Bad Dealers... was RE: Hobby Circ...

[detting]

Is it my imagination, or are these discount train sites on the internet just mills? When I spend my hard earned cash, I do not want to have my order screwed up and I want it in a timely fashion. Since this is a hobby I have a very lax definition of timely and I am will to work through problems. But it is not my problem if they do not have enough help. And it is definately not my problem if they do not understand the term "customer service"

If there is a problem with an internet transaction, there is absolutely no excuse for a dealer not to contact me. Their online forms ask for my email address. It asks for my shipping address. And it asks for a phone number. That is three, count them, three, wys to contact me in the event of a problem. If they cannot take the time to contact me in the event of a problem, than I do not care how low there prices are.

I had a problem with another Manhattan mail order house. The order was about a month late, so I sent an email. They sent back a kurt reply stating that my credit card was rejected three times and gave the dates. ( I suppose that Dione Warwick was justified for firing me from the Psychic Friends Network.) I did not know that there was a problem with this order, and this was the first time that I was hearing it.

I called them on the phone and asked them for the number that they used. It was an old number from a previous order. (Why bother entering the new number on the form if you are not going to look at it?) I gave the guy the correct number and he said that he would handle it. I am still waiting for the order to be filled over several months later.

At this point I check my credit card bill to verify that there is no charge from them and go on ordering from their compition in upstate New York. It is not my intention to slam anyone from manhattantrains, nor to take food off their table. I just want everyone on this list to know that I will not accept poor customer service. I will not order from any firm that expects me to us my psychic powers to detect problem with my order.

I would strongly encourage everyone on this list not to accept poor customer service, especially since these firms have at the very least three ways to contact you. I will get off of my soapbox now.

[Anonymous]

I've had some bad experiences with a couple of online retailers that advertise in MR as well. It's a shame that they are even allowed to advertise in such a quality magazine and I wonder if it's possible MR could establish some sort of reader feedback system to rate their sponsers?? I was charged for items that never shipped and no attempt was made to credit my account or to send the items at a later date. These items were in stock at the time at Walthers so a lengthy delay was unnecessary. These dealers were Manhattantrains.com and ahobbycircle.com. I had a particularly bad experience with Hobby Circle. I got the runaround from them for a couple months before I finally got a credit for items they never sent me. I can recommend a couple of good websites however. These include: toytrainheaven.com and 1stplacehobbies.com.

[Anonymous]

Further examples of why you should support your local hobby shop!!! FRED

[Anonymous]

FRED is right. Support your local hobby shop, assuming there is one where you live.
I am fortunate to have two (possibly more, but I've been to two) really good shops within ten miles of home. If they don't have it they make a first class effort to get it.

Ed

[Anonymous]

I'm not up to speed on internet ordering so I do business the old fashion way.

[Anonymous]

I always have very good experiences with Standard hobby supply. When I make an order either check or credit card I receive it in 7 to 10 days regardless. In very rare cases when there is a delay I will receive a letter notafying me to one ask me to wait or; two disregard the back order. And they ask me to call for instructions.
William

[detting]

I have to agree with FRED as well. I do like buying the old fashioned way. Unfortunately the nearest "real" hobby stores are a fair hike. I do like to visit them and will drop a fail chunck of change during a visit. As for the local guys, they run their shop as a hobby and I doubt that they spend a full day in the shops on any given week. I have found some really good mail order houses where I have developed a relationship with the owner/employees, and these shops will continue to get my business. I get consistantly good service from these shops and frankly it is worth a couple extra dollars to get a smooth transaction.

Later...

[joseph2]

Is American Hobby Circle the same company as AHC? Back in the 1970's AHC had large adds in MR Magazine,what I ordered bared no relationship to what they would send to me.Once they sent me a refund check when I didn't even return any thing for a refund.

[Anonymous]

Interesting problems here. I've only ordered from two online hobby stores (www.ehattons.com and www.ontracks.co.uk), both UK based, and I've had no trouble with either. Orders are sent out rapidly, and I usually recieve the goods within a week. They're also very helpful on the customer service side - I've emailed them with queries and recieved prompt, friendly and helpful replies several times. Hattons also have a very good policy in that they only advertise products that they actually have in stock - no placing orders and being told "we're out of stock of that".

[EMDSD40]

I ALSO HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH HOBBYCIRCLE, THEY SENT ME 3 WRONG OUT OF 4 LOCOMTIVES ORDERED. THESE WERE XMAS GIFTS. I RETURNED THEM AND THEYSAID I DIDN'T. THEY FOUND THEM LAYING ON THE FLOOR 2 WEEKS LATER AND 5 DAYS BEFORE XMAS. NEVER DID GET WHAT I ORDERED, HOWEVER I WAS LUCKY THEY DIDN'T SCREW UP THE MC CREDIT. TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. HAD GOOD LUCK WITH TRAINWORLD, STANDARD HOBBY, INTERNET TRAINS

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

Further examples of why you should support your local hobby shop!!! FRED

I also agree with Fred. I've always had great service from the local shops and I believe in spending my money in my community.

[BRAKIE]

I use some of the better internet shops as well as my local shops(not so local really) and never had a problem of not getting what I order..I have had one problen with a local shop that took weeks to get some minor detail parts..I finally give up and order through another local shop and had the parts in a week..

[Anonymous]

Disabled and no longer able to drive it is hard for me to get to my local hobby shop so I have resorted to internet shopping. I found that although Walthers has a large selection their prices are higher than most so haven't ordered from them. The best service, low prices and fastest shipping I have found so far is from Internet Model Trains (www.internettrains.com). Three of three shippments have arrived in less than a week. One shippment must have hit just right. I purchased 40 3' sections of flex track which arrived 4 days after ordering. I always receive an e-mail showing the order with a tracking number if their were a problem. My credit card is never charged untill the day after shipping.

[preceng]

Sorry fo rthe bad experience. When I started on-line buying, I had these fears. i try to do most of my purchases at the local shops. Still nothing beats being able to touch it first. I do buy quite a bit of stuff on line though. Ususally the stuff the local boys don't have, or when buying lots of oe thing, I must go for the price. I think it is like everything else, though.."one bad apple". I would not let it ruin my future buying. (I know, easy for me to say). I try to stay with the bigger outlets ( internet trains, Discounttrainsonline, and wholesaletrains - .com). I have only had one problem. They sent me HO-scale flex track instead of N. They said their fault (one e-mail complaint) cause all the other stuff I had ever ordered was HO, and they thought I had mis-ordered. I actually wanted one piece of N for my mining cars coming from my mine entrance. They fixed it though.

I stay away from the rest of the field for your exact reason. The ones I mentioned usually have the best prices anyway, and even when they don't the difference is a fraction of a percentage and I don't rosk it for that.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

[ShaunCN]

never ordered anthing on line and don't plane to. I don't want them to srew things up. I want to hold the model and look at it before i buy.

ShaunCN