This is a long post, if you're a TL : DR kinda person you've been warned.

Just wondering if anyone out there has any positive remarks about Shuffle Tech and/or their customer service.

I have been trying to make a purchase of a ST-1000 auto shuffler for the last half year now and it feels like I am going around in circles and banging my head against the wall.

After watching the ST-1000 for a while and thinking about building a new poker table this summer, I finally decided early this year to take the plunge, even though the prices have gone up by 20% for both the shuffler itself and the flush mount kit. (Which really didn't bother me honestly, either you want to buy one or you don't... so let's get it done.)

So I go to order one and I find out that the ST-1000 is discontinued and in lieu of those they are now developing a new machine for a cost of $1800+ each. Ugh. I want one but that's just way too much for me personally.

So I send an email to the address listed on their page and ask what's going on. Promptly I get a response from Rick at Shuffle Tech saying don't worry, the ST-1000 is being put back into production and will be available soon.

OK great. So I wait, checking the website every week or two and emailing Rick occasionally to see if they are making any progress on having any to sell. He emails me back stating "we had some defective parts from China and we are awaiting a new shipment of parts and customs clearing. We will then resume production."

OK, no problem, that's understandable.

Later on I notice that they have an estimated selling date of June 25th for the ST-1000's. I email Rick around the 25th or so and I get a reply "Oh sorry they are all sold out." Next lot will be available mid September.

WTF man? You have a customer hounding you for months pleading with you to take the better part of $1000 ($600 for the shuffler, $120 for the FMK, $80 for the extended warranty and then shipping and currency exchange on top of that) trying to buy one of these things and I'm started to get frustrated. You don't even think to send me an email or anything when the production is done and say "hey, if you want one of these things now would be a good time to place your order."

Meanwhile I've got my table half built and I cannot proceed any further because I need to consider and plan the layout of the shuffler, the two pedestal legs, the slide out cupholders and hopefully the slide out drawer for the cards/chips/accessories... so I am at a standstill and with no availability of the shufflers until mid September, this means that if I am lucky enough to get one at that time, by the time it gets shipped to me up here in Canada it will be too cold in October to work on finishing the table and stain and urethane it and such. Ugh again.

So I email Rick yet again with composure and simply explain how I've been patiently waiting with a half finished table and cannot proceed any further until I get the shuffler. I kindly ask that he take my name down and if anyone cancels their order that they sell that unit to me... or failing that, I am the first on the list in September.

He gets back to me and miraculously states that he has a shuffler now for me and to place my order. I do so, very keenly and thankfully. Total comes out to $891.65 CDN dollars. Order is in, got my invoice and payment received notice from their auto customer service email thingy. Now we're getting some where.

Wrong.

Now, to be clear, a few times I emailed Shuffle Tech in the above circumstances, I got no response. I went back to the email I sent, and resent it with a new message above the old one just asking for some kind of correspondence. Anything at all, just a little help, please.

Sometimes that would work and I get a reply back to the second email quickly. Other times I'd still hear nothing. I even left a voicemail asking for some customer service. Heard nothing back. (By the way, of all the possible options on their customer service phone line go straight to voicemail and never once has it been answered by a real person nor have I received any communication in return.)

So getting back to my story. So I have my order in and paid for with my Visa. A week goes by. I hear nothing. A little strange, but hey maybe they are busy. I figure I'll give them another day and maybe I'll hear something about an expected ship date next week.

Still nothing. I send an email. No response. I resend it again, begging for any clarification as to what's going on. I get a response saying that they should have a shuffler for me and if not they will refund my money...

I don't want my money back, I need the damn shuffler. If I just get a refund back, that means I am going to forfeit money in the currency exchange from CDN to US when I sent the money and then I am going to lose $$ again when it goes from US back to CDN. Talk about a lose lose situation.

I suck it up and hope that it will eventually be shipped, just have some patience.

As of today it's been another week and I've sent two emails this week asking merely to be notified of an expected ship date for this package. Have not got a response to either of them.

I'm not really asking a lot, all I want is some sort of indication as to when I can expect that the item that you glady took my $900 for will be departing your place of business and on it's way to me.

I don't know exactly what kind of business model Shuffle Tech is built on but when a customer basically has to beg and pull teeth just to spend money at your store and then you flat out ignore them after the money is in your pockets that's just uncool.

I understand you're busy / you've got better stuff to do or whatever.. but logically if you just let me know in the slightest as to wtf is going on once in a while maybe I'd stop emailing you once a week. I'm not trying to bug you, but just throw me a bone man. Anything, that's all I ask.

It's not like you aren't getting my email asking what's happening with the shuffler.

On a side note, I hope I never have to use the extended warranty, I'll never hear from them again... on the other hand, perhaps it was a waste to even purchase it in the first place if this is their idea of customer service.

They are lucky they are the only show in town, otherwise I would have set sail long ago. Lucky for them they have no competition, otherwise they'd be out of business based on how they treat their customers alone.

Anyways, thoughts? advice?

I'll leave you with this:

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/poker-...riences-4.html

http://www.scottkeen.com/forum/viewt...ht=shuffletech

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...&postcount=268

Shuffle Tech appears to be a one-man operation who outsources manufacturing to China. He doesn't have any control over when machines come in, and when given a choice between stepping up and hiding, he hides.

In the beginning (2007-09) they were awesome to deal with. I had a couple of defective units and I had replacements on my door two days later. Used to be they would always get back to me. Your story is one of many I'm hearing these days. I've got a fellow 2+2er's table that's been on hold much much longer than necessary because of this whole issue. He finally located one in another state and bought it. Sucks to hear about your situation.

Interesting post.

But you know, I understand things can get messed up. I'm not an unreasonable *******.

All I am saying, just be upfront with your customers... all of your customers, but especially the ones that are $900 deep into you.

I'd appreciate a prompt, honest "look man, stuff went awry here and you're not going to get your unit for another month" rather than "yeah we have one, send the money and maybe you'll hear from me whenever..." and then make it brutally impossible for me to even connect with you at all.

I cannot believe that someone would even run a business like that.

PROVIDED that you can actually get them to PERFORM on their warranty, I'll say from experience that it is a MUST. I had a shuffletech that got used approx 8hrs/week and it started developing problems after just one year. Lots of moving parts. I dont see this device lasting a full three years with even moderate usage.

I purchased it from a 3rd party vendor without the extended warranty, so I have absolutely no idea how difficult it will be to get them to replace/repair your shuffler WHEN (not if) it starts to break down.

This turns out to not be the case. It's a US-based operation. Sounds like he's just been promising stuff sooner than it could arrive.

Apple is US based, too. Where was your iPod made? Just saying . . .

Well, Apple may have a little more pull overseas than Shuffle Tech guy.

Should have been clearer. My understanding is they have their office in Chicago and manufacturing in the suburbs.

I have six Shuffle Tech machines, and we use them twice a week. They break occasionally, but Shuffle Tech has already repaired them fairly quickly. About a month ago, we had two machines that we bought more than five years ago that Shuffle Tech said couldn't be repaired. They gave us $100 credit toward new machines for each one. I haven't seen anything better on the market.

One or two man business operations that are initially successful often fall into this pit of over promising and losing credibility! Not asses or crooks, just over their heads likely! They may recover (with some help) or become extinct with 1000s of others!

The issues they've been having seem related to getting the new CW-1 shuffler to market.

I'm surprised that you've had these problems. I have 7 Shuffle Tech machines, one of which has been running since 2009 with only 1 repair. Their service has been excellent. And really, their price of $599 compares with 20-30 times that amount for the next option, a Shuffle Master machine, which actually requires more service.

Why are you bumping posts that are over 6 months old and only ever posting about Shuffle Tech? Your behaviour is suspicious as all get-out.

Sounds like a dealer, if they had dealerships, LOL. Who knows for sure maybe just a zealot!

How do you come to own so many? How are they used?

Shuffletechs customer service is non existant. They took my money, didn't send what I ordered, ignored my emails and never answer the phone or call back. Stay way from them.

Used it for 1 1/2 poker nights. I'm in electronics. This thing is poorly made. After about 6 hours of usage it started to slow down, then eventually just froze up, blinking lights/jammed. You'd have to unplug it and replug it in to get it alive again. After doing this a dozen times we said screw it, just go back to hand shuffling. Too bad there isn't a product out there you can get that works. I figured since this one was 5-7 times the cost of the others, that it would be decent and last. I was wrong.

Also upset that you can 'exchange' and they'll pay for shipping, but if you want your money back, mind you I bought this 6 days ago, paid for 2 day freight and used it twice, that YOU don't get reimbursed for the shipping you paid or the return shipping that YOU must pay. So I wasted $100 on shipping for a low quality POS.

Keep hand shuffling and avoid this product. I wish I would have read the reviews. Ours worked for a few hours. I wouldn't want it if it as FREE!

If you used a credit card, you may want to contact them about protection services. They can't send you garbage and offer to replace with more garbage.

How did you get in touch with them? I've been e-mailing Rick and submitted on the website with no response. I had a unit repaired (worked for a year no issue, then had fatal jam) that only worked for 6 months after the repair.

Thanks,
Grant