Experiences with Standard Hobby Supply?

[Anonymous]

Don,

Thanks for the update. I wondered why Trainquest's ads seem to look like Long's used to and they were both in Moreno Valley. Living in Texas now, I doubt I'll get back over there, but if I ever do I'll have to stop by.

Dave

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dkelly

It's a shame that Long's phone in service seems to be lacking. When I lived in California I used to LOVE going there. Interesting that the person on the phone was clueless.

RE LONG'S DRUG:

The fellow that ran their long's Train department left and opened up TRAINQUEST. I suggest you re-establish connections. Trainquest is a favorirte dealer for Intermountain and Walthers products., and he sometime runs specials on proprietary items, not offered elsewhere.

A 'Heads Up' source. Try Google..

[Anonymous]

Bob, rrinker got it right. My then wife was trying to get back up and I guess she thought "what would an 18 year old girl working at a drug store know" [for those that don't know, Longs is a drug store chain, its Moreno Valley store has trains and for a long time was my favorite LHS -everything from engines to detail parts!] To be honest I had the same thought. The look on the ex's face was priceless when the girl turned out to be quite knowledgable about railroad stuff!! The ex never questioned railroad stuff again - she dumped me instead lol.

[RMax1]

It's a shame about Long's. I looked for a long time before I started doing mailorder type shopping and they looked really good. After getting several short orders and calling them to find out things were on back order I decided to ask first. They had no idea what was in stock. They could only take my order and if it was then it was in stock and I would get it. I never asked about their knowledge of the hobby . Everything I had heard about was positive. Being instock is a big deal to me otherwise I am wasting my time. In their case days or weeks before I found out. Nothing like being excited to have something new to work with to find out you didn't get it and have to order from somewhere else.

RMax

[rrinker]

I think the idea bening that the wife thought it was black, and asked another WOMAN for backup, only to be proven wrong...

Of course, Brunswick Green is what results when you take a 5 gallon pail of black paint and add 1 drop of green to it....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dkelly
[ The employee looked at the engine and said "It's a dark green, the PRR railorad used a really dark green that often got mistaken for black." I nearly died laughing!

Seems to me this is correct information. While I'm not a Pennsy fan, I recall reading many times that their "Brunswick Green" is so dark it is often seen as black. Did I miss something somewhere?

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

It's a shame that Long's phone in service seems to be lacking. When I lived in California I used to LOVE going there. Interesting that the person on the phone was clueless. On one trip there I picked up a Con Cor SD35 in Pennsy. My then wife commented that it was a black engine. I said, no its a really dark green. She said, black. I said green. Back and forth, back and forth. Well, this employee (probably high school or college age woman) walked by and my then wife said "what color is this?" The employee looked at the engine and said "It's a dark green, the PRR railorad used a really dark green that often got mistaken for black." I nearly died laughing!

[Anonymous]

I called SHS, got a UPS tracking number, called UPS, and found out someone else came in and got my package. They gave it to someone named K Wagner yesterday morning. UPS has agreed to pay a claim to SHS, but I get no goodies and my charge card gets $125 tied up until it gets straightened out. UPS couldn't answer why they gave a package with my name on it to someone else. What BS. If I had had the tracking number from the start, this could have been prevented. So, although it was still shoddy service from SHS, UPS dropped the ball too, and in the end, they are responsible. What kind of world is it becoming when service like this is just an everyday occurrence?

[RMax1]

I've bought online from a few places. I called Trainworld to inquire about somethings. Got the abrupt woman on the phone but I think it was just New York attitude. She was very helpful and answered my questions with no problems. I dealt with Long's in California on the phone.(CLUELESS!) They would take your order and no nothing of in stock situation. Thus I was lucky to get a third of my order. I was charged full shipping. I no longer do business with them after paying shipping cost to receive $10 worth on merchandise on a $70 order. I've been looking at SHS and Trainworld because of the ads in MRR. Some good prices but I would call to make sure things are in stock. The things I was looking for at Trainworld were not in stock.

RMax

[Anonymous]

I just got of the phone with UPS. According to them, standard (slow?) shipping from SHS (based on zip code) to the UPS terminal here, which is where I pick up my deliveries, is 2 days. It has now been 8 days. I guess it's time to use the phone while driving my truck @ 70MPH, get my stuff, and end this nightmare relationship. All they had to do was provide a UPS tracking number LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES, but noooo, that apparently would cost money and raise prices. I would think the loss of business would be more important. I guess we will get to hear more whinings of failing American small businesses, even though, for some, it's their own damn fault. You know what they say, a happy customer tells 1 person, an angry one tells 10 people.

[Anonymous]

I used Standard exclusively when I started out in the early 90s. I never ordered anything from them on the internet, only by phone. After a short hiatus from the hobby, I started ordering on-line and have ordered many things from many differant companies. I didn't care for Standard's website when I came back. I keep going back to 1st place hobbies. Their website is intuitive and easy to use. It tells you at the time you access the part number if the item is in stock, back ordered or discontinued. They're prices are competitive and the shipping is very fast and resonably priced.

There are lots of good venders out there! Some have run with the new technology and some are still doing things like they did dozens of years ago. Standard has good pricing. However, their ads in the magazines are much smaller than they were and I wonder about this.

[Anonymous]

Well,
I am not complaining to you, or others here, but rather asking if anyone else has a problem with them. If problems are common, I will consider my experience as common and not deal with them again. If most have success dealing with them OVER THE INTERNET, then my experience is unique and I might want to try again.
As far as the item I forgot to include, it is no big deal either way. I e-mailed them and asked if it could be added to the existing order that I placed LESS THAN 3 HOURS earlier. If not, fine. I wouldn't think that would be a problem, but here it is, 7 days later, and still NO E-MAIL from them answering my question or telling me my order has been shipped. Everyone else does that (at least everyone I have dealt with not in the east) so why can't they?
Also, 1 last item. The main reason I am so hung up on using the internet instead of the phone is I have proof of what I do on the internet. I don't have to get into an argument with some pimply-faced kid that screwed up my order saying he-said, she-said just trying to save his job because he screwed up.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bill Conner

Trainworld's problem starts when the lady answers the phone. She is very rude and impatient. If you don't have the item numbers ready, you better watch out![:O]

I would agree with Bill on Trainworld as I simply said, thank you and goodby to her and got the product from some other shop.. They would not sell the items even at full price and let me pick the road on one passenger car.
The girls have their instructions and they are order takers and they must follow them, unlike most of the smaller shops that a lot of us deal with. I did order an engine once that was listed at $89 and she tried to charge me $99 since that was the latest price. I stated the MR had the product listed for the month at $89 and if it was not $89, I did not want it. It became an $89 product again./

Standard has their own way also, but I have received many orders from them over the years as our club used to order as a group and most of the orders were fairly well received.

If you forget an item, it is better to reorder the item as a separate thing and not try to add on if you are dealing with a large order taking type store.

MB Kelin is interesting and usually does a good job of shipping me what I wanted.

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by darth9x9

Three cheers for M.B. Kleins! www.modeltrainstuff.com

Stay away from SHS. I ordered 1000 pairs of Kadee #5s from one of their advirtised sales. They sent them to me in three batches over 6 weeks - I got charged for shipping on each one. A terrible way to do business. - BC

Sounds like either a Back order situation - which they do not do just for this reason - or Order triplication, which would be errors on their part - unless you placed your order 3 different times, which would generate triplicate paperwork.

A FREE phone call (800 #) would clear this up.What I don't understand is WHY you are complaining to US, rather than calling THEM, to solve this?

Sounds like an 'other shoe' hasn't been dropped.

[Anonymous]

Also, how long does it take to get an order from them? They charged me on 9/22, and I haven't received my order yet. I get things from California in 5 days or less. It's been 6, and they are in NJ.

[Anonymous]

Well, as I said, I have no problem with them not having everything in stock. Just let me know, and send an order confirmation and tracking info. I ordered from their web site, not a sale ad in a magazine. It was supposed to be current. If they don't have something that I want NOW, I could order it somewhere else. Now it's a crap shoot. I have to wait until their package gets here to find out what I am getting. I have ordered ALL of my hobby supplies online without a problem until now. The prices aren't that much better at SHS, and when you add their higher shipping ($9) compared to M B Klein ($5), the difference isn't worth the lousy service. If these companies want to do business by telephone, they should say so in their ads. Don't screw me today and say I should have called.

[darth9x9]

Three cheers for M.B. Kleins! www.modeltrainstuff.com

Stay away from SHS. I ordered 1000 pairs of Kadee #5s from one of their advirtised sales. They sent them to me in three batches over 6 weeks - I got charged for shipping on each one. A terrible way to do business.

BC

[Anonymous]

Those Riv warranties run different than say the P1-2-K especially when you are dealing with the exclusive distributor.

I wouldn't buy the Allegheny until Phil Walthers told me in writing the Walthers' policy on
returns within 12 months due to defects.

It's similar on the new FEFs. "Return to Walthers if purchased from a Walthers dealer or direct from Walthers for exchange if one is in stock". Subsequent domestic warranty/repair work beyond 12 months has not been determined on the FEFs since Lima/ Rivarossi warranties their work for 24 months.(Lima has received a tender offer by Hornby UK)

I would think that the (12 month) langauge is similar on any Allegheny still on the shelf.

I would be interested in knowing what the Allegheny problem was.

I have mine going on three years now & running only on one tire(not two)

[Anonymous]

I have been dealing with Standard for over twenty years and find them to be the best in the business. If they do not have what you want they will send what they do have unless you tell them to wait. I have NEVER had a single problem with them. I also have never forgot to order everything so maybe I just have not run into your type problem. I give them a thumbs up in every fashion.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Fergmiester

I . When the Allegheny broke

What went wrong with the Allegheny?
And thanks in advance

[Don Gibson]

Fergie: Something missing here;

Standard will accept back any purchased item from them for any reason - within a Time frame. It's stated on the back of your Invoice.

In the case : If your Allegheny was within this time frame , they would have sent you a new one upon receiveing yours. YOU pay the shipping, of course. If it was out of this time frame it becomes the Manufacturer's warranty (one year?) - or - if you didn't want to pay shipping both ways - are you SURE they didn't suggest sending it to WALTHERS so they would repair and ship back to you NC?
(2) if Walther's takes a long time to repair, awaiting any parts - THEY receive your wrath.

MAIL ORDER sellers don't repair - they replace - and bulk ship back to the manufacturer.
Where do you think BLI get's their "Refurbished" units?

[Fergmiester]

I ordered my Allegheny from Standard. The service wasn't bad but the $20+ S&H was on the high side. When the Allegheny broke Standard told me to deal direct with Walther's. Walther's policy was that I was suppose to go through the seller but when I explained what Standard attitude was, Walther's was excellent to deal with.

[Anonymous]

I have ordered N scale items form them (STS) with no problem. Quite right prices I will add. Ordered via email.
Also have ordered from MBK with no problems.

[ClinchValleySD40]

I've never had anything except good service from Standard. I buy almost all my track and related items from them. Pretty fast service. Good idea to call first to check availability before placing an order, they don't back order.

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by enduringexp

Isn't it strange that the 2 largest hobby shop ads in MRR (SHS and Trainworld) are both difficult to deal with?

DISCOUNT MAIL ORDER service is streamlined to reduce costs.
To buy from them is to accept their way of doing business. NO FRILLS..

There are places to buy that will hold your order and call you when it is in,
Give you advice on how to get your engines running,
Exchange items NC.
Spend whatever time you need discussing whatever.
THIS - in the trade - is called "Hand Holding". They have to pay someone to do this.

TRAINWORLD lists item's "Various Roads". You have to call to find out which roads.
STANDARD HOBBY needs their part number to find anything.
MB KLEIN (dba Moderl Train Stuff) is set up better for E Mail (but also charges more).

YOUR CHOICE.

[Don Gibson]

TIM: Re: Standard Hobby Supply

Your mistake was ordering via E Mail. You should use their FREE 800 No#.
1. They will tell you on the spot whether or not the item is in stock.
2. They will tell you on the spot the current price. sometimes higher,sometimes lower. Prices change from manufacturer's and ad's are 'laid' out 90 days in advance.

I've added to my order's, asked them to hold an order, removed an item - without problem (by phone).

NO Mail Order Company I know of 'Back Order's. It's adds a high cost of paperwork..

The only thing I know that's different about Standard is they need their part number to find things in their computer.
$9 is the standard NY/NJ shipping charge both at Std Hobby and Trainworld.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by enduringexp

Isn't it strange that the 2 largest hobby shop ads in MRR (SHS and Trainworld) are both difficult to deal with? .

Never ever a problem for this guy at TW.
I entered an order last Friday @ 4 PM and it was shipped same day and arrived Wednesday.
On a return item, my account was credited back the day after it was received.
I do my business on the telephone and always determine if the item is in stock.

[willy6]

I used SHS twice, both times stuff was not in stock,no more. and about TK hobby, they are good and advertise in RMC.Toy Train Heaven has always been good every time i ordered.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bill Conner

Trainworld's problem starts when the lady answers the phone. She is very rude and impatient. If you don't have the item numbers ready, you better watch out![:O]

While I personally have not ordered from Trainworld, I've had my items combined with a friends many times, and we've received excellent fast service along with the great low prices.

I'm also interested in photography, and on photo newgroups there is often mention of some great camera shops in New York (B&H & Adorama). These posts also mention the seemingly impatient people on their phones too. It is often mentioned that's just the way many New Yorkers are - busy and impatient but otherwise good to deal with. Sort of a "New York attitude".

One has to imagine these order taking ladies - they probably have their switchboard all lit up with people anxious to place orders, and if someone comes across as not knowing what they want, I think they probably let them know they need to get their acts together as they are busy!

As to Standard Hobby, I only ordered from them once many years ago. Their shipping costs to me in Canada were to me a way out of line, costing more than the item I purchased. I wrote them off after that and don't even bother to read their ads anymore.

Bob Boudreau