JUSTMECAT

We the consumers should be banding together and demanding better service and quality from our suppliers. Yet when a negative post is submitted.The attacks begin.Really? Support your fellow enthusiast! Cast shame upon a vendor of questionable integrity. Our hobby will not get better by rage. Which I am guilty of. But, it also will not get better so long as a few individuals who get "prototype" and "promo" products for their hostility towards any negative facts being posted, are allowed to persist with their behavior. Furthermore, are these forums more concerned with advertisement and profits than actual facts and positive experiences of their users? I hope my issues have saved a couple people some tribulations. I know this forum has been more tribulation than help. So, remember this is supposed to be an informative and helpful location that has obviously forgotten it's role and it's goal. I hope I rattle a few cages and allow some individuals to experience a long over due rectal-cranial inversion. Happy Holidays and best wishes to the people who just want their toys to do what the vendors claim.

topspin

There are some people who will do anything for a buck or a freebie. There are others who will take a contrary position or attack someone just because they get some kind of warped satisfaction from it. I agree with you that on some sites certain advertisers and those who support them get a pass and can break all of the site rules with impunity. I have not found that to be the case here on RCU, there are shills and crackpots on every site but at least on this site Admin steps in when people start crossing the line.

The hobby business is not an easy way to make a living and some hobby suppliers have no problem cutting the legs out from under their competition by using shills and unfair business practices. They, like the poor I'm afraid, will always be with us. Anyone who has been in this hobby for a while has been burned at least once by an unscrupulous vendor. Also, anyone who has been in the hobby for a while knows who the good suppliers are and knows better than to be lured by low prices from a crapshoot supplier who may or may not deliver.

init4fun

Two thumbs up ! ......... Heck , THREE thumbs up for this post !!!!!

The shills are one thing , selling out their fellow hobbyists for a few $$$ , But what of the "fanboy" , someone who gets nothing for needling an already irate customer ? Is it a game for them ? Some kind of twisted sense of power ? The company loyalty to respectable companies is understandable , but what of the folks who consistantly defend "problem companies" ? A strange mentality indeed and I have come to the point of not even engaging in conversations with folks who have such an obvious agenda .

KW_Counter

If we've had good service from a supplier why shouldn't we be allowed to to defend that supplier when someone attacks them?

There is an axiom that goes something like "A happy customer tells 10 others, an unhappy customer tells 50 others." Keep this in mind when you read the unhappy customers rants. The ratio of unhappy to happy is automatically skewed toward the unhappy. Add this to the fact that a high volume supplier is going to have more unhappy customers than a low volume supplier. When we slam one vendor over another we do not know what their happy to unhappy ratios are. For all we know, the small supplier may have a much worse ratio.

The freedom of speech which we enjoy in this country is a precious freedom. We should not be getting upset with others who disagree with us. We should be encouraging them to use that freedom the same way we used it. And we all need to use it politely!!!

KW_Counter

acerc

I think the biggest reason is Ego, some guys feel that if there brand is not the best then they did not get the best. But the best is only what one is willing to pay for. I personally don't buy anything for "the best" but rather what suits me and my wallet. Sometimes it's the "best" and sometimes it the "worst" but it was my choice. Most suppliers are restricted by the mfg as to what and how far they can go under warranty but many do their best to satisfy the customer beyond. Some customers can't be satisfied and it is not difficult to realize one in the dealings and cut them short. I personally don't fault that decision,it's a hard line to walk.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

One thing nice about these boards is you can search past posts of members, when doing that you quickly see what they are here for. Some are here to talk about RC Models, some are here to talk about RC Vendors.
Both Positive and negative agendas are easy to discover.

Greybeard1

My question is not so much why are the suppliers being defended, my question is what is this hobby industry trying to do? Commit suicide? There is nothing that bothers me more than seeing something advertised, going to a web site, then finding "Out of stock". Not just aircraft, but the entire industry, cars, railroad, aircraft, you name it, and "Out of stock" is the most common thing you'll see. The other one, looking into one electric, plane, available, I have radios, I can buy batteries, but what do you charge them with when nobody has a charger that isn't out of stock and will be for the next three months. NO sale on the plane, or batteries, and I'm not going to look again, I have kits, I have engines and radios, glow fuel is easily available to me. Like it or not, the hobby industry is mostly dependent on impulse buying, and once that impulse is gone, it usually won't return.

Some vendors are good, Balsa USA, I call on Monday, I'll be building on Wednesday. Tower usually gives me good service, but I'm close to both of them.

One soon learns when watching Youtube video who is the shill and avoid them. "I cycled the retracts through and it was never anything but smooth and sure". How about after you bounced it in hard and they tore out of the foam?

Enough of my griping.

RIch.

JUSTMECAT

I have slammed multiple vendors on multiple sites. While doing so, I have also directed dozens of people to these same vendors because they have the parts in stock that that no one else had. As far as the ratio of positive to negative goes. I believe there would be no negative if vendors delivered what they advertised. I am old and old school. Give the customer their monies worth and the customer is always right. I lose hundreds of dollars daily entertaining wrong customers demands. And I make thousands down the road for treating them right.I guess the bottom line is to deliver what you offer or stop offering. I also endorse OSE, HORIZON,SIDETRAX HOBBIES and a bunch of Ebay sellers. Didn't receive or expect anything from them. They supported me and backed their products. Even when I may have been wrong. There was no discussion as to blame. Only, "How do we fix the problem?" More vendors need to realize they are only selling their service. Not the products or their infinite wisdom. They would have better ratings and higher sales by just accepting the returns and harassing their suppliers as opposed to harassing their customers. It is just the standard I am too lazy to work. Easier to deny the customer than fill out the return slip. So, VENDORS please read and contemplate. I am a profitable vendor in another industry because I file the defective product forms. Make the calls to the supplier and give the customer what I offered. Even if I take a loss. Because that customer will return and will tell their friends how happy they were with the end product.So, judge me as you will. Been in business a long time and have multiple customers for almost 25 years. 16 employees and hiring.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

As mentioned, some vendors go out of there way to make things right and others can care less. For the good one's, I am usually first to chime in with how they took care of me. For the bad ones, it usually brings on a war of words if I bring it up, so I leave sleeping dogs alone. I recently bought 2 Lipo Batteries from a vendor that is advertised here on RCU and as I usually do, when I received them I attempted to charge them. Neither of these 2 batteries would take a charge. I called the vendor and they stated that there is no return warranty for batteries. I was out $90.00 bucks and mad. My only recourse is to never buy from them again, which I have not done. My flying buddies also know what happened and a few of them also do not use this vendor. I kinda figure that Karma will sooner or later bite them in the butt, mean while I spend my money at the vendors that do it the way that it is supposed to be done. I have also discovered that often times, cheaper is not better, it ends up being more costly. As usual, it comes down to buyer beware. As for the my brand verse's your brand, that will always be a Chevy verse's Ford kinda deal as each product always has it's pro's and con's and once again comes down to what the individual wants from each produce he buys. After all, we all know that Futaba and OS are the best. Let the war begin......

topspin

I agree David that OS are top of the line. four years ago I inherited some old stuff that included 1980 vintage OS .60 and .40, both were seized up. After soaking them in WD-40 and then cranking them with some after run oil to get some lube on the bearings they both started and ran like a million bucks. I don't do glow anymore so I donated them to the club, they are still flying today. Thumbs up on the statement that cheaper is not always better, you are so right.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Back to the OPs question, or what inspired it, I looked at the thread he started, looks like he had issues with a boat purchased from a USA Based vendor, vendor responded to his questions and complaints in the thread. Looks like things got heated on the OPs end in the thread, nothing over the top by any means, a few guys chimed in stating they had good service from the vendor. No crazy fanboyism or shilling going on by any means.

My question to the OP is,, if you were so unhappy with the boat,, what didn't you just send it back?

stu48

I think a big part of the issue is that some complainers start with rant attacks without supplying pertinent details about the problem. It looks more like someone is having a bad day and they just want to yell. If the complainer stated facts, all of them, the reader can more readily form their own opinion concerning the supplier. Whining doesn't get it. Some complainers are obviously ignorant of the industry standards and the hobby itself. It seems, to me, a lot of complaints are started by newbies who expect too much from THEIR choice of product. Some are the type who never accept responsibility for their own actions. It has to be someone else's fault. Some have legitimate complaints. But, all the facts should be well documented in an orderly fashion.

Rants look like rants and tend to stir the emotions of some responders. Of course, some responses are nothing but opposing rants and should be equally ignored. I'm sure some suppliers see so many complaints that they automatically put some in the trash as not deserving a response. That is a business practice with which I don't agree. Unless the company is so big that consumer opinion doesn't really matter, the customer should at least receive a "message received and under review" notice.

OliverJacob

My Feedback: (12)

Since customers look for the price first, the quality of the product - and the customer service will suffer.
As a manufacturer you need to decide how much of each you are willing to offer.
For some it's just shear quantity, just making a few cents on a product doesn't allow to spend much time with an individual customer.
The customer then needs to decide whether to spend a little more on a product or take the cheapest offer and take the chance to end up with
a piece of junk and have no support.

To each his own, I occasionally get some items from that Chinese company, these cost less then half of what local companies charge, so the occasional DOA is
acceptable. I'd stay away from any high priced items from them.

So if you need service, buy at your local store first. Then at trusted online stores.

JUSTMECAT

In response to your question "scale". I was trying to replace a v1 that I built from a hull. And I had added transom plates inside and out before the second motor puked. By which time the supplier had already become hostile and derogatory over some simple issues. Then I added hull reinforcement and a vertical servo mount. I don't believe modified hulls are eligible for return. Furthermore, and the actual fact is that all I wanted to return was a $60 SSS 3674. Vendor retracted offer, unless I deleted, after reading my factual thread. The morale of the story is,"Don't post facts on forums." It was a principal issue that lead me to post. Went on a rant because drama sells. Got the word out there and saved some deserving people from a bad experience. I still suggest people buy parts there. Just do not buy ARTR or "Custom". Thanks to "someone" sharing my email. I am now in possession of 5 of their ARTR and 1 custom. All of which are hardware and not hull issues. Yes, things got heated on my end. Almost $1200 in purchases and was insulted and coerced to exchange a cheap motor. Not happening. $60 is nothing if it saves one person who labors for meager wages from a similar experience. I suggest more people speak up and make it easier to locate dedicated vendors. Many problem suppliers would get better. And the rest would go away. I hope this parried your poke. If not? Contact or post. I have nothing to hide and ice on my ponds. HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all.

Rob2160

There is a poll running on RCG now where you can vote for your favourite vendors.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2295982

The current leader is Chris from Armattan Quad copters, I have 5 of his products and can say he deserves every vote.

What other supplier in this hobby gives a "Lifetime - transferrable warranty" on the frame - break it and he will replace it for free.

JUSTMECAT

Glad to see someone insuring their business future. Money is easy. Security takes time and effort.Nice to see a positive post. Thanks.