Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Warning: Horrible Customer Service from Pentax / Ricoh

Just wanted to post this warning before you spend your hard earned money. You'd be wise to never buy any Pentax or Ricoh products like I did (Pentax). Their customer service is virtually non-existent. Ricoh and Pentax share a customer service / repair system.
I bought a pair of 12x50 PCF WP II binos. The aluminum connector on the left eyepiece broke, such that it would not focus.

My extensive online research revealed only two possible places for repairs in the USA: Denver Pentax customer service / repair center, and Precision Camera in Enfield, CT. Further research revealed that the Denver center had been shut down (yet its presence not removed from the web, purporting to be a going concern). So that left only one option, Precision Camera.

I sent it to them (their website did NOT - repeat did NOT - tell me to call first to get a R.A. number - it just said mail the item in; so I did). Well, they flat out refused to do the repairs, even though they admitted they had the parts, and even though I stood ready, willing, and able to pay ANY amount necessary for their repairs and return shipping, simply because I did not have my original receipt (who keeps those?). Regardless, receipt or not, I'm willing to PAY for the repairs, so.... Went round and round on the phone; they started a ticket there at Precision, and started a ticket at Pentax as well. NO ONE from either outfit EVER contacted me back as promised, to resolve the open dispute ticket.

Two months later, they shipped them back untouched with the phrase "RETURNING UNREPAIRED" in the box called "Explanation of Repairs". No other explanation.

This is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my life, that they won't let you PAY for the repairs you need - they admitted to me on the phone that there was no other possible authorized repair center for Pentax.

Just ridiculously bad customer service. Does anyone know some outfit who might have parts for this bino? Or know how to completely remove the left side so that I can use the good side as a monocular? Thanks.

Good to know. The Denver center repaired a set a few years ago for me for like 10 bucks.

I spoke to several retailers in the past year and they all said about the same thing in regards to Pentax.

Tried a Z series and it was not good. Sent it back to optics planet for a refund

See what Doug at camera land says

When Pentax was sold to Ricoh they reduced the Sport Optics customer service dept to 1 person. They basically turned sport optics into the unwanted step child. We, at that time, stopped carrying their products. We cannot sell product that we cannot offer quality customer service on.

Thanks for the head's up. There are plenty of good companies out there with good warranties. Pentax can dry up and blow away.