Jump to content

I became a little more cynical today


Recommended Posts

Allow me to clarify. What I was trying to say is that if I were in your position, Darren, I'd be a little nervous about posting about this with no more evidence than presented. That being said, I firmly believe your suspensions are correct. I just get nervous about these types of things myself being professionally associated with certain entities in the hobby, I always worry they will harm my reputation, and that of those I represent. My comments were more of concern for your image than anything. I didn't mean to imply you've lost a customer in me, or that I have ill will toward you personally for your observations. I probably shouldn't have posted in such haste. I realize my true intent wasn't all that clear, so my apologies to you.

I appreciate the apology (though it wasn't necessary) and the clarification. That's the problem with internet. The true intent of the message is many time lost. We also bring our own personal biases and feelings and we read those into responses. I understand what you're saying about reputation. It's a good reminder for me, as I hadn't even thought of that. I was simply posting what my observations are. I guess it goes with my personality. I work hard to make an honest living. When I see others gaming the system, it makes me mad. Honesty and integrity are in short supply these days it seems. My real job is teaching 4th grade, and those virtues are an integral part of the classroom. If I can make some impact on kids in regards to those, then I consider it a success. As far as my side business goes, if I lose a customer or two for calling out a lack of integrity, I'll accept that, especially if people know me to be a man of integrity. That means more than all the business in the world. Sorry, I'm getting a bit more philosophical than I meant to.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I took Darren's comments exactly as described: an observation based on a reasonable sample.

As did I. However, I also looked at it from the other side of the coin and presented my comments in that fashion.

I don't quite understand the commotion, it would be very surprising if a group as diverse as modelers did not contain thieves.

My intent was not to cause a commotion, but rather bring to light the possible ramifications of making such an accusation without tangible proof. As a manufacturer/retailer, you simply do not speak ill of customers in a public setting, regardless of the intention, or what you believe is happening.

Allow me to clarify. What I was trying to say is that if I were in your position, Darren, I'd be a little nervous about posting about this with no more evidence than presented. That being said, I firmly believe your suspensions are correct. I just get nervous about these types of things myself being professionally associated with certain entities in the hobby, I always worry they will harm my reputation, and that of those I represent. My comments were more of concern for your image than anything. I didn't mean to imply you've lost a customer in me, or that I have ill will toward you personally for your observations. I probably shouldn't have posted in such haste. I realize my true intent wasn't all that clear, so my apologies to you.

Agreed.

Darren, please understand that it is not the comments themselves that concern me. What is of concern is your position in this hobby. As I stated previously, you/me/we/us and anyone in a business that caters to customers should never make negative comments about them. It just should not be done.

Respectfully,

Dave

Link to post
Share on other sites

At least with Kinetic you have customer service. I've had kits from both Trumpeter and Kitty Hawk which had issues and no way to resolve the problem without returning the kit. I also have had issues with Hase and Tamiya but they were quick to fix the problem.

Link to post
Share on other sites

when my youngest Son was living in Chicago, he bought me a Trumpeter F14d in 1/32 scale. Gave it to me for my birthday. The box sat around a couple months, and I finally opened it. A gazillion parts! Yet no instructions or decals. I can live without the decals, but sure need the instructions. Local LHS gave me Stevens International's phone number. The woman on the other end basically said to put that F14 where the sun don't shine! Stevens International are crooks!

I buy a Tamiya BF109G14 and a K4. Get them about 75% done only to see where somebody had clipped the spinner and props off each kit. I sent them an email two or three times, yet they totally ignored me. Just tell me you don't have the parts, and I'll move on (plenty of aftermarket anyway). Buy an Accurate Miniatures Avenger, and there's no clear spru, decals, or instructions. Send them a nice letter, and a week or so later I have the parts. Then I find there is a false bottom in the box, and the original parts are there. Send another letter wanting to return the parts sent. They said to keep them! I miss Accurate Miniatures!

gary

Link to post
Share on other sites

...Buy an Accurate Miniatures Avenger, and there's no clear spru, decals, or instructions. Send them a nice letter, and a week or so later I have the parts. Then I find there is a false bottom in the box, and the original parts are there. Send another letter wanting to return the parts sent. They said to keep them! I miss Accurate Miniatures!

gary

LOL Gary I did the same thing in missing the false bottom. Luckily I caught my mistake before asking AM for replacements. I too miss Accurate Miniatures...

:cheers:

Don.

Link to post
Share on other sites

At least with Kinetic you have customer service. I've had kits from both Trumpeter and Kitty Hawk which had issues and no way to resolve the problem without returning the kit. I also have had issues with Hase and Tamiya but they were quick to fix the problem.

K(Sh)itty Hawk will not replace anything. Their mouth piece here is a total waste of perfectly good air. I tried to get some short shot parts replaced and was completely blown off. I've had good luck with Tamiya, my P-51 canopy had some sort of weird distortion in it,Dragon and Meng, although Meng will only ship parts to the store you got it from.

Link to post
Share on other sites

A hundred years ago, I bought an car model from Revell/Monogram, 1/24 scale Road Runner/GTX type. It was missing the clear red sprue for the tail lights. I wrote to them, including the bar code off the box as proof of purchase. They said the kit was out of production (I had only just bought it, and I don't think it had sat around long at my LHS) and replacement parts weren't available. They sent me an entire new kit of a different car - some Chevy that I had no interest in. So now, I had a kit that was missing parts that I wasn't going to be able to finish, and a complete kit I was never going to build. I think I donated the Chevy kit to my club for the raffle at our annual show.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sometime about 1973 or '74, I bought a Revell 1:32 Aleutian Tiger P-40E. I discovered the canopy was short-shot (though I didn't know the term then). I wrote a letter to Revell and they sent me a replacement clear sprue that arrived about three weeks later. Ah, the good old days.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Parts being snipped out of the sprue seems suspicious but if the sprues are still in the clear plastic bag with the factory sealing then that would be different story. Clear sprues missing from kits do happen. It seems Monogram's 1/48 F-101B is notorious for it because I too had the same problem but I bought mine as a factory sealed NOS (New Old Stock) from a shop that was closing when the owner decided to retire.

At the time the Monogram name was longer and it was just Revell. Luckily, Revell reissued the 48 scale Voodoo and with 2 emails, 1 to CS and another to Operations as per CS reply email, I got the clear sprue in two weeks. Revell provides great service and it only costed me time and scans of the receipt and instructions. I have been bitten too where I never got a reply like when I bought a factory sealed NOS 1/72 scale ESCI F-5A Freedom fighter that was missing the sprue with the nose section.

Not to make light if the subject but is it this guy who's been returning Trumpeter kits without the clear parts? These are the only characters I know who'd be so low to do such a thing and the ruin the hobby for the rest of us.

Edited by aerofan
Link to post
Share on other sites

Not to make light if the subject but is it this guy who's been returning Trumpeter kits without the clear parts? These are the only characters I know who'd be so low to do such a thing and the ruin the hobby for the rest of us.

I KNEW IT!!! It's him!!

:lol:

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

I confess to not having worked retail very much in my life...however I had a GF that worked security at the University book store we attended. She had a poor day when she didn't bust three or four people (a day was three or four hours!). I have a current friend that works retail in a supermarket, a unit of a rather major chain. I also spent time on the local grand jury...a real education that!

Most people are honest. Some people are conditionally honest. Some people are just not honest and will rather steal or lie than be honest.

At the store that my current acquaintance works they have busted several workers for theft. Doesn't bother me or her at all until they fire someone for tossing junk away that is later determined to have some value. I mean the type of stuff like broken down display units (they don't repair that stuff) and so on. But they are willing to let a "customer" walk out with a TV! Don't want to upset the "good" customers! I got news for them...a person stealing a TV or a cart of Levis is not a "Good Customer" and the store would be better off without them. There seems to be websites dedicated to the "job" of theft from stores, what stores are easy and what is hot to sell... It is routine for her to find half eaten items tucked behind stuff in a shelf, to see a "mix" of bulk items that is marked with the cheaper price, boxes that have a cheaper product in them the other box being used to "buy" the more expensive item at a lower cost. "Customers" return worn out shoes, summer clothing in fall, winter clothing in summer (worn out!). I know people that buy tools and return them when they did the job! I don't understand that. But if a customer complains about the taste of something in a bulk bin she could be fired for tasting it to see if the customer is correct.

I personally find it great to see a business be aggressive against shoplifters and other theft. It wouldn't bother me at all to see a business keep track of just how often a customer was returning a model with "missing" pieces. After so many times you either have a awe inspiringly unlucky customer or a thief.

I have requested parts that are missing from kits. I have had good luck with Revell and Airix and no luck with AMT (not even a reply). When it is my fault I am upfront about it. When I buy a kit I expect it to be complete and the parts to be more or less usable. I have a few orphans with short shot parts, no idea what to do with them.

I am not totally heartless. When I was a kid I did some shoplifting to my everlasting regret. I feel some slack should be cut to kids but when one is becoming a repeat offender maybe "trouble" might be the thing that will change their ways. I'm a sucker for beggars since I can't imagine being so desperate. So pretty often I give a buck or two..the stories of them leaving their "work site" and heading off to their Ferrari parked around the corner and home to their estate seem to be rather overrated. It is a crappy way to make a living. Worst beggars I ever dealt with was Vietnam, the best in Laos.

I am filled with horror at the idea of even by mistake "stealing" something, so I check my receipts and when something was missed I try to insist on a correction and paying for it, like I count my change. I once bought a kit on a clearance table at a shop in Lancaster I didn't get to very often. I bought several items and didn't pay that much attention that time...in a hurry since my wife was with me and she just loves hobby shops. A few months later I looked at the receipt and found they had not charged me for one of the kits. About six months after the purchase I dragged the kit in and the receipt in and told them what happened and I wanted to pay for the kit...

I firmly believe in trusting people until they prove themselves untrustworthy and once untrustworthy they really have to work to change that status. But I also feel you should try to respect your customers. I once stopped in a liquor store in Barstow CA, an older woman was behind the counter. It was the type of store that had a lot of pints and splits, and Thunderchicken and Mad Dog...Great place. There were a fair number of people from a minority group there and when they left the woman couldn't wait to tell me how much she hated them and what a Christian she was. Somehow I never found a reason to stop there again. Like I said, I was not in retail much but I wouldn't work in or own a place that I sold stuff that I was against or customers I didn't respect on some level...and the main thing I see in a customer is as long as their money is good I'm there to help!

I don't think this is anything new but I do think just like building models, fixing cars, and a load of other things the net is a great source of information on being a thief...among other things.

Edited by sanmigmike
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...