[ddoyle]

Looking thru one of the shopping mags (HERRINGTON) that came in the mail I found an ad for the escort G Timer. This is how the ad starts " I rember the ads for the Opel GT introduced in 1968.It sounded like a really hot sports car, in an apparently sexy European body. The ads made it look long and slinky- like an XKE. Then I saw one in person- what a let down! It was short and stubby, and zero fun to drive. Thats why so few surive today- nobody cares." Yea, I am going to place an order right now! I dont like being called a nobody! I will be sending them an email(www.Herringtoncatalog.com) and it wont be for an order!

DAN

 

[ddoyle]

And here is a link to the ad:
http://www.herringtoncatalog.com/m304.html
DAN

 

[opelgt722002]

That is a rather irritating put down of my choice of cars. I've written them a short email also.

 

[likengtj]

How about ...

a group buy ???

Who do they think they are?
Telling us, "ZERO FUN TO DRIVE" and that "NOBODY CARES" ....

Looking at the other side of the coin, WE ARE GETTING MARKETING EXPOSURE!!!! ....isn't this what we want ?


email is on its way!!!!!

 

[Jim Branham]

add

ditto

 

[Old Hippie]

I sent a email also, explaining about the many Opel clubs with thousands of members who may or may-not be "buyers" of their product line. Hit 'em where it scares 'em!

 

[opelenvy]

I too, explained to them their poor advertising practices have lost them this customer for life as well as other Opel enthusiast.
SOB's!!
George

 

[Motor Mouth]

I have also dropped them a short e-mail explaining that it's often wise to engage brain before opening ones mouth, otherwise it's a surefire way of not getting business.

Anyone spot the ironic name for the product......GT1!

 

[houserc]

Boy! Is that an Ad for how to lose customers. We have purchased various items from them in the past and are still on their mailing list.

I just sent off an email expressing my displeasure with their choice of products to slam and the people who drive them.

My closing remark was, "I will really have to evaluate future purchases. (maybe it's the statement that, "I don't care.")."

I agree with Old Hippie, send them in an email expressing your feelings about our cars. Seems that even a retraction would be more exposure for the GT.

 

[opelenvy]

Well I already recieved a reply. Read on:

Dear Mr. Rust,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback about Mr.
Herrington's ad for the G-Timer. I can certainly understand where you
are coming from and would like to apologize on behalf of the company for
offending you in any way. Mr. Herrington in no way, meant to be hurtful
in that advertisement. However, I can definitely see how it could be
taken that way if you are a fan of the Opel GT. Please be advised that I
have passed your email along to my Supervisor so that she is aware of
how you feel. Once again, thank you for writing.

Sincerely,

Courtney
Herrington Catalog
Customer Service


-----Original Message-----
From: George Rust [mailto[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 10:37 AM
To: Herrington Catalog Customer Service
Subject: Not good advertising


http://www.herringtoncatalog.com/m304.html
So this is how you try to attract cusomers? By slamming on their cars?
Not that smart in my opinion. I happen to be a proud owner of an Opel
GT. Yes they have a 1.9L 4 cylinder engine. They are not meant to
compete with Big V-8's. Look, I'm not here to defend my car, you have
your right to your opinion. Just wanted to let you know it's not good
advertising practice in your business to tell people they have a car
that nobody cares about.
I will never buy anything from you, and I'm guessing my fellow Opel
enthusiast will agree with me.
Good day,
George Rust

 

[houserc]

Courtney has been busy. I just got my reply also. Looks kind of canned to me. Wonder if they ran it by their legal department?




Dear Mr. Houser,
_

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback about Mr. Herrington's ad for the G-Timer. I can certainly understand where you are coming from and would like to apologize on behalf of the company for offending you in any way. Mr. Herrington in no way, meant to be hurtful in that advertisement. However, I can definitely see how it could be taken that way if you are a fan of the Opel GT. Please be advised that I have passed your email along to my Supervisor so that she is aware of how you feel. Once again, thank you for writing.

Sincerely,

Courtney

Herrington Catalog
Customer Service
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 3:12 PM
To: Herrington Catalog Customer Service
Subject: Mention of OPEL GT and nobody Cares!!!



To whom it may concern;

Just wanted to take a moment to write you and tell you that I have a 1972 Opel GT and I Care.

As you are probably finding out now, there are many Opel GT drivers alive and doing well. And that is not just in this country, but all around the globe. _In fact, my son drives a GT to school every day and he is constantly getting requests to race it. So, we have run our GT in the Local SCCA Road Rally's, and done better than most cars, even in the stock mode.

I would suggest that you be careful with the material you print because, you will ALWAYS find someone who cares. By the way, I am on your mailing list, I have purchased from you in the past, but I will really have to evaluate future purchases. (maybe it's the statement that, "I don't care.")

Sincerely,
Christopher Houser
Proud Owner of a 1972 Opel GT in Shawnee, KS. USA

 

[oldopelguy]

fast can

My reply, the same as the above, came within 20 minutes of sending my complaint.

 

[dakotaguy]

I got mine as well.

I let them know that naming the product Escort as in Ford,
really stirs up the old emotions.

OOOps, guess I just slammed all the Escort owners as well.
Life is full or irony

 

[Excelsior]

Since there were many canned responses, I decided to call my comments in.

I was not mad or upset at the person on the phone, but I did make certain that they understood that I "care" about my two Opels.

I even made mention that maybe the person that wrote these comments in their article contact a local Opel club and re-evaluate their position on these fun cars. If they could not find one, I would be more than happy to help direct them to the closest location.

My Opel was my 5th car purchased(1991) and only my 4th car that was ever on the road. I still own this GT and will never sell it. Since then, I have purchased 6 more cars(two brand new) and actually gave up a 2000 Chrysler Concorde because I found a new love with the Manta, my latest purchase.

Man, I am gonna need a big garage!

 

[opelgtguy]

It took longer for my response - Courtney is definitely busy


Dear Mr. Gradwell,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback about Mr. Herrington's ad for the G-Timer. I can certainly understand where you are coming from and would like to apologize on behalf of the company for offending you in any way. Mr. Herrington in no way, meant to be hurtful in that advertisement. However, I can definitely see how it could be taken that way if you are a fan of the Opel GT. Please be advised that I have passed your email along to my Supervisor so that she is aware of how you feel. Once again, thank you for writing.

Sincerely,

Courtney
Herrington Catalog
Customer Service


-----Original Message-----
From: Gradwell, Rick
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 1:07 PM
To: Herrington Catalog Customer Service
Subject: Opel GT Owner


I won't bother telling what I really think about your advertising practices, as it appears a few members of our club have already covered that satisfactorily. You can assume, correctly, that I will never be a customer of your firm. By the way, there are many of us here that could smoke you and your way too expensive machinery in our GT's and Mantas and Kadetts !

Rick Gradwell

 

[jimsky]

I just had to send them my two cents as below:

To Whom it May Concern,
As a long time Opel GT owner and moderator of www.opelgt.com I find the promotional methods employed in your recent ad for the Escort G-Timer most disturbing. Whoever approved the use of this negative marketing technique lacks the most basic understanding of advertising 101, the importance of building customer relationships and the most rudimentary concepts of customer satisfaction.

The cold hard facts here are I'm been looking into purchasing one of these items for my Opel GT. Reading you ad prohibits me from doing business with your company, it's that simple. I will take my business elsewhere, as well I believe the 2791 members of the website I help moderate, people who you have actively alienated by choice.

I don't make a habit of writing letters of this type; and the form letter reply that I expect in return will be no consolation. I just find it hard to believe that a company of your stature would employ exclusionary marketing techniques of this type.

In this day and age of instant Internet price searching, the added value a retailer provides in the way of relationship, support, integrity and trust is the only thing that differentiates one seller from the next. Well you've gone out of your way to offend me, and to that I'll reply in the only way I can, consider me one customer you will never have.

Regards,
James Perlowsky
Moderator www.opelgt.com

 

[ddoyle]

Yes, I got my response also, the same. At least they did respond.
Did I open a can of worms or what??

DAN

 

[Jim Branham]

Maybe you did but they put the worms in that can.

 

[ghouliegirl]

Hey guys...just another perspective from someone who has worked in a customer service field for many years (HR). This may or may not be the case with Courtney, but please consider the possibility...

She was just innundated with many emails regarding this disturbing issue. She knows that it takes way too much time to construct an entirely new response to each person who has the exact same problem, so she probably just cut and pasted. This does not mean, however, that the company was not made aware of just how many people were upset by the ad. I, personally, have done the same thing.

Does that make sense? Again, I don't know if that's really what's going on, but it would make sense, and is reasonable.

Just my .02...
Nathan

 

[Gary]

Herrington is located in Londonderry, NH. (NHOPEL and Travis' territory) So here's my response to the ad.....

Dear Courtney,
Well I guess by now that Mr. Herrington is well aware that the Opel GT is alive, well and thriving.
As some of the 2,700 members of opelgt.com who took the time to contact you have mentioned, "we do care" and all the waves and thumbs up I get whenever I drive my 1969 show me that the GT is still a quite a headturner.

As President of the New England Opel Club and owner of OpelGT.com, I would like to extend an invitation to Mr Herrington to attend our annual Opels on the Lawn event which is held in mid-June. It is part of the German Car Day lawn event held at the Museum of Transportation in Brookline, MA. There will be several Opel GT's there for him to view and see if they still evoke the same emotions after 35 years.

Cheers,
Gary Farias