Don't know if this a legal discussion topic, or even a politically correct one, but we all have our favorite retailers, and I just had my first encounter with Waffle Collectables, and he goes way up there on my preferred retailers list. Very competitive pricing and fully professional customer service. I recently bumped another dealer off the bottom of the list, but that's another story... Later, Doug Seeley
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by doug seeley
Don't know if this a legal discussion topic, or even a politically correct one, but we all have our favorite retailers, and I just had my first encounter with Waffle Collectables, and he goes way up there on my preferred retailers list. Very competitive pricing and fully professional customer service. I recently bumped another dealer off the bottom of the list, but that's another story... Later, Doug Seeley
Sounds enticing
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by doug seeley
Don't know if this a legal discussion topic, or even a politically correct one, but we all have our favorite retailers, and I just had my first encounter with Waffle Collectables, and he goes way up there on my preferred retailers list. Very competitive pricing and fully professional customer service. I recently bumped another dealer off the bottom of the list, but that's another story... Later, Doug Seeley
I think it's up to the mods to decide if this type of topic is appropriate or not. Personally I don't see anything wrong with posting your "experiences" with retailers good or bad. Presumably if we get 15 postings complaining about retailer A, then we may conclude retailer A is indeed delivering a bad service.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
I buy mostly from aviation retail direct i find the guys there very helpful and quick shipping have not had any issues with any other retailers so far.....I think stick to what you know is best policy n I also think most retailers are ok ! jmo..........
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eagle Driver
I think it's up to the mods to decide if this type of topic is appropriate or not. Personally I don't see anything wrong with posting your "experiences" with retailers good or bad. Presumably if we get 15 postings complaining about retailer A, then we may conclude retailer A is indeed delivering a bad service.
These kind of posts have been showing up here quite often over the past 10+ years. I suppose it benefits a few DAC members, namely those who dont already have their list of 3 fave retailers. OTOH, from what i have seen, these kinds of posts have very little effect on how well a retailer does with regards to sales.
Last edited by N. Eberhard; 08-13-2011 at 03:43 PM.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Here's my list of retailers I use:
ARD: Excellent retailer. Good customer service,very friendly, but you MUST phone to check if a model is really in stock as the website can be misleading. Also, their packaging is really terrible, they use no padding to protect the model. Pricing is good, postage and packaging is very very good (possibly because they make their own boxes?) overall 8/10
Just Plane Fun: Excellent customer service. Very efficient and good website showing up to date availability.Pricing of models average.Postage and packaging, via USPS is expensive for the service you get, via Fedex is both expensive AND slow for a courier (at least to my country). overall 7/10.
Aviationmegastore: Excellent customer service, great website,showing model availability,pricing quite high, postage and packaging ONLY via UPS to my country, which is excellently quick but VERY expensive. Overall 8/10
Nick is right, this kind of thread does pop up every so often. Nothing wrong with it.
I've used one or two other retailers, but these are my 'top three'.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
There are many retailers with a good reputation and just as many with a bad one. I stick with a couple that have good prices and good customer service, EZToys and Jetcollector. Just Plane Fun and Adamjets have a great variety but their shipping charges are sure deal breakers. Collectablejets has a huge list of negatives. Waffle Collectibles has great prices but has a bad reputation amongst collectors for his short fuse and lets his customers know it. Airline Hobby & Supplies is behind other retailers by a couple of weeks with new releases and limits 1 model per customer (shame for the fleet builders) but has good pricing and customer service.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thamesradar
ARD: .....Also, their packaging is really terrible, they use no padding to protect the model.......packaging is very very good (possibly because they make their own boxes?)....
Am I the only one that is confused about whether ARD's packaging is 'really terrible', or 'very very good'? Help me understand this dichotomy, please.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomasz
There are many retailers with a good reputation and just as many with a bad one. I stick with a couple that have good prices and good customer service, EZToys and Jetcollector. Just Plane Fun and Adamjets have a great variety but their shipping charges are sure deal breakers. Collectablejets has a huge list of negatives. Waffle Collectibles has great prices but has a bad reputation amongst collectors for his short fuse and lets his customers know it. Airline Hobby & Supplies is behind other retailers by a couple of weeks with new releases and limits 1 model per customer (shame for the fleet builders) but has good pricing and customer service.
You have to read his policies before hand, if you do everything should be just fine dealing with him. Never had a problem with him and have bought most of my models from him, never seemed to piss him off at least not yet. Diecastairplane.com is also another great dealer to deal with. I like them due to the fact that you can call Steve direct and he will call you back very quickly. They will also send you a postage slip for return models that are damaged. Both these retailers have great deals. Waffle has the best deals and even has special deals for certain things.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
i have had no problems with michael either. i buy from a.r.d and airspotters mostly. if they do not have or cannot get model i want, i then try michael or nick!
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cathay77W
I recently found this place called Past Time Hobbies. They have the cheapest prices on GJ models of anywhere. Recommended by LOT737-300.
I've been wondering about that place for a while. Their Gemini prices are just about the lowest around (or comparible to diecastairplane.com + DA.C discount) - but in my more paranoid moments I assumed a greater percentage of damaged/screwed up models would come from the deep discount dealers. Don't have any research or experience to back up or refute the theory. As I posted a few months ago if I want the model to be thoroughly inspected and flawed models rejected before shipping I'll pay the high prices at Adam Jets. I dislike problems enough that it's almost worth it. Also I want the item in stock if the website says it's in stock - none of this "gotta get around to updating that page" crap.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by N. Eberhard
Am I the only one that is confused about whether ARD's packaging is 'really terrible', or 'very very good'? Help me understand this dichotomy, please.
That wasn't very clear on my part,I was watching TV while typing it...Here's a clearer version of what I was trying to say:
ARD:
Price of models: Good
Service: Friendly
Website: Good but it is never clear if models listen as 'available' are actually in stock
Postage/packaging: Price is very very good, but quality of the packaging is really bad. they 'make' their own boxes using bits of old box,and they don't use any padding material inside the boxes,so damaged models are a possibility.
Overall: 8/10
JustPlaneFun:
Price of models: A little higher
Service: Excellent (Emails get responded to in under 24 hrs)
Website: Excellent
Postage/packaging: Postage costs are quite high with USPS and very high if you use the Fedex option.Fedex is actually quite slow (up to 12 days) to my country.
Overall: 7/10
Aviationmegastore:
Price of models: High
Service: Excellent (emails responded to in unde 24hrs)
Website: Excellent
Postage/packaging: very expensive via TNT or UPS, though using the UPS option, the package arrives within 2 working days, even in my country from Europe.
Overall:8/10
Hope that's clearer! I've also used Diecastairplane.com, good service from them also and some nice models that other stores didn't have.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
I place 90% of my orders at 4 retailers:
Jetwaymodels
Waffle collectibles (Air Paradigm)
Adam Jets
Airplane Replicas
No issues with any of them.... and very satisfied with Nick´s customer service, price and communications!!!
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prop-Jet Electra
I've been wondering about that place for a while. Their Gemini prices are just about the lowest around (or comparible to diecastairplane.com + DA.C discount) -.
I'd never heard of Past Time Hobbies before this topic came up, so rather unexpectedly, something useful came of this discussion (to me, at least). Their Gemini pricing looks somewhat erratic to me. For some models they're very competitive; for others their price is way too high. Maybe there's a pattern to it, based on supply/demand; I couldn't quite tell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marccferr
No issues with any of them.... and very satisfied with Nick´s customer service, price and communications!!!
Nick is the probably the nicest one I've come across, so far.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonCollector
I'd never heard of Past Time Hobbies before this topic came up, so rather unexpectedly, something useful came of this discussion (to me, at least). Their Gemini pricing looks somewhat erratic to me. For some models they're very competitive; for others their price is way too high. Maybe there's a pattern to it, based on supply/demand; I couldn't quite tell.
Nick is the probably the nicest one I've come across, so far.
Both Past-Time Hobbies and Grayland Station have been on Gemini's U.S. retailer list for years. The advantage of these walk-in hobby stores is they carry most brands and they take phone calls. Grayland Station for example is not strong with their website but that's ok with me. During my heyday of buying models, I quietly purchased a number of the so called "sold out" 1:400 & 1:200 through Grayland. It was a matter of working the retail system.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
I only buy models from Waffle Collectibles and diecastairplane.com. Waffle has much cheaper models than diecastairplane has but diecastairplane offers free shipping on large orders.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NWAmn
I only buy models from Waffle Collectibles and diecastairplane.com. Waffle has much cheaper models than diecastairplane has but diecastairplane offers free shipping on large orders.
One of the advantages of Waffle Collectibles was that he somewhat leveled the playing field of retailers in his region. It's like a new airline challenging the others and to varying degrees, retailer prices go down or coupon programs improve. As cold as it sounds, I'll work one retailer against another because that's business.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
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Originally Posted by fazeman
I quietly purchased a number of the so called "sold out"
So far as I can tell, there are two sorts of sellers you can turn to, to find a model that's been sold out elsewhere, if for some reason you don't want to buy second-hand.
it can be a retailer that's less well known, for whatever reason, but treats customers well. Looks like Grayland might be like that; you actually have to call them to find out what they have. with a web page like that, they're probably not going to make a ton of online sales.
the other is the jerk who sells off his inventory very slowly, while charging well above the normal market price. this is the sort of creature who labels all his ebay auctions as 'very rare, sold out' when the model is still in stock elsewhere for half the price.
Last edited by AnonCollector; 08-14-2011 at 12:32 AM.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonCollector
the other is the jerk who sells off his inventory very slowly, while charging well above the normal market price. this is the sort of creature who labels all his ebay auctions as 'very rare, sold out' when the model is still in stock elsewhere for half the price.
That's where "Caveat Emptor" comes in. There will always be noobs and suckers to fall for these tactics.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonCollector
So far as I can tell, there are two sorts of sellers you can turn to, to find a model that's been sold out elsewhere, if for some reason you don't want to buy second-hand.
it can be a retailer that's less well known, for whatever reason, but treats customers well. Looks like Grayland might be like that; you actually have to call them to find out what they have. with a web page like that, they're probably not going to make a ton of online sales.
the other is the jerk who sells off his inventory very slowly, while charging well above the normal market price. this is the sort of creature who labels all his ebay auctions as 'very rare, sold out' when the model is still in stock elsewhere for half the price.
Jerk or not, walk-in stores as well as online stores sell on ebay. Some promote their company name while others sell under a different guise. When I see these 'very rare, sold out' ebay auctions, I roll my eyes and keep scrolling. As for secondhand models, most if not all retailers carry them. And I never ignore the secondhand market.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gospodin
That's where "Caveat Emptor" comes in. There will always be noobs and suckers to fall for these tactics.
Even with regular auctions, I fooled myself into high bidding as a noob. Never will forget the $40.00 I shelled out for two packs of airline playing cards. Been there done it.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
I mainly buy from Alvin (late400starter on here) and I find him to be very easy to deal with. Prices are ok, but customer service is excellent.
West Main Toys is another one of my favourites. I have bought several models from them, and they are always shipped within 2-3 business days and arrive no more than one week from shipping. The down side is that they don't always respond to emails promptly. When buying in store last time, they gave me a discount without me having to ask for it. Big thumbs up there.
Aviationmegastore.com - fantastic service, fantastic website. Prices are ok if you don't include shipping, but since shipping is only via UPS, it all adds up to be an expensive venture. However, they do have a very large collection of models.
These are my three favourites and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomasz
I like the way you word it, sounds like a real diecast dictatorship.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that. As mentioned earlier, it would be in ones better interest to read Waffle's conditions before purchasing. If you can live with those (they're pretty fair) you're good to go. Remember -- he does have rock bottom prices on most items, so that comes at a price. If you want return shipping included, someone to fawn all over your model and select the 'best one' for you, you perhaps should consider someone else, but be prepared to pay for it (as indicated by Prop-Jet Electra in an earlier post here).
Now, all that said, I've bought from Waffle on several times over the last year and will continue to do so for certain brands.
I also buy from Aviation Delight (Mark: '24r') here in town, as I like to support my local resources too. He recently went to bat for me sorting a spare part I've been trying to get from Gemini for many months now. He also sorted a stupid FedEx Ground issue as well and got our shipping costs back after this ridiculous FedEx caulk-up. So going forward, I will ALWAYS check with Mark first, and if he doesn't have what I'm looking for (he primarily carries Gemini and InFlight) then I'll strike out farther afield.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonCollector
the other is the jerk who sells off his inventory very slowly, while charging well above the normal market price. this is the sort of creature who labels all his ebay auctions as 'very rare, sold out' when the model is still in stock elsewhere for half the price.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Upkeep
I wouldn't go as far as to say that. As mentioned earlier, it would be in ones better interest to read Waffle's conditions before purchasing. If you can live with those (they're pretty fair) you're good to go. Remember -- he does have rock bottom prices on most items, so that comes at a price. If you want return shipping included, someone to fawn all over your model and select the 'best one' for you, you perhaps should consider someone else, but be prepared to pay for it (as indicated by Prop-Jet Electra in an earlier post here).
Now, all that said, I've bought from Waffle on several times over the last year and will continue to do so for certain brands.
I also buy from Aviation Delight (Mark: '24r') here in town, as I like to support my local resources too. He recently went to bat for me sorting a spare part I've been trying to get from Gemini for many months now. He also sorted a stupid FedEx Ground issue as well and got our shipping costs back after this ridiculous FedEx caulk-up. So going forward, I will ALWAYS check with Mark first, and if he doesn't have what I'm looking for (he primarily carries Gemini and InFlight) then I'll strike out farther afield.
No matter where you buy online, you should read the policies just so you dont get burned.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gabe4321
No matter where you buy online, you should read the policies just so you dont get burned.
Funny you should mention that, as I was just about to update my post to include that, as all retailers have differences in their policies that collectors should be aware of.
Yes, absolutely agreed!
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Stay away from Virginfans, very poor service from this guy, I've lost a package worth £365 from this seller back in 2009. There was no way I could get my money back, not even insurance covered a single dime back. I had shopped from his ebay account at least a couple of times, no problem there, though after the incident, that was the last time I ever used this booger.
Aviationmegastore, Excellent service. Mr.Willik is very easy to reach, always responds my emails. Yup, Agree, shipping can be higher than average retailer, but the high-end customer service compensates for it.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
I vote for aimhigherjets for those who are looking on military subject. unbeatable price (at list for thier century wings and hobby master line up), decent packaging, trackable package and prompt delivery (i know at the end of the day it's still depend on the postal service you're using but at list he'll pack you stuff at the same day you done the ordering). i couldn't ask for more. Jim is very genuine seller. He normally let his work do the talking. mucho gracias to Jim if you read this!
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
It depends. I would usually buy from Past Time Hobbies or Waffle Collectables, but sometimes I am forced to buy directly from the airline or on ebay.
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Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Little OT.... but seeing Grayland Station mentioned here, and usually he has models offered on feebay for the average going price, but whats up with this?
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DC8-dude
Little OT.... but seeing Grayland Station mentioned here, and usually he has models offered on feebay for the average going price, but whats up with this?
What's the big deal? We have no idea what the seller paid for the model, and the seller seems to think that it is worth $65.00. If you disagree, or are confused, why don't you contact them directly?
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by N. Eberhard
What's the big deal? We have no idea what the seller paid for the model, and the seller seems to think that it is worth $65.00. If you disagree, or are confused, why don't you contact them directly?
Nick... its not a big deal and he is an authorized Gemini dealer. GraylandStation.com
I have been keeping my eye out for that elusive late 60s PSA GJ 727 w/smile that i cant find and when i came across this crappy L1011 mould going for $65.00! Well.... i was just shocked and had to find out who the seller was....
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
It is evil bay after all. Sellers can charge whatever they like. It's down to the buyers to say no I'm not paying that. I have noticed on occasion where a seller's price on evil bay is more than his website. Sometimes the other way round!!! I believe the message here is to shop around for the best deal.
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by N. Eberhard
Grayland's legitimacy of being an authorized Gemini dealer wasn't being questioned, at least not by me.
Legitimacy wasn't the issue. Dude was mentioning that as an authorized Gemini dealer, Grayland couldn't possibly have paid anywhere near that price when they got it from Gemini back in the day it was released.
Anyways, Grayland is probably trying their luck on this one.
Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
overall 8/10
Re: Great Dealers, OK Dealers, and Dealers to Avoid.
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