Hobbylinc - Placing an Order

[Motley]

Yup I'm hearing modeltrainstuff is also having shipping problems. Some people are reporting 10 days before their items even ship. So beware....

[tstage]

I've never purchased anything from Hobbylinc.com.  If a particular item is difficult to track down online but I find it for sale on a website, I usually inquire first to find out if they actually do have the item in stock.  Although it may be listed as "available" for purchase and I could submit an order for it online, most of the time - in reality - the item is out-of-stock, with no indication as to if or when they will get it back in.

That's why I like M.B. Klein.  The inventory on their website is "live" and up-to-date.  If they say they have 3; they have 3.  Purchase one, refresh the page, and the inventory is now down to 2.

And, AFAIK, M.B. Klein is still the brick 'n mortar name for their business.  Modeltrainstuff is their online moniker.

Tom

[kasskaboose]

Odd about hobbylinc.com.  Sorry to read this. 

The've been quite fast and reliable earlier.  My go-to is modeltrainstuff (formerly mbklein).  I don't know if living 2 hrs away makes the shipping go faster, but I get in-stock items in two days.  There's no rush for me to get stuff with a full-time job and a young family.  It seems that modeltrainstuff is also cheaper than most other places, has fast delivery, and frequently updated webpage.

 

[RR_Mel]

I had similar experience from both Hobbylinc and Blue Ridge Hobbies several times and I haven’t done business with either in 4 years.  Hobbylink had an item listed in stock that wasn’t in stock as well as no longer available.  After my inquire the item listed was changed to Discontinued.

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[Doughless]

richhotrain

 

On the web site when I log in, it reads, 

We are pulling your order from our warehouse and preparing it for shipment. In the case where we encounter availability issues on an item, we will contact you on how to proceed (remove item, place on backorder, etc.).

 

Rich

 

If I read this correctly, they are saying that they don't really know if they have an item until they go to the warehouse and look for it? 

And then they will tell you how to put in for a backorder?

Methinks they need to get back to the warehouse themselves more frequently...or spend the money to hire someone to count inventory more often.

[richhotrain]

Part rant, part cautionary

I placed an order on Tuesday. Today is Friday and it has yet to ship. I thought this was a large Internet hobby shop. Now I find out that part of my order will not ship because it is on "backorder", although on Tuesday it was marked "In Stock".

On the web site when I log in, it reads, 

We are pulling your order from our warehouse and preparing it for shipment. In the case where we encounter availability issues on an item, we will contact you on how to proceed (remove item, place on backorder, etc.).

Well, that is simply not the case. I received no such notification and I still wouldn't know that except for the fact that I checked the status of the order. I am bummed out because the back order is for one of a quantity of three that I ordered for a scratch build project, and it will be crucial to my progress.

End of rant. But just be aware of this if and when you place an order with Hobbylinc. I am not happy.

Rich