My Meade Mess
IMPORTANT NOTE! Why I stopped selling Meade Products and Will NEVER Resume
First, I want to thank each and every one of you that bought a telescope from me this past fall. Your patience through our mutual ordeal with Meade is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support. Had I known what a terrible problem we would have Meade products, I never would have recommended them. After speaking with several people at Meade, I really thought they were trying to improve service and quality. I saw no improvement.
Because Meade's service and quality is far below my standard, I will no longer offer or recommend Meade products.
I need to say something else on the Meade topic. The course the company has taken over the past two years is morally reprehensible to me. Under the banner of "returning the company to profitability", Meade management eliminated 2/3 of their employees and relocated all manufacturing to China and Mexico. During this same period, management took large, and what I consider unjustified, pay increases. I say "unjustified" because in spite of the slash and burn policies implemented, as of this writing the company continues to lose money. Customer service continues to be very poor. The quality of the Meade telescopes I received was unacceptable. The out-of-box failure rate was roughly 75%. Dealing with Meade as a company is a nightmare I wish to avoid. The sole exception, Scott Roberts, is no longer a Meade employee.
To me, Meade typifies what is wrong with American business. The problem centers on greed. We permit management to take rewards for a failed performance. Service and quality decline.
I am not opposed to buying imported products. My revulsion stems from taking American jobs overseas for the benefit of management. It is shameful and very short sighted to export our economy for the sake of saving a few manufacturing dollars.
Meade is not the company it once was. Meade was once an innovator and marketer of fine American made optical products. Now it's an importer. Frankly, I believe there are better products available than what Meade offers. I have received much better product reliability and far better service from other astronomy product companies such as Orion and Celestron.
I don't wish to harm the dealers by speaking out against Meade, but if dealers would stop ordering Meade products, Meade might act to bring their quality and service up to an acceptable standard.
My opinion is based on my experience with Meade at all levels. I would like to hear from other Meade dealers about your experiences. Your correspondence will be treated with confidentiality because I understand your income depends on your relationship with Meade. Mine does not.
If you are a frustrated Meade customer, I would like to hear from you too. Send me your "Meade Mess" story. I won't use your name or give it to anyone.
PLEASE HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD.
I am currently expanding my offerings from Orion Telescope to fill the product gap once occupied by Meade.
Avoid your own Meade Mess: Telescope Sale
Chris Reich, Your Host and Guide