Alte Experience

[42OhmsPA]

TLDR - alt e doesn't store cc info and you have to call for a refund if something is out of stock.

A few weeks back I stumbled across NEC compliance stickers on Alte with free shipping and figured why not, ordered a bunch. (I don't ever plan to be inspected but try to do things the proper way, most of the time). Stickers arrived in days via USPS, I was a happy customer.

Shortly after I needed some more class T fuses and circuit breakers so I went back to AltE and ordered 6 Midnite Breakers (great bulk price), a 200a class T, and I threw in another Midnite SPD for the AC output side of my system.

Everything arrived in days via ups, except the class T fuse. I figured no big deal, could be dropped shipped from somewhere else. Waited a week with no updates, opened a ticket through their website, waited another week, nothing. Replied to an email about my order and got an auto reply with a case number, a few days of nothing so I replied back for updates and got this yesterday afternoon "I'm very sorry,but the item on your order (XANFUH-200) is discontinued. We do not store credit card information on file and would need you to call us for your refund."

Has anyone dealt with something similar?
I think it's great they don't store the credit card information, I'm slightly irritated I'm inconvenienced and delayed. If I order from them again I'll use the phone...


Now I have to hop over to Current Connected and order the alternative fuse I had in my cart multiple times and try to not order a chargverter while I'm there ?

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Over the years, I have twice talked (on the phone) to Bramley Munz, an alte sales rep. He did a fine job with my rather simple stuff, exchanging emails after the sale for clarification.

 

[Alkaline]

Alte-e is a very good store They have really nice solar panel mounts.

 

[Oldphile]

Has anyone been to their brick and mortar store? It's only a 1 1/2 hour drive for me. I'm going pick up batteries and save the shipping cost.

 

[740GLE]

Does shipping cost outweigh sales tax? For batteries prob does.

I was contemplating ordering panels from them and picking up similar route. I hate the idea of ordering 8 panels to only need 6, expect 2 damaged.

I guess there’s no free lunch.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Updates, called today over lunch and the refund was processed in under 10 minutes (the majority of it on hold while the reference number was found in the system) with a confirmation email shortly after.

For clarity I have no issues with AltE; I was only sharing my experience. I will order from them without hesitation in the future and continue to recommend them.

 

[Oldphile]

Does shipping cost outweigh sales tax? For batteries prob does.

I was contemplating ordering panels from them and picking up similar route. I hate the idea of ordering 8 panels to only need 6, expect 2 damaged.

I guess there’s no free lunch.

I forgot about the sales tax, but will be charged anyway.

The Massachusetts use tax is 6.25% of the sales price or rental charge on tangible personal property, including property purchased by phone, mail order, and online where sales tax was not collected or was paid at a lower tax rate.

 

[740GLE]

I think that’s for use in MA but not applicable for use out of state, especially NH.

I ordered a big baby some din rail breakers and bus bars from them over the summer, either they are baking that “sales tax” into their price but no where on my invoice did they list a sales tax. I did pay $17 on shipping.

Remember Mass was also the same state tried to get NH tire business’s to charge for Mass sales tax for every Mass car that drove as little as 10 miles to get a new set of tires, that is until the courts said otherwise.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Just looked back and I don't see any tax charged for my orders shipped to PA.
I did pay $21.70 I shipping though