Edited: 10/21/2024 21:21 Eastern time
"This incident has generated a lot of discussion, and I realize it may unfold in ways I didn't expect. Since the exchange process could take a week or more, and the overall impact is hard to predict, I am tired of the uncertainty. So, I reached out to Shane again to ask about getting a refund for the razor, even though Batch 001 items aren't usually refundable. Shane agreed, and I'm willing to return the razor.
Looking back, I think the main issue was unfortunate timing. After I got the razor, I found a defect and contacted the support team. Unfortunately, the two weeks I spent trying to communicate with them overlapped with their vacation period. Given Blackland's strong reputation and my high expectations for this razor, I was disappointed that the defect couldn't be resolved due to the lack of timely responses. The long delay was frustrating, which led me to share my experience on the forum.
I want to make it clear that I'm not asking for 24/7 support or suggesting the team shouldn't take vacations. Based on the discussions in this thread, I wanted to share some ideas that might help prevent similar misunderstandings in the future:
Manage Customer Expectations: If the support team is on vacation or dealing with a high volume of orders, Blackland could update the expected response times on their website or through automatic email replies. This would help customers adjust their expectations about when they'll get a reply, instead of implying inaction, which may cause customer anxiety.
Enhance Quality Control: For special, one-off products that lack extensive production experience, stricter quality checks are important. If certain features, like unavoidable patina, they should be clearly mentioned on the product pages.
Without a doubt, Blackland is still a top-tier brand in today's market. After the support team returned from vacation, Blackland responded quickly, showing their professional after-sales service. Shane was polite and courageous in acknowledging shortcomings in the sales process, which is admirable in a brand founder. A successful brand grows through both praise and constructive criticism.
Even though this experience wasn't perfect, the imperfections shouldn't be blamed on any one party. Blackland's after-sales service has renewed my confidence in buying their products in the future. I also noticed that last year, Blackland acquired Above The Tie (ATT), which is now part of the Blackland family. I'm considering buying a newly released ATT razor."
Hi gentlemen,
I wanted to share my recent experience purchasing the Blackland Batch 001 (Blackbird Polish C954 version) razor in hopes that it helps others make informed decisions before buying.
About a month ago, I was really excited when I saw Blackland announce the release of their Batch 001 on YouTube. The new product line, mirror polish, and the promise of C954 material convinced me to snag one immediately.
Fast forward two weeks, and when the razor arrived on October 3rd, I was pretty disappointed. The handle, top cap, and base plate all had noticeable black marks. I reached out to Blackland’s support team the same day, hoping for a solution.Initially, they suggested using a polishing cloth to remove the marks. I tried this multiple times but only managed to lighten the marks a bit. Despite my best efforts, the black marks on the handle and top cap just wouldn’t come off.
On October 5th, they requested photos detailing the defects. After I sent them, the support team went silent. In the following days, I kept following up, sending several emails by October 10th, but all they offered was the same polishing cloth solution, which was ineffective. Feeling frustrated, I asked if I could get a refund but received no response for days. Not wanting to give up, I tried contacting them again from a different email account on October 15th. Ironically, they replied immediately, stating that refunds weren’t possible and only exchanges were available. I agreed to the exchange that same day, but as of today, I still haven’t heard back from them.
Their automatic replies mentioned a one-day response time, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting a quick reply—just effective communication. Instead, when I clearly expressed my desire for an exchange or refund, they chose to ignore my messages. From my perspective, it seems like Blackland puts a lot more effort into their advertising and video presentations than into actual quality control. Sending out products with such obvious defects and then expecting customers to handle the quality issues themselves is unacceptable. When customers face problems, Blackland should take responsibility instead of burying their heads in the sand.
I got into this hobby about five months ago and was lucky enough to get some discontinued razors on the aftermarket. My intention isn’t to tarnish Blackland’s reputation but rather to share my experience so others are aware. As customers, we deserve brands that stand by their products with strict quality checks and reliable customer support—not ones that rely solely on flashy ads and websites to attract buyers.
Here are the photos of the defects and screenshots of my conversations with Blackland’s customer service:
"This incident has generated a lot of discussion, and I realize it may unfold in ways I didn't expect. Since the exchange process could take a week or more, and the overall impact is hard to predict, I am tired of the uncertainty. So, I reached out to Shane again to ask about getting a refund for the razor, even though Batch 001 items aren't usually refundable. Shane agreed, and I'm willing to return the razor.
Looking back, I think the main issue was unfortunate timing. After I got the razor, I found a defect and contacted the support team. Unfortunately, the two weeks I spent trying to communicate with them overlapped with their vacation period. Given Blackland's strong reputation and my high expectations for this razor, I was disappointed that the defect couldn't be resolved due to the lack of timely responses. The long delay was frustrating, which led me to share my experience on the forum.
I want to make it clear that I'm not asking for 24/7 support or suggesting the team shouldn't take vacations. Based on the discussions in this thread, I wanted to share some ideas that might help prevent similar misunderstandings in the future:
Manage Customer Expectations: If the support team is on vacation or dealing with a high volume of orders, Blackland could update the expected response times on their website or through automatic email replies. This would help customers adjust their expectations about when they'll get a reply, instead of implying inaction, which may cause customer anxiety.
Enhance Quality Control: For special, one-off products that lack extensive production experience, stricter quality checks are important. If certain features, like unavoidable patina, they should be clearly mentioned on the product pages.
Without a doubt, Blackland is still a top-tier brand in today's market. After the support team returned from vacation, Blackland responded quickly, showing their professional after-sales service. Shane was polite and courageous in acknowledging shortcomings in the sales process, which is admirable in a brand founder. A successful brand grows through both praise and constructive criticism.
Even though this experience wasn't perfect, the imperfections shouldn't be blamed on any one party. Blackland's after-sales service has renewed my confidence in buying their products in the future. I also noticed that last year, Blackland acquired Above The Tie (ATT), which is now part of the Blackland family. I'm considering buying a newly released ATT razor."
Hi gentlemen,
I wanted to share my recent experience purchasing the Blackland Batch 001 (Blackbird Polish C954 version) razor in hopes that it helps others make informed decisions before buying.
About a month ago, I was really excited when I saw Blackland announce the release of their Batch 001 on YouTube. The new product line, mirror polish, and the promise of C954 material convinced me to snag one immediately.
Fast forward two weeks, and when the razor arrived on October 3rd, I was pretty disappointed. The handle, top cap, and base plate all had noticeable black marks. I reached out to Blackland’s support team the same day, hoping for a solution.Initially, they suggested using a polishing cloth to remove the marks. I tried this multiple times but only managed to lighten the marks a bit. Despite my best efforts, the black marks on the handle and top cap just wouldn’t come off.
On October 5th, they requested photos detailing the defects. After I sent them, the support team went silent. In the following days, I kept following up, sending several emails by October 10th, but all they offered was the same polishing cloth solution, which was ineffective. Feeling frustrated, I asked if I could get a refund but received no response for days. Not wanting to give up, I tried contacting them again from a different email account on October 15th. Ironically, they replied immediately, stating that refunds weren’t possible and only exchanges were available. I agreed to the exchange that same day, but as of today, I still haven’t heard back from them.
Their automatic replies mentioned a one-day response time, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting a quick reply—just effective communication. Instead, when I clearly expressed my desire for an exchange or refund, they chose to ignore my messages. From my perspective, it seems like Blackland puts a lot more effort into their advertising and video presentations than into actual quality control. Sending out products with such obvious defects and then expecting customers to handle the quality issues themselves is unacceptable. When customers face problems, Blackland should take responsibility instead of burying their heads in the sand.
I got into this hobby about five months ago and was lucky enough to get some discontinued razors on the aftermarket. My intention isn’t to tarnish Blackland’s reputation but rather to share my experience so others are aware. As customers, we deserve brands that stand by their products with strict quality checks and reliable customer support—not ones that rely solely on flashy ads and websites to attract buyers.
Here are the photos of the defects and screenshots of my conversations with Blackland’s customer service:
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