VENDOR: Black bear historical clothing

[Bilge Rat]

Anyone purchase anything from Black bear historical clothing lately?
I just sent payment for a new pair of breeches from them, and
sent off a few emails with some questions over the past few days,
but have heard nothing from them at all. What are your past experiences with them?

[Jinkxed Jack]

I've never dealt with them, but from all the experiences that I have heard they do a great job on their items. The only problem is that they take...

[BroadSword]

E-X-T-R-E-M-E-L-Y S-L-O-W
They make nice breeches, but for the time it takes them to respond to you and especially ship your items...you'd think they grow the cotton, weave the material and stitch every pair by hand. Be prepped to wait two months before you see or hear anything from them.

[Mojo Turbo]

that's what I have heard as well. Great product... almost no communication

[Capt Jag]

It's been a couple of years since I got my breeches from them, but when I did it really didn't take as long as it seems to have taken people to get theirs shipped recently.

Which is a shame, because their breeches are really, really nice. I need a second, back up pair, and the costume base breeches just didn't cut it for me due to the ridiculously skinny legs and crotch area. I ordered the mediums, and the waist was too big but everywhere else they were too tight.

There's always the Jas Townsend breeches as well, though they are a bit on the expensive side ($95+ for linen, $70+ for cotton canvas).

[Mojo Turbo]

I ordered the mediums, and the waist was too big but everywhere else they were too tight.

whew! glad it's not just me

[Captain McAnen]

I ordered a waistcoat from them last year. Rather than e-mail I called because I had a couple of questions and they were very helpful. Placed my order right over the phone. It took a little longer to get here than he first told me, but not by much. Can't speak for anyone else, but that was my experience.

[Bilge Rat]

Update : I finally called then today, very nice on the phone,
At first they could not find my order in shop, but promised to get
back to me, and within a few hours I had an email that my breeches were
In shop being cut, the fabric I wanted came in yesterday.
Now we shall see time wise what it takes, I also sent back
an email with some questions I had and to see if I would get
further response!

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

All I can say is that a business is not an honest, well run business when all they can say is "we cannot find you order!" Really? What type of circus are thy running? That is grounds for closing your doors and never making anything ever again!!!

Just sayin............

[Bilge Rat]

Yes, very true! Too bad too, they make an
awesome pair of breeches at an affordable price,
They have the potential to get tons of Jack business,
But word travels fast in the Sparrow community!

[Bilge Rat]

I should eat my words or delete my last post. I have been getting quite a bit of response from my emails to them, and my order is scheduled to ship on the 11th of this month. They answered all my questions and got back to me in a timely manner and seem real nice to deal with.
I guess the way to do business with them is to call first, and place your order that way, then email them any more questions you might have.
We shall see how this all turns out, but so far so good. They say that they had my order at the house, just waiting for fabric, and that is why they could not find it in shop, his wife had not delivered it yet.
( keeping fingers crossed this all works out like it should, then others might feel more comfortable ordering from them)
The breeches from them that I have seen look incredible for the price, and have functional pockets! I can hardly wait, the suspense is killing me, I hope it will last!

[Captain McCool]

How much did you pay for those, if you don't mind my asking?

[Bilge Rat]

$70.00 which includes shipping, I went with the linen ones, they will be muslin lined, and they will have working pockets. They also make them in wool, silk or cotton.

[Captain McAnen]

Bilge Rat: Please post a photo once you get them. I'd love to see how they turn out.

[Captain McCool]

Aye! I second that! Sounds like a great deal!

[Capt Jag]

My current pair are linen, and I've been wondering if silk wouldn't be the better way to go for OST breeches since they seem so much thinner than the linen COTBP-AWE breeches.

[Bilge Rat]

hmmmm, So my order was supposed to ship out on the 11th, and I have seen nothing yet, and they did not answer my email that I sent on Wed to see if in fact they actually had shipped or when they would. I called this morning and talked to Rick who said, " Oh ya, I remember your order, I don't see any notes on my work bench about your order, so I must have shipped it" He could not tell me when, except I think I remember shipping it"
Great, so I thought they would be waiting for me when I got home today, Nope! Boy they really make you feel confident in doing business with them, I think I shipped them is not a great answer to hear, If I don't see them by Monday or get a response from the email I just sent, I will be calling them again Monday or Tues. Keeping fingers crossed

[Bilge Rat]

The horror continues! Ok so far I would not recommend them at all! I have not received anything yet, and my emails go unanswered.
I called again this morning 10:00 am their time. I get, " Oh, ya, I think I remember your order, I think I shipped it out. I said, I want to be sure you shipped it, can you check for me please! Response, I am going to the house now and will check on it for you. I said thanks, please email me a response, as I have emailed you several times, you will see ATT: Rick in the subject title.
4 hours goes bym so I call, I get a female who says, I'm just the daughter, I don't know anything, Dad went into town.
I called back 3 hours later, and talked to Rick again, I said, Yes, I'm calling back to check on my order , gave him my name and said you where going to check and email me, Rick said, Oh ya, the green drop front breeches? I said no, the white ones, and he said " Oh Ya, I have a note in my pocket, let me check, those where shipped out Tues. Yep Last Tuesday, and I said, So how soon should I see them, how where they shipped?
Response from Rick " You should see them Friday,or Monday, we ship Priority Mail!
I said you shipped them a week ago? I have not recieved them, then the phone went dead!
I was really hoping that they would have arrived today!
My concern is that they have my order confused with someone else! I am getting the same horror stories I have heard from others!
I am calling again first thing in the morning. Then opening a paypal dispute!

[Captain McCool]

Wow. That's really a shame. I honestly feel that if someone isn't organized enough to keep all of their orders straight they really shouldn't be in business at all. I've gotten all kinds of sob stories from different vendors of the years - "there was a death in the family," "my family is moving/was evicted, etc," "we've gotten so many orders lately that we just can't keep up." Well okay then, I understand that life happens to everyone, but for crying out loud, TELL ME! As a customer who has paid you good money for your product I deserve to be kept up to date if you can't fulfill my order in a timely manner. And y'know what? If all these terrible things are happening to you right now, maybe it's not a great time to be taking orders at all. Crazy concept, I know.

I don't have any clue if these guys are "going through" anything like that, but that always seems to be the excuse when something like this happens to me (which is more frequently than I'd like to admit). Honestly, this guy just seems to have his head up his... erm... yeah. Again, if you can't do business in a professional manner, maybe you shouldn't be doing business at all.

[Captain Jack Sparrow 478]

Well said Cpt McCool!!!

[Bilge Rat]

This is driving me crazy! I called again this morning and was going to demand tracking numbers and such, but all I got was the daughter answering the phone saying, Daddy won't be back until Tues, an I can't check on orders cause I'm only 15 years old.
Looks like I have at least another week to wait, before I get any so called answers, lets hope a package arrives before then, I have a good 2 weeks before my paypal dispute time runs out.
I just found this site for breeches
Almost the same pricing as black bear, and the descriptions look the same.

[Bilge Rat]

Still have received nothing at all! And after further research,
I have found that Blackbear Historical clothing has an F grade from the BBB, for Non delivery, or delivery issues, twice they have even ignored contact by the BBB.
I don't know if I should open up the PayPal dispute now, or wait till I talk to them middle of next week when they supposedly get back, this sucks, I was hoping to have new breeches for NorCal pirate festival!

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

I don't know mate....Scurvy Dog! If they have a bad standing with customers and complaints have been filed with BBB I would cancel current and all future business with them. That is just my opinion.

Anyone that receives more than one complaint to the BBB doesn't deserve to be in business. Now I am willing to give a company a benefit of the doubt but alone on this thread there have been three bad deals and over at KTTC multiple bad deals.

I would submit your PayPal dispute to get your funds returned. Don't wait to the 45 day mark because after that it is lost money and lost items.

I forgot to add! Go with JAS Townsend and Sons. They have the best customer support and they ship very fast. Their work is quality as well. All four drop front breeches that I have from them are the best.

[Bilge Rat]

Ya, I was giving them benefit of the doubt, hoping they get there act together, The first emails and only emails I received from them seemed so nice and caring! I went ahead and opened the dispute. I am going to hold off ordering another pair from anyone, until I see what the outcome of this is. I just wish they would send them! I love the fact they have pockets!
Here is the lowdown from the BBB
Black Bear Grade F

[AndianaSparrow]

wish I had found this thread earlier to give some input!!!

They make quality stuff, but they are SLOW and sort of UN-trustworthy as far as when they get things done.

It took me 1 month to finally get a response back from them regarding a waistcoat I had ordered. They said it was on its way. They I call again and they say "well there's a mix up at the shop". Then they say "oh your order got mixed with someone's." etc.....they gave me a bunch of excuses. Finally after 3 months of waiting I got it.

So....this is a toughy. They make great stuff but they are ridiculous with their customer service.

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