Eagle Optics

Full review
I was looking for a pair of compact or mid-sized binoculars to use for travel. I had heard that Eagle Optics is an excellent supplier, so went to their web site. My first purchase a pair of Eagle Optics' own value-priced line of binoculars, impressed by the price and hoping they would meet my needs. As it happens, they didn't. I had mis-estimated their size and weight, and there was a small mechanical problem as well.

When I called to ask how to return them, the customer service person I spoke to (Kate) was extremely nice and helpful. There was no hassle whatsoever about returning the binoculars, and they even refunded shipping costs because of the mechanical defect. When I said that I wanted to replace them with something better, she asked me a series of questions about qualities and characteristics that were important to me. Finally, she recommended a particular binocular with which she thought I would be pleased. What's remarkable about her recommendation is that it was the lowest-priced of all the models we discussed, and it was not an Eagle Optics product. She knew I was prepared to pay considerably more, yet she recommended the ones that she thought would best meet my needs. And she was right. The ones I bought are seem to be the best possible balance of quality, price, and features for me.

The new order arrived within a few days. Also, a few days after that, they send me a hard copy of the credit for the first purchase that I had returned.

This was a really fine purchasing experience. I was particularly impressed with the knowledge, honesty, and pleasing demeanor of Kate. In addition, the price that I paid was 20% lower than other discount merchants were offering. That's a winning combination.