Our experience with West Coast Kayaks started on a promising note but quickly turned into a deeply…read moredisappointing ordeal due to unprofessionalism and poor customer service from the owner, Jerry.
We purchased two Heybike Mars 2.0 e-bikes (one orange and one gray) for over $2,500, including additional fees for assembly and warranty maintenance. We were assured the bikes would be fully prepared and ready for pickup, and that the store would handle any manufacturer-related issues on our behalf.
Unfortunately, when we arrived to pick up the bikes, we encountered multiple problems:
The bike locks and baskets were not delivered with the bikes, and we weren't informed of this until we arrived for pickup. Reggie, the employee assisting us, advised that they had extra baskets on hand and could install them while we waited.
Both bike batteries were completely drained (0%), preventing us from testing the bikes or asking operational questions.
The orange bike had knicks and scratches on its body and fender.
The lights on the orange bike were installed crookedly.
The controls on both bikes were improperly positioned.
All of this was relayed to Reggie.
After taking possession of the bikes, we visited the manufacturer's website to look for additional accessories. During this visit, we noticed the baskets installed on our bikes did not match those advertised as part of the package. The original baskets were supposed to include an iron bottom, while the substitutes installed on our bikes had open bottoms and appeared cheaper.
While reviewing the website, we also noticed a pricing discrepancy when comparing the store invoice to the manufacturer's pricing. The store had ordered the bikes directly from the manufacturer's website, just as any consumer could do, but failed to apply a $100 combo discount and a $100 promo code. Instead of ordering the bikes as a combo, as initially discussed and displayed on the store screen, the bikes were entered individually, costing us an additional $200. While we believe this was an unintentional error, it added to our frustration and prompted us to follow up with the store.
We returned to the store on Christmas Eve to pick up the bike locks and discuss these issues. At this point, Reggie called Jerry directly each time, and with each call, Jerry hung up after relaying his response to Reggie. This continued until Jerry eventually asked to speak to us directly.
During the initial call, Reggie spoke with Jerry for more than 15 minutes while we stood in front of him, with another customer waiting behind us. Reggie relayed Jerry's response: all sales are final, with no resolution offered.
After another call to Jerry, Reggie offered store credit. We explained that we were unlikely to return to the store given the mounting issues, making this solution unacceptable.
On the third call, Jerry offered a refund if we returned both bikes within 1 1/2 hours on Christmas Eve. When we asked Reggie if the refund would include the additional fees for assembly and warranty maintenance, he said he didn't know and had to call Jerry again to clarify. At this point, Jerry requested to speak with us directly.
When Jerry finally spoke to us directly, he was immediately aggressive and profane, shouting, "What do you not f*@king understand about a refund?" His tone was shocking and entirely unprovoked.
Jerry then repeated his demand: we had 1 1/2 hours to return the bikes or, in his words, "All bets are off." With other customers in the store, we placed the phone on speaker so they could hear the way Jerry treated us.
We initially planned to email Jerry about the issues, hoping for an amicable resolution. However, his abusive behavior and unwillingness to handle the matter reasonably left us no choice but to share our experience publicly.
Over a $200 error that we believe was unintentional, Jerry not only alienated us but also lost the potential for substantial future business from us and anyone we might have referred--and we hope, many of you reading this review.
After spending over $2,500, we expected much better service and support. A simple apology and a willingness to discuss the matter after the holidays would have been sufficient to retain our business. Instead, we were subjected to verbal abuse and unreasonable demands.
If you're considering shopping at West Coast Kayaks, we urge you to think twice. Save yourself the frustration by ordering directly from the manufacturer or choosing a retailer that values its customers. Jerry's behavior and the store's lack of accountability make it clear that West Coast Kayaks does neither.
