As far as Milk Creek, I realized this is a bit late since you have received your money back Pay pal. I am currently using Milk Creek Mercantile for some items, and have order from them in the past. Recently though, I was getting a bit concerned because I contact them by phone regarding an order of a gentleman's walking cane. I was informed it was back order and it would be back in stock in a week. It been over a month so I called them today, took a couple of tries but a lady answer and apologize about my ordered. Apparently the walking cane hadn't been restocked like she had informed me. I decided to cancel the order entirely, and place a different order with them for some Medical Items I was needing. She looked at my cart and said should most of the items should be instock, although one she was not sure. She said if the one item was not in stock, it would be removed from my ordered and I would only be charged for the items that were sent. She realized I had a time constraint on this so she mentioned she send the stocked items priority so I should have it before I needed them. She did apologize again about the first order and informed me they did have some issues with their internet, which is likely why my email inquiry had been missed. So overall the experience hasn't been perfect but it not be bad either.
I don't order from Milk Creek all the time, but most experience with them has been pretty decent. Over the past several years, I order off and on from Milk Creek, Blockaderunner, Regimental Quartermaster, C and C Sultery , Fall Creek Sultery, C and D Jargin, and a few others. Most of my experience with all of these groups has went well, that being said, there are some experiences that were not to my liking by several of the ones mentioned. Usually it is a communication issue, or something advertised is no longer available. They each handle the situation as best as they can do, so I don't hold it against. It usually they don't have a item I ordering, which can be annoying, but they never have charged me for a item unless I received it.
For the most part though, if you run into a problem just give them a call and it should work out. It might take a few tries to get a hold of them but that more because of the logistics of business. Granted we are fortunate to have several options for living history/reenactment supplies, but just in my time being involved in Living History, since 2007, I have seen some other sulters that I had good experience with, that no longer exist for various reasons.
Best of Luck though in what ever your searching for. Hopefully the experiences will be more positive then negative with any sulter or supplier you purchase from!.