The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: SophieYorkshire on October 19, 2015, 01:00:58 pm

Title: Fearing
Post by: SophieYorkshire on October 19, 2015, 01:00:58 pm
Has anyone had any experience buying tags from Fearing?

Spent a considerable amount of money with them mid-September on tags and a new drench gun. Didn't get an estimated date of delivery on the invoice. Tried ringing after a couple of weeks to ask where my things were and got a voicemail back saying they'd be on their way 'soon.'

Still nothing arrived so I rang several times last week, and sent emails - but they're not answering the phone/voicemails or replying to emails.... will shortly be raising a bank fraud case!!  >:( I'm not actually in any rush for the tags but I could use the drench gun - would have been nice to be given an estimated delivery date, even if its three months!

Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Rosemary on October 19, 2015, 01:09:24 pm
Yep. Had excellent service from them and have used them a number of times for tags and other stuff. I know they are restructuring but that's not an excuse. Very strange.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Bionic on October 19, 2015, 02:31:48 pm
I have also used them a couple of times and had excellent service. I wonder whats going on
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 19, 2015, 04:01:17 pm
Me too.  An e:mail to the CEO perhaps?
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: pharnorth on October 19, 2015, 04:01:45 pm
Very quick with my order in March. But I think they are small so may be an absence/ illness? 
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Bramblecot on October 19, 2015, 07:33:08 pm
I speak to the Fearing sales team regularly as we seem to have a weekly order at work ::) . 

They recently made all the staff at the Northants depot redundant (with hardly any notice) and have moved all tag sales and customer services to a depot in Co. Durham.  Last week the new staff were picking up calls from the old number and replying to e-mails.  They are a very small team and do not appear to have been given a handover period.

As I understand it, Fearing are no longer an independent company but part of a group which includes Ritchie, All-flex and Cox-Agri.  I apologise in advance if I have got the wrong info.

If I can find out any more , I will post on Weds. evening :fc:
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Foobar on October 19, 2015, 08:23:25 pm
Oh, what a shame :(.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: SophieYorkshire on October 20, 2015, 08:01:10 am
I speak to the Fearing sales team regularly as we seem to have a weekly order at work ::) . 

They recently made all the staff at the Northants depot redundant (with hardly any notice) and have moved all tag sales and customer services to a depot in Co. Durham.  Last week the new staff were picking up calls from the old number and replying to e-mails.  They are a very small team and do not appear to have been given a handover period.

As I understand it, Fearing are no longer an independent company but part of a group which includes Ritchie, All-flex and Cox-Agri.  I apologise in advance if I have got the wrong info.

If I can find out any more , I will post on Weds. evening :fc:

I'll give them a little while longer if thats the case :) Would just have been nice to know there's a delay, been putting off bringing the girls in until the drench arrived!

Thanks Bramblecot!  ;D
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 20, 2015, 08:44:45 am
Ah, possibly yet another example of bigger definitely not being better ....?
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Rosemary on October 20, 2015, 09:30:14 am
Ah, possibly yet another example of bigger definitely not being better ....?

That's maybe a bit premature; thre's bound to be a few teething problems.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: shygirl on October 21, 2015, 03:34:41 pm
im needing a sheep tag asap. no luck in contacting fearing, who I have always used before. who do u recommend, that will deliver?  (our harbro wont)
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Foobar on October 21, 2015, 04:17:17 pm
Shearwell
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: devonlady on October 21, 2015, 04:48:35 pm
Aren't Supplies for Smallholders still trading? I always found them to be very good.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Bramblecot on October 28, 2015, 10:36:42 pm
Apologies for not replying sooner; Fearing are struggling in the customer services dept.

I have 3 times reported that their fax was not accepting calls last Friday and this week.
Although I have managed to get through to the sales team, it has taken numerous phone calls.  They have not responded when I left a message.
Confirmed that they are now part of the same group as Ritchie, Cox-Agri and Allflex (main company?).  Fearing deal with direct sales, Ritchie deal through outlets such as Countrywide.

My tag orders have come through now but one has been put through twice ::) .  I'll leave that to the accounts team :-J , can't say too much but I have calf tags to last beyond 2020.

The new team are clearly trying to catch up - some have been drafted in from elsewhere - but seem to be getting to grips with orders now.  Packaging and quality are the same as usual.  Our firm will stick with Fearing but if you need a couple of tags in a hurry I'd personally go to Shearwell.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: SophieYorkshire on October 29, 2015, 07:57:10 am
My bits and bobs arrived on Monday - glad they're here but think I will order from our local suppliers in future  :sheep:

Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: daveh on October 29, 2015, 09:56:09 am
Bramblecot said:

Confirmed that they are now part of the same group as Ritchie, Cox-Agri and Allflex (main company?).  Fearing deal with direct sales, Ritchie deal through outlets such as Countrywide.

I assume that when you say Cox-Agri you mean part of the Cox and Robinson group. If so, this is now part of the Mole Valley group. It seems there is a great sort out happening in the agricultural supplies industry and all the smaller firms are being snapped up by the big boys.

Regards, David
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Foobar on October 29, 2015, 10:21:48 am

I assume that when you say Cox-Agri you mean part of the Cox and Robinson group. If so, this is now part of the Mole Valley group. It seems there is a great sort out happening in the agricultural supplies industry and all the smaller firms are being snapped up by the big boys.



No, Cox & Robinson is not the same as Cox Agri.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Rosemary on October 29, 2015, 10:35:13 am
I've just had a phone call and email from the Fearing rep apologising for the delay in sending out tags. They will be sent out today FOC.
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Foobar on October 29, 2015, 10:40:04 am
Will all these farming conglomerates forming mean a better deal for us in the long run, or will it just narrow the choice of products available.  I fear the latter. :(
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: daveh on October 29, 2015, 10:42:02 am
Foobar said:
>No, Cox & Robinson is not the same as Cox Agri.

Ah, yes you are correct. But I'll stand by my comment that the big boys are snapping up the smaller ones! I see Wynnstay have just announced the intended acquisition of Agricentre.

Regards, Dave
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Deere on November 12, 2015, 01:49:55 pm
Phoned Fearing's this morning to chase up the metal pig tags,  applicator and medicine book id ordered over 4 weeks ago to be told that he'd have to go and chase it up to see why it hadnt been dispatched.

I then rang Allflex to order some replacement sheep tags and some kill tags for some wethers,  all straight forward.

The phone rings from a number one digit different to the one id dialled for Allflex saying the pig tags were dispatched yesterday and they were very sorry for the delay.
The chap then said that the same wouldnt happen to my sheep tags  :roflanim:

Sounds like theyve just about cleared the backlog and are in business again and on the down side the pigs are off on their last journey next week!
Title: Re: Fearingby
Post by: Herdygirl on November 15, 2015, 09:24:04 pm
We ordered some replacement tags last Monday and we had them by Wednesday.  Exemplary service as always. 
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Tudful Tamworths on November 19, 2015, 11:14:18 pm
I've never had any problems with service from Fearings. Recently ordered a new batch of pig tags and they were here within a week.

Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: SophieYorkshire on February 03, 2016, 08:51:20 pm
Seems I don't learn from experience. Put a digit wrong on my herd number for cattle when I ordered tags 2 weeks ago. Received an answerphone message from them saying the ministry had bounced it. Rung every day twice a day since & they're not answering the phone or email.... Gah!
Title: Re: Fearing
Post by: Anke on February 04, 2016, 11:52:37 am
I have tried to place an order recently by phone but they wouldn't answer. Then went through the hoohaa of setting up an account and ordered via website. It did arrive within a couple of days tough...