Issue with Sprue Brothers order

[rotorwash]

So I ordered two AZ models 1/72 AH-1G kits from Sprue Bothers a couple of weeks ago. Here is how the kits came packaged.

I sent this e-mail to them which I thought was quite reasonable:

"I received my order today and one of the boxes was absolutely smashed. I have attached photos showing the shipping box was in excellent condition as well as the way the kits arrived in the box. It appears that all the parts have survived, but I was wondering if I might at least get shipping refunded? Thanks,

Ray"

Here was the reply:

"Hello Ray, I am sorry that your kit boxes arrived in that condition. Unfortunately, the boxes by AZ Models are very thin and flimsy. We have several that we received just like that. I wish I could help but there is nothing I can do. Have a great day! BarbaraOffice Supervisor

Sprue Brothers Models LLC"

So I read this to imply they packaged the kit in a crushed box from the factory. Is this typical of their customer service? It is clear the packing box is undamaged and one kit was pristine. Who would knowingly ship someone a crushed kit like that? Am I missing something? Anyway, I think Sprue brothers has seen the last of my business.

Ray

[salvador001]

Thats strange, ive ordered from Sprue Brothers a couple of times and none came like that. Good to know everythings ok with the models.

Rod.

[Don]

Yeah I'd be irritated too. I don't think a box in that shape should be mailed out unless it was described as some "scratch and dent" type thing. If that's how SB receives them then they should take it up with AZ models before they send them on to their customers.

FWIW I have never received anything like that from SB in all my years ordering from them.

I really hope it works out and wish you good luck.

[Dave Roof]

If the kits themselves were in good condition, and only the one box was bent ("absolutely smashed" isn't even close), why is it even an issue? From the response, it appears Spruebrothers was aware of the damaged boxes. It would also seem reasonable to believe they checked the kits to make sure they were intact before accepting them from AZ Model, or their importer and thus, before shipping them to customers.

Sorry, but I personally don't feel you are entitled to a shipping refund simply because there was slight box damage to one of the kits. Not giving Spruebrothers your future business over something so minor also seems a bit petty and childish.

Dave

[rotorwash]

If the kits themselves were in good condition, and only the one box was bent ("absolutely smashed" isn't even close), why is it even an issue? From the response, it appears Spruebrothers was aware of the damaged boxes. It would also seem reasonable to believe they checked the kits to make sure they were intact before accepting them from AZ Model, or their importer and thus, before shipping them to customers.

Sorry, but I personally don't feel you are entitled to a shipping refund simply because there was slight box damage to one of the kits. Not giving Spruebrothers your future business over something so minor also seems a bit petty and childish.

Dave

Dave,

So you would actually send your customers your products in damaged boxes and not tell them such and think it's OK? I guess we just have a different definition of "NEW"

Ray

[David Fifer]

If it was an expensive collectible kit where box condition affected value then I would be unhappy. But if it's just a typical kit you're planning to build, and all the parts are present and undamaged, and you were just going to throw out the box when you were done anyway, then I don't see any reason for concern nor any reason to expect a partial refund from the seller. If that's the case here, then I wouldn't worry about it.

If you place enough mail orders, over time some small proportion will arrive less than perfect. It happens with all vendors. Sometimes things do get damaged traveling inside undamaged boxes. They rattle around inside; air bags can expand with altitude change and crush things. Like you, on occasion I've received a mail-order package where the outer box was fine but a kit box inside (like yours, pretty thin and flimsy cardboard) was somewhat crushed.

Enjoy building your kit.

Edited June 12, 2016 by David Fifer

[racerman]

First mistake was having it sent priority mail! Second, it appears to have been opened then re-sealed. Sprue Brothers always adds packing material as well.

[rotorwash]

First mistake was having it sent priority mail! Second, it appears to have been opened then re-sealed. Sprue Brothers always adds packing material as well.

I just left that photo out of the sequence. Here is the shot with the packing material. That was what bothered me, knowing they chose to send a box like that. What if I wasn't a builder but a kit collector looking for all the box art? There are a lot of folks like that. Do they not have the right to expect New means new and undamaged? I guess i just have high expectations. Perhaps it comes from ordering from Squadron where the box is built like a tank and everything is pristine.

Ray

[rotorwash]

I am glad to know this is not typical of their service. Perhaps if I order a Verlinden set or something like that that is boxed in thick cardboard it will arrive in better shape.

Ray

[Tank]

Ray,

I would PM Gordon on here. I do agree that AZ should have a stronger box, looks like a result of too many boxes on top of each other. I would also think something like that should be located in a scratch and dent section, folks have a expectation of a unsmashed box. I will also say that in many orders from SB I have never had a box show up like that or paint. I even emailed them when I bought a bunch of Alclad for there good job. Each bottle was individual bubble wrapped.

[Liberator24]

First, make sure you talk to "the boss", who I'm surprised hasn't already addressed this. He is very personal. Next find out how this could happen, other than I still can't believe it came from Sprue. For even a little bottle of Tamiya Thin, he packs it like it is the family jewels. Never an issue.

I know he would want to find out where the ball dropped.

As far as who thinks a kits value is the reason, that must not work at the shows. I have had my arse handed straight out, with a cheap monogram POS at the Nationals. Some guys can't take the most sad piece of plastic and lay down a masterpiece. Then some do it for the sentimental value. I got an AMT C-130 Spectre that holds a lot of memories for me. I have bought three of the same kit, each one had a special place in my life....

-Jim

[Tank]

If the kits themselves were in good condition, and only the one box was bent ("absolutely smashed" isn't even close), why is it even an issue? From the response, it appears Spruebrothers was aware of the damaged boxes. It would also seem reasonable to believe they checked the kits to make sure they were intact before accepting them from AZ Model, or their importer and thus, before shipping them to customers.

Sorry, but I personally don't feel you are entitled to a shipping refund simply because there was slight box damage to one of the kits. Not giving Spruebrothers your future business over something so minor also seems a bit petty and childish.

Dave

So you would sell a decal sheet with a bent comer or sell a kit without mentioning the condition of the box? I don't think you would.

[midnightprowler]

That box is more than slightly bent, it is crushed, and it should have been mentioned before shipping.

[rotorwash]

Ray,

I would PM Gordon on here. I do agree that AZ should have a stronger box, looks like a result of too many boxes on top of each other. I would also think something like that should be located in a scratch and dent section, folks have a expectation of a unsmashed box. I will also say that in many orders from SB I have never had a box show up like that or paint. I even emailed them when I bought a bunch of Alclad for there good job. Each bottle was individual bubble wrapped.

Thanks, Ryan. Who is Gordon?

Ray

[rotorwash]

First, make sure you talk to "the boss", who I'm surprised hasn't already addressed this. He is very personal. Next find out how this could happen, other than I still can't believe it came from Sprue. For even a little bottle of Tamiya Thin, he packs it like it is the family jewels. Never an issue.

I know he would want to find out where the ball dropped.

As far as who thinks a kits value is the reason, that must not work at the shows. I have had my arse handed straight out, with a cheap monogram POS at the Nationals. Some guys can't take the most sad piece of plastic and lay down a masterpiece. Then some do it for the sentimental value. I got an AMT C-130 Spectre that holds a lot of memories for me. I have bought three of the same kit, each one had a special place in my life....

-Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the info. If it had been a really valuable kit I would have pursued it further. The main reason I posted here was to see what experience other had had with the company and it seems my experience was not typical. I will probably give them another shot in the future based on you guys input.

thanks,

Ray

[scotthldr]

First mistake was having it sent priority mail! Second, it appears to have been opened then re-sealed. Sprue Brothers always adds packing material as well.

That's what I thought as well. Maybe USPS opened the parcel to make sure there was no contraband modelling materials ie paints/solvents in there, repacked it all and pressed down too hard to close the outer box resulting in the damage.

[Tank]

Thanks, Ryan. Who is Gordon?

Ray

Gordon Kwan, is the owner of Sprue Brothers.

[Dave Roof]

So you would sell a decal sheet with a bent comer or sell a kit without mentioning the condition of the box? I don't think you would.

There is a huge difference in selling from a personal collection and owning a specialty mail order business. If I sell something from my personal collection, I will mention the box condition. However, a large mail order business shouldn't be expected to, especially when the model company itself is notorious for using flimsy boxes for their kits.

I have sold dozens of decals with 'bent corners' and didn't mention it. If the bend in no way affects the decals to be used, it is a non-issue. If the bend is enough to affect any marking, I will mention it or I simply won't sell it.

Sorry, but I just don't believe that box is an issue. The kit is fine and the box can be easily bent back to shape.

[rotorwash]

That's what I thought as well. Maybe USPS opened the parcel to make sure there was no contraband modelling materials ie paints/solvents in there, repacked it all and pressed down too hard to close the outer box resulting in the damage.

No it was not opened before arriving at my home. There is only one piece of tape and no evidence old tape was removed. Of course I removed the packaging material without photographing it and found the crunched box. I then refitted the packaging material for the photo to show that the kits were well cushioned and must have been shipped that way from the warehouse.

Ray

[rotorwash]

There is a huge difference in selling from a personal collection and owning a specialty mail order business. If I sell something from my personal collection, I will mention the box condition. However, a large mail order business shouldn't be expected to, especially when the model company itself is notorious for using flimsy boxes for their kits.

I have sold dozens of decals with 'bent corners' and didn't mention it. If the bend in no way affects the decals to be used, it is a non-issue. If the bend is enough to affect any marking, I will mention it or I simply won't sell it.

Sorry, but I just don't believe that box is an issue. The kit is fine and the box can be easily bent back to shape.

Dave,

First off, I have several of these kits I have ordered and none had issues with crushed boxes. So it is possible to ship them in good condition. Second, if the packing box had arrived all bent up, I would have chalked it up to international shipping and not said anything. After all, a company can only control how the box looks when it leaves their facility. However, the pristine nature of the shipping box led me to believe it was packaged that way. I and I believe many others, would never pay full retail for a kit in a bent up box like that at a contest or hobby shop. Therefore, I don't expect stuff like that to be shipped from the factory. To your point that they are a large mail order business, this was exactly why I thought the few bucks for shipping wouldn't be a big deal. I understand that small businesses work on a tight bottom line and probably wouldn't be inclined to refund even shipping, but a huge distributor like Sprue Brothers should be able to adsorb such a minimal refund. It's not like I asked for my money back for the kit. Just my personal opinion.

Ray

[Don]

Each to their own but I like my new kit boxes to be in as good a shape as possible no matter if they come from my LHS or an online dealer. If there are two copies of the same kit on the LHS shelves I am personally taking the kit in the best overall shape/condition (and yes I would inspect each). Its just my thing I guess because I consider myself a builder and a collector. I do the same with books and magazines, choosing the best copies. I also store my kits as best I can so that my 20 year old kits still look like new. Again, just me. If its a used kit off of EBay or something and the seller has been forthcoming about the kits overall condition then I know what I am getting. I also know and expect that used generally means shelf wear. But in my humble opinion, if I am buying a new kit from a reputable online hobby shop such as SB then I expect the kit to be shipped like one I would typically find on my LHS shelves. The kit I see in the photos above would be a "sale" item in my LHS do to its condition.

As I posted yesterday in all my years ordering from SB I have never had a kit arrive like that. I have always been very happy with SB. As another poster mentioned, contact Gordon.

[mike_espo]

That's BS. That bothers me. I too like boxes in good condition.

[jgrease]

I never made an issue of it, but I had an order that was placed with SB last October. The tracking showed the package bouncing all over the state, and I emailed SB just to ask if they could please re-send the order when it arrived back at the company. The response I received was rude and unsigned. I replied to the email asking why they were taking a hostile tone about something as simple as a shipping issue, and the response I received back was even nastier than the first one, and again unsigned. I chalked it up to a bad day and stayed clear of the place for the better part of six months.

John

[rotorwash]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have contacted Gordon Kwan as suggested. He may reply here, but if not, I'll post his reply here.

Ray

[rotorwash]

I never made an issue of it, but I had an order that was placed with SB last October. The tracking showed the package bouncing all over the state, and I emailed SB just to ask if they could please re-send the order when it arrived back at the company. The response I received was rude and unsigned. I replied to the email asking why they were taking a hostile tone about something as simple as a shipping issue, and the response I received back was even nastier than the first one, and again unsigned. I chalked it up to a bad day and stayed clear of the place for the better part of six months.

John

Wow, you are a better man than me, John. That would definitely put me off even more than the initial reply I received. If you still have the e-mails, why not post them here so that perhaps they can be addressed as well. You would think who ever sent them would at least sign them.

Ray