Richard Howard at Architectural Builders Supply, Inc. makes genuinely great YouTube videos--credit where it's due. His content is informative and well-produced. That said, my direct experience with him on the phone was disappointing. I called to ask about the HPC CDJ-3 and inquired whether they offer wholesale pricing for locksmiths. I clearly explained that I am a locksmith. Richard immediately said no, and his tone shifted noticeably. He went on to say that customers "would never know what these tools are for," which was his justification for not offering wholesale pricing. The call ended abruptly with "okay buddy... yeah, we don't offer wholesale... my name is Richard, bye." It came off as rude and dismissive, especially for a straightforward business question. I'm not sure why asking about wholesale pricing triggered that reaction, but it was unnecessary. Richard--keep making the great YouTube content, but it may be worth reconsidering how you engage with locksmiths nationwide. We're professionals, and we can help your company grow too. read more

Worst supply house I have ever dealt with. I ordered an Ansul ottoman cover from them. I ordered the cover for a double tank enclosure. They sent me a single tank enclosure cover. Well, I reach out to their customer service (or lack thereof). I sent the original invoice where it CLEARLY says double tank enclosure & even a photo of a double tank enclosure lid. Well, for an entire week of going back and forth with this company, claiming stuff like "That is not the cover we sent you. You are just taking a picture of a different cover you already had in your stock & trying to return it, so you can get the cover you need for free." which was so insulting. Like, I am a general contractor. The cover they sent me was dirty, scratched up & not even the right cover. How are you to throw such an acquisition at a PAYING CUSTOMER!?!? Then, after checking their inventory & realizing they did accidentally send the wrong one, they tried to say I was the one who scratched it all up. Like......REALLY!?!?! I sent them a picture of it via email within one hour of it being delivered. Finally, they said "we will take it back & refund you upon inspecting it for defects." I sent it back & opened a fraud claim against this company with AMEX & they refunded me the money, based on the evidence. Now, AMEX is going after this joke of a company. Stay FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR away from these crooked individuals. Do not communicate via phone, because they will try to scam you. Follow up everything with an email & documentation. That was the only way I was able to win the Fraud case against this company was with the email documentation, proving how crooked they really are. read more

I ordered 4 barrel locks, I was told nearly a month later that they are discontinued. I should have looked up Yelp reviews before ordering, never again. read more

Ordered a part the was online..Person on phone said they had only 1 left..Got sent the wrong item and then was told since it was a family business for a long time that it was my fault..Place ain't worth ordering from..Amazon will wipe this family owned business to a for rent soon enough.. read more

Perfect experience with absupply. I had picked up a metal commercial door and there were no supplied hinges as it was used. Local hardware stores didn't carry the hinge due to its special size mount. I sent some pictures to Jamie at absupply and a few hours later she emailed me with a few options. That evening I placed an order on their websIte and the items were delivered by fedex yesterday. This was a perfect customer service and shopping experience. I'm so glad I found them online. read more

You would be crazy to place an order with them. Right now I'm wondering if their customer service model is based upon fraud. I placed an order May 19th 2014 for two doorstops and paid $23 on my credit card. Today is July 21, 2014, and the doorstops have still not been delivered and I've never once received a communication from them indicating why they're not being delivered in a timely fashion. After the first month elapsed I reached out to them and wrote to them by email. I got a snotty and sarcastic response that the doorstops were going to be two or three more weeks. That was the only communication I ever got from them and it was in response to my complaint that a month had elapsed. Perhaps this is my only salvation to save somebody else from making the same mistake that I did. read more

EARLIER REVIEW (see below): Didn't buy anything from Richard, yet anyway, and I wouldn't be afraid to from the experience I just had on the phone with him. He explained to me how the hardware I was interested in was installed and gave me exactly the information I called for. I needed a part he himself doesn't sell, but he took he time to tell me all about it and where to find it anyway. Thanks for your time and your expertise, I will keep your company info handy! UPDATE: (after purchase): I gave this guy a really nice review earlier. I think I felt a little sorry for him for all of the bad reviews he was getting and he actually did help me. I had a different experience later, during my first purchase from him when we had a misunderstanding with delivery dates. We did work through it, but it was a rough experience and it looks like others have gone through the same. Rich, you can be a helpful guy when you want to be, but I hope you can elevate your positivity and work on communicating less harshly with the customer. read more

These guys are the worst!! Can not supply items in a timely manner. Then after you order they post the tracking will be available soon. Then after a week or 2 post that your item won't ship for another 2 or 3 weeks. Then if you cancel they want to charge a cancellation fee. THE WORST!!! read more

make order online after over 4 weeks didn't get the item and later on was told the don't have it in stock but on their website its show in stock very hard to dell with them read more

Same as everyone else. I placed an order 11/15/19 and the website said ships jn 48 hours. It's 12/29/19 and I have not received the item. Customer care repeatedly lied to me about its status, promised to fedex then didn't, and otherwise had failed to ship product or respond in any way. Buyer beware, this company should be closed by law enforcement. read more

Well..... seeing as there are already twelve one star reviews on this company I wished I would have came here first. Here is my awesome experience. Also, Im no business ethics expert but you know its a SURE SIGN your company is horrible and could literally care less about its customers when it has A WHOLE PAGE DESIGNATED AS "THE WALL OF SHAME"!!!!!!! This is were they take customers in which, they (ABSupply) screwed up the customers orders horrendously and even admit it, then the customer cancels the charge on their credit card after numerous attempts to obtain the products they paid for, This company then has the audacity to take their (the customers) personal information, including name, personal email, personal billing address and post it online to quote "shame them" for being bad customers. Are you guys freaking 12 years old!?!?! Seriously?! On top of all of this, Im pretty sure there is some kind of serious privacy act laws you guys are violating in the process. You guys are literally SCUM! My awesome experience: March 16th: Purchased Paint Glaze that I use for furniture I build and sell. March 16th: Received emailed receipt of my purchase. One week later: March 23rd: I Requested, through email, my tracking number because I was still awaiting my delivery. March 23rd: Emailed response from "Johnny"- "It was a non-stocked item sir. We just got it today, we are shipping it today." First off, what company accepts and charges your card when they dont even have the product? I guess thats neither here nor there. So... Next week... Still no package. March 27th: Email received: Your product has been shipped. Packing label printed for shipment. (which is weird since "johnny" lied to me last week and said he would send it then. Again, neither here nor there. March 27th: I call and explain my order and frustration with the 11 day wait for the product to be shipped with no warning it was not in stock, no apologies of any kind when confronted, and the fact they charged my card without even having the product to ship. I asked for my $11 shipping for my $30 product to be reimbursed. After being rudely interrupted about 7 times while I was expressing my issue the Gentleman on the phone said simply "no, if you don't want it send it back and ill restock it". Not "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, my apologies, oops it was our fault for not informing you the two times you contacted us" just practically a buzz off because in fine print supposedly and suddenly at the bottom of the page it says 10-15 day wait time.... So if that is true why wouldn't your customer service reps have just said that the first time!? And instead lied and waited 5 more days to ship it after he said he would. read more

Don't buy here. Period! I ordered some parts for the house that they were going to send. 2 weeks later I called them to see where the parts were. They said it'd be about another 2 weeks! They weren't critical parts for me so I said ok. About a MONTH later, I called and a guy said he'd check into it and call me back. I never heard from him and that was over a week ago. In short, I've waited at least TWO MONTHS for parts that I need. read more

The Architectural Builders Supply Inc I ordered from is in (since moved?) Prospect Heights, but I think they are the same company. Ordered 2 aluminum door bottom pieces and invoice stated to be shipped via UPS. More than 2 weeks after charging my credit card, they claimed they finally shipped the pieces by USPS, but according to USPS, only "pre-shipment info sent to USPS"???. A week later, I still have not receive my pieces. Called Chase to dispute the charge. This is not a company worth doing business with. First bait and switch with shipping method, second, probably never shipped the product but claim they did. read more

Do not get involved with this company; it took three months and disputing a credit card charge to get the product, and this is the result of doing business with them. Note, I called the credit card company and removed the dispute and the charge was paid; I did my part, but he continues to contact me, and is now threatening me. Dear John Reece, This message is in regard to order number 89604. John I want your final answer by the end of day today. Here are your choices One pay us. Two return the item. You're not going to like option 3. Richard To reply to this email please do so via the "My Account" section of our website at http://absupply.net/Messages.aspx?oid=97558, or just click reply. Thank you. Architectural Builders Supply We can be contacted here: http://absupply.net/about_us.aspx The information contained in this email transmission is intended by Architectural Builders Supply, Inc. for the use of the individual or entity to which it was directed. If you have received this in error, please notify the sender by reply email, or by calling Architectural Builders Supply, Inc. read more

My experience is this: Needed a part for an older panic door... Just a spring. The guy, "Richard" is nice enough to look it up and get back to me the next day with a great deal.. TEN springs for $143... When I express surprise and state that I only need 1 spring and that I was able to purchase the WHOLE Lock assembly new on Ebay for $105 + shipping, and suggest that a more reasonable purchase is needed, he gets all offended and writes me a long nasty email. So I don't know what kind of business they run, but they certainly do not seem to be nice or reasonable people. I did reply nicely and suggested several alternative possibilities, but apparently this also offends the dear man. read more

Ann B. got it RIGHT ON. I guarantee you that if you order something from ABSupply EVEN IF THEY SEND YOU THE WRONG ITEM, they will not only: not fix it and make it right but they will try to charge you 50% RESTOCKING FEES and then slap you with outrageous shipping fees to return the item. What they DON'T count on is the customer calling the original manufacturer to let them know what AB Supply is doing to their business. Not only did the manufacturer tell me that they do not charge a 50% restocking fee bu that if I had called to exchange it for the RIGHT hinge, they would have charged me NO RESTOCKING FEE. Don't buy from these jokers. You wont get what you need but they'll happily rip you off. read more

They might have all the stuff you're looking for at good prices, but their delivery times are ridiculous! I ordered door knobs 1 month and 2 days ago and they are scheduled to arrive today.... @ Architectural Builders Supply Inc: you should clearly state on your website that long waiting times are to be expected! read more

They started off with good customer service when I was ordering a fire extinguisher to be shipped to California. I even bypassed one that I could have bought here locally in CA to buy from them in Florida because they had been helpful to me on the phone with trying to figure out what I needed and I appreciated the phone customer service so much. The Fire Extinguisher was received not in proper condition which I realized upon the professional installer showing me when he took it out of the box to install. When I called and told them I had received it with the gauge practically empty (which is not right for a brand new extinguisher per the professional installer) they told me it probably got damaged in transit and did not offer to do ANYTHING. I sent photos, got ahold of management...they did not want to help me at all. In fact, they said I should've read the manual before I signed for the extinguisher when it arrived. (Which is totally unrealistic to sit and read a manual while the delivery driver is waiting for you to sign so they can leave.) The service that had started out nicely when they were going to get the sale in the beginning turned out to be terrible service. I cannot relate to their bad business practices as we have several family businesses and it is not in our business DNA to let the customers take the financial fault for receiving something from us that is not in the condition it should be. We are now in the hole nearly $1000 from the product we received. I will never buy anything from here again for any of our businesses. Their loss. Be careful if you are considering buying from them!!!!!! read more

The worst customer service interaction I have ever experienced! Pleasant enough at the beginning, flippant and insulting in the end. Ship date pushed out, not helpful with my request to expedite, no follow through with return calls and the owner purportedly refused to speak with me regarding this. After checking reviews, and truly not wanting any further interaction, I cancelled the order and immediately contacted my CC company for a refund. Sent this email: Richard and Johnny, I am hereby notifying you that I am cancelling my order #*****, 11/01/2016. I have disputed and received a full refund from my CC. This cancellation is due to changed/extended ship date/s, lack of follow through with return calls and lastly, terrible customer service and client interaction. Sincerely, S T Received this email: Dear S T, This message is in regard to order number *****. Thank you for taking mercy on us - I must say thank you as most chronically impossible to communicate to clients do not give us the courtesy of an FU email. Thank you for that at least. A chargeback was wasted effort as we refunded this order earlier today and prior to the continuing saga of this orders machinating shenanigans - BTW - Zero shipped your order yesterday - I will inventory upon receipt Rich 773-809-3667 Rich read more

Incredible poor customer service. The owner actually cursed at us regarding a $250 order. And then charged us a tremendous restocking fee even though we never received the product. read more

Do not do business with those people. I put in an order to replace screws for a shower door. They took the order and contacted me two weeks after the order to tell me it would be two more weeks before they shipped the order. I told them that the delay was too long and requested they cancel my order and refund my credit card. They refused! read more

Richard Howard is the worst. 1. the webpage puts incorrect lead time of their pemko automatic door bottom-- on the same page says shipping within 5 business days, also shipping within 2 weeks. refer to here: https://absupply.net/pemko-pdb4131ce-28-clear-anodized-acoustic-automatic-door-bottom-semi-mortised-or-surface-mount.aspx 2. when I check my shipment after a week of purchase, the system says shipment within 3 WEEKS, so none of the dates shown on the product webpage were correct. 3. I called their customer service, Jessica was being nice to me at first, but then the claim went to the impolite Richard. He totally ignores the fact that the website gives a wrong shipping date, totally misleading as I expect it arrives in 5 business days. I can't wait anymore and he charged me 30% for restocking fee. 4. their website is still having the inaccurate confusing dates shown on their page, doesn't sound they have learnt a lesson. 5. This matter is going to escalate to be a government's consumer complaint. read more

This has to be one of the worst architectural supply companies EVER. They got the order wrong (can't tell the difference between 3/4 inches and three inches?!) and the customer service is non existent. I would have rather built the sill myself - I certainly wouldn't have taken four weeks to do it. Absolutely ridiculous, and I really wish they had a minus star to get the rating just right. read more

I ordered 250 feet of Pemko weatherstripping. I returned the item and they want to charge me 45% restocking fee. The item was shipped by the manufacturer and returned to the manufacturer. Architectural Builders Supply is just a middle retailer for the manufacturer, Pemko Assa Abloy, Memphis TN. When I disputed the 45% restocking fee they countered that they would have the manufacturer refuse the return and issue no credit for the return at all. Not sure how this matter will be resolved. Be wary. Copy of email from Architectural Builders Supply: This message is in regard to order number XXXXX. sir I understand your upset, but from my understanding, the color of the item wrong was not the issue, but that the wrong size was sent to you because you yourself ordered the wrong size. That is the reason for the restock fee. Pemko charges their amount of restock, and ABSupply does an add on as well. This is not to try to get ahead of anyone or burn anyones pocket, this simply pays for the time of work that we put into orders so we do not come out losing. Now you threatened a charge back with your credit card company and I am advising you that that will not be a wise choice on your part. here is a published link regarding our returns and refunds policies. We have this in place to protect ourselves against wrongful charge backs. Also if the charge back IS issued anyway then we will be fighting it, as we have done many many times before. We will also be filing our complaint with IC3.gov. It is a governmental web site that helps business fight fraudulent charge backs or thing of that nature. We have used this site many times, and we have great outcome with it. Also it could flag the government into checking your history, if you have any with charge backs or complaints that were not warranted. Take action as such more then one times forces eye to wonder if a person uses charge backs etc. as a way of not paying their bills. The wrong size item was a mistake on your part. If it was on ABSupply, or the vendor, then you would be receiving a new item with fees included because we own up to our mistakes and take fault when it is on us. We do not, when the mistake is on the customer. We expect all parties to admit when that have made a mistake, as we do ourselves. -JOHNNY- 847 379 8831 Update: I contested the restock fee with my credit card company and won. I only had to pay the shipping fee. Be sure to use a reputable credit card company for protection. read more

I received only part of what I ordered. Attempting to return it has been very very frustrating. They will not give me all of what I paid for the defective item. Their customer service is laughable. Almost to the point of out right rude. Incompetent. Greedy. Rude. read more

I would give them less than 1 star if possible. Their customer service is terrible. I think they make their money by taking your order, then not filling it for great lengths of time, then when you cancel it because it still hasn't shipped after 1.5 weeks (and they don't tell you they don't stock anything) they charge you 15% restocking fees. Unbelievable. And they are nasty people to boot!!!! read more

Order my product, and then read the reviews on this place. Was shocked to find so many bad reviews and wanted to cancel my order; however, I figured i'd give my item three weeks. Was so relieved to see the shipping email with a tracking number close to the end of the third week. Received the product last night in excellent condition. So other than the fact it took me about a month to get it, I couldn't be happier. My advice would be, if you are looking for a quick turnaround, call and ask if its in stock, otherwise the product will most likely have to be manufactured. read more

The website implies that everything is in stock and will ship out immediately. I don't think they actually stock anything. I am currently waiting to receive material I ordered 10/30/15. Never again will I order from them! read more

After about 7 weeks I did finally get the material I originally ordered but not without a fair amount of calling. Note that during the time I dealt with them their email always bounced back so it had to be done with phone calls. There was a fair amount of confusing regarding the availability which I was not aware of the first 3 weeks. I then found an alternative material that was ordered and then cancelled, which I found out after calling about the order status. Reordered and then another 4 weeks to finally send. In the end it was the material that I originally ordered that was not supposed to be available. I am relieved to finally have the material but will find an alternative distributor for future orders. read more

I needed a cam lock for a paper towel dispenser and after running all over town, I started looking online. I ran across ABsupply.net and boy am I glad I did. I online chatted with Rich Howard, telling him what I needed. Rich asked questions and even asked for pictures of the dispenser. He did a lot of research and finally found the part that I needed. I ordered the part and it arrived within 7 days. I am extremely happy with the service I received from Rich Howard and Architectural Builders Supply, Inc.. read more

Pretty much a bunch of dirtbags. Would not warranty an expensive electronic door controller 40 days out. They kept switching stories. First it was a 30 day warranty then it became a 15 day warranty. As the conversation progressed it became increasingly acuseatory claiming that I and my end user were out to scam them and pull a switch. I built my 35 years in this business on service and respect. None of that was forthcoming from them. My customers deserve more. Guess AB Supply dosen't care about customer retention. Had to finally go around them and deal with "Door Controls" directly. read more

Ordered an item from their website on 11/12/2015 under the assumption the item was in stock (as it did not say otherwise), and the shipping label did not get printed until 11/23/2015! Horrible S&H times. Customer service was unpleasant. Never again... read more