Junkyard Athletic Review

[IPv6Freely 2092]

For some history, Marcelo @ JYA and I have completed a number of orders:

• Custom sublimated socks to match my old team's uniforms
• Full-custom player kit/bag
• Outfitting my team with AK jerseys and socks, including sublimated logo and back numbers
• Semi-custom player kit/bag

Junkyard's quality is second to none. Easily the best custom jersey one can buy! But the customer service seems to be a major issue.

A while back, shortly after we bought our team a new set of jerseys from Junkyard, I posted on MSH in a thread with somebody asking about having jerseys made that Junkyard was not "budget friendly" (I can't seem to find the thread of the subsequent emails). Marcelo blew up on me because he had given me a pretty big discount on my order and he couldn't believe that I was bashing his company. I had to explain to him that I was specifically talking about how he does not slap 1-color screen print logos onto a practice jersey. I know this, because it was originally what I asked him for and he told me he does not do it because there is no money in it. Makes sense. Junkyard jerseys are NOT CHEAP, but they are GOOD VALUE (big difference). He seemed to accept my explanation, and we moved on.

Not long after that, I ordered a semi-custom player kit from him, so obviously we had moved past the misunderstanding.

Fast forward to this week. I had emailed Marcelo inquiring about a new semi-custom player kit from him to match our new team. I had just ordered a jersey for myself for my new team from HockeyGiant, and in the process I had asked them for the vector artwork for our logo (our team captain did not have a copy of it). Once I had the logo file, I emailed Junkyard Athletic.

He went ahead to tell me he couldn't print our logo. I replied back with a bit of a rhetorical question about him not being able to print future jersey orders. Being a rhetorical question, I expected a simple "Not with that logo, sorry." Instead, he seemed offended. He misunderstood my rhetorical question as a guilt trip, which being on my cell phone and typing with brevity, I suppose it could have appeared that way. I tried to apologize for the misunderstanding and tried to explain that that wasn't what I meant. He would have none of it.

I just couldn't convince Marcelo that he had misunderstood my email, and by this point it probably wouldn't matter. A simple "oh, okay I see what you meant now, sorry about that" would have honestly sufficed for me (again, I REALLY wanted to get a new player bag made up), but I guess that won't happen now.

I don't know what to say beyond this. I'm pretty bummed about the whole thing...

EDIT: Since I don't think the moderators are going to remove this thread, I have removed the full emails (posting them was over the line, not cool at all) and replaced them with an explanation of the misunderstanding, and modified the title.

[moteef17 7]

Seems like a phone call somewhere early on could have kept this situation from escalating like it did. We all know how easy it is to type/send these days, but it's hard to discount the importance of a well-timed phone call to resolve a situation quickly, and potentially with very little room for misunderstanding.

Sorry the situation turned out the way it did.

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

Wow.

After reading this, I don't blame him one bit for not wanting to do business with you.

Whether you intended to or not, your email does look like you're trying to lay a guilt trip on him, and put conditions on your business with him.

After that, you demand that he admit that he's wrong, when you are clearly the one who screwed up.

Even worse, you tell him that he is unable to be a man about the situation, and post this for the public to see, in an attempt to harm his business.

You deserve to be banned, and have your ass kicked.

[gxc999 7]

Stuff like this shouldn't be aired publicly. I think the mods tend to agree with that.

[bigdmac 12]

It's a tough call sometimes, I've never worked with Junkyard Athletic and I've never met you before. However, I feel like both of you guys acted wrong. I really think that you worded your emails wrong, and almost seemed like you were trying to guilt him into doing your jerseys/bag. His response to you was a little over the top, but this is when things were handled very wrong. As far as telling him that he blows up over little things is backwards, as you seemed to be the one to pull the trigger after his response.

A better way to handle it would be to send him an apologetic email, let him know that you wrong and you hope to work with him in the future. Sometimes we have to grow up and accept the fact that we may be wrong, even if we don't feel like that's the case. Trying to force someone into saying that they made the mistake is the worst thing you can do to someone. I really feel like you blew this whole thing out of proportion, and turned it into some high school girl facebook fight.

The best situation would have been to give him a phone call right after the email where you felt that he blew up at you, and settled it like grown men. Thing can be taken out of context too easily while reading them in emails, especially when things tend to get heated.

Keep in mind this is nothing about you or Junkyard; I don't know either one of you, and actually agree with most of your posts/opinions on here. This was just a response to how things should/could have been handled to avoid it turning out the way it did.

[MountainKing 10]

There's plenty of places that would love your business and treat you well....take it to one of those places. I went through the initial stages with JUnkyard for team jerseys, I won't air details as it's been over a year but we ended up goi elsewhere for them.

[Thinkingjack 51]

Posting this shit is about as necessary as my need for a headache. The guy does jerseys and bags for hundreds maybe thousands of amateurs and pro teams. Posting the email thread is pointless. This shit should get deleted.

It's a business, yes or no, walk away. At least you got your money back unlike other places I've gone through that I got no product or money back.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Okay then, sorry guys. I'll have the thread deleted. I didn't realize it wasnt kosher to post about bad experiences with vendors.

[chikinpotpie 137]

Don't pity parties belong in the Miscellaneous Discussions?

[BenderHockey 127]

I am currently in the process of having ordered a team set from Junkyard. I am admittedly an impatient person by nature, so I am super anxious to get my order. Other than that, the process could not have been smoother. I was able to submit artwork, make changes, and place the order with ease. Communication was and has been top notch. I have no concerns over how the final product will turn out, as I am most confident in Marcelo and his employees.

I hope to have the good fortune to need to place another order with him again in the near future.

[ktang 34]

I got a bag a few years ago, and needed special delivery arrangements to my hotel room at a conference. The special delivery was done with no problems. I'm still using the bag as my referee's bag.

Things don't always mesh between good customers and good suppliers, but that doesn't mean that one side or the other isn't good.

[BenderHockey 127]

Just a follow up on Junkyard's customer service: Marcelo had sent me an email stating my jersey order would ship the following week. I responded that depending on the day it would ship, I would pay for expedited shipping from SoCal to NJ, as our league plays on Sunday nights. The following week came and went, and I got an email from Marcelo on Saturday. He apologized that there had been an issue with my order, and it would be finished late Saturday afternoon, LA time. He told me that if I was willing to pick up my jerseys at the local airport, he would drive up to LAX, (on a Saturday afternoon in LA traffic) and put them on a plane to be delivered Sunday AM, just so our team wouldn't go another game without the jerseys. Wow. That is really going above and beyond. This is our first order from him, so it isn't even like we are a big time account of his. The product quality is top-notch, and the communication is at the same level.

Should you ever need a team order, do yourself a favor and deal with Junkyard. It won't be the least expensive jersey you find, but you get what you pay for, and then some. Pic of the jersey will follow.

[BenderHockey 127]

As promised:

I will post more in the Show it Off thread. Post Your Team's Jersey thread.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I agree, I'd absolutely recommend his work. My Moose jerseys are still my favourite hockey jersey I own. And he's gone out of his way for me more than once.

I'd just warn people he can be a bit oversensitive and take things the wrong way, so you have to be VERY clear in what you say. Don't ever assume he'll read what you say in the way it sounded in your head. Rhetorical questions are NOT your friend.

[Goonsquad 209]

I've done business with Junkyard representing the league I play in over 2 years ago. They supplied sublimated Jerseys for four teams sets (15 player jerseys and a Goalie cut, so 84 jerseys total).The jerseys are running strong going into the leagues 7th season using the jerseys, they are durable and have a nice weight to them. During the manufacturing process we were given updates on the final product.

As part of the commentary on the original post. I agree with with what one person said on here already, completely airing out dirty laundry is disrespectful. Its also good to note, its difficult at times to detect sarcasm or even tongue in cheek comments without facial expression. While one can say something that was meant to be a joke, can be interpreted as an insult by another.

[BenderHockey 127]

I'd just warn people he can be a bit oversensitive and take things the wrong way, so you have to be VERY clear in what you say.

When are you going to just stop? It's over and done with, and now you are really starting to come off like a scorned woman.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

When are you going to just stop? It's over and done with, and now you are really starting to come off like a scorned woman.

Stop what? People keep replying to the thread about their good experiences. Of course most experience with this vendor are going to be good, because you really just don't know what kind of innocent comment may be taken the wrong way, so it's no surprise that 99.9% of the time nobody has any issue.

[BenderHockey 127]

Stop what?

Your passive-agressive BS. Everyone reading the thread has the ability to comprehend that you had a negative dealing with JYA, and that's fine. You have every right to voice your opinion, as negative reviews should be taken just as seriously as positive. It's that fact that you go out of your way to throw little barbs in everytime you post that cause you to look foolish, and take away from the issue that you are posting about. Your comments carry less and less weight with each petty comment you make.

Both you and JYA agree that things were taken out of context, and that there are bad feelings. So be it. It's time to put it to bed. You come across like the the woman person who has to have the last word in each argument.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Both you and JYA agree that things were taken out of context

But he doesn't agree, or at least won't acknowledge that he took it out of context. That's where the whole entire issue had lie.

I was simply just stating that that is what I would tell somebody; that the quality of the product is fantastic and well worth the cost but to be careful what you say. But in general I'd 100% recommend JYA.

Please don't look too deeply into my meaning, it really is that straight forward. I apologize for replying.

[chippa13 1844]

"You see.......these go to 11."

[iceman8310 105]

Stop what? People keep replying to the thread about their good experiences. Of course most experience with this vendor are going to be good, because you really just don't know what kind of innocent comment may be taken the wrong way, so it's no surprise that 99.9% of the time nobody has any issue.

move on. Your like that guy who will continue to argue once the argument is over. Enough move on, pass go.

[JoeyJ0506 192]

Marcelo's product is Top-Grade; the finished product speaks for itself. You will not get your finished order and think "this is what I spent my money on?!"

Sarcasm, jokes, etc. are best left out of emails. Inflection of voice and facial expressions are not there to help the receiver to understand what you are saying is not intended as a slight.

[Louie 28]

I'll add to this, I've ordered full custom jerseys, toiletry bags and spot ordered jerseys from Marcelo, no complaints and his product is top-notch.

[chrisk 1]

I have dealt with Junk Yard a few times. Once I bought a bag. Great experience. Then I asked some pretty dumb questions about jerseys. He answered all the questions in a professional manner. I wouldn't hesitate to deal with him in the future.

[BenderHockey 127]

I was originally going to get mine from HT (you REALLY can't beat their price for beer league jerseys), until the whole "getting threatened with bodily harm by the owner" thing happened.

Turned out to be a positive, as I ended up getting them done w/ Junkyard Athletic instead :)

^^^ From another thread. Threatened with bodily harm by a different supplier.

At what point do you look in the mirror and realize that YOU are the common denominator in these equations?