BBB issues another warning about Springfield 3D printing supplier

Last edited 2:43 p.m., Jan. 29, 2019

The Better Business Bureau today issued another consumer warning about a Springfield 3D printing supplier after sending out a similar alarm in December 2017.

A BBB news release points to increased customer allegations that MakerGeeks failed to deliver its 3D filaments, filled orders with incorrect product information and did not issue refunds. The company’s BBB profile states MakerGeeks has an F rating with 152 customer complaints over a three-year period. The company has a roughly three out of five star rating and appears to have closed the majority of the complaints.

Reached via email this morning, MakerGeeks owner Joshua Smith said a Black Friday and Christmas rush led to a backlog.

“We are still working through the issues and issuing refunds for those affected by the backorder,” Smith said, noting the company is “processing and shipping about 1,500 spools of filament each week in order to get caught up.”

“We regret causing any issues to our clients and have responded to each complaint with either a refund or an offer to reship the order via free priority rush shipping,” he added.

In the BBB release, Springfield Regional Director Stephanie Garland said the company appears to have not improved since the initial December 2017 customer warning.

“Consumer complaints now are the same as they were previously when BBB alerted the public about this company’s poor business practices,” she said in the release.

Springfield Business Journal was contacted earlier this month by a MakerGeeks customer about her struggles getting responses from the company related to an order last year.

DeAnne Chenoweth, who lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia, said she was “scammed” by MakerGeeks and Smith after ordering three 3D plastic filaments during the company’s Black Friday sale. She said only one of three orders was fulfilled, though the product she did receive was of good quality.

“The complaints against the company are piling up online while they continue to solicit new business, which makes me concerned that perhaps we are looking at some sort of Ponzi scheme,” she said. “I should have done more due diligence before ordering, but if I can spare other people the experience I would like to try.”