand. However, DAK expected to get enough goods to ship out
according to a schedule based on when a customer placed an order with DAK and
when the manufacturer could get the goods out. Enclosed was a schedule.
DAK didn't deliver according to its first formal letter schedule, but did
deliver according to its second one, finally.
I got the phone in the middle of Oct., at least five months late. I had
waited so long because the phone had so many features at such a good price
that I had to check it out first hand. And I did. And I sent it back to
DAK about 10 days after receiving it. That was about 10 days ago. I won't
know how quickly they will credit my charge card for a while yet. But I
will let you know.
Why did I return the phone? For several reasons: The sound quality going
out was bad, according to those I called up. The side-tone (how you hear
your own voice as you talk into the phone) was much too loud and of poor
quality. The touch-tone pad had a built in delay of about a quarter-second
from the time you pushed a key until you heard the touch-tone sent out on
the line. The automatic multiple redial didn't work. (A notice was included
with the phone acknolwedging this.) The receiver was too light.
I followed DAK's directions to return it. They made it very easy, with a
form on the back of the invoice to be filled out by the returnee. The form
even said that DAK would credit me for the return postage. We'll see.
In summary, and so far, I can say that DAK is very well organized. They
always kept me informed as to what was going on and the reasons for the
delays. They made it easy to order and to make a return. The product came
complete, well-packed, and as advertised (except for the one shortcoming
mentioned above, which they pointed out themselves). The price was out-
standing, but the product was certainly not even close to AT&T standards
for phones. For all of its features, it was poorer than most other phones
you find in retail stores today. I haven't seen the charge on my credit
card yet. When I do, I hope I see the follow-up credit immediately after.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Ed Greenberg; MicroPro International Corp. (disclaimer)
UUCP: {hplabs,ptsfa,glacier,lll-crg}!well!micropro!edg
{ucbvax,decwrl}!dual!micropro!edg
AT&T: 415-499-4096ben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (11/26/85)
>Last May I ordered a "stereo phone with 2 lines" from DAK using their 800 >order number. Several weeks or a month after placing the order, they sent >me a notice that because of the tremendous demand for this product, there >would be a delay of about 30 days. No phone arrived in 30 days, but a >notice did, saying what the first one had said--another 30 days. > >I got the phone in the middle of Oct., at least five months late. I had >waited so long because the phone had so many features at such a good price >that I had to check it out first hand. And I did. And I sent it back to >DAK about 10 days after receiving it. That was about 10 days ago. I won't >know how quickly they will credit my charge card for a while yet. But I >will let you know. > >Why did I return the phone? For several reasons: The sound quality going >out was bad, according to those I called up. The side-tone (how you hear >your own voice as you talk into the phone) was much too loud and of poor >quality. The touch-tone pad had a built in delay of about a quarter-second >from the time you pushed a key until you heard the touch-tone sent out on >the line. The automatic multiple redial didn't work. (A notice was included >with the phone acknolwedging this.) The receiver was too light. It is funny. You are about the fifth person I have heard of that has had this experience with DAK. 1) Long delay to get phone 2) Receive it and find out it is a piece of junk 3) Return it to DAK Maybe DAK has one junky phone that they just keep mailing around to all its customers. Perhaps the reason it took 5 months to come is that the customers before you were slow in returning it. (-: Seriously though, what does DAK do with returned merchandise? Does it sell it to the next customer as new? I would hate to purchase an item that had just come from a 30 day trial in another persons home. Ben Broder ..vax135!petsd!moncol!ben ..ihnp4!princeton!moncol!ben