Smitty311,
I've been in a similar situation before but, imho, I think you should have said something to that store's owner, even if you weren't going to return your purchase. A simple: "Sir, I just added $250 to your cash register, am I troubling you too much because I want to spend a few more dollars?"
Mr. Grumpy would have most likely rechecked his attitude. No need to get nasty, of course, but sometimes a quick "one-liner" in a calm tone while smiling is all it takes to improve a customer relations scenario.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
I have several different hobby shops in my area. Let me stress area because there are about 5 good train shops, but they are all an hour away. Fortunately, there is a hobbytown about 15 minutes away, the only problem is that they have very limited HO equipment in stock. BUT, the guy who owns it is really a nice guy. If they have stuff that I need I'll buy it there for a few more bucks than online. At least I get to play with ti immediately, LOL.
On the flip side there is a strictly train store about 45 minutes away. They have a huge amount of everything. All scales. The only problem is the owner is a real jerk. I bought about $250 worth of equipment one day. And I forgot to get some KD couplers, so after I paid I asked the guy where I could find the couplers. I mean this is a very cluttered store. I knew there was no way I was going to find a little manilla envelope without help. So I ask him. He says, Bill just went to dinner, so he can't help you. I said alright can you tell me where they are or show me. He looks at me like I am asking him to take a bullet for me. Gives a nice big sarcastic sigh, like I am completely out of line. Then tells me he has no idea where they are. I mean its his store! Also, I had just spent 250 dollars. If I wasn't so excited about running my new steam loco I would have returned the stuff right then and there. Unfortunately, I really wanted this train so I just lived with the poor treatment.
You got to love some of these retail owners whos livelyhood depend on customers and then they treat their customers like crap. I guess if your a jerk, your a jerk, no matter what your occupation.
Smitty
Just a note of defence for Redline Hobbies,
I have ordered through this outlet, things from Locos to models and although I have sometimes wondered about the time frame, my order has always come in as ordered.
Other than the price that we always complain about, we must realize that these people have an investment there in stock and building and all the associated overhead costs, labor, light,heat, etc. that all have to be covered where many of the online stores do not.
If we want that hobby shop in our neighborhood we have to support it maybe not completely but we still must support it or it will not be there when you don't want to wait a week for some small items, or even that bigger one that you have been eyeballing for six months.----another reason costs are so high is the turnover rate of some of these items that we want but they have to hang on to it until it fits "OUR" budget and time frame.
Just my worth.
Cone on guys, keep smiling, it looks good on you.
Johnboy out.
James:1 Verse:5
The "Wobbly" wobbles on and on.
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
I agree, probably a rough average of half the shops out there are bad, either because the owner or the guy working the counter is a jerk, or because the shop stocks little I need or the prices are way higher than I can get at most online discounters. I rarely darken the door of a hobby shop anymore and I used to make it a point to look up a couple shops in the cities I was at when I was traveling for work. I still travel for work but rarely even bother going to the trouble to look up a shop, and try to find it and go look around. Its alot of work with little reward.
For those of you with a good shop with good stock and a decent discount, count your blessings.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Chuck Geiger wrote: LHS's suck - bottom line...They are upset because the store isn't filled with customers spending top dollar everyday.
LHS's suck - bottom line...They are upset because the store isn't filled with customers spending top dollar everyday.
I am incline to agree with you..I have found for every good shop there are several "bad" shops whose owners are about as friendly as a mad she coon protecting her pups.
As I mention before I do the majority of my shopping on line these days..Its cheaper and usually faster especially if I need to special order a item.I just add that item to my next order and when I do order its usually on Sundays and I receive my order by Thursday or Friday.Neither of the not so local shops has that fast of a turn around.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
dieselfan04 wrote:Why didn't you order directly from Walthers?
Walthers is full price..Better would be to order from a on line shop at discount.
I enjoy TWO Hobby Shops and they dont "Suck" In fact, if all there was left but these two then you know you are inside a hobby shop. Not some sort of fantasy land like... wally's hobby world and crafts. Erf!
I have a budget and stick to it. My wife has more than extracted extra punishment for slightly bending said budget.
I have to DISAGREE with You Chuck, there are MANY GREAT LHSs out there, I am VERY FORTUNATE to live only about 4 miles from WHistle Stop Trains, in Portland, OR (although, it can be VERY UNHEALTHY to my budget ) They treat thier customers very well, are well stocked and handlle Special Orders Quickly, Professionally and with a SMILE . On the RARE occasion that there has been a mistake it has been taken care of quickly and to my satisfaction. Their price may be a bit higher than an online supplier, but all too often people forget to figure shipping into the price, and that can quickly run online prices close to the LHS's price, especially for those of us in O-Gauge, my Bigboy weighs about 15 POUNDS, that gets expensive to pay shipping on. If I want some track, scenery supplies, paint, or whatever, I can drive down to the shop, BS for 10 minutes, and be home half an hour after I left, not waiting a week for the shipping to finish my project.
I do sometimes buy online, again being in O-Gauge, with smaller production runs, and fewer road names, produced for each item, each year, online and ebay in particular is sometimes the ONLY way to find an out of production item. The LHS is still my first choice. I am sorry that not everyone has an LHS like whistle Stop just a 10 minute drive away, but I am VERY THANKFUL that I do.
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
And ya know, it wasn't all about the mistake, like it was said, people make mistakes. It was the dismissive, "you're the idiot" attitude of the shop owner and employees that sealed the deal.
I don't mind having a problem with something, thats par for the course these days of computer orders and doing stuff without ever seeing the item you are buying. I have a problem with the people who make YOU feel like you were the problem the whole problem and nothing but the problem.
Time and money are too precious to squander at places, either LHS or computer or catalogue, that treat you poorly. Customer service still matters, and the best way to show that is to vote with your business.
Good places deserve our support. Let the others reap what they sow!
BlueHillsCPR wrote:When I spoke to the owner about returning the item he was ok about it. He asked me what the problem was with the item and I told him that it was the wrong item and explained how it differed from what I ordered. He told me that this item matched the part number they had written in their order book. Recalling how I placed the order, ( had the clerk turn to the specific page in the walthers catalog so I could show him the item. I watched him copy down the catalog number from the catalog into the order book) I told him that I didn't think he would find the number was the same. To this he glared at me and said "I'll betcha!" I decided right there that I was just taking my money and moving on. I just looked at him until he said "it doesn't matter anyway" and finished the return.
When I spoke to the owner about returning the item he was ok about it. He asked me what the problem was with the item and I told him that it was the wrong item and explained how it differed from what I ordered. He told me that this item matched the part number they had written in their order book. Recalling how I placed the order, ( had the clerk turn to the specific page in the walthers catalog so I could show him the item. I watched him copy down the catalog number from the catalog into the order book) I told him that I didn't think he would find the number was the same. To this he glared at me and said "I'll betcha!" I decided right there that I was just taking my money and moving on. I just looked at him until he said "it doesn't matter anyway" and finished the return.
Yup, a good way to win new customers. Sorry it turned out that way for you, and him as well.
Don Gibson wrote: It was never my intention to use this forum to moan and whine... But you did, didn't you! (Actions speak louder than words).MOREover - you appeared to be more interesting in 'accessing 'blame' than correcting it. So, WHAT ARE YOUR MOTIVATIONS?PEOPLE make mistakes (what's new?). MOST people endeavor to correct them. You? Maybe this LHS screwed up. (Too many pay employees minimum wage). Since you at one point you "were willing to foget the whole thing" ... it couldn't have been that big a deal (Opinion). It was never my intention to use this forum to moan and whine. Really??
It was never my intention to use this forum to moan and whine...
MOREover - you appeared to be more interesting in 'accessing 'blame' than correcting it. So, WHAT ARE YOUR MOTIVATIONS?
PEOPLE make mistakes (what's new?). MOST people endeavor to correct them. You? Maybe this LHS screwed up. (Too many pay employees minimum wage).
Since you at one point you "were willing to foget the whole thing" ... it couldn't have been that big a deal (Opinion).
It was never my intention to use this forum to moan and whine.
Blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda...
BlueHillsCPR wrote: I watched him copy down the catalog number from the catalog into the order book) I told him that I didn't think he would find the number was the same. To this he glared at me and said "I'll betcha!" I decided right there that I was just taking my money and moving on.
I watched him copy down the catalog number from the catalog into the order book) I told him that I didn't think he would find the number was the same. To this he glared at me and said "I'll betcha!" I decided right there that I was just taking my money and moving on.
Real nice, blame the victim. My what a professional attitude.
"I'll betcha" that he ordered it from a non-Walthers source because he got a better deal. This source did not have the set you wanted so he got the other one instead.
He had a chance to rectify it and chose not too. Order online.
Jim
trainman6446 wrote:Sounds to me like the LHS dropped the ball by not ordering the set from Walthers like they said they would.
That was my take on the situation. Yes, it is up to me to makes sure I received what I ordered and that was my error. I accept that.
I went back to the LHS yesterday to return the item. I had mellowed somewhat by the time I got to the shop and because I had decided not to have the LHS try to get the correct item I wanted, I was considering picking up other stuff that I need/want, so the LHS would get a sale out of all this afterall.
another thing to keep in mind..
just because some website somewhere says the item "is in stock" doesnt necessarily make it so! ;) many many dealer webpages are very poorly updated..the webpage might say something is in stock that in reality has been sold out for many months..even years.
I have no idea how well Walthers keeps their page updated, im not referring to them specifically..im just pointing out that a webpage is seldom a good way to determine if an item is really available or not, you have no idea how old the information is..the LHS maybe had a very hard time finding the item...it happens.
Scot
I can see some tempers starting to flair. I do agree with you on some things. They should have made every effort to make sure the order was the right one. This is what I try to do at work, and I know it works. Maybe they had some issues with your order, but please sum it up as a learning experience.
And by the way, I mean no hard feelings in anything mentioned on this post. I just hate situations like this, and want what is best for the purchaser and the merchant, and to avoid these situations. One word of advice though. if you decide to go mailorder from the states count on another $30 in customs and taxes. I missed that one on my last order.
Goodluck,
Nagrom
It boils down to two things:
1. Do you believe in giving anyone a second chance who wronged you?
2. Always give your special orders to your LHS's in writing. Never, and I mean NEVER, trust the word of mouth. Too easy to mis-understand on the part of the buyer and the seller. The written word leaves no doubt about what the intentions are.
Army National Guard E3MOS 91BI have multiple scales nowZ, N, HO, O, and G.
Hey, I went to McDonald's (in the drive-thru), ordered two cherry pies, drove home, only to discover that they had put 2 apple pies in the sack. Silly me, I had forgotten the number one rule of Leo Getz (Lethal Weapon 2), "NEVER GO THROUGH THE DRIVE THRU!!"
What I learned from this experience is: ALWAYS CHECK WHAT YOU BUY BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE STORE...
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
nscaler711 wrote:Hey look for a HobbyTown USA**out there,if you cant find one, you can visit they're site, order something and they will let you pick it up (if your lucky the will send it to you! although it maybe an option.), also i have ordered from HT USA many times, i never had a wrong order.
Hey look for a HobbyTown USA**out there,if you cant find one, you can visit they're site, order something and they will let you pick it up (if your lucky the will send it to you! although it maybe an option.), also i have ordered from HT USA many times, i never had a wrong order.
Maybe, but the modeller in question lives in Canada. Does HT USA ship to Canada?
Brad
EMD - Every Model Different
ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil
CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts
**It is a link
BlueHillsCPR wrote:You took that for anger? Not at all. I was more mystified by the idea that it is somehow my fault that the people working in the store couldn't keep their stories staight, couldn't order what I specified in the catalog, couldn't get the correct part even though I made sure they had all of the information they needed to do so and watched them write down the correct part numbers in their order book. I realize most people use all caps and bold to indicate they are shouting so I can understand your mistake. I use type formatting to make it visible...make it stand out from the rest of the text. If I am shouting I'll use an emoticon to indicate that. I am perfectly willing to accept the fault for the mistake I made. My mistake was trusting that these people know their jobs and are capable of providing basic customer service. Beyond that the mistakes were all theirs. My only error was in paying for their mistake and bringing it home before I realized they dropped the ball. The fact that it was the wrong thing was the hobby shops fault. End of story! It was never my intention to use this forum to moan and whine. My intention was to inform anyone who might frequent this forum that might also be in my local trading area, of the bad customer service experience I had with a supplier. It is also my intention to follow this up with the results of my return visit to the shop, be it good or bad. The fact is, so far I have not had too many good experiences with this shop. Hopefully I can come back and report that they have turned over a new leaf.
I am perfectly willing to accept the fault for the mistake I made. My mistake was trusting that these people know their jobs and are capable of providing basic customer service. Beyond that the mistakes were all theirs. My only error was in paying for their mistake and bringing it home before I realized they dropped the ball. The fact that it was the wrong thing was the hobby shops fault. End of story!
It was never my intention to use this forum to moan and whine. My intention was to inform anyone who might frequent this forum that might also be in my local trading area, of the bad customer service experience I had with a supplier. It is also my intention to follow this up with the results of my return visit to the shop, be it good or bad. The fact is, so far I have not had too many good experiences with this shop. Hopefully I can come back and report that they have turned over a new leaf.
How can you claim you had "bad customer service experience" when you've not even tried to give them a chance to correct the mistake ?
And yes, you do share in some of the blame. You should have verified that what you were paying for was indeed what you had ordered. It doesn't take long to check the label on the box. You shouldn't complain either about how long it took for your order to arrive. When you placed the order in September, you told them there was no rush as long as it arrived before Nov. 1st. It arrived on time, as promised.
While it is true that the first clerk you spoke to should have made it clear that they don't order directly from Walthers. However, the clerk may not have known the store's ordering policy. In the end, does it really matter from whom they order just as long as they get the item you want at the price quoted ?
Mistakes happen. It could have been the store or their supplier who made the error. Catalogue descriptions and numbers can be very similar. It is very easy to transpose numbers or hit the wrong key when entering the data into the computer system. But you shouldn't bad-mouth the store without first giving them an opportunity to correct the mistake.
Give the store a chance to correct the mistake before complaining about poor service.
It sounds like you did everything you could to assure the order was placed correctly. I've read alot of opinions about how you should have checked the item before you left the store, but no one said the person who received the order should have checked it against the invoice when it came to the store. It was absolutely the clerk or store owner's job to be sure what they received was what you ordered.
I don't know about the "if you don't give them another chance, the entire hobby will suffer" school of thought, but I, for one, am not a monument to justice! If I pay someone to order me something, provide them with all of the information to get it, and my money keeps them in business, they sure can put the effort into making sure the item ordered is what they hand you.
It is in the end your decision to boycott the store. Personally I would offer them a second chance and be clear of your intentions in doing so. By this I mean state calmly that if you run across another situation like this where the LHS could have stepped up and improved your opinion of them but failed to do so then you are done with them.
Slightly unrelated but of the same idea- A few years back I was a plant foreman resposible for the physical operation of a medium sized but high overhead precast concrete plant. The overhead crane was of "antique" design and there were few service companys in the area that had the expertise to troubleshoot and repair it. After several service calls of less than average service (most of which where they came out, diagnosed the issue AND LEFT WITHOUT A WORD or WITHOUT REPAIRING IT)I called them up and said that if anything similar happened I would find another service company. Long and short of it.........the service manager chuckled, said he would see what he could do, and sent the service crew back to tell me that it would be 3-5 days until parts arrived. At that point I told the service crew to go back, cancel their parts order and to have the mgr call me. That call came 2 days later!
This happened about 8 years ago. Since then that comapny was bought out by another. Still, to this day I refuse to use or recommend them.
Anyway, perhaps remind the LHS of this- When something is done right the only person that is told about it is either a boss or a spouse. When something is done wrong, EVERYONE HEARS ABOUT IT!
Word of mouth recommendations (either for or against) usually carry more weight than any ad, commercial or sales pitch ever could.