Experiences with Standard Hobby Supply?

[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]

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.

[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 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?

[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]

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

[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....

[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

[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.

[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]

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